The OP Lich is a Returnee, Chapter 141 (Patreon)

Chapter 141 – Musings

“Do you think those two are going to be all right, Mistress?”

I chuckled at Naya’s question. I knew who she was talking about, of course. “Yes, I believe those Paragons will be fine. Once they manage to get the idea of having to wear clothes stuck in their heads, at least. Probably the only way that will happen is if someone can either find clothing that enhances their forms, or if they manage to convince them that most people are not ‘worthy’ of viewing their ‘full perfection’. They will have to appeal to their vanity, if the Chilean government wants to keep the Paragons from going naked, I’m afraid.”

Koyama just shook his head. “I can honestly say that is not a conversation I had ever expected to hear when I first met you, your Majesty.”

“What can I say? I’m just special like that.”

The government agent sighed, “That is one way of putting it, yes. But moving to other things, what are your plans for the Seal of Death?”

I took a moment to look out the window of the airplane. Nothing but sand, sand, and sandy rocks. Maybe there was some human habitation, but it was daytime, and any signs were lost in all the emptiness. We had broken the flight from Valparaíso into chunks, with a layover of a few hours in Rio di Janeiro, and another in Lagos. Now, we were flying over the Sahara, and the only way to tell if we were over Chad, Libya, or Egypt was to check the GPS.

Thankfully, there had been no problems at either stop. We landed outside the shipping lanes, so there was no issue there, and none of us were set on exploring the cities. The mortals got up to stretch their legs, use facilities that were more comfortable than those on the plane, and get some food, but that was about it. There was no threat, or reason for us to get involved, which is part of the reason why I was relaxing, in my mortal guise, with my power hidden by my ring.

Turning my attention back to the question Koyama had asked, I smiled. “Well, before dealing with the Seal itself, there is the matter of the temple to Murena. My servants have been working as tirelessly as only undead can to rebuild the temple that was taken down, stone by stone, from Arela, the capital of Athelia-That-Was. Once the construction is complete, the Temple will need to be consecrated. Then, I will be able to proceed with unsealing the Seal of Death.

“Of course, that brings up some questions regarding the rite. I do not believe that the Egyptian government will have found volunteers to be vessels for Death, especially since they would need to become undead. Such things are against the religious strictures in the area, after all. Which leaves me with some issues. I could have one of my soldiers become the vessel, or even take on the power myself, or I could leak the seal. But we can cross that bridge when we come to it.”

“Actually,” Koyama said, leaning forward. “I’ve received word that my government has found a couple volunteers to become the vessels for the seal. They will be meeting us in Cairo. According to my information, they are not yet undead, but are willing to be turned.”

“Really?” I raised an eyebrow. “You found someone willing to become undead voluntarily? I would have thought it much more difficult to find someone like that, in this day and age. Especially when most undead are not the ‘pretty’ types that people tend to fantasize over.”

“Well, I do not know all the specifics, but it appears as though both are in a somewhat lamentable position, regarding their current health. One was recently diagnosed with a malignant tumor in the brain. While it has yet to affect her cognitive abilities, it appears that the doctors have determined it to be inoperable, and terminal. Likewise, the other volunteer was just diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Both were about to get a medical discharge from the Self-Defense Forces, but are hoping that undeath might help them.”

“Ah,” I nodded. “That makes much more sense. Health concerns are one of the main reasons someone would choose undeath. I do not know much about Parkinson’s other than the fact that it is something involving the nervous system. Still, becoming undead should halt the progress of the disease, if not wipe it out entirely.”

“Mistress,” Naya cut in, “how does undeath work with the nervous system?”

“That is a complicated question, Naya. Strictly speaking, it depends on the type of undead. Naturally, incorporeal undead no longer have a nervous system at all, since that is a function of a physical body. Likewise, most corporeal undead do not rely on it, either, using mana instead of electrical signals to command their bodies. It is part of what gives undead the ability to feel no pain, after all. The body registers damage, but they do not have nerves to scream at them about how they’re hurt. Skeletons, zombies, mummies, and even liches are all in this group. Someone with a nerve disease would no longer suffer from the malady at all, as the nerves no longer function.

“The big question comes when dealing with certain ‘fleshy’ types of corporeal undead. Ghouls, Vampires, and the like. They can feel pain, and pleasure, and all of that, so the actual nerves are still in place, but they use mana instead of electricity to send the information. The best I can say is that someone suffering from a degenerative nerve disease would see no worsening in their condition by becoming one of these types of undead. The disease would not progress, that much I can confidently say, but I do not know whether it would revert damage already done or not.”

Ya nodded. “I presume that they did not have things like Parkinson’s in the other world?”

