Warm sunlight filtered through the clean windows, casting a bright glow inside the hospital room.
Leanna leaned against the soft pillows. Her face was still somewhat pale, but her spirit was clearly much better.
Selis sat by the bedside, meticulously peeling an apple.
The peel hung down in a single long strip.
Just then, the door to the room swung open with a clatter, and Meilin’s energetic figure appeared at the doorway. Upon seeing Selis, she ran inside joyfully.
“Lady Selis! So this is where you were!”
Selis stopped what she was doing, looked up, and smiled, “Meilin?”
“We’re going to the street later to buy some daily necessities!”
Meilin pressed her hands together, her eyes sparkling as she looked at Selis with great anticipation.
“Will Lady Selis come with us? Thinking back, it’s been a very long time since we’ve gone shopping leisurely together, hasn’t it?”
Meilin had already visited Leanna earlier, so knowing Leanna was fine, she was now more concerned about Selis.
Seeing this, Leanna’s gaze dimmed for a moment before she quickly pulled her lips into a weak smile, softly urging, “Go ahead, Selis.”
Unexpectedly, Selis shook her head and gently refused Meilin:
“No, Meilin. You guys go on. I need to stay here and look after Leanna.”
Although Meilin was a bit disappointed, she nodded obediently.
“Alright then, we’re heading out! Teresa is still waiting outside!”
She waved to them and ran out again like a gust of wind.
After the door closed gently, Leanna was silent for a moment before speaking again in a somewhat helpless tone, “You could have gone with them. I’m fine, you don’t need to keep watch over me constantly.”
Selis didn’t answer directly. She set down the apple and gave Leanna a slight smile, as if seeing through her heart.
“Leanna, if you weren’t the Captain of the Rose Knights, setting aside all responsibilities and titles, and only followed your inner thoughts…”
“Would you want me to go with them, or stay here?”
Leanna clearly hadn’t expected her to ask this. An imperceptible blush instantly rose to her cheeks, and her gaze shifted away in panic.
Not wanting to meet Selis’s eyes, she tried to force her head away, but her body didn’t seem to agree. As she turned her head, she grimaced in pain.
After a few minutes of silence in the room, she tried to use her status to avoid the overly personal question.
“This, this… but I am the Captain…”
Selis let out a soft “Hmm?” with a slight upward lilt at the end, carrying a hint of inquiry while her gaze remained fixed on her face.
Leanna felt even more uncomfortable under her gaze. She pursed her lips and finally, as if giving up the struggle, mumbled in a nearly inaudible voice, “It’s, it’s nothing… It’s… it’s also good that you stay here.”
Having said that, she pulled at her blanket somewhat unnaturally.
Because she was the Captain of the Rose Knights, she had to shoulder the Captain’s responsibility.
Because she was the Captain, she couldn’t act spoiled like other young girls.
Because she was the Captain, she had to remain rational at all times……
The identity of Captain had shaped Leanna, but it also imprisoned her.
Selis had seen through everything long ago. Upon hearing her maiden-like spoiled tone, a faint smile flickered in her eyes. Handing the peeled apple to Leanna’s lips, she naturally changed the subject. “Would you like some fruit?”
Leanna tried to move her arms, but the muscle soreness made the corners of her eyes twitch. In the end, she could only take a soft breath and said helplessly, “My hands… I can’t really move them…”
“It’s fine,” Selis’s voice was as soft as a feather. “I’ll feed you.”
Her face turned red. Facing the sliced apple flesh, Leanna opened her mouth somewhat tremulously and took a bite.
The sweet juice dissolved in her mouth, and an emotion called happiness surged from the bottom of her heart.
Perhaps this moment of tranquility and intimacy gave her courage.
She suddenly remembered something and, after swallowing the fruit, asked with a mix of curiosity and seriousness, “By the way, Selis, since you became the Saintess, has Isavel ever bullied you?”
Selis paused while spearing the next piece of apple, then resumed naturally. She lifted her eyes and asked back with some amusement, “No, she hasn’t. Why ask that all of a sudden?”
Leanna seemed a bit surprised. Her brow furrowed slightly as if she had made up her mind, and her gaze gradually grew sharp.
“To be honest, my goal is Isavel. Once I become strong enough and my power completely surpasses hers, I’m going to give her a harsh reckoning! I’ll let her feel exactly what our Rose Knights felt under her hand!”
Her tone carried a hint of long-suppressed resentment.
She looked at Selis, her tone cautionary yet seemingly seeking assurance. “When that time comes, don’t you dare stop me. She deserves it!”
“…How could I stop you? If you want a reckoning, then go ahead.”
A slight smile appeared on Selis’s face, as if she highly supported Leanna’s idea, but the knife in her hand stabbed the apple flesh with such force that a splash of juice even landed on Leanna’s cheek.
The juice was cold, unlike the searing heat of blood.
Handing this piece of fruit to Leanna’s lips, she added another sentence as if casually, carrying an imperceptible hint of testing:
“However, Isavel did that so you all could grow faster and become stronger, right?”
“I know, her training was indeed effective, I admit that much. But as the Captain, seeing them struggle on the edge of life and death time and time again, how could I possibly swallow this resentment completely?”
