Reborn As A Ghost: Time To Build My Undead Army! Chapter 1646: Naiad And Eustace's Story

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"We went through many years of adventures and hardships, but also laughter and joy with our friends. She beca a cherished mber of our guild—soone we cared for deeply and loved. When we reached Yggdrasil, we decided to settle down. She disappeared into the sea for a few months, but when she returned, she seed happy and... relieved," Eustace said.

"I see. So during that ti, she left her people in the Ocean of Yggdrasil," Brontys replied with a nod.

"Yes. Later, she told the truth about her origins, and I wasn't upset," Eustace continued. "My friends and I visited her people many tis. We even lived among them for several years. But as a human, I could never fully adapt to life underwater, even with magic to help with things like breathing. She was fine, though. She stayed by my side most of the ti, even when I told her she didn't have to. Occasionally, she returned to her people to check on them."

"She worked so hard..." Thalassa sighed.

"She did. In the end, she felt deeply responsible for them," Eustace said with a gentle smile.

"Not long ago, we t the descendants of her people," Maria added. "They no longer worshiped her, but Oceania instead. She had beco their main goddess. Still, they were happy when they learned I had killed her. Although they couldn't worship Naiad anymore due to Oceania's decree, they still loved her and rembered her. They ca seeking her help, believing the 'Divine Spirit Saintess Naiad' was still alive."

"That's heartbreaking..." Oceanus murmured. "Oceania—this woman—you killed her, Maria?"

"Yes, I did," Maria confird. "Go on, Eustace. You knew her better than I did."

"I ntioned her earlier, didn't I? Oceania was one of the Players who stole the Divine Thrones from Yggdrasil's original gods. She was Odin's daughter," Eustace explained. "She took an interest in the rfolk. Instead of destroying them, she demanded their worship and let them live under strict conditions. She turned Naiad, their forr guardian, into her Divine Spirit—one of many she possessed. Naiad was the only one not created artificially by Oceania's powers."

"That vile woman... I'm glad you were able to kill her, Maria. We owe you more than you know for avenging our daughter," Oceanus said.

"Don't worry, I hated her too. Her Saintess was the most insufferable brat I've ever t," Maria said, rolling her eyes. "Thanks to her, I inherited her Divine Throne and beca the Goddess of the Sea of Yggdrasil. I can feel so resonance here as well."

"But that's not the whole story, is it?" Thalassa sighed. "After all... Naiad, my dear daughter..."

"Yes. That's where Yin Shang, the Dark Pest, cos in," Eustace said, weaving the threads of Naiad's history into a complete narrative.

He described how Yin Shang, a psychopathic demonic cultivator, had beco the enemy of Eustace's party. The Dark Pest had killed one of Eustace's friends, pursued them across Yggdrasil, and eventually obtained a Fragnt of the Evil God, becoming imnsely powerful. Eustace died protecting Naiad, buying her enough ti to escape.

"You died for her?" Coraleia asked, tears streaming down her face. "Oh, Eustace... it's such a painful yet beautiful love story."

"I gave my life for her, and I would do it again," Eustace said with a soft smile. "After she escaped, I learned from Maria and the others that she sacrificed herself. She used all her power to seal Yin Shang in a Divine Spirit Ice, hidden within an ancient pyramid in Goldsand, for thousands of years."

"Until he finally broke free, thanks to those foolish Vampires. That's when we confronted him, and Eustace got his revenge—with help from Celes and the rest of us," Maria explained. "Right?"

"Yeah! I rember—he was a truly nasty guy," Celes nodded.

"It was Oceania who placed a bounty on Naiad, which made it easy for that monster to find us," Eustace sighed. "I'm sorry. Despite everything, I couldn't protect her. It's all my fault."

"No, it's not," Oceanus said gently. "You did everything you could—and more."

"That you gave your life to protect her is more than enough to earn our eternal trust," Thalassa said. "Thank you for loving my daughter so deeply, for making her happy while she was away from us, for comforting her, and for being there when none of us could."

"I had no idea I had such a brave brother-in-law!" Brontys grinned, giving Eustace a thumbs up. "You're my bro now, Eustace! Co visit anyti—we'll talk, spar, and go adventuring for Naiad's sake!"

"Yes, please!" Coraleia added. "We'd love to bring you along on our adventures. We could even revisit the places Naiad loved... for her mory."

"That would be wonderful. Thank you," Eustace said. "Even now, as a ghost, I believe I still have a purpose. I swore to protect Celes—her reincarnation."

"I see..." Oceanus nodded.

The royal family fell silent. Maria sipped her coffee, noticing the quiet that had settled over the room. A lingering tension remained—after all, just three hours earlier, they had been fighting to the death.

She sighed and tried to smile.

"Well, I suppose that clears up the misunderstandings, right?" Maria said. "I think I know Naiad better than my own family at this point. I've never known soone with such a thoroughly docunted history."

"H-Haha... I guess so," Jonathan laughed nervously, sensing the shift in atmosphere.

The royal family still seed uneasy. The King and Queen exchanged glances, then began communicating through a telepathic spiritual speech that even Maria couldn't hear. Eventually, they nodded in agreent. The prince and princess, though younger, were also included in the decision—they always had a voice in such matters.

"Celes, we are deeply sorry for what we did," Oceanus said. "We know our actions cannot be easily forgiven. Even now, you, your mother, and your family may resent us."

"E-Eh? I don't resent you!" Celes replied.

"You're too kind, dear," Thalassa said. "But words alone can't resolve the turmoil in our hearts, especially the guilt we carry."

"That's why we want to offer you a great gift," Oceanus said, raising his hand.

A surge of divine spiritual energy radiated from his body, enveloping Celes. It coalesced into a crown, identical to those worn by the other Atlantean deities.

"Woah! A crown?!"

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