Big Goldie

Isolde reached out and touched it, and the system immediately displayed a prompt.

[Former Master's Spinal Bone Fragment]

[Quality: Rare]

[Description: Core bone material left behind after Valen Silvien's prolonged mutation. It once carried the primary magical circulation of the corpse-stitching construct.]

[Can be used for: Puppet primary bone reinforcement, undead weapon forging, Castle formation core repair]

[Current recommended use: Secondary skeletal reinforcement for Soul Contract holders]

Isolde nodded in satisfaction. This could be used for Lia.

However, the system soon displayed another risk warning.

[Warning: Target Soul Core strength is insufficient. Direct fusion is not currently recommended.]

[Suggestion: First improve Soul Core stability, or pair with purification materials to reduce contamination.]

Unfortunately, she had good material now, but Lia could not handle it yet.

It was like stuffing endgame god-tier gear onto a low-level alt. Without the level requirement, she could not equip it—and forcing it on would make her explode.

Isolde was not disappointed. Instead, she was even more satisfied.

At least she was headed in the right direction.

First nurture the Soul Core, then replace the skeleton, and finally rebuild the body.

Lia's upgrade path was officially open.

She looked at the [Castle Contamination Core Fragment] beside it.

It was only the size of a thumb, blackish-red in color, with what looked like a tiny miniature Banquet Hall inside.

[Castle Core Fragment]

[Quality: Rare]

[Description: A power node the Castle recovered from the former master's remains after his death. Can be used to reinforce Castle facilities.]

[Possible modification route one: Blood Feast Hall reinforcement]

[Effect: Improves Blood Feast adjudication stability and reduces rule consumption.]

[Possible modification route two: Underground laboratory repair]

[Effect: Increases the success rate of Puppet modification and material processing.]

[Possible modification route three: Castle defense mechanism upgrade]

[Effect: Enhances guard capabilities, traps, and capture mechanisms.]

Looking at the three options, Isolde was struck by indecision.

She wanted every single one.

After a painful moment of thought, she put the fragment away for the time being.

There was no rush to use it. The rarer the material, the less she could let excitement get to her head.

She needed to thoroughly understand the Castle inside and out before deciding where to pour her resources.

After all, the mistake newly rich poor people made most easily was wanting to upgrade everything they saw, only to end up with a pile of half-finished products.

Isolde had no intention of becoming that kind of sucker.

She raised her hand and stored all the dismantled materials in the Castle warehouse.

[Materials stored.]

[Current Castle warehouse unlocked.]

[Establish categories: Puppet modification materials / Castle reinforcement materials / Undead spell-formula materials?]

Isolde raised an eyebrow. This Castle was pretty good at reading the room.

"Establish them."

[Categories established successfully.]

Looking at the neatly organized warehouse list, Isolde felt even better.

Killing one Valen had dropped a core, a skill, renovation materials, and upgrade materials for Lia.

What a massive profit.

She had just been about to leave, before even taking a step, when the system interface suddenly lit up again.

Dark-red text emerged from behind the warehouse list, like the last bit of value the Castle had forcibly gouged out of Valen's remains.

[Home-Field Advantage triggered: Former master's remains fully dismantled]

[New skill unlocked: Death-Speech Disassembly]

[Skill type: Analysis / Growth / Spell Formula Stripping]

[Skill description: Consumes 50% of current magic power to dismantle the structure of the last skill used in life by a target who has only recently died. Has a chance to obtain a "Basic Skill" and attribute fragments.]

[Skill effect: Attribute fragments may be used for personal attribute growth or skill enhancement.]

[Restriction: The longer the target has been dead, the lower the disassembly success rate. If the target's soul contamination is too severe, it may contaminate the user in reverse.]

[Kinder than plunder, gentler than decay.]

This skill did not sound like directly stealing skills. It was more like dismantling the last bit of ability someone had used before death, stripping it down into spell-formula structures, then turning it into nourishment for herself.

In other words, it could not instantly give her a ready-made new skill.

But it could open up modification paths for the skills she created herself.

Her luck was ridiculously good. She had directly triggered the Castle's passive effect—and it was exactly the skill she needed most.

Did that mean this house was actually very satisfied with her as its owner, even generously giving her a homeowner welcome package?

The more Isolde looked at the house before her, the more she liked it. Even the nooks and crannies she had initially found somewhat distasteful were starting to look pleasing.

What haunted house? This was clearly her adorable Big Goldie!

Isolde reached out and stroked the wall, then left the Banquet Hall in high spirits and headed for the living room.

The Faceless Attendants had already cleaned the place again.

The heavy curtains had been drawn halfway open, and sunlight slanted in from outside, falling across the dark-red carpet and antique wooden cabinets.

The black raven painting on the wall had been wiped clean, the silver candlesticks had been relit, and the tabletop had been covered with a fresh lace tablecloth.

Ancient and luxurious.

It also carried the sort of ritualistic grandeur that poor people who suddenly became rich found hard to resist.

Isolde settled into a high-backed armchair and listened to the Faceless Attendant in the corner play the violin.

The music flowed softly through the living room. Paired with the rare sunlight outside, it created an eerie yet elegant calm.

If not for the trace of blood left uncleaned from its cuff, the scene might even have seemed peacefully idyllic.

Lia had already changed into clean clothes, and she looked much more pleasing now.

At least she no longer resembled a dried corpse.

She brought over afternoon tea. On the silver tray sat a porcelain cup filled with pale-purple tea, curled leaves floating on its surface and a cloying floral scent rising from it.

Just as Isolde lifted it, she froze.

She recognized this plant.

Wrinkle-Skin Vine.

It would not kill a person, but within half an hour, it would wrinkle their entire body until their skin resembled dried orange peel.

The effect lasted for three days, and even low-level purification spells could not remove it.

Isolde looked at the cup in silence for a moment.

"Lia."

Lia lowered her eyes. "Miss."

"What kind of tea is this?"

"A beauty tea from the Castle's inventory."

Isolde set the cup back onto the silver tray and sighed.

This had to be some unethical material dropped by some unethical person. Its way of making people beautiful was to send them straight to the age of eighty.

Lia paused, then immediately asked:

"Would you like it replaced?"

"Yes. Bring something people can drink normally."

"Yes, Miss."

A moment later, Lia brought over another cup of tea.

This time, the tea was faint green and extremely bitter. It tasted like chewing dried medicinal herbs directly.

But at least it had no side effects.

Holding the cup, Isolde slowly took a sip. The bitterness made her brow twitch.

Mm. The taste of being alive.

She leaned back in her chair, listening to the violin as her gaze swept over the clean, orderly living room.

Now, she had a Castle, skills, Lia, and a group of Faceless Attendants who could automatically clean up battlefields.

It looked like a great start, but it was not enough.

The truly terrifying thing about the Fallen Realm had never been just a Castle, a boss, or a few disgusting players.

It was this world itself.