Her voice softened, carrying a strange sense of reassurance.
“Don’t worry, I’ll just… give her a bit of a reckoning, I won’t really do anything serious to her. After all, without her, there would be no Rose Knights.”
Hearing these bold words, the corner of Selis’s mouth twitched slightly. Finally, her eyes crinkled as she revealed a sweet smile and said, “Oh, I see… Then you really are quite ‘gentle’.”
“Mmm—mph…”
Leanna wanted to say more, but Selis had already swiftly stuffed a piece of apple into her mouth, interrupting her words.
“Eat your fruit and stop talking. Be careful not to choke to death while speaking.”
The smile on Selis’s face became increasingly sweet. Bright sunlight spilled over her, giving her lavender scent a hint of apple sweetness and making her even more charming.
Yet for some reason, looking at her smile, Leanna inexplicably thought of Isavel.
Her body shuddered as an ominous premonition crept into her heart.
***
Several days later, in the Fortress command room, the atmosphere was exceptionally heavy.
The fire in the fireplace flickered restlessly, casting flickering light and shadow on the giant military map on the table.
General Breno strode into the room, his heavy armor still stained with unmelted snow.
He walked straight to Selis, who was standing before the map in thought.
Without even having time to perform a proper military salute, he reported in his raspy voice:
“Lady Selis! The Norwich Empire has failed to take Snow City Fortress for a long time, and now they have completely torn off their disguise and are no longer hiding it!”
He pressed his rough finger heavily on the location representing the Norwich front line on the map, his brow tightly furrowed.
“The human military has almost vanished from the battlefield! Replacing them is a vast army of demons surging forward like a tide!”
“An army of demons?!”
Selis looked up upon hearing this, her eyes narrowing slightly.
According to the speed at which the Seal was breaking, it was impossible for a large number of demons to appear at this stage.
The fact that the Norwich Empire could summon them meant there was a high probability they had tampered with the Seal.
This was not good news.
Tampering with the Seal could easily accelerate its breaking, causing the Abyssal Dragon to break through the Seal prematurely.
Her jade-like hand tightened unconsciously, her knuckles turning slightly white.
Although she had anticipated this, hearing the enemy use the power of the Abyss so shamelessly still caused Selis’s heart to sink.
“Correct. From what we’ve observed so far, most are low-ranked demons. They are massive in number, a dark mass, but their attacks are disorganized and lack effective organization and command.”
“From a tactical perspective, the threat actually seems lower than that of the well-trained Norwich regular army.”
Toward the end, Breno sounded a bit hesitant.
This was unnatural. If the Norwich Empire’s regular army couldn’t break through Snow City Fortress, how could these demons, who were inferior to the regulars, possibly succeed?
He didn’t believe the generals leading the regular army were fools.
“We cannot be careless, General Breno.”
Selis’s voice regained its usual cool tone as she turned and looked sharply at the old general.
“The most troublesome thing about these demons is that they can continuously resurrect. Ordinary people have no way to cause effective damage to them.”
“Regarding that, Lady Selis, please do not worry too much.”
Breno spoke quickly, the tense lines on his face relaxing slightly. He took a step forward, his voice carrying a hint of excitement.
“After the Norwich Empire openly aligned itself with the Abyss and exposed its evil nature, almost all surrounding human forces have quickly united!”
He pointed his finger toward another direction on the map:
“The Cross Knight Academy was the first to respond. They have sent an order of knights to support our Snow City Fortress and are currently battling those demons.”
The Cross Knight Academy?
Selis’s brow arched slightly upon hearing this.
Two legendary academies existed in this world: one called the Galwin Magic Academy and the other the Cross Knight Academy.
If they could gain the latter’s full support, the Norwich Empire’s end would come quickly.
Mentioning the reinforcements, a rare expression of near-admiration appeared on Breno’s face, and his voice rose significantly:
“Not only that, but I’ve also heard they brought an Artifact Banner with them this time, granting them the ability to slay demons. With them and the Rose Knights here, let alone defense—I suspect we could even march into the Norwich Empire!”
At this point, Breno turned to Selis, his eyes shining with hope and anticipation.
He bowed slightly and made a gesture of invitation:
“Lady Selis, why don’t you… accompany me to the frontline tower now to observe the battle and see the strength of the Cross Knights with your own eyes?”
***
Outside Snow City Fortress, the once snow-covered wilderness had turned into scorched earth. Smoke filled the air, thick with the stench of sulfur and blood.
Low-ranked demons surged like rolling black tides, letting out ear-piercing howls as they continuously threw themselves against the newly constructed defenses of Snow City Fortress.
On one side of the battlefield, the Rose Knights were like a sharp sword, thrusting deep into the black tide of demons and slaughtering in all directions.
On the other side, the commander of the Cross Knights—a middle-aged knight clad in bright silver armor—stood atop a low slope behind the battle line.
His gaze was like fire as he scanned the entire battlefield. His booming voice, like a war drum, pierced through the clamor of the fight:
“Steady the formation! Pay attention! These demons are not invincible; they have fatal weaknