This necromancer is going to seduce the beautiful girls who are already dead.

"Eat your food properly. Eternal Night City is self-sufficient; there's definitely enough to eat." Abyss smiled as he sat opposite Gylvia. "Want to have some wine together? I have some cider made by Rebecca that we can drink."

“Oh, no, thank you, but I don’t need the alcohol. I’ll get all foggy-headed after drinking.” Gylvia waved her hand, declining Abyss’s invitation. “Don’t even mention alcohol. It’s a tradition in the Kingdom of Osi to prove courage by drinking. On important occasions, I have to perform a drinking demonstration. I have to down a glass of fiery liquor in one gulp and remain calm the whole time. It took me several days to master the technique of not spitting the liquor out of my nose when I took a big gulp.”

“What courage does drinking prove? The real courage is right here.” Leona was already sitting next to the Abyss, grabbing a meat roll from the flatbread the owner had just brought out and eating it. She patted Rebecca next to her with the back of her hand, which was clean of oil. “She dared to drink potions of unknown effects that she made herself when she was still alive.”

Rebecca smiled helplessly: "That's mainly because of confidence..."

“Yeah… I hate this culture of forcing people to drink too. I’ll have to find a way to gradually get the people of Ossi to drink less,” Gylvia complained, drawing out her words. In the City of Eternal Night, she could finally set aside her queenly elegance and chat with others like an ordinary girl in her early twenties.

"How's the Kingdom of Ossi doing lately?" Flora asked, showing interest in Gylvia's career.

Gylvia smiled: "The Kingdom of Ossi is doing quite well now. We've gained a lot of support from the Eastern Empire. Although relations between us and the Western Empire have deteriorated, we never intended to have a good relationship with the invaders who have historically bullied us. The lives of the people of Ossi are gradually improving. The nobles underwent a major reshuffle, and the phenomenon of nobles abusing the labor of their subjects has improved a lot."

The Kingdom of Osi is a small country, and without uniting with other countries, it has no way to escape the sanctions and control of the Western Empire. This is the helplessness of being a small country. However, Jivia quickly got into the role and has now learned quite well.

“You can stay here a little longer. I’ve already sent an alchemical puppet to take your place, so don’t worry about your men finding out you’re missing,” Rebecca said to Gylvia, who seemed to be in a hurry to finish her meal.

Jivia was also pleasantly surprised: "Eh? Really? I can rest for a bit now?"

"Just how busy have you been since you became queen?" Leona shook her head helplessly.

"Official duties aren't actually that busy. After all, the Kingdom of Osi isn't very big, and the nobles manage their own territories, so I don't have to worry about the small things. It's just that there are all sorts of ceremonies for me to attend, and those ceremonies are really boring. It's all about pouring wine." Gylvia sighed. "Sometimes I miss being a princess. Back then, I didn't have to go around performing drinking cups one after another."

"Don't worry about that. The alchemical puppet is controlled by the Abyss. It can attend the ceremony in your place and even drink for you," Rebecca said with a smile.

Abyss gave Gylvia a no-go sign; he'd always played Gylvia quite well.

"Oh, right, speaking of which, I have something else to give you." Gylvia looked at Abyss, then suddenly clapped her hands lightly and said, "Could you please escort me back to my palace?"

“Of course.” Abyss casually tore open a spatial rift and took Gylvia out.

Inside the bedroom, the alchemical doll Rebecca had set up was already sitting in Gylvia's chair, pretending to read a book. Gylvia looked at the doll, which looked exactly like her, went up and pinched its soft face. After a moment of curiosity, she led Abyss to her bookshelf.

“What I want to give you is… this.” Gylvia stood on tiptoe and took down two rather old books from the top shelf, their corners bound with iron. These books appeared before paper was invented on the continent, so they were made of sheepskin and were quite heavy.

"What kind of ancient books are these?" Abyss took the two books, opened one of them, and found it filled with unfamiliar characters.

“This is the ancient book that I later asked someone to find for me—do you remember the one you took from the treasury, the one made of the skin of a young female elf?” Jivia straightened her hair and said to Abyss, “I asked someone to find these two books among the people, and the script they use is the same as that elven skin book.”

Abyss then discovered that the mysterious script in these two books was the same as that in the previous elven leather book. What was different was that these two books also contained many rather abstract illustrations.

“I think with these two books as an aid, you might be able to decipher the text on them,” Jivia said with a smile. “Sometimes I’m also curious about what’s recorded in these ancient books. You’ve said before that the souls of the victims who were made into paper were bound, so what’s recorded on them must be extraordinary.”

