Worried, I stayed in Aria’s room and took care of her.

Aria. Please, be okay.

Looking at her, I noticed Aria’s wounds gradually disappearing as if it was healing by itself.

Aria...

Thirsty, I went out of the room. As I walked to the kitchen, I saw Oliver talking to someone, a man wearing the similar clothes to those nobles we met outside. He seemed older though. They were both sitting.

I don't want to eavesdrop so I’ll go now.

However, before I ca walked away, I heard some unexpected things. “What are you going to do now, Oliver?” the man addressed. “The villagers already saw Emily. You can’t hide her anymore.”

Oliver is hiding me from the villagers?

“Why?” I whispered.

Oliver looked down, his palm on his chin. “I-I really don’t know yet.” He then looked at the man. “Please, Master, help me with this.”

“I’m sorry, Oliver,” the man replied. “After banishing Marina from the village, I don’t think the elders nor the villagers would just accept that girl.”

Mother was a citizen of this village? And they banished her?

My trust in Oliver was losing, I couldn’t take it anymore. There were too many unanswered questions in my mind so I confronted him.

“Oliver.”

“Emily...” His eyes became dilated, his mouth opened wide; he was stunned.

“Oliver, please, tell me.” Holding my wrist, I held-back my anger, as every inch of my body shook. “Why… why was my mother banished from this village?!”

Please, Oliver, I need answers. Give me the reason why.

“I-I’m sorry, Emily.” Oliver couldn't speak anything but keeps apologizing.

“The Village banished Marina because she adopted a human,” the man in front of Oliver answered.

“Human? Why? Why would adopting another human be punishable by banishment?”

“Marina is not a human. She’s a necromancer,” the man replied

Facing the man, I asked with a slow voice, “necro...mancer?”

“I’m sorry. My name is Merael. I'm also a necromancer.”

“You’re a necromancer?”

“Yes, a necromancer. Others call us immortal humans.”

Immortal humans?

“Then, my mother... is also a necromancer?”

“Yes, and our laws forbid a necromancer to adopt a mortal like you.”

“Adopted? Me? I… I am... adopted?”

“Master, please don’t tell her that,” Oliver shouted.

“Oliver, don’t you think it’s about time she learned about the truth?” Merael replied. “She’s already old enough for this.”

“But,” Oliver responded.

“Merael, please continue,” I begged as I looked at him.

“Emily, please,” Oliver begged.

“Please, I want to know the truth!!!”

There was silence before Merael continued. “Okay Emily, listen. Sixteen years ago, Marina found you in front of her house.”

“I was... abandoned by my real parents?”

“She asked the elder necromancers to adopt you but they insisted otherwise, for they discovered that you are a mortal,” he added. “However, she went against their order, so they banished her.”

“Mother...”

“If you continue to live here, the elder necromancers will also banish Oliver and Aria.”

“Oliver and Aria? Why? Why would the elders banish them?”

“Because by staying here, would also mean that Oliver adopted you, a mortal,” Merael explained.

They will banish Oliver and Aria because of me.

“What are you going to do Emily? Choose. Live with them and let them be banish? Or leave and let them return to their normal lives,” he added.

“I...I...”

“I’ll give you a day.” As soon as the necromancer left, I ran to my room.

The whole night, I was wide awake. Oliver told Aria everything the moment she woke up. Merael came in next morning and I talked with him. Oliver and Aria was also beside him.

“I’m going back home.”

I’ve decided. I don't want to burden you guys anymore.

Aria shouted, “Emily? Why?!” She then looked to Oliver, and tried to convince him. “Father, I think we could still do something. Father, please.” However, Oliver could not give an answer.

“I-I’m sorry,” Oliver replied.

Aria then walked towards me. “Emily, please don't go,” and hugged me.

“Aria… Please…” Gently, I broke free from Aria’s embrace.

Please, Aria. Let go.

“I don't want the village to punish you and Oliver. The guilt would haunt me.”

Because if this continues.

“You two already did a lot of things for me and I’m grateful for that. Please, Aria, I’ve already thought this through.”

It would just keep things harder for me to leave.

“Please.” Looking at Oliver, I asked, “take me to my previous home.”

“Then, I’ll go with you!” Aria requested.

“You can’t, Aria,” Merael spoke. “The village chieftain’s daughters were angry at you for not showing up two days ago and for what happened yesterday. If you go with Emily, Thea and Sophia won't forgive you.”

Aria fell down on her knees, as her tears began to fall. “N-No. It can’t be!”

I see, you couldn’t come with me.

“Goodbye, Aria…” I said. “Until we meet again.” After I turned away from her, my tears fell. “I am so happy to become your sister,”

“Emily!!!” Aria shouted. Tears kept falling from my eyes; I couldn’t control my feelings. However, I didn’t face her. How could I face her? It would just hurt us both more.

“Goodbye, my sister. I love you.”

I don’t want to leave. I want to be with them forever. I don’t want to be separated from them.

We arrived at my mother’s former home.

It’s been so long since I last saw this house.

Before they returned, Oliver and Merael gave me things to help me live by. They even used necromancy to avoid spoilage on the food.

“Are you sure you want to live here?” Merael asked. “I can help you find a better house if you want.”

“Thank you, Merael but… I have a lot of memories with my mother in this house. I want to live here.”

“I’m sorry, Emily.” Merael apologized. “Don’t worry, I won't tell anyone about this. It’s the least I can do for my friend, Oliver.”

“Thank you, Merael.”

