- Hello, master. – Klein politely greeted Arthur. – How was your trip to the capital?

- Hello, Klein. The trip went as expectedly poorly. The king again wanted me to return to work as an adventurer... And he doesn’t really like being refused for half a century in a row. This time I was even offered to take leadership over these kids from the group of God's Chosen.

- And you refused again? But why? – The young man was surprised. He didn't understand it. But apparently this comes with old age. Although Arthur refused when he was younger...

- I told you many times, baby. The same battle fifty-eight years ago. I was seriously injured and can't fight like before. I'm very weak. But it was worth it for all these Lords to die, ha ha! – The old man laughed, standing with his back to Klein, lighting candles. And the young man, hesitating, said:

- Speaking of which... I heard the term... Somehow it was, as I understand it, in Latin... Tractatus de... uh, Stellis Novissimis! Here! Can you tell me what this is?

Arthur froze. The candle he used to light the others dripped wax onto the floor.

- Master? Everything is fine?..

Klein could not finish the sentence. He did not have time to see the movements of the almost ninety-year-old man. A moment earlier he was standing at the altar, and now he was clasping his student’s throat in his hand, lifting him above the floor. During this time, even the candle that the old paladin had previously held in his hand did not have time to fall to the floor.

Klein stared blankly at the man who raised him. He saw the master's gaze, and he became scared. It was the bright, concentrated look of an experienced strong warrior who looks at a monster that needs to be killed. Arthur tenaciously followed every slightest movement of Klein, simultaneously using one spell after another:

- [Blessing], [Protection from Evil], [Purification], [Restoration], [Divine Power], [Gaze of Truth], [Aura of Holy], [Inspection], [Space Lock], [Mana Burn], [Weakness ], [Level Down], [Voice of the Soul], [Divine Weapon]

Klein's stomach was ready to turn inside out from the aura of the monstrous amount of mana that Arthur generously splashed out. Klein felt how magic and strength were leaving his body, how his level was decreasing, how his soul was trembling under the gaze of the master, burning with divine light.

The old man leaned the golden sword against the young man, and, running his gaze over his statistics, asked harshly:

- You're real, right? Not a mimic, not a resurrected undead, not an illusion. Where did you hear this term then, if none of my comrades clearly met you? Yeah... - Arthur's eyes narrowed dangerously as he looked at the young man again. -You have a new title. Explain. "The Lich's Apprentice" Purely out of love for you, scum, I will give you the opportunity to say the last words. Are you silent?

Klein, clutching the teacher's muscular, powerful arm with his hands, dangling his legs in the air, he tried to breathe even a particle of air, trying to think of at least something that could save his life.

When Arthur had already raised his sword for the only and final blow, Klein was able to squeeze out:

- In the city... Unnameable...

Arthur froze again, and the young man instantly felt the effect of the geis, punishing its bearer for disclosing information that could not be voiced. Klein's soul was torn into pieces, torn from his body. He felt his limbs die one by one and his consciousness leave him.

The old man frowned, looking at the soul of his pupil leaving the body, and still decided to help:

- [Soul Manipulation], [Heavenly Chains]

He threw the student to the floor, saving him from death, and at the same time shackling him and not allowing him to make the slightest movement. He frowned at the guy coming to his senses, after which he sat down on the bench and said dryly:

- You have exactly one chance to tell me everything without concealment. All. Actually everything. Forget about the rage on your soul for now. I can suppress its effect. But it can’t be removed... That means someone stronger than me installed it. Perhaps he really is a cursed lich.

And Klein told. All. Actually everything.

Arthur sat with his head in his hands, closing his eyes and thinking. He never interrupted the student's story, and now the temple was plunged into heavy silence. Klein looked at his teacher cautiously. He had never seen him like this. He couldn’t even imagine that this man could have so much hatred and power... He sat obediently and waited for Arthur’s reaction, afraid to even move. And he finally spoke:

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- In an amicable way, I need to kill you... No one will receive such a title simply by listening to the words of the lich, for this you must want with all your heart to understand what the lich is telling you.

- If I hadn’t listened carefully to every word he said and failed the tests, he would have killed me...

- Tests? You had tests on dark magic!? What have you done to them!?

- What? No! He didn't teach me dark magic. Or any kind at all. He taught me... Mathematics. And theology...

- What?.. – The old man was confused. – Although... If he wanted to hurt me in this way... Yes, quite in his spirit. Clear. Let me clarify: you did not torture anyone, did not kill, did not make sacrifices, did not use magic or miracles, did not break the law or carry out any of his orders that could lead to harm to other people or were needed for unholy rituals?