Abyss nodded, put the two books into the Magic Catfish, and opened the spatial rift again: "Thank you, Gylvia. It seems that I can put the matter of deciphering that book on the agenda."

Gylvia happily stepped into the spatial rift with Abyss, returning to the City of Eternal Night. She sat down in her seat again and began to drink the beverage served by the innkeeper.

Rebecca patted Abyss, who had just returned, and asked, "We just talked about what our next step should be. Now that everyone's safety is secured, we can't keep defending ourselves like this forever."

“Oh, next, I plan to go to the Shadowlands to see what the Council of the Dead is planning to do.” Abyss’s tone was as relaxed as if he were going to visit a neighbor. “And the Lord of Delusion, I also need to find a way to get rid of him. What he has done has gone a bit too far.”

Chapter 244 A Brand New Way to Travel

"Go to the Shadowlands?" Rebecca looked at the Abyss and laughed. "The Council of the Dead probably won't be too happy to see us."

“So I have an idea, let’s go by boat.” Abis shook his finger.

"By boat? Wouldn't it be faster to fly? If we're worried about being discovered, we can use the Underworld for cover," Leona asked curiously. "Although it's not that I don't like boats."

“Because I have an idea—the Council of the Dead has already devised a way to counter my Dark Realm. Although this magic has touched the essence of the world, it is only accomplished through magic. The mages in the Council of the Dead are quite powerful. Since they can replicate a knock-off version of the Dark Realm, they may have already created a way to counter our Dark Realm,” Abyss said seriously. “This is why I don’t plan to use the Dark Realm to sneak past.”

"What about flying? Are you worried that they also have methods to monitor flying objects?" Leona asked again.

Abyss nodded: "Yes. If I were the Council of the Dead and I were deliberately luring my enemy to my territory, I would predict how he would come. In that case, it would most likely be either flying over stealthily or flying over openly."

Leona fully understood what Abyss meant, but she still maintained her confidence: "Got it, you're worried they'll plot against you? With your strength, what's there to worry about?"

"Because the enemy possesses the power of the Lord of Delusion," Flora explained to Leona, a rare occurrence for her. "Even the Abyss must be careful, otherwise, if you fall into a trap, the enemy won't be merciful enough to give you a chance."

“Oh, right, it’s always good to be cautious.” Leona nodded.

“Furthermore, Mr. Abyss and the members of the Council of the Dead are all necromancers, and they are very familiar with each other’s weaknesses and vulnerabilities. We need to be even more careful when fighting them,” Sheila added at this moment. She had been quiet the whole time, and now it seemed that she understood Abyss’s thoughts.

“So, we’ll go by boat. I’ll use divine magic to conceal our movements, and the ship will be driven by us personally, so there won’t be any extra magical fluctuations,” Abyss said. “How do you feel? Would you like to travel at sea with me?”

Everyone found it all very novel. Hay-Tver was a single, continuous continent, and people traveled mainly by land. Only when transporting large quantities of goods between countries would they use waterways to save costs.

One reason limiting the development of maritime endeavors was that navigation technology was not particularly needed, and another was the perilous nature of the Storm Sea. The Sea-Tverians dared not sail too far from the shore, as the sea monsters and chaotic magic of the Storm Sea could become deadly killers at any moment.

The safest known route is the one from the continent of Hai-Tver to the Shadowfall. While there's a chance of encountering sea monsters along the way, large ones can be scouted beforehand to avoid them. However, despite its safety, this route has been abandoned for a long time. The Shadowfall has become a chaotic and dangerous place, where mainlanders not only gain nothing but also risk losing their lives.

“Speaking of which, I’m a princess, yet I’ve never sailed far away by boat.” Leona began to think seriously. “The farthest I’ve ever sailed was with my maid, drifting on the artificial lake in the palace for most of the day. I ended up eating all the food on board before we got back. That doesn’t make sense.”

“As a princess, you wouldn’t sail far away by ship, would you? After all, the sea is so dangerous,” Flora said with a smile.

“What danger? If we encounter a sea monster, I’ll punch it in the nose first, then in the eye. If it dares to cause trouble again, I’ll just punch it in the groin.” Leona struck a pose.

"In that case, you're quite arrogant. The people traveling with you will probably all be punished because of you." Rebecca shrugged helplessly. "You are, after all, an imperial princess."

Although Leona's status in the court was very low, as Rebecca said, she was still an imperial princess and should have the proper status.

Agnes remained silent, but gazed at the Abyss with expectant eyes. Although Agnes was powerful, she had spent her life working tirelessly for the safety of the elven kingdoms and had no opportunity to go to sea. In fact, she was the one among her many familiars who most longed to sail. The sea monsters and the ecosystems so different from those on land fascinated her, not to mention that she later perished in the impact of a tsunami.