Oliver looked down, averting his gaze. “I’m sorry. I couldn’t do anything.”

“It's okay, Oliver. Thank you for everything.” As I hugged him, he then held me tight like the last hug of a father to his daughter.

“Goodbye, Emily.”

“Goodbye, father.”

Days passed, the feelings of depression pierced unto my body. All those memories, I can’t forget. Doing things, I don’t regret. Remembering all those things that made me smile, I can’t stop crying.

I miss you so much. Aria… Oliver…

After days of crying, I went out to ease my sadness. While walking in the forest, I saw a book, lying on the ground; I then picked it up.

“Did someone dropped this?” The book was about necromancy “If I remember correctly, Merael said mother was a necromancer.”

Curious I kept reading; it contained its history, spells and others. As soon as I flipped the next few pages, I felt happiness. In the upper left of that page, it was written, How To Resurrect The Dead.

“Mother. I can… resurrect mother.”

Turning the page, I noticed some parts were torn, however, the method of doing reanimation was still intact. Quickly, I came running home.

“I’m sorry, but whoever owns this book, I’ll just borrow it for a bit.”

I must learn this as soon as possible.

Weeks passed, I studied a lot of spells.

“I need to master them first before learning reanimation.”

Casting necromancy took part of my life energy but I soon learned to use it using mana. However, some spells required using my life force; I lost two years of my life just practicing.

“Today, I will practice , one of the prerequisite spells for reanimation.”

It involves controlling a corpse. The corpse would look like it’s alive, however, it would have no soul and would only move if given a command.

“I’ve been wanting to use this spell, yet I couldn’t try it since I couldn't find any human corpse.”

Walking in the forest, I stumbled upon a skeleton lying on the ground; I then cast the spell.

“Oh, body who once died, rise and lend me your strength, !” However, nothing happened. But I didn’t lose hope and tried a bunch of times. Eventually the skeleton stood. The magic was successful.

“Yes!” I shouted. Three people then came as it seemed they have heard me.

“Hoh, so it was the commoner.” It was a voice of a woman. As I looked at them, I saw the chieftain's daughters and...

“Aria.”

“Commoner, what are you doing here?” Thea asked.

“I... I’m practicing necromancy.”

“Hahaha,” she laughed. “Necromancy? You don’t even know how to cast any necromancy spell. It’s useless. A mere mortal like you will never become a full-blooded necromancer like us!” She then hit me.

“Emily!!!.” Aria tried to help.

“Don’t even try to help her or else...” But, she was restrained by Sophia.

“My apologies, lady Sophia,” Aria bowed.

Aria, after all this time, I’ve finally seen you. Yet, why can’t we be happy together?

The two noble necromancers bullied me; kicked, punched, they even hit my face. All this time, I was in pain but I didn’t cry; I didn’t want Aria to see my tears. If Aria saw my tears she would fight them. When that happens, it’s not only her that would be punished but also Oliver, so I endured everything until the nobles were satisfied. They then left me in the forest, wounded and exhausted, with the skeleton lying by my side.

Looking at the skeleton, I smiled. “I’m sorry you had to see that. Good thing I immediately hid the book in the bush or they might get it.”

Then, I stared at the sky. “Why am I even talking to a dead person?” I looked at him again.

“Could you be my friend?” Tears then fell from my eyes, creating a small puddle in the middle of the forest.

Weeks passed, I continued practicing necromancy. During those times, I was with the skeleton; I named him Skely. He was dead, but I saw him as a person and treated him like my friend; my only friend. Just like playing house; I ate, talked and even shared stories with him. The loneliness gradually fades. My imaginary friend saved me.

Soon, I learned reanimation. I wanted to use it on Skely but it would use a large percentage of my life energy, so I decided that I would use it in mother instead. As I ran to her grave, I was so excited to be able to see her again.

“Mother, I’m coming.”

However, when I went to check out the graveyard, mother’s remains was dug out. My world crumbled. Time stopped. My knees weakened and fell down as I cried.

“Emily?” As I looked behind, I saw Oliver standing while holding a bouquet. “Why are you here?” He then walked towards me; I stood and went to him.

“Oliver, where is my mother? Who dug her grave?”

“I… I’m sorry, Emily.” Oliver looked down, as he apologized. “Your mother’s grave was dug out three days ago. We don’t know why and we still haven’t found the culprit.”

“No… Mother...” My heart was aching once again, all my hopes shattered. “Mother,” I cried. “I want to see you again.”

Crying, Oliver brought me back to my home, then went home after ensuring I was safe.

“Who dug her grave? Where did they took her? Mother, I want to meet you; see you, touch you. I want to feel your warmth again, your warm love. I want to eat your cooking and share stories with you.”

“Why? I was too late. If only I learned it earlier, I could’ve reanimated her.” The entire night I cried in my bed. “Mother, I miss you so much.”

Present...

“What happened next?” Hiiro asked as we traveled.

“Skely saved me.”

“Skely? The skeleton?” Hiiro asked. “What do you mean?”

“During those days, I was too depressed that I couldn’t eat nor sleep. My body was too exhausted by everything that happened. Suddenly, Skely moved, but I didn’t order him. His body trembled as he walked. He then patted my head and hugged me.” Looking at Hiiro, I smiled. “That skeleton was you.”

“After that incident, I went to the forest again and prepared the spell; I used reanimation on you and it was a success, though a little incomplete. However, I was so happy that I met you. You even became my real friend.”

“We are here,” Aria interrupted as we stopped in front of a huge castle. “-The Castle of Dullahan, the Headless King”