So… Custodian, why was Pell’s soul bound to the core, but not the others? Why just him?

Marianne told me a possible theory. Undead dungeons sometimes use the soul energy of raiders to refill their cores and create new undead. All dungeons have their own little ecosystems. For whatever reason, Pell’s soul was picked to be revived while his party was absorbed. Maybe because their souls were weaker, or maybe Pell’s will to survive was stronger than the rest. Could’ve been dumb luck, or even some artifact at play—but that’s mostly conjecture.

I see… then… is there a way to save him? To save Pell’s soul, I mean. Like, put it back into his body—err, skull, I guess?

Dungeon cores are the heart of a dungeon, and they control almost everything inside. Marianne suggests—and I agree—that if you reach the dungeon core and claim it, you could potentially restore Pell’s soul. Or, at the very least, trap it for whatever use you want.

So that’s it, huh…

Though, as you said before, you could also just leave the dungeon. After all, this man did deceive you, didn’t he? It’s quite a serious offense, especially to trick someone of your standing—a high-noble—especially by someone as lowly as him, a peasant from the Under Realm. Make no mistake, Enya Empyria. Don’t let your feelings cloud your judgment. Did he really save you? Or was it all just an elaborate ruse?

Enya froze silent upon hearing Custodian’s harsh words about Pell. They were true, for the most part. Pell had tricked her, and yet she still wanted to save him. He had already died. Why not just let him rest? If Enya did care that much about him, she could probably just find someone to go down to the first layer and help that Elara person he had mentioned. She, herself, didn’t need to save him. But for some reason… it didn’t feel right.

No, Mr. Custodian. I’m not letting anything cloud my judgment. I think I should save Pell, no matter what. I don’t want to leave him here to die. For some reason, I just…

Her mind spun in a whirlwind of confusion, and as her thoughts scrambled, so did the words on the page. They danced and jumbled, reflecting her inner chaos. After a few moments, she took a deep breath, gathered her thoughts, and steadied her resolve once more.

I think… Pell wants to be saved. I don’t know much about his past—heck, I don’t even know much about my own past—but that letter he wrote me… he didn’t care about himself at all. It was like he was saying goodbye, like he’d be okay with dying, as long as he helped someone he cared about. I don’t know who this Elara person is, but her mother? Her mother helped him when no one else would. And that’s not fair. No one should be refused help just because they don’t know how to ask for it. I know Pell didn’t want to trick me. He just didn’t have another option. I know that doesn’t make it right… but I forgive him. The only person he ever cared about is gone, and even now, he’s just trying to repay her kindness. I think… I want to be someone like that. Someone who gives him a reason to keep living.

Enya’s thoughts spilled out, her eyes stinging as a tear traced its way down her cheek. She hadn’t really stopped to think about her bond with Pell before now.

Aside from Mr. Bones, who never said a word, Pell was the first person she’d met. He was rude, foul-mouthed, constantly yelling, and half the time he wouldn’t even call her by her real name—just “brat.” But underneath all that, she could feel it… he was lost. Like he was wandering through life with one goal, and surviving was just a means to get there.

I see.

Custodian’s voice was calm, almost thoughtful.

It seems you’ve grown quite fond of this man. If that is your decision, I’ll no longer intrude on your relationship. My apologies if I seemed rude. I was only offering my thoughts as they came. If you truly wish to save him, then claiming the dungeon core should be your top priority.

She wiped her tears away, and took a few moments to compose herself.

Yeah… that’s what I’m going to do now. I just… have another question. I’ve got two skill points left. Pell told me they can be used to rank up class skills or learn new ones, right? My only skill that can rank up is Bonecarver’s Quill. The rest are passive… but I don’t think upgrading the quill is a good idea. So… how do I get new skills? Something I can actually use to fight monsters. I’ve got one spell, but… it feels like a waste to just sit on these points.

Certainly. That’s no issue. Every so often, you’ll receive a class quest. If you complete it, you’ll be rewarded with a choice of three abilities, based on how well you performed. You can choose one and allocate a skill point into it. My advice? Complete as many quests as you can before choosing, so you know all your options.