"I see you're all quite interested in sailing, so how about we head over to the Shadowfall for a proper tour?" Abyss glanced around, then looked at Sophia, who was lost in thought to herself. "Sophia, what do you think? Would you like to join our sailing crew?"

Sophia was startled by Abyss's call. She glanced at Abyss and said, "Oh, of course."

"What are you thinking about?" Agnes nudged her from the side.

"N-nothing...it's just some things to be careful about when you're on a boat..." Sofia's face flushed red. "Like, when the wind is blowing at the bow, you can hug your loved one from behind and have them open their arms..."

"I've read that book! It was written by my ancestor! It even has special content only available in limited editions!" Leona exclaimed excitedly from the side. "I've read it, want me to tell you about it? Have you read it?"

"No, no, no, no! That's not what I meant! I didn't mean to perform anything special with the Abyss on the ship!"

“Since Sophia is willing to go, then let’s settle it.” Abyss showed no embarrassment at Sophia revealing her impure thoughts. He looked at his followers with ease and amusement. “Next, we will spend some time crossing the sea between the continent and the Shadowfall, venturing into the perilous Shadowfall. I have already commissioned the craftsmen of Eternal Night City to begin building a ship, and soon we will have our own vessel.”

After the Abyss made a request to the artisans of the City of Night, the ship that the Abyss had specially ordered for him and his retinue to travel together was put into construction in full swing.

This time, Abyss will lead his followers to the Shadowlands in a way the Council of the Dead could hardly have imagined—by boat—to investigate the Lord of Delusion's plans, and also to give the Council of the Dead, an organization that has been his enemy for a long time, a long-overdue gift.

Chapter 245 The Powerful Shadow Demon

"You're going to the Shadowlands?" Ada, who was reading a book, put down her book and looked at the Abyss group with great interest. "I thought that continent would remain deserted for a while longer. What are you planning to do there?"

The other Moon Knights members also looked at Abyss and his party, who had just come to visit with some gifts.

The Moon Knights now all have places to live. They were very close in life and now live together, their seven houses forming a large courtyard. Currently, apart from Nicola, all the female knights of the order are in this courtyard, some drinking tea, some reading, and others writing.

“There’s a score to settle with the Council of the Dead,” Abyss chuckled. “It’s time to meet with them. Their activities are seriously hindering my plans, so they must be driven out—by the way, where’s Ms. Nicola? Why isn’t she with you?”

“Her? She’s the busiest one of us right now,” Ada shrugged. “That woman was taken out by that dragon early this morning. She’s been staying out a lot lately. I wonder how they’re going to live after they get married, whether they’ll stay here or build a place outside the city.”

"They actually got together?" Sheila was shocked. She never expected that the little dragon's almost comical pursuit (for a dragon's age) would actually succeed, and that he would actually get an ancient hero and scholar to agree to go on a date with him.

Nisha, who was writing something next to Ada, looked up and laughed, "Nicola initially refused too. After all, that little guy called Charmander was not only underage but also a giant dragon. It was impossible for him to be a couple with Nicola. But that Charmander is too romantic. Nicola has now been completely won over by that guy."

“Yes, at first he gave Nicola her favorite flowers, then he made her her favorite desserts by hand, and after Nicola agreed to go out with him, he started carrying her around and flying around, and even took her to see fields of flowers. His methods of pursuing her were so varied.” Jayka, who was drinking tea nearby, smiled kindly and interjected, “Although the little dragon is an immature dragon, he is still over a hundred years old, and the young Nicola simply couldn’t resist his pursuit.”

Sofia was already hiding behind everyone, furiously scribbling in a small notebook to record the little dragon's romantic advances.

“The little dragon is quite easy to manage,” Abyss chuckled upon hearing this. “He’s of good character, so you can entrust Nicola to him without worry. Oh, by the way, the real reason I came here was to ask you about the general situation of the Shadowlands. Although the information you have is from over a thousand years ago, I think it can still be used as a reference today.”

"You want information on the Shadowlands?" Ada beckoned to the Abyss. "Sure, come here, I'll draw you a diagram."

The Moon Knights were arguably the group that brought the most change to the Shadowfall. Their exploration of this corrupted land far surpassed that of any book on the continent. Nicola only managed to bring back a small portion of the intelligence, while the majority of it was lost with the deaths of the Moon Knights.

With Ada leading the way, the other Moon Knights also gathered around and told Abyss what they knew about the Shadowfall.

