A sudden attack by the beastmen?
Aililan was startled and suspicious at first, but she quickly calmed down.
After all, if you thought about it even a little, you could tell just how fishy the whole situation was.
When it comes to war, even in a highly centralized human nation, it’s not as if you can just decide to fight today and send your army out to battle tomorrow.
Does it take no time to gather the troops?
No time to prepare logistics?
If you don’t assemble your forces or set up supplies, are you just here for laughs?
And once they really start preparing for war, all those movements absolutely won’t escape the notice of the scouts lurking on the beastman plains.
Aililan quickly analyzed several possibilities.
First, this might not be a full-scale war with the beastmen.
Second, it could be just a single tribe making an incursion.
Third, perhaps there’s a traitor on the inside?
She inhaled.
She tried her best to stay calm.
Aililan kept her tone as even as possible, and looked to Obien, replying quietly, “Yes, Lord Obien, you’ve taught me yet another lesson today.”
“But.”
Aililan paused.
Suddenly she raised her voice.
“I’ve read through the ancient records of Atester City, and I’ve seen countless stirring stories of war in those books.”
“But I also know that no matter how foolish the beastmen may be, even a single tribe wouldn’t just send themselves to their deaths. So every time war breaks out, it’s almost always a full-scale conflict with all the beastmen.”
“And this Jackal tribe army, why would they come at just this moment? Isn’t that a bit too suspicious?”
“What do you say?”
“Lord Obien?”
The moment Aililan finished speaking,
Many faces in the crowd changed dramatically—they realized as well, the beastmen hadn’t come sooner or later, but just now, and only a single tribe was here to die? At once, everyone’s angry gazes turned to Obien and his associates.
Political infighting was one thing, but colluding with the enemy? That was crossing a fundamental line.
Obien’s expression changed; he stammered anxiously, “I—you—you… I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Aililan shouted angrily, “Shut up, you fool.”
Aililan waved her hand, summoning her own knights. Renata, clad in heavy armor, advanced step by steady step, the dull crash of metal echoing off the floor, like a morning bell ringing in the hearts of the ministers.
Renata knelt on one knee. “Saintess, your orders.”
Aililan’s face was cold as she said, “Go gather a hundred Chastity Knights and surround the Righteous Council Hall. If even one more person comes in or out, or one less, I’ll hold you responsible.”
Renata replied solemnly, “As you command.”
Aililan continued to issue her orders:
“Betiliana.”
“Saintess, I am here.”
“You’ll be wholly responsible for law and order in the outer city, especially monitoring the beastmen who live mixed in among the citizens. If necessary, detain them all. If the outer city falls into chaos, you’ll bear a major crime.”
“Please rest assured, Saintess. With the Patrol Division present, I guarantee the outer city will not fall into disorder.”
“Arikel.”
“Saintess, your orders.”
“I’m leaving the inner city to you. Keep a close watch on the mansions and retainers of Ibisos, Obien, and the rest. If anything happens, you’ll be the first to face the consequences.”
“Please rest assured, Saintess.”
Aililan summoned the head maid as well, giving a stern order: “Go to the Serpent Gang, tell them to close all their nets. If necessary, mobilize the Chaste Knight Reserve and wipe out every gang in Atester City. I do not want any problems arising.”
With Aililan’s string of commands, many officials finally realized with a start—
At some point, the power of Atester City—especially the power of the armed forces—had all fallen into her hands.
Aililan’s dealings with the gangs weren’t child’s play; she used the criminal underworld as a giant hand to monitor and control the voice of the common people. It was a direct means to keep tabs on the lower classes.
She had the Patrol Division to control the commoners.
She had the City Guards to deal with the upper echelons of the inner city.
Once she’d finished giving orders,
Aililan swept a cold glance over the crowd below, snorting, “I’ll handle matters with the beastmen myself. Also, Obien, Marlina, Julian, Mishawa…”
Aililan dropped all pretense.
She began calling names openly.
“I expect all your names to be signed on that proposal by the time I return.”
“Hmph.”
Malcolm panicked and called out quickly, “Saintess, I’ll gather the Fourth Wing Legion at once!”
Aililan took a deep breath and said, “No need. Your Fourth Wing Legion will remain here and guard Atester City for me.”
The scouts’ reports indicated—
The Jackal tribe had sent just over two thousand men.
Did that look like an actual invasion? Aililan didn’t want to fight, and the other side probably didn’t intend to, either. In that case, things would be easy to handle.
You have a beastman army?
But I’ve got cheats on my side.
Aililan’s thoughts were simple: If I’m using cheats and still can’t steamroll them, then what’s the point of using them?
There was nothing more to say.
Time to go find Finanis.
Walking through the quiet, deep corridors of the council hall, Aililan’s expression was as calm as still water as she reflected to herself:
“This shouldn’t have gotten to this point. My original thought was that as the Saintess, I ought to follow some rules.”
“But I completely overlooked that when people are pushed into a corner, they’ll break the rules and abandon all bottom lines.”
“That—was my mistake, and a lesson I should remember.”
But Aililan had her own difficulties.
Kill, kill, kill—it might be satisfying, but what about after? The survivors would become disheartened and disloyal, and she’d end up with no one left to use.
On the other hand, if there was no one available, that Phoenix Queen could just win by default; then, every little thing would have to be begged of her, and Aililan herself would be at Finanis’s mercy.
Besides.
She was here to temper herself.
She was here to learn.
If she learned nothing but how to roll over everyone with a wheel, what would be the point?
While reflecting on her successes and failures, Aililan also wondered, if she really did go beg that Phoenix Queen for help, just what kind of conditions would Finanis demand?
Suddenly.
[Gigglegiggle…]
A silvery, bell-like laughter echoed from the end of the corridor.
Two figures draped in white veils stood there silently. The bodyguards at Aililan’s side immediately grew alert, drawing their swords to protect her.
Milisaniel even adopted a combat stance, shouting, “How dare you—”
Before she could finish,
One of the women simply smiled, gently raising her hand. A vast, overwhelming power descended in an instant; the guards shivered, nearly dropping to their knees. Cold sweat even broke out on Milisaniel’s brow.
She felt it—the sheer terror.
One of the women said, “Chastity sister, it’s only been a little while, and you don’t even recognize my voice? That’s going to make me so sad, you know~”
Aililan: ?
Wait.
“You’re… Diligence?”
“Correct! What reward do you want for guessing right?”
Aililan felt a little embarrassed. After coming to this world, the person who’d impressed her most was that Temperance Saintess, practically her perfect goddess.
She glanced at the other woman.
Her heart.
Suddenly began to race.