Noble Lady Reformation Guide - Chapter 208

- Whoosh!

- Crack!

A signal flare fired by Derek painted the night sky above the eastern gate plains.

The troops assembled near the garrison doubted their eyes upon seeing this signal.

They'd witnessed from afar how the deathly Arch Lich had emerged to block Derek's path.

Yet now came word that Derek had single-handedly subdued that same Arch Lich which entire armies couldn't overcome. Indeed, the swarms of restless spirits embroidering the sky were gradually dissipating.

Phee's most cherished creation, practically her right hand, now lay broken beneath Derek's grasp.

"Now! Full assault!"

Commander Luthein seized this moment to take the vanguard position and shout. The heaviest obstacle blocking entry to Count Elvester's manor had just been removed.

Most enemies remained preoccupied guarding the breach Melberot created. Attempting to control this new entry point would require regrouping their forces—no easy task.

This opening couldn't be wasted.

Countless cavalry kicked up dust as they charged across the plains toward Elvester Manor.

The thunder of galloping hooves became the only sound filling the vast expanse.

- Thud-thud, thunk!

As armored imperial troops rapidly closed the distance to the walls, a blood-soaked man became visible at the plains'center.

"That... that's...!"

Comparing the Arch Lich floating in the night sky to a scythe-wielding reaper seemed natural—it perfectly embodied death's most loyal servant.

Yet as they neared the walls... they saw that very monster of death now rolling in the dirt.

Its ribs shattered, skull cracked in multiple places. The terrifying shrieks that once chilled their blood now reduced to this pathetic sight—a tattered cloth bundle tumbling across barren earth.

Standing atop it, Derek bled profusely.

Alone, he'd crushed countless spirits and subdued the Arch Lich, holding the corpses'attention until Rozelyn could activate the gate mechanism.

Now he silently watched the cavalry charge toward the manor, his expression reminding them of Melberot in his prime.

That legendary mage who once stood alone against hordes of magical beasts in the snowy wilderness would soon fade into history's background.

A new era demanded new figures.

"Impossible... He truly held the entire eastern gate alone against those monsters...?"

"No time for idle thoughts! Push into the manor now! Cut down every corpse inside and storm the main building!"

Luthein raised his sword higher at the vanguard, shouting louder:

"We carve a path to where that vile necromancer queen slumbers!"

The Arch Lich that had claimed so many comrades'lives now lay broken and rolling in the dirt.

Morale surged at this sight, soldiers roaring as they flooded into Elvester Manor.

- Clatter! Clatter!

- Whoosh!

The cavalry saluted Derek respectfully as they swept past him into the fray.

Amid the gale kicked up by countless horses, Derek stood motionless as ever, clenching his fist with his usual impassive expression.

- Charge!

- Secure the path! Eliminate all enemies in sight!

After this fierce siege... they'd finally breached the interior.

Derek too turned gradually, striding purposefully inside.

- Clang! Clang!

- Roar!

Princess Rozelyn's Anti-Magic Seal made her the ultimate wild card—an existence completely undetectable by any magic.

None could have imagined imperial royalty personally infiltrating the battlefield to open the gates. The chaos inside proved it.

The corpse legion focused on guarding Melberot's southwestern breach now faced cavalry charging from their rear, descending into madness.

The manor interior became pure bedlam—clashing metal, severed flesh, terrified screams blending together.

Precisely the chaotic melee they wanted. With confusion reigning, gaps would inevitably appear in the path to where Phee recovered in Elvester Manor.

"The Arch Lich is dead! Victory is ours! We end this battle now!"

"Push the frontlines further! But... these corpse hordes seem endless!"

"No necromancer, however powerful, has infinite magic! Keep cutting them down and their numbers must dwindle!"

Blood sprayed as mindless corpse wails spread.

Armored soldiers repeatedly cut through corpses, trying to carve a path to the main building. Yet the endless tide showed no signs of stopping.

- Thud, thud.

Derek advanced steadily through the chaos, sword cutting down corpses as he moved toward the main building.

Breaking through the eastern gate revealed the count's subsidiary buildings—marble structures once used for cultural exchange, now spewing corpses from their shattered walls.

Hands reached from the earth to grab ankles while floating spirits unleashed elemental magic.

Despite their boosted morale, maintaining courage in this hellscape proved difficult.

Just as fear began gnawing at the troops again—

"Countess Rodea's forces approach!"

On the walls.

Rozelyn, who'd opened this gate, surveyed the battlefield and shouted.

The wall's vantage revealed countless cavalry approaching from beyond the horizon.

Allied forces from House Ravenclaw's vassal families. Reinforcements rushed from the southwestern continent to cut down this necromantic menace.

At their forefront stood Countess Rodea—savior of Rodentz Island, natural enemy of all necromancers.

Clad in silver armor, she charged valiantly with her Holy Blood Sword drawn, its blade inscribed in blood.

"Countess Rodea! She brings reinforcements!"

"It's true...! Everyone... charge...!"

