Chapter 19: Rise of the Skeleton Servant

Luke stood at the threshold of the resting chamber. Like the others, it was calm — a patch of grass, a fruit-bearing tree, a small waterfall trickling from the stone wall into a shallow pool. In the corner, he noticed several crates, some broken and scattered.

I can’t keep going.

His body was stiff. His thoughts were slowing. The constant mana channeling to power the elevator had worn down more than just his energy — it had drained him mentally. Luke could’ve forced himself to push on, but wandering the dungeon half-aware would be suicide. He needed to be sharp.

He shuffled to the crates and peeked inside. Nothing. Just an old cloth draped over the broken wood. Grabbing a fruit from the tree, he took a bite and crouched near the pool. The cold water helped. Even just stopping the mana flow to the crystal gave his brain a moment of rest. A kind of peace.

He turned to the skeleton.

“I’m going to sleep for a bit,” he said quietly.

Princess Charlie gave a small nod, stepping toward the narrow corridor that led deeper into the dungeon. She planted her sword firmly into the ground and stood guard.

At least she gets the basics.

Luke picked a spot on the far end of the room, away from the skeleton. He slid down into a seated position, kukris still in hand. His eyes closed, but only slightly. He was still alert.

He didn’t fully trust Charlie — not yet. If something powerful appeared, she wouldn’t be enough. And even though she was his “servant,” she was still a monster. So at first… he only pretended to sleep.

Minutes passed. Eventually, his exhaustion won.

And he drifted off.

 

***

 

A faint sound woke him.

Luke didn’t move — didn’t open his eyes fully. Just enough to see through a half-lid slit. His grip tightened around his kukris.

The skeleton was moving. Not standing guard. Not still. Doing… something else. She walked over to the crates in the corner. Pulled something from the top.

What are you doing…?

Luke held his breath, ready to react the moment anything looked suspicious.

Princess Charlie had taken the cloth from the broken crates. She shook it — dust flying off in small clouds — then gently beat it against the stone to clear the dirt.

She turned and walked toward him. Luke’s fingers twitched over his blade.

Then…

The skeleton knelt beside him and laid the cloth over his body like a blanket. She even tucked the corners gently underneath him—a slow, almost maternal movement. Then, with one bony hand, she gave his head two soft pats, like a silent goodnight.

She stood, walked back to the corridor, and resumed her position beside the sword.

Luke remained still, eyes closed. But he wasn’t asleep anymore.

She… covered me?

He wanted to laugh. Or sigh. Or maybe curse.

I appreciate the sentiment… but you left your sword out there, wide open. If someone came through the door, they’d have picked it up and killed us both…

But he didn’t say anything. He didn’t move. He let the warmth of the cloth and the silence settle in.

His thoughts drifted. And he remembered the Baumanns.

Damn it… this skeleton just hurt me more than that boss ever could.

 

***

 

[You have slain a Dead Wanderer – Lvl 6]

Luke moved through the dungeon alongside Princess Charlie. He was still doing most of the work, and the reason was simple: the princess was weak.

Another wanderer came sprinting toward him.

“Aaaargh!”

Luke hurled one of his kukris, the blade spinning before slamming into the creature’s skull. Without pause, he dashed forward. As the kukri zipped back into his hand, he dropped into a slide, ducking beneath the creature’s arm, and slashed at its leg with his second blade.

The monster collapsed.

Luke drove the kukri straight through the base of its skull.

*Your class [Assassin] has reached Level 6! (Class Bonus Points Acquired)*

*The [Warrior] class of Princess Charlie has reached Level 1!*

*[Warrior Class Bonus: +2 Strength, +1 Agility, +1 Endurance, +1 Vitality, +1 Free Point]*

Luke glanced toward the skeleton.

“Looks like you do get EXP for assisting,” he muttered, mildly surprised.

The princess did a little celebratory shake, clearly pleased.

He’d been running a test — trying to confirm whether Charlie could level up just by participating in battles, even if she wasn’t the one landing the final blow. It worked that way for party members under the system, but he wasn’t sure if that applied to undead servants.

Apparently… it did.

He quickly pulled up her system window.

 

Name: Princess Charlie

Level: 1

Rank: F

Class: [Warrior – Lvl 1]

Race: Skeleton

Title: [Servant of the Dark Lord]

HP: 56/60

MP: 10/10

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Stamina: 47/50

 

Stats:

Strength: 10

Agility: 5

Endurance: 6

Vitality: 6

Perception: 2

Intelligence: 1

Free Points: 1

 

The boost from her first class level-up helped a little. But not enough.

Luke had watched her get knocked down by a weak creature just two rooms ago. She wasn’t battle-ready. If she died, he’d be in serious trouble.

I need to make her stronger. Fast.

He tapped on her Free Stat Point and invested it into Vitality. The farther she stayed from hitting zero HP, the better.

 

Updated Stats (Princess Charlie):

Vitality: 6 -> 7

Free Points: 1 -> 0

HP: 56/60 -> 66/70

 

Luke still had a few unspent stat points of his own, but kept them in reserve — an emergency stash for when things got unpredictable. For now, just hitting level 6 in his class was enough to feel a real difference. His movements were sharper, his breathing more controlled, and the weight of the kukris in his hands felt lighter.

 

***

 

Luke moved cautiously down the dim corridor, with Charlie trailing slightly behind to stay protected. As they turned a corner, four skeletons stood ahead. They locked eyes—and charged.

“Aaaargh!”

Luke hurled his kukri, but then saw it: a sudden orange flash screamed toward them. His eyes widened.

“Fireball!”

He dove to the side, shoving Charlie out of the way—

BAM!

A fiery explosion lit up the hallway.

Luke scrambled to his feet, coughing from the smoke. Then he saw it: a skeleton in the back, wearing a tattered robe and wielding a crooked staff. A mage.

“Shit,” he muttered, gripping his kukris.

Two of the skeletons rushed him with heavy axes.

“Aaaargh!”

Luke sidestepped, barely avoiding a cleaving blow—

Thwick!

An arrow grazed his arm. His eyes snapped toward the source: another skeleton with a bow, already nocking a second arrow. And behind them, the mage lifted its staff again, flames gathering at the tip.

Luke tried to retreat, but the axe-wielders boxed him in. Then Charlie appeared from behind, intercepting one of the skeletons and locking blades.

The fireball was coming.

Luke leapt to the side—

FOOM!

The flames scorched the wall behind him, charring a mounted frame into ashes.

Another arrow flew. This time, it struck.

“Dammit!” he hissed, yanking it out through gritted teeth.

What do I do?

This was his first time facing a true mage in combat. He glanced toward Charlie—she was holding her ground but struggling.

He made a choice.

I take out the mage.

Luke bolted forward.