Charles let out a long exhale, unable to keep the grin off his face as he opened up his system panel. Just from the Lich alone, he'd earned a full seventeen thousand Purification Points—more than the Death Knight and his entire mob combined!
He'd already racked up enough to hit level fourteen—the twenty thousand Purification Points needed were now in the bag.
A wave of satisfaction rushed through him, so strong he almost wanted to jump up and cheer.
Then, he felt a dry wind brush at his back. Turning, he found Fatima standing quietly behind him, her gaze fixed on the mound of ash at her feet. After a long silence, she sighed. "He once stirred the entire world as a great archmage… and now, nameless and forgotten, he dies on a strange island far from home. It's a tragedy, really."
She spoke with regret, but Charles wasn't in much mood for poetic nostalgia. He smoothly redirected the subject: "Thank you so much for your help, madam Fatima. Without you, facing him and his mana, we'd have never made it through unscathed today."
Fatima shook off the melancholy, her eyes refocusing as she replied gently, "No need for thanks. This was what we bargained for."
She paused, then added, "Now, it's your turn to fulfill your promise. Please grant me a dignified, honorable death—and return my ashes to my homeland."
Charles looked at her, his eyes narrowing just a bit, a glimmer in his gaze.
Sure, purifying this Mummy would net him over ten thousand Purification Points—enough that he might hit level fifteen in no time.
But he had to consider: Fatima was a spellcaster easily as powerful as Theresa. She had also proven herself to be cooperative—clearly willing to work with them.
Next to him, Anno's face betrayed a hint of reluctance. As she saw it, they had just fought side by side as comrades; even if Fatima was an undead meant to be laid to rest, she couldn't help feeling conflicted.
She lifted her sword, about to fulfill their promise, but Charles suddenly caught her hand. "Of course, madam Fatima. But before that, I have something else I'd like to ask you."
Anno looked confused, and Fatima's elegant brows arched. "What is it?"
"To be honest, among these four caverns, we've only encountered three sleepers," he said. "You, the Lich we faced today, and the Death Knight. The last—the Vampire who should have been here—is missing."
His face turned grave. "After some careful investigation, we believe he managed to escape long ago."
Fatima's expression changed. "Von Stein escaped?"
Ah, right, the Vampire's name was Von Stein.
The detail jogged Charles's own memory, and he nodded. "Correct. We plan to track his movements, but we don't know his habits or methods. Could you, perhaps, share any details or intelligence about him?"
Fatima thought for a moment. "Let me try to recall… He's capable of quite a bit, given the chance…"
Charles pressed on, "If that's the case, would you mind remaining with us a little longer? Once we've handled these escapees and restored order, we'll ensure your peaceful rest. Might that be acceptable?"
And with that, the cards were on the table.
He wanted to put off purifying Fatima as long as possible, using every excuse he could muster to benefit from her formidable magic power. He'd wring every drop of value from her, before purifying her and claiming those Purification Points for himself!
Beside him, Anno's eyes suddenly sparkled in understanding, and she quickly nodded. "Exactly! Who knows how much trouble a loose Vampire could cause? Madam Fatima, we really do need your help."
Meanwhile, to his right, Hattie was sizing Fatima up—her lovely face and stunning figure—and gave the barest smirk, one that most would miss.
As for Fatima, handling this sort of conversation clearly wasn't her strong suit. She looked ill-at-ease, glancing between the earnest faces of Charles and Anno. She just couldn't bring herself to refuse.
After a moment's hesitation, she nodded gently. "Very well. Von Stein is indeed too dangerous to leave unchecked. I'll stay until he's dealt with."
Yes, success!
Charles returned her nod with all due sincerity. "Thank you for your understanding, madam."
Fatima didn't say more, and seemed a bit drained. "I'm tired. I'll rest now."
Her body dissolved into a swirl of golden sand, which swept away toward the ship. Soon, she was sealed up again in her sarcophagus to rest.
Charles was about to head back himself, but out of the corner of his eye, he caught Anno sneaking a look at him—a strange expression on her face.
His heart thudded, but he forced a casual tone as he packed up the Lich's loot. "What's up, darling? Something on your mind?"
Anno came to his side, slipped her arm through his, and, after a sidelong glance to make sure Hattie was out of earshot, whispered in a somewhat jealous tone, "You really don't want to let Fatima go just yet, do you?"
From a distance, Hattie stifled a laugh, amusement sparkling in her eyes.
Charles's heart leapt up to his throat, cold sweat beading on his brow.
He almost blurted a denial—swearing he wasn't clinging to Fatima just because of her stunning looks, gorgeous figure, flawless skin, and those exotically sexy wrappings—but caught himself.
Instead, he swallowed his excuses and nodded honestly, "You're right. I really can't bear to purify her right now."
Anno's big, beautiful eyes rounded in shock. "What? I thought you'd try to come up with something—but you're not even pretending!"
She was flustered, giving his foot a hard stomp as she huffed, "I knew it! Last time you went to those shady parties, I could tell your intentions weren't pure. You're such a hound—you see a beauty like Fatima and just can't let her go…"
She clenched her teeth, her irritation building. She'd always been able to stomach the Amazons' forwardness—she saw it as humiliating for Charles, after all—but if he ever took the initiative himself, that trust she'd always felt would be broken, leaving her instantly suspicious and irritable.
Charles winced from the pain, then cried out, "Come on, babe! What are you thinking? Sure, I appreciate beauty, but there's no way I'd have bad ideas about a Mummy!"
"Think about it—even if she looks perfectly preserved, she's still undead. Her soft skin might be just an illusion—maybe she's all dry and leathery underneath. I have other reasons, honest!"
He said this with righteous indignation, and Anno blinked. "That… actually makes sense."
Success!
Seeing his argument had landed, Charles quickly added, "Really, it's about her combat abilities. You saw for yourself—she might even be stronger than Theresa."
"If we can keep her on our side, not just to stop the Vampire but any other future enemies—like the fallen prince—she'd be invaluable!"
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