All of them? Wait… I can do all of them?

Yes?

Enya blinked in surprise. She’d thought she had to pick just one quest and stick to it, locking herself out of the others forever.

Oh… I thought that—

Haha, no need to worry.

Custodian chuckled, his tone somehow managing to feel amused despite the lack of any actual sound.

That’s a very common misconception. Many children think they can only choose one quest, but no. You’re given all three to complete. Finish one, and another will take its place in time—or based on any special achievements or discoveries you make along the way.

Ah… okay. That is good then. I can definitely handle one of them right now. Another one might be possible, but one of them… there’s just no way. It’s impossible for me.

Then I’ll wish you the best of luck. It wouldn’t be right for me to influence your decisions too much. Complete your class quest, and pick whichever skill you believe will serve you best.

This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

With that, the words on the page faded, leaving her staring at the blank space for a moment before closing the book. As she did, the Grim Pullet vanished from her hands in a puff of mist.

Alright. She had a plan now.

First up: gather the materials and craft whatever she needed for that first quest. She’d have to put everything she had into it and hope she’d get a good skill that could help her fight—or at least something to make Walnut and Dummy D. stronger in battle. That summoning quest with the skeletal goliath? Yeah, way too far out of her reach right now. As for the third quest? Well, no way she could wrap that one up in just a week.

Once she got her new skill, it’d be time to start hunting. The demon rat was dead, so Walnut and Dummy D. could probably handle two enemies at once if it came to that. The undead in the dungeon weren’t exactly known for their intelligence, but her skeletons had some reasoning abilities—and she could direct them mentally. So even if they ended up in a two-on-two fight, it’d really be a three-on-two, thanks to her command over them.

It wasn’t a perfect plan, but it was better than nothing. And she had to make the best of it.

The boss monster was going to be a nightmare. The strongest guardian of the entire dungeon—probably even nastier than that demon rat she’d barely escaped from. If it was stronger, well… she was in for a really tough fight. Even with Walnut and Dummy D. by her side, it was going to take everything she had to survive. She needed to become stronger. No more running from terrifying monsters. No more being the scared little girl who’d barely scraped by. She had to become a necromancer who could face off against her enemies and win.

image [https://i.imgur.com/ZiLMGqb.png]

Enya waited, spending several minutes tucked behind the desk in the upper study, flipping through some old tomes on spell theory. She wished she hadn’t dragged that one chair down to the workshop—it would’ve been nice to sit up here. The workshop was great for working, sure, but it stank like a dead fish left out in the sun for days. The rotting zombies definitely weren’t helping the air quality down there, and even though she was sort of getting used to the awful smell, it still made her wrinkle her nose every time she breathed in too deeply.

A knock rattled from the door. Enya jumped to her feet and rushed over, putting her ear close to listen.

"Password?" she whispered.

Rattle, rattle.

That was the cue. She opened the door, and in came Walnut and Dummy D., dragging behind them a giant brownish root. This was the same exact plant that she had tripped over in the hallways. Luckily, it seemed that at the very least, some portions of it were still solid, and didn’t crumble to dust upon contact.

At first, she had planned to just send Dummy D. on his own, but the study was safe, and sending Walnut along would cut down on any danger if they ran into trouble together.

"Perfect! Thanks, guys!" Enya beamed, skipping forward and throwing her arms around both of them in a sudden hug. She squeezed them tightly, pulling them—and inadvertently—each other, closer together. Walnut immediately tried to stop the inevitable collision, raising his bony hand and placing it on Dummy D.’s skull in a last-ditch effort to keep some distance.

Rattle, rattle, rattle.

Nope. Useless. Enya’s iron will easily overpowered Walnut’s feeble resistance, leaving him no choice but to slump in defeat, his skull awkwardly pressed against the former dire zombie's. He rattled once in protest, but the hug of doom was inescapable.

Finally, when she let go, Walnut regained his composure and extended his arm, presenting the large root like some ancient treasure. Enya took it with a grin and hurried it over to the table.

