Her explanation came hurriedly, as if bracing for accusations.
"The souls have already ascended, so there's no harm done," she added quickly.
"And afterward?" Michael asked. "We won't need souls to keep it running, will we?"
"Not at all. Once the initial energy is expended, you'll be able to power it using mana stones," Lucrecia assured him.
"Good. What do I need to do?"
"First, gather the remains from the other altar and bring them here. Once the offerings are in place, I'll activate the magic circle."
Michael and Alfred returned to the previous chamber and carefully collected the remains, along with their ancient garments and ornaments. The items might fetch a good price at the black market.
Marcus grumbled about his role as a makeshift cart but perked up when Michael offered him a few gems, his tail wagging with newfound enthusiasm.
"Let's get this over with!" Marcus exclaimed.