With the breach opened and timely reinforcements arriving—everything unfolded perfectly. Perhaps all previous failed siege attempts were merely preparations for this moment.

Victory loomed.

As hope swelled and soldiers gripped their swords to charge the corpse horde—

- Flash!

Moonlight vanished.

More accurately, outstretched wings blotted out the sky.

Bewildered soldiers looked up to see wings—half-torn by Melberot—now covering the world.

Dragons were said to have gone extinct in mythical ages.

Only 5-Star summoners at full strength or 6-Star necromancers'creations could manifest such forms.

Phee's servants included more than just the Arch Lich.

The Bone Dragon blotting the sky made soldiers gulp dryly.

Its fiery breath could immolate the entire plains.

This monstrous dragon had perched atop the spire for one reason alone—its devastating power could reduce the entire manor to rubble, allies included.

Its wings unfolding now signaled their enemy's desperation.

A declaration of intent to annihilate all invaders by any means necessary.

- Screeeeeech!

A sound between beastly roar and screeching glass engulfed the battlefield.

Like damned souls screaming from hellfire.

If this was a 6-Star necromancer's casual creation—what unimaginable power did their queen Phee possess?

This terror etched itself into every witness's mind.

Astronomical magic gathered at the massive Bone Dragon's maw.

So vast that even seasoned mages couldn't gauge it. One breath would likely scour the battlefield clean.

Death approached again. The ever-present fear looming over all who'd joined this battle.

Just as Derek gathered magic to counter the Bone Dragon—

- Crash! Kaaang!

- Roar!

The colossal dragon collided with some invisible barrier, crashing to earth.

- Screeeeeech!

An ear-splitting shriek echoed as the Bone Dragon impaled itself on the manor's guest house, kicking up massive dust clouds.

- Boom! Crash!

The guest house collapsed, debris raining on the battlefield.

The writhing Bone Dragon atop the rubble seemed apocalyptic.

Its thrashing tail and wings demolished buildings and uprooted trees even as some unseen force suppressed it.

"...!"

As Derek turned to assess the situation—

A gaunt man in tattered robes brushed past him. Gripping impossible amounts of magic, he pressed down on the struggling Bone Dragon with even greater force.

His outstretched hand contained magic disproportionate to his frail frame.

This was the grand mage who'd once faced the Archfiend Noir in the northern snowfields.

Now aged and weakened, Kalimford nudged Derek's back.

"You can breach the main building alone."

"You'll kill that Bone Dragon yourself?"

"Killed worse. You... focus on finishing this."

As battle reached its climax, Kalimford's condition deteriorated completely.

Yet he nodded firmly at Derek, eyes flashing.

A strange premonition struck Derek.

For reasons unclear, this felt like his last glimpse of Kalimford.

Emotions swirled, leaving him momentarily speechless... until Derek finally shook his head.

"Understood."

That sufficed.

Derek knew Kalimford's character well.

The reverse was equally true.

"Living long lets you see everything."

Gripping his worn staff, Kalimford trudged toward the guest house.

Come to think of it, facing Noir in the northern snowfields felt similar. Swarms of spirits blotting the sky, that apocalyptic scenery.

Even then, Kalimford had kept his head high.

"Came expecting that meddling old man. Got someone else instead."

"My."

Amid the clashing steel and chaos of Elvester Manor's throne room, the empire's Head Magic Advisor shuffled inside wearing opulent robes.

The eastern gate had fallen recently.

Her swift arrival suggested she'd anticipated this outcome and moved beforehand.

Kochella, Gremfort Palace's Head Magic Advisor.

This grand mage, also Count Elvester's godmother, had used pre-chanted confusion magic to infiltrate unseen after the breach.

"Didn't expect Lord Melberot's wounds to heal so quickly."

"Who knows. As you see, I'm not fully recovered. Such a shame my dress is stained with blood when receiving distinguished guests. Cough... gasp..."

"..."

Lying sprawled at the chamber's edge, Phee giggled without a trace of tension.

Facing a 6-Star transformation mage like Kochella didn't faze her.

"Right. Kochella. Derek told me much about you. Called you a venomous old snake."

"How crude of Baron Ravenclaw... unexpected."

"No, that's my impression. At least I can tell you're as insane as me. What, salivating over a real 6-Star necromancer?"

Phee closed her eyes, gauging the situation outside.

The eastern gate had fallen, and Derek was finally charging toward the main building.

Her cherished creation Happy seemed completely subdued by her one and only mentor-student Derek.

The Bone Dragon she'd painstakingly crafted was being suppressed by Kalimford, while Melberot apparently remained recovering.

Drest was likely observing from somewhere in the territory, leaving only Kochella free to reach this place.

Five 6-Star mages in this tiny county—combat, transformation, necromancy, detection—when had history ever seen such concentration of power?

Amused by her pivotal role in this absurd scenario, Phee burst into laughter.

Derek was almost here.

Even with a 6-Star transformation mage present, she needed to clear the way for their reunion.

Phee rose with a bloody smile.