The red sun dissolved into the night as dawn exhaled its morning light.
The buildings within the territory appeared ethereal and crystalline under the gentle baptism of daybreak.
Aurelianne rose early and boarded the carriage with Duke Balo.
This morning, she would inspect the territory alongside her grandfather.
Sitting in the carriage, Aurelianne listened to the dull sound of wheels rolling over the stone road.
When her gaze inadvertently swept across the empty seat beside her, she couldn't help but purse her lips, feeling a touch of disappointment.
Every morning, Teacher Viktor would practice swordsmanship with Teacher Gwen.
They had maintained this habit for a long time, continuing rain or shine, almost without interruption.
At least the knights from the order remained by Aurelianne's side, ensuring the princess's safety.
Through the window, she cast her dark eyes toward the distant territory.
Having returned in such haste last night, Aurelianne hadn't had the chance to properly see her grandfather's domain.
The scenery of buildings and roads before her was completely different from the previous night.
The dawn city contrasted sharply with its nighttime tranquility, as if heavy veils had been stripped away to reveal its true face.
The streets and alleys bustled with crowds, filled with the calls of vendors and conversations of pedestrians.
Hoofbeats echoed through the streets as sunlight penetrated the thin mist, casting warm rays upon the stone bricks.
The pulse of human life, as if reviving after a brief slumber, brought warmth to this cold city.
As the carriage proceeded along the street, pedestrians who noticed the Balo family crest quickly moved aside, bowing with expressions of utmost reverence.
Aurelianne could detect no trace of resentment in their expressions.
It seemed her grandfather's governance had earned considerable recognition and affection from the public.
Looking at the bustling city under the sunlight, it seemed impossible that the deathlike territory from last night could have existed here.
Of course, Aurelianne knew the reason.
Last night, their carriage convoy and horses had traversed the Domain of the Dead.
Everything around them had been swallowed by that greenish smoke, appearing completely lifeless.
When they returned to the real world, they were already inside Duke Balo's mansion.
In other words, that massive undead city was essentially the reverse side of the real city - a reflection existing in the territory of the dead.
After quite a while, he slowly answered:
"Yes."
Aurelianne was somewhat surprised, not expecting her grandfather to answer so directly.
So, she continued probing:
"Then do you know Count Laurien?"
When Duke Balo heard this name, his eyes slowly opened, his sharp gaze falling on Aurelianne's face.
His eyes were deep and carried a turbid authority, naturally emanating a cold aura that made Aurelianne slightly freeze.
However, she still continued:
"The night we arrived in the kingdom, we were hosted by Count Laurien."
"He..."
"Say no more."
Duke Balo calmly stopped her, and the atmosphere in the carriage instantly turned cold.
She was clever enough to immediately sense Duke Balo's mood.
Indeed, if resurrection were that simple, there wouldn't be so many separations between the living and dead.
Moreover, there was her mother...
"...I understand."
Aurelianne lowered her eyebrows, nodding somewhat weakly.
Duke Balo took a deep breath, closing his eyes again, seemingly unwilling to say more.
The atmosphere in the carriage gradually warmed, and the goosebumps on Aurelianne's skin slowly subsided as the chill dissipated.
At this moment, a deep voice slowly rose:
"Laurien has requested this of me more than once, but my answer has always been the same."
"I will not resurrect his daughter."
He opened his eyes again, gazing out the carriage window, his eyes reflecting a hint of melancholy and regret.
"That would be a desecration of the dead, and a disrespect to the living."
By now, the carriage had reached the territory's farmlands.
Many farmers stood with their feet in the earth, swinging their hoes, sweat glistening in the brilliant light.
With each swing of their tools, sweat would fall into the soil with the movement of their muscles.
A farmer straightened up, caught his breath, and waved to a friend in the distance.
The wrinkles on their faces creased together as they smiled brilliantly in the sunlight.
Looking at these farmers, the Duke slowly spoke:
"These farmers, they know each other, recognize each other, living the same life day after day."
They spent almost all daylight hours farming, with only the evening hours left for family and friends.
They were almost like mechanical gears, turning endlessly, day after day.
Life rarely offered anything new, with only trivial matters becoming topics for their after-dinner chat.
"What do you think would happen if someone among them suddenly died?"
