The Undead Can Cook Too

Servia's life.

She could have peacefully faded away a millennium ago, alongside her family.

It would have been a painless slumber.

Death would have become a lullaby, reuniting her with her loved ones as they stepped into the embrace of the underworld.

Or she could have remained as she was—a normal woman, her beauty praised as the "Emerald," thriving in the wizarding world a thousand years later, celebrated as a great knight.

Yet.

Fate is often winding.

Servia neither truly died nor truly lived.

Her beauty, her body, everything was stripped away.

Forced to exist as an undead.

People despised her, driving her away with violence, curses, blades, and hurled stones.

So much so that Servia had to don heavy armor, concealing her entire form, just to interact with others normally.

How pitiful.

Xu Xi lowered his gaze, extending his hands to help the undead maiden rise from the examination table. Her emerald-green eyes shimmered like rippling water.

"Wizard, what have you found?"

"Some insights, but not enough. Further study will be necessary."

"I see..."

The hollow banquet hall echoed with the girl's hesitant voice, transmitted through the flickering soulfire.

"Wizard, can my body... ever be restored?"

Xu Xi shook his head. "It's difficult. At my current level, I cannot. Perhaps when I advance to a higher circle, I may find a way to lift your curse."

No deception.

No false hope.

Xu Xi answered honestly.

Servia's expression visibly dimmed, but she quickly composed herself.

"Right. I was being unrealistic. Such things are never easily resolved."

"My apologies, Wizard."

"I've spoken foolishly."

Servia stepped down from the table, offering a courteous bow. "Forgive me. I’ll prepare a room for your rest at once."

...

[Your long-term study of Servia begins]

[In the wizarding system, the soul is the eternal foundation—the basis for exploring the truths of death, life, and the world itself.]

[Thus, Servia’s existence provides you invaluable insight.]

[This is your first close observation of soulfire’s mechanics, witnessing the balance between life and death.]

[The "Intertwined Life and Death" trait activates...]

[You glean deeper mysteries of existence and demise.]

[In time, should you truly face death, your profound understanding will allow you to rise as a formidable undead.]

[An imperceptible shift—your comprehension of souls has deepened.]

[Diligent and relentless, you study Servia’s form while honing your own soul, meditating to ascend beyond mortal limits.]

"A Wizard’s Apprentice is the starting point."

"The stage where one’s soul aptitude and affinity for wizardry are tested."

"From the First-Circle Wizard onward, body and soul transcend the mundane, solidifying spells and etching the world’s truths into one’s essence."

"Second-Circle Wizards undergo metamorphosis—their soul power materializes, shaping reality even without spells."

"Third-Circle Wizards consolidate their truths. Fifth-Circle Wizards refine their path. Seventh-Circle Wizards unify the possibilities of life and death."

"As for me..."

"I’ve only just begun."

In a dilapidated manor, its walls drafty and roof leaking, Xu Xi sat clad in black robes, eyes shut in deep meditation. His soul etched new spells—slowly, steadily.

Meanwhile.

Outside, faint footsteps echoed.

Servia was practicing her swordsmanship.

Xu Xi had his methods; the girl had hers. And her dedication matched his own.

A thousand strikes condensed into an instant. Countless steps perfected into a single flash.

Even without supervision.

The Emerald of Clawphire still shone.

...

[Each dawn, under your watch, Servia lies upon the examination table, shedding her armor to reveal her skeletal form.]

[The routine of research and data collection begins anew.]

[The process is mundane, uneventful—as true experiments often are. Only time yields remarkable results.]

[Occasionally, Servia flushes with embarrassment. You reassure her—soon, it will feel natural.]

...

[In moments of respite, you cook.]

[Scarce ingredients, a crude kitchen—yet your dishes glow with an unearthly radiance.]

[Servia is awestruck.]

[She claims that a millennium ago, your skill would have won over kings, securing you a place at their feasts.]

[You don’t cook daily. When deep in study, you forgo meals entirely—a trivial sacrifice for a First-Circle Wizard.]

[But Servia wishes to help.]

[So when you’re occupied, she prepares meals for you. A skeleton devoid of taste or smell, yet her hands craft hearty dishes.]

"Servia, how do you manage this?"

"My mother taught me, Wizard."

Her answer was simple.

In life, she had learned to cook.

Though her body now lacked senses, the muscle memory remained, allowing her to perform the basics.

"How does it taste?" she asked, hopeful.

"Quite good," Xu Xi nodded.

Calling it gourmet would be a stretch—but as a humble meal, it sufficed.

...Odd. Why did his back feel cold?

...

[Days slip by like shadows chasing dreams, fading imperceptibly.]

[The month you allotted nears its end.]

[You still haven’t unraveled the undead girl’s nature. The equilibrium of life and death eludes a First-Circle Wizard’s grasp.]

[Yet you have a contingency.]

[Through observation and arcane tools, you’ve recorded Servia’s bodily data and soulfire rhythms.]

[With these archives, you can revisit the secrets of life and death once you ascend to greater heights.]

[You are confident.]

[With "Intertwined Life and Death" and "Soul Collector" at your side, that day will come soon.]

Time is running out.

Night falls thickly.

A vast curtain of darkness drapes over the manor and the surrounding forest.

Tonight’s wind howls fiercely, scattering the gloom to reveal a blood-red moon and a handful of dim stars.

"By my count, it’s time to leave."

"The Fourth-Level Wizard Tower in the Aeoca Kingdom, the wilds teeming with wandering soulfire—these will strengthen me faster than studying Servia’s body."

Xu Xi gazed at the moon, its light staining his face a somber crimson.