- N-no... Unless it was only the very first time... I told him his level, and my favorite color.

- Hmm... - Arthur thought. - It could give him something... Okay. I don’t feel any malice from you, and your outlook is still good, otherwise the [Aura of Holiness] would have burned you... I see. Get up. We are going.

The chains dissolved into thin air, returning Klein to control of his body. He stood up, looking warily at the angry old man, who at that second was emitting an aura of rage and strength.

- W-Where are we going?..

- To the house of the Unnameable. Lead.

Klein walked, showing the way. He walked the whole way as if in a fog. As if in a dream, he remembered that along the way many people called and greeted the master abbot. And the usually affable holy old man completely ignored them, causing confusion. The young man was brought out of his trance by Isabella, who greeted him.

- Oh, Klein, hi! And I’m just looking for you! And hello to you... - the girl politely bowed to Arthur, and, looking up, saw his cold, killing gaze.

Isabella felt with every cell of her body how her fur was rising everywhere in horror. She felt herself begin to lose control of her human form, felt her fangs stretch out and her body hunched over and slowly grow larger.

The old man looked into her eyes, and a second wave of horror passed through the girl’s body. The changes stopped instantly, returning her to her normal state. The beast inside Isabella was frightened by this look and disappeared without a trace. The girl muttered something unintelligible in shock and walked away with unsteady steps. She was drenched in cold sweat, feeling that if she had turned now in front of the ancient paladin, he would not have helped her, as he usually did, and would simply have killed her.

After a while, the two paladins finally appeared in front of the lich's mansion. Klein opened the unlocked door with cotton hands, ushering one monster to meet another. The young man was afraid to imagine what would happen here, but he had already come to terms with the fact that today he would die.

The lich raised his head, looking at the two clerics in his hall.

- Ho, isn’t today’s lesson already over, little Klein? And I wasn’t expecting you at all, little Arthur. You know, I’m a busy person, if you want to meet, make an appointment in advance. Have basic politeness, damn it, how were you raised?

The skeleton sat comfortably in his enveloping soft chair. He was dressed in a purple terry robe and soft slippers with cats embroidered on them. The living cats lay lazily around the owner, and one, the Murderer, royally showed his belly, enjoying the position on the spellcaster’s lap. In his hands, Askeltak held a cup of tea and some kind of book. The ancient wizard was resting when visitors unceremoniously burst into his room.

- Did you bring up? – Arthur asked in a murderous tone. - Nobody raised me. Thanks to you, scum. What are you doing in this city!? Why do you need Klein!?

- Hey, don't yell at me, I can hear everything just fine. And, by the way, I raised you! Or have you forgotten how I came to you after such an early and tragic death of your parents?

- Oh yeah. How can I forget this hell? – Fury boiled inside the old man when he remembered his childhood. “You found me five times when I had to find a place where I would be accepted!” And he killed them just like in my native village...

- Yeah, it was fun. And look what you have become! Such a strong, courageous and stately man! But it’s all thanks to the motivation I gave you! It’s a pity, really, that you chose to waste your talent by living to your current decrepit years. You are now old and weak. Eh, but I could have brought the matter to an end that day...

- The longer I live, the longer I can hold back you and people like you.

- Well, he could live short and bright. Like a shooting star. I wanted to see this so much... After all, a star burns most brightly a second before it goes out. You really disappointed me, boy...

- H-hey... Sorry for interrupting...- Klein intervened, flinching from two glances directed at him. – But maybe you can finally explain to me what the hell is going on here!? Master, all my life I have heard about that valiant victory fifty-eight years ago! About the great battle in which all the Lords were killed, and eight of the thirteen members of the Ground Angels had to sacrifice themselves in order to destroy this evil forever! Damn, everyone knows that! But why is one of the Lords sitting here, and you seem to be not at all surprised by this!?

- Hehe, it's time to be honest, right, Artie? – the Lich grinned, looking mischievously at the hunched old man. - Tell us what happened there?

- Klein...- the paladin said heavily, having aged twenty years. - I... We... We didn't kill them all. The truth is that on that day the Treaty of the Last Stars was concluded...

- Yeah, Tractatus de Stellis Novissimis. – The Lich nodded. – I love Latin. The Romans were so cool, baby, you just have no idea!

- And in general, we... We got a deal... - Arthur finished with difficulty.

- … What?..