“Such an important matter—of course you have to go see the local commanding general. It’s normal.”
Ayla was a little surprised.
There was nothing wrong with the statement itself; she had planned to explain the same way.
But the problem was that it was Zero who said it.
Leah was pulled back to her senses by Zero’s words.
Her feverish little head cooled down a bit.
“Y-yeah, that’s true. You’re right.”
Bad. Flustered and losing composure.
“Miss Leah, aren’t you being too sensitive?”
Vina leaned in and said, “Next time you need to meet your parents, you can take Ayla with you too.”
“………….”
That day might never come.
As the Saintess of Light, Leah had been brought to the Church from a young age, with little emotional connection to secular elders.
If she had to name a guardian, the Saintess’s only parent was the great Goddess of Light.
Which meant that in the Church, she spent every day under the watchful eye of her parent.
For some reason, the Saintess’s cheeks turned red.
But the others didn’t notice.
No one objected to the plan of going home to meet the parents and seek the Border Army’s support.
“If everything goes smoothly, we’ll meet the vanguard unit there.”
Ayla said.
“Then we’ll fly directly to the Elves and negotiate with them.”
The vanguard unit was the first small force to undergo the Light’s transformation.
Led by a few of Yan Po’s confidants, their numbers were only two hundred.
They had set out under cover of night the previous evening.
They had just become glorious followers of the Light during the day and immediately embarked on a nighttime operation—truly, a practice of toiling in darkness and serving the Light.
With the plan set, there was no time to waste.
The sooner they left, the sooner they could talk.
After lunch, Ayla and Seres each mounted their Dragon Hawks, ready to depart.
The girls came to see them off.
“It’s bound to be cold in the Northern Frontier, and with winter coming, make sure to wear more clothes after flying for a while,”
Leah muttered at the side.
“Also, the climate in Harbor City is warm, but the Northern Frontier is cold—the temperature difference is huge. When you go from heat to cold, be careful not to catch a cold. Don’t just keep flying stubbornly if you feel chilly—stop and get used to it if you need to.”
Vina suddenly leaned in from the side.
“So many things to worry about. Why don’t you just go with them? Anyway, you can grant blessings. Whether they’re cold or catch a cold, you can always bring them warmth.”
“Go…No, no, that’s not good.”
Leah almost blurted out an agreement, but then shook her head vigorously.
“She’s going to discuss official matters with Seres’s parents. Why would I go? Stop saying nonsense.”
Ayla didn’t dare to stay any longer, either.
Who knew what else they’d say if they waited around?
Take off!
The Dragon Hawks spread their wings, soaring high.
The wind howled in the sky, leaving little chance for conversation.
The two girls simply flew in silence.
***
Northern Frontier Line.
The northernmost edge of the Human Kingdom’s territory.
With the weather growing colder since late autumn, the chill winds from the Northern Snowfields grew ever fiercer.
Soldiers standing guard wore not only armor but also extra cotton coats over it.
This had an unexpected advantage—the extra layers weakened the piercing force of arrows.
If a fight broke out, at worst, you could just take them off.
But daily life was certainly inconvenient.
Clothing, sleeping—no need to mention.
Even getting a hot meal meant returning to the camp.
“Conditions here are awful—there’s nothing, and you can’t even rest in the city. We just have to wait for supplies to arrive.”
A soldier with his arms folded spoke to his companion.
“My luck was terrible that day. If I’d known, I would’ve washed my face a few more times first.”
The soldiers transferred from their original posts to the Northern Frontier Line were drawn from another border army—of these, only a small fraction volunteered.
The rest drew lots.
In other words, the ones stationed here now were all top-tier unlucky souls.
“Just endure it.”
His companion also shoved his hands into his pockets.
“Hang in there for a few years, and you can apply to transfer to the City Guard.”
The City Guard were the troops stationed near cities.
“I don’t even need to go to the City Guard—just going back to my original post would be great. This damn place, winter hasn’t even started, and in two or three months, how are we supposed to survive?”
Behind them, a sturdy figure silently walked away.
Returning to the tent, General Glengo sighed.
He had patrolled near the posts earlier and heard the soldiers’ complaints.
He hadn’t said anything or reprimanded them.
Because it was true.
After a while, the Vice Captain entered from outside.
“General, this month’s report is complete. In the third month since our arrival, the number of detected incursions is zero, and dangerous signals are also zero. General, I have something to say.”
The Vice Captain had been holding it in for too long.
The first month was fine.
By midway through the second month, the feeling had started, and by now, he couldn’t bear it anymore.
Glengo nodded, a hint of helplessness on his rugged face.
“I know what you want to say.
And I believe everyone feels the same.
But the Kingdom’s concerns are not unfounded.
If something happens and a tragedy occurs, you and I would never have peace of mind for the rest of our lives.”
After all, the Wolfhead Tribe had attacked once before.
If there were no defense line, a horde of beastmen could charge in from the Snowfields into Human territory, and the villages and towns along the way would suffer.
The death of a chief could cause a tribe to decline, but before their total downfall, they would become frenzied—just like after the Demon King was driven off for the past half year, the Demon Race instead launched attacks everywhere.
“I understand that.
But, sigh…”
The Vice Captain shook his head.
“How long do we have to guard against thieves for a crime that never comes?”
At that moment, a whistle sounded outside the tent—a warning signal.
The two exchanged glances, their expressions turning serious, and quickly donned their armor to head out.
After three months of garrison, had they finally encountered the Wolfhead Tribe’s first incursion?
But as Glengo left the tent, he realized something was wrong.
The soldiers weren’t gathering toward the north, but were looking behind instead.
Even the sentries.
He looked north—the road leading to the Snowfields was empty, with only the cold wind blowing.
“General! General!”
The Vice Captain grabbed him.
“Look behind! In the sky!”
The sky?
Glengo turned.
Two giant hawks were flying overhead, approaching from the south toward the camp.
Their altitude was steadily decreasing.
He couldn’t tell if they were about to land or swoop in for an attack.
The stationed soldiers didn’t know, either, so they raised their bows.
These giant hawks flying in the sky—with people on their backs.
Right, a while back, the Capital had sent a letter.
It said the princess’s special unit had visited the Elves and received high praise, bringing back many flute deer for the Kingdom and even acquiring several Dragon Hawks.
“Archers, ready—”
“Stop!”
Glengo hurriedly ordered a ceasefire.
But a few archers, tense and shivering from the cold, accidentally released their strings.
Whoosh—clang, clang, clang, clang!
The arrows were easily deflected by the girl’s sword.
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