Evolving My Undead Legion In A Game-Like World

Chapter 1292: Old Companions

After greeting the rest of the youths as well, Michael finally turned his attention back to the matter at hand.

"I called all of you here because there’s something I want you to do for me."

Ace reacted almost at once.

"Whatever Your Majesty requires, I’ll do it."

His answer came so quickly that Michael barely had time to finish speaking.

Lia stood beside him and gave a firm nod, his expression making it clear that he shared the same sentiment even without saying anything. Bok and Rina, neither wanting to lose "favor," quickly made their stance known as well.

Compared to the others, Lyra’s response was much calmer.

"If it is within my ability, I will carry it out."

Michael could only smile and shake his head.

"There’s no need for all that. But I appreciate it."

The five relaxed slightly. Michael’s expression then reverted back to being serious.

"What I want you to do can also be considered an opportunity for all of you."

"There will be some danger involved," Michael continued, "but the potential rewards should be worth it."

Bok’s eyes lit up almost at once. Rina was not much different. Whatever nervousness they had felt was still there, but their excitement clearly refused to go away.

Ace, Lia, and Lyra reacted more subtly. All three straightened a little more.

Michael, however, noticed something else. Hidden beneath their calm appearance were more subtle complexities. None of it felt negative, though.

Michael’s gaze lingered on the three for a moment.

"Are you all fine?"

"Yes, Your Majesty." Ace answered, with Lia nodding firmly beside him.

Lyra also gave a small nod. Michael watched them for another second before letting the matter go.

"As long as you’re fine. Just let me know if you need me."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

After a brief nod, Michael’s eyes shifted toward the larger group waiting behind them.

"Then prepare yourselves. I’ll explain your task in a while."

The five acknowledged him and stepped back. For now, Michael still had a few things to arrange before sending them out.

The moment the five stepped away from Michael, they split into two groups. Bok and Rina returned toward the youths they had arrived with, while Ace, Lia, and Lyra remained closer together.

None of them had to wait long before the subsidiary station behind them lit up again, and another group appeared. A while later, another set of individuals appeared on the platform again.

The arrivals came in intervals rather than all at once. Their appearances varied greatly. But despite all their differences, one thing that remained strangely consistent was their ages.

They were very young. The youngest looked barely sixteen, and the oldest could not have been more than eighteen.

Ace watched the next group arrive before letting out a quiet breath.

"His Majesty really is impressive," he stated, his voice full of emotion.

Lia looked toward Michael in the distance and nodded without hesitation.

"He is. I wonder what he wants us to do." Lia crossed his arms loosely and inquired.

"It doesn’t matter. At least we can still do something for him." Ace responded.

Lia nodded again in agreement. Beside them, Lyra remained silent.

But a strange look had already appeared on her face. She had noticed it before.

Ever since Ace and Lia gained those green eyes resembling Michael’s, something about their relationship with him had changed. The change was subtle enough that someone unfamiliar with them might never notice, but Lyra did.

They had always been loyal to Michael. That much was not strange, as he had given them opportunities, strength, protection, and status they likely would never have obtained on their own. But the moment their eyes turned green and they started looking more beautiful, one after the other, their loyalty had deepened.

To Michael, they felt something closer to reverence, and at times, perhaps even unknown to them, worship. To her, it was excessive.

If not for the fact that they still possessed much of their individuality, Lyra might have seriously suspected that Michael had done something to their minds. Still, Lyra did not completely dismiss the possibility that Michael had altered them somehow. In her opinion, he was not exactly beyond doing such a thing.

That was perhaps an unfair conclusion. Technically, however, Lyra was not wrong.

Ace and Lia were Michael’s blood servants. Their transformation had naturally deepened the bond between them and their master. But Lyra had no way of knowing that, since both transformations had taken place inside the damaged Coffin of the Forgotten.

As for her own relationship with Michael, Lyra could not exactly call it pleasant. She was his slave, after all.

One who had even been bought like a commodity. This placed a barrier between them that Lyra could never completely ignore.

But could she say she hated him?

No. She couldn’t. Deep within her, she was even happy that the one who had redeemed her was Michael.

The contract between them made rebellion nearly impossible. If Michael had not been her master, she knew very well what could have happened otherwise.

It did not matter whether the buyer had been a man or woman. For someone like her, especially with her appearance and skills, there were only a handful of likely outcomes.

She could have been worked until she broke, used as an assassin until she died, or humiliated and kept as entertainment, treated as something less than a person.

Michael, on the other hand, had done almost none of that. Aside from a few tasks, he rarely demanded much from her.

She could move freely, rest when she wanted, train when she wanted, eat what she wanted, and speak when she wanted.

He never constantly reminded her of what she was, nor did he ever use the contract between them as a means to humiliate her.

If not for the existence of the contract itself, there were times when Lyra could almost forget her status entirely. But even with all this, the reason her relationship with Michael was purposely kept at a distance, aside from her status as a slave, was because she feared Michael deeply.

He was strong. Too strong. Lyra had lived long enough to encounter many dangerous people. Yet Michael was different.

Even the people who surrounded him were too strong. Instead of his mystery causing her to feel awe, she felt more frightened instead.

Ace and Lia did not seem to feel the same way. If anything, those two seemed more afraid of being left behind.

Sometimes it felt as if abandonment frightened them more than death. Lyra was the opposite.

Even now, after everything Michael had given her, and being treated far better than she had ever expected... there was still a part of her that wanted nothing more than to run.