The Shadowfall isn't particularly large or small, roughly a third the size of the current Eastern Empire. Located in the northeast of the continent, the Shadowfall has a cold, damp climate and is perpetually shrouded in mist. It was originally a highly desirable source of magical crystals, but a sudden rift in the sky contaminated it, turning all magical crystals into inferior ones that shatter upon the infusion of magic.

When discussing the Shadowfall, one must mention the Shadow Demons who occupy this land. These peculiar creatures have twisted appearances and exude a corrosive power. They are powerful, difficult to kill, and numerous, possessing a unified will due to the dominance of their leader.

These traits of the Shadow Demons make them quite troublesome. These monsters from another world attack everyone in this world, not to hunt, but simply to kill.

Back then, the Moon Knights were already the strongest fighting force in the world. When facing the Shadow Demons, they had to choose to avoid their sharp edge, as they simply had no way to confront them head-on.

The power of an ordinary Shadow Demon is comparable to that of a low-level Aura Warrior, not to mention that there are many higher-level Shadow Demons that can rival mid-to-high-level Aura Warriors.

“In short, Abyss, although you are very powerful, you must not underestimate your enemies. The power of the Shadow Demons is extremely strong, and the corrosive power they possess can contaminate anything they come into contact with,” Nisha cautioned Abyss. “Including magic. Normal magic will undergo unpredictable changes when it comes into contact with them.”

“If you’re surrounded by those guys, my advice is to retreat first,” Ada said. “They’re extremely difficult to kill, and their way of life is quite different from what we usually understand as animals. Fighting them won’t get you anywhere.”

“The Shadow Demons seem to be very dangerous enemies. Do you know how the Council of the Dead coexists with these monsters?” Abyss asked.

“All we know is that the Council of the Dead and the Shadow Demons are not allied. The Shadow Demons will attack when they discover them, but these attacks don’t last long. They use some method we don’t know to stop the Shadow Demons’ rampage,” Ada said. “In short, we don’t know.”

“Oh, that’s alright, I’ll figure it out.” Abyss nodded.

“As for the rest, right, there’s also the Council of the Dead’s usual practice. They capture people from the continent and take them back to their lair, where they experiment on them.” Ada thought for a moment and said, “If you find the lair where those perverts from the Council of the Dead conduct their experiments after you go to the Shadowfall, remember to rescue the innocent people there.”

“That’s inevitable,” Abis nodded solemnly. “And I have a feeling that we can save many people this time.”

"Why?" Ida tilted her head.

“Because the first step in my plan is to infiltrate the Council of the Dead after entering the Shadowlands,” Abyss replied with a smile. “I want to attack them from within.”

Chapter 246 The New Ship Sets Sail

The ship that Abyss commissioned craftsmen in the City of Eternal Night to build was named "Moonlight," in honor of the Knights of the Moonlight who sacrificed their lives and made indelible contributions to the continent in the Shadowlands.

The ship was not large, nothing like the particularly large cargo ships; it was about thirty meters long and less than ten meters wide. Its primary propulsion system consisted of mechanically linked oars, supplemented by sails. If the oarsmen were competent, it could move at considerable speeds across the sea. The craftsmen had designed it to cross the seas between the continent and the Shadowfall within four days.

Aside from its normal navigation capabilities, the ship had almost no engravings, at Abyss's request to minimize the magical fluctuations during his journey so as not to be detected by the Council of the Dead.

Because magic cannot be used, the craftsmen put their minds to work and installed all the extra functions on the ship in the form of mechanical mechanisms. The ship can automatically submerge into the sea when necessary and sail below the surface. In theory, as long as the oxygen inside is not used up, there is no need to surface. This is very helpful for the Abyss group, because only Sheila needs to breathe (the Abyss's internal organs have been placed in Helheim, so he does not actually need to breathe).

At the same time, the ship itself is extremely strong, capable of withstanding most impacts that might occur at sea. Of course, if a giant sea monster were to appear, then Flora's divine magic would have to be unleashed.

Shipbuilding in Hay-Tver wasn't very advanced, so the craftsmen poured all their accumulated knowledge into the project, brainstorming and even circling Lake Helheim several times before the ship was finally ready to sail on the open sea. Ten days had passed by then, which, in the outside world, was exactly one day.

……

“Shall we set off from here? There are still quite a few people over there. Should we disperse them?” Leona said to Abyss.

By this time, the Abyss and his party had arrived at a peninsula in the northeasternmost corner of the Eastern Empire. This was a relatively close starting point from the mainland to the Shadowlands. The Abyss and his party were in a natural harbor, surrounded by many fishermen. It was morning, the weather was fine, and the fishermen were preparing to go out to sea to fish.