POV: ??? (Lich)

I've waited long enough in this cave, hoping to finally find a suitable client. Now, I have finally found someone that can achieve what I couldn't.

Though I still need to learn more about them, if I want to strike a deal with them. Need to know what aids I should prepare for them in addition to their payment.

Damn event viewer, made it harder than it should to even find them. At least I could filter the whole mess by planet...

I even prepared a gift for them but why is there still no sign that they have taken it? Just take it, there are no strings attached, neither literally nor figuratively. It is exactly what you wanted, isn't it? Just take it, the day is almost over! Resending it would cost me a lot of DP. Please, just take it.

Or was I mistaken in what they wanted? Hmm...

Let me check the event history again...

No, it should be exactly what they ask for. Were they too busy today and didn't notice it?

Hmmm...

Huh, they tried to accept it but couldn't? That makes no sense.

So why...? Oh, wait, did the rules change again?

I didn't nap that long, did I? Last I checked, all parameters were still compatible with my client, willing or not.

I swear if that old geezer... urgh, he has. Of course, he has. Why wouldn't Graham get in my way? He has only done so for... was it over nine thousand or close to half a million years now? Ah, who is counting?

Me, I am! I'm stuck here because of those damn devas!

Not only did they seal me away, but they also misused my wife as the seal!!

Poor Yulia... you're so close yet so far...

I could get out of here - if I were willing to kill her. And what monster would kill their wife!

Well, I may be a monster but not that kind of monster.

sigh

You sick freaks! I will get you for this, just you wait!

Just because it has been a few thousand years, doesn't mean I have forgotten!

...

I wonder what kind of civilization has grown from our last spoiled meal, Yulia... at least the mold got to enjoy my final soufflé.

...

Maybe I should finally kick Graham out of the system, he has been a thorn in my side for too long. But then no one else would be able to change or fix things in the system anymore - and can I afford the system to be without a maintainer?

Bah, I'm not in the mood to decide that today. Consider yourself lucky, old man, you get to stay employed for another day!

And we both know your time is up soon, ha! I don't even have to do anything and I've already won!

...

What a hollow feeling... just sitting by idle while everything goes down the drain for my mortal enemy number three. Boring.

...

Now what to do about my client? Brightflame Sorcerer was a bust... considering the rule changes, what else can I gift them?

Hmmm... fire is easy but light... what loopholes are left...

Ha, Graham has done his homework for once! Adding light affinity to an undead is... not easy anymore.

Direct affinity gain is out, and getting it as a side effect of obtaining a unique spell is also checked now. Maybe by borrowing or copying from an ally or a summon?

...ah, they seem to have no one suitable with them. Pity.

Really, what has the world come to? Back in my day, you couldn't throw a stone without hitting a caster, they graduated university by the dozens each year. Nowadays they are rarer than a good-aligned deva.

The artifact sure has done a number on this world, huh...

No matter, I have to focus on the present as well as the present, uh, the gift I mean.

...

Hmm... I could still grant them light affinity the hard way but that requires DP, and I don't have many of them left...

Maybe I should... invite my client here and discuss what they really need to get the job done.

...

Seems like it'll be a few days until I can call them over. Or is it weeks? Damn dungeon time, always throws me off...

Ah, I need a laugh. What was the Creed of Whisper up to recently?

...

Oh, these imbeciles! Haha!

Really, you spent months on designing a single Divine Class and aren't even halfway done? What shall I do with you? ...and whoops, I've "accidentally" deleted their half-assed work. Sorry, not sorry.

Really, their works are always so insultingly bad. Do it properly or don't bother at all!

I think I should just do it myself, it would take me what? Ten minutes? Eh, I'm a bit rusty, let's say thirty. Just need to find out what the client really wants. Then we can have some fun, ha!

Hmm... how ripe is their soul anyway?

Uh... oh. They just accepted it recently. Never mind the rush then. We have time, I can create ART! And not just some random brute power shit the Creed so loves to produce.

Ah, I need that! Something to liven my rusty bones.

...

But something is strange. I've never seen such a soul pattern before, what is that?

It looks nothing like what transmigrators or devas have, not to mention regular people. It is certainly... unique, to say the least.

It reminds me of a corrupted skill, but that couldn't be the side effect of a Demon Lord Seed, can it?

Wait... their Blood Mage shouldn't grant that weird skill, are those issues related? What a strange being.

Before you had my attention, now you have my curiosity. I just can't wait to meet you, little blood elf.

3QGN73

Ever looked at the logging output of WireShark running on a single network port? Our lich friend here searched through the equivalent of running that on the entire universe to find out about Jared. I'd say they are allowed to be a bit cranky after that.

As a reminder, the name Yulia was first mentioned in chapter 8.