“Maybe, maybe not. It may be that some of the markers for the disease existed in the other world, but even basic levels of mana cultivation would strengthen the body, and allow them to fight off disorders like that. There were magical maladies and curses that replicated some disorders you see in this world, but magic could undo the effects of those things. Most likely, anyone in the other world with Parkinson’s either died young, or ‘out-cultivated’ the disease.” I paused, considering that. “Although, it would explain why some people were seemingly unable to advance their cultivation past a certain age.”

Chihomi nodded, her eyes focused in the distance. Listening to her patron, no doubt. “My Lord agrees. The ravages of the body can be set aside with magic, and healers using magic may be able to repair damage done by these diseases, if they know how. Though whether it would be ‘cured’ entirely, or only for a time, is not known to him, as it has been a long time since he viewed the mortal world through mortal eyes.”

“As for the other one,” I said, “the cancer patient? A Death mage can ‘kill’ cancers easily enough. A bit of Life magic after to restore the portions killed to proper form would heal them. There is no need for them to become undead, if all they seek is a cure to their disease.”

Koyama nodded. “I’m sure that was mentioned to them. They may have other reasons for wishing to become undead, and to become the vessel for one of the seals. It was just that, when we understood that someone would need to become undead to take on the role, the list of possible recruits who had sufficient training, possessed the Death element, and were in a position where becoming undead would be a favorable thing was not extensive.”

“Fair enough,” I nodded. “Few people willingly consider undeath unless they’re in dire straits, and fewer of those people both have Death as their element, and have the training to withstand the pain of the ritual. Very well. I guess the only real question remaining would be what manner of undead I’ll turn them into. It is likely that, whatever they are, they will be changed further by the seal, but they will have to be something to start with.”

“Well, I won’t presume to speak for the volunteers, but I can tell you that one of the ‘mindless’ versions of undead are strictly off the table. We don’t want to condemn them to something like that. And probably something that will at least allow them to interact with the public to some degree? I know you’ve said that becoming undead changed you, and it will likely change them to some degree, but the more ‘normal’ their form is, the easier it will be to keep them from becoming, well…”

I chuckled as he trailed off. “Becoming as messed up as I am, yes? I agree, by the way. Their dietary needs are already going to give them trouble, so having them be a type of undead where they can actually interact with the public, even if they need a glamour to do it, would help keep them sane. Though you’ll probably want them to have regular sessions with a therapist, regardless.”

“Naturally, even if they were going to be doing one of the other seals, such a big change would require having some kind of counseling, just to ensure nothing happened. The trauma of the event itself, combined with the changes to their bodies? I would be shocked if there wasn’t some form of PTSD or body dysmorphia involved.”

“Well, I can’t tell you how much of my trauma was due to the actual changes I went through, or everything leading up to the point where I died, but there was definitely some body dysmorphia that I had to work through, as I began my conquest of Athelia-That-Was. Suddenly not having any skin or flesh was a lot to work through. By the time I figured out how to cast my physical glamour, allowing me to regain my human form, I no longer regarded it as being truly ‘me’, but more like a costume I wore to put mortal minds at ease.”

Ya nodded, “Like how, in the comics, superheroes use the costume to change between their ‘heroic self’ and their ‘private self’.”

“Not a bad way of putting it, Ya. Of course, unlike Peter Parker putting on a suit to become Spider-Man, I would be more like Superman donning normal clothes to become Clark Kent. I am the Lich Queen of Risen Athelia. That is who I am, without any doubt. Akagawa Kaori is the name of who I used to be, and the face I wear around mortals most of the time, but the real Akagawa Kaori died in the other world, along with her classmates.”

“Small wonder you ensured everyone knew that the idea of summoning heroes to this world would cause you to come and destroy everything,” Chihomi nodded. “You are your own vengeful ghost, ensuring that no one else has to suffer, as you did.”

I sighed, leaning back in my seat. “I never set out to do that. At first, I just wanted the Athelian bastards to pay for what they did. Then, I made my pact with Murena. All the Hero Summoning rituals were erased, and all the slave collars sabotaged, so that those things could not be repeated. And, when I killed the Demon King, I was able to return.”

A laugh tore itself from my throat, unbidden. “I never even considered what I would do, when I got back. Hell, I wasn’t entirely certain that I could get back. But I figured that, if I didn’t make it, the ritual ought to have enough power in it to destroy me, and at least let me rest, even while it finished my work in Onerth.”

Koyama clapped his hands to dispel the dark mood. “Well, your Majesty, I must say that I, at the very least, am glad you made it back. Especially considering everything we’ve learned about the seals since you returned. Even without your return, the seals would have been cracking, and would eventually fail. I shudder to consider the death and destruction that would have caused, around the world.”