"Whoosh!" she chirped, summoning The Grim Pullet with a little flick of her wrist. It materialized in front of her in a swirl of dark mist, and she made a soft popping sound with her lips when the book dropped perfectly onto the table, flipping open in one smooth, practiced motion.

Gravemoss Poultice (Bronze Tier)

Description: A herbal salve infused with soul-energy, used to numb pain or provides a minor regenerative effect to the undead.

Materials Required:

* Gravemoss (Moss infused with soul-energy)

* Bone Powder (15%)

* Any type of non-magical herb or plant.

First up, was the gravemoss. Enya eyed the pile in front of her—soft, spongy, with patches of rich green sprouting here and there, while other spots were darker, almost muddy brown. The tendrils twisted upward, curling into an intricate web-like cocoon around the earthy grass below.

She took a deep breath, closing her eyes as she reached out with her right arm over the moss. Since her ascension to a necrosmith—and after surviving that searing pain that nearly knocked her unconscious—she felt like she finally had control, not just of her magic, but her whole body. Every movement was fluid now, relaxed, and free. It was like a heavy, invisible chain had fallen away, leaving her lighter and more agile.

A small pulse of gray and purple flickered from her palm as she summoned her soul energy. It wasn’t quite like mana—it felt… different, like it had its own container deep inside her. The energy spread out, and when she opened her eyes, she watched as it poured down onto the gravemoss, wrapping around the tiny green tendrils. As the energy seeped in, the moss shifted, turning purple and trembling as it absorbed her power.

In just a few heartbeats, the transformation was complete. The once-green moss was now an eerie, glowing purple. Enya cut off the flow of energy, feeling the soft hum of control settle in.

Soul-Storage: 64/100

Before her lay a small pile of bone dust, the now-transformed gravemoss, and the large root Walnut and Dummy D. had brought back. She let out a long, thoughtful exhale.

Skill: Transfiguration of Soul [Passive]

Harness soul-energy as a power source to forge, mold, or refine materials. You can also use soul-energy to help assist in the bending, shaping, or restructuring of materials with enhanced precision.

[Soul-Energy Cost: Variable]

One of her new passive skills let her shape her soul-energy into the physical world, and now… well, now was the perfect time to play with it.

Enya spread out her soul-energy like a wispy net, gently wrapping it around the materials on her table. With a careful tug, she coaxed the items closer, pulling them together like crumpling up a piece of parchment into a ball. The bone dust gave a brief, sparkling glow as its particles met the moss, seeping inside and melding with the purple tendrils. The root followed suit, wiggling under the energy’s command as the moss hungrily wound itself around it.

A minute passed, and when the process finished, the gravemoss was all that remained—its purple color was still there, but now it practically glowed, brighter and more vibrant. The root had vanished, absorbed into the moss, as though it had never been part of the recipe at all.

Soul-Storage: 60/100

Ding! Ding!

Enya blinked and looked up at the screen that popped into view, showcasing her newest creation.

Item Name: Gravemoss Poultice

Tier: Bronze

Rank: F

Effect: A herbal salve infused with soul-energy, used to numb pain or provides a minor regenerative effect to the undead.

She let out a long, satisfied breath. Her first item, completed! For some reason, she’d felt a bit jittery during the whole process, but now… now, that worry melted away. She swiped away the screen, already knowing there was another notification waiting. After all, she’d heard two pings in her mind.

Quest Complete: Use soul-energy to create or enhance an item.

The following skills have been selected to be offered. Please choose one from the three below:

Spell: Pain Swap [F-]

Target both a living creature and an undead construct: Gradually siphon the stamina and vitality from the living target, transferring it to the undead construct. While active, all pain and a portion of the damage experienced by the living target are diverted to the undead construct instead. This spell persists until either target is incapacitated, or the spell is stopped by the caster.

[Mana Cost: 40]

Spell: Bone Shift [F-]

Target a bone that you can see or visualize, and apply force to it in a specified direction. The more obstacles between you and the target, the less force applied. Maximum amount of force scales with spell rank.

[Mana Cost: 5]

Skill: Life Detection [Passive][F-]

You can distinguish whether a target is alive, dead, or undead.