Aurelianne listened to her grandfather's words, falling into deep thought as a scene gradually formed in her mind.
Perhaps one night, a family member would lie down in bed, never to open their eyes again, their body never again to hold warmth.
Family would gather around the deceased, grief-stricken.
Friends would come together to mourn.
Yet life wouldn't pause for one person's departure - they would still need to tend to today's farming.
When elders died, their descendants would replace them, stepping onto the same repetitive path until death.
"But what if they were resurrected and returned among these people?"
That would become a horror story.
Their family might feel overjoyed, even extremely excited.
But in society, this person had already been erased.
Everyone had accepted their death, yet this deceased person would lift their coffin lid and crawl out from their grave.
No one would accept a resurrected undead.
"The dead should maintain their silence."
The Duke spoke slowly.
Aurelianne listened and nodded, but then became puzzled.
"But... if you say the dead shouldn't tread in the realm of the living, why did you help Count Laurien keep his daughter's soul in the mansion?"
Aurelianne no longer held any hope.
She was merely curious - if things were as Duke Balo said, wouldn't Count Laurien's daughter's soul contradict her grandfather's explanation?
"The servants in Count Laurien's mansion all know of Pricis's presence. Letting her soul reside in the castle won't disturb the outside world."
"But resurrection is different."
Duke Balo's tone grew cold as he continued:
"Aurelianne, you must remember this."
"Once you open this door, what follows will be more trouble."
Moreover...
He continued:
"If what Laurien wants is his daughter, and not an obedient skeleton."
"Then he shouldn't have come to me for help."
Aurelianne was slightly stunned, seemingly unable to process this.
At this moment, Duke Balo looked out the window.
The carriage gradually approached the mansion, and through the window, the towering castle-like residence could be seen beyond the walls.
"We're almost there."
"What would you like for breakfast?"
...
After breakfast, Aurelianne sat on a wooden chair in the courtyard.
Looking at the vibrant flower clusters, she pondered how to learn necromancy.
Vanilla stood respectfully beside her, wearing a gentle smile.
Aurelianne extended one hand toward Vanilla.
Though her eyes were on Vanilla, her gaze wasn't focused on her.
In her mind, she tried to recall the necromancy her grandfather had used.
She remembered that necromancy required connecting to the Domain of the Dead.
But she had no idea how to enter the Domain of the Dead.
Moreover, her grandfather's necromancy didn't require array construction, and her talent for learning abilities at a glance couldn't penetrate its mysteries.
However, if she could learn necromancy, it meant she could become stronger and earn more praise from her teacher and father.
Perhaps she wouldn't need her grandfather - she could resurrect Count Laurien's daughter herself and repay the favor Teacher Viktor owed him.
Indeed, the reason Aurelianne cared so much about this matter was because Teacher Viktor had agreed to it.
If she could help Teacher Viktor, she would certainly try.
At fifteen, Aurelianne, despite appearing more mature than her peers on the outside, still had naive thoughts.
How to help Teacher Viktor was her most innocent thought.
Yet Aurelianne wasn't aware of this.
She pondered the necromancy her grandfather had used yesterday, her palm open as if trying to grasp its feeling.
Staring at Vanilla, Aurelianne's magical power surged.
Then, Aurelianne suddenly shouted at Vanilla:
"Change!"
"Meow?"
The oncoming magical power and Aurelianne's voice startled Vanilla.
However, nothing happened.
Seeing this, Aurelianne lowered her hand, sighing in disappointment.
Indeed, mastering necromancy was still too far off.
After all, she had only reached the stage of seeing the pig run, not yet tasting the pork.
Perhaps when her grandfather taught her more, she might be able to learn it.
At this moment, she patted Vanilla's head, comforting her startled fragile heart.
Just then, a foreign affairs minister came running over, seemingly looking for someone.
He looked around and, upon seeing Aurelianne, quickly ran over.
"Princess, I've finally found you!"
"Hmm?"
Aurelianne was somewhat confused.
Why such urgency? What had happened?
Seeing the princess's confusion, the minister quickly explained:
"Your Highness, have you forgotten?"
"King Augustus specially invited you to attend today's auction in the royal city, and you agreed yesterday?"
"I've already notified Baron Viktor, he should be ready..."
Before he could finish, Aurelianne stood up and said directly:
"I understand, I'll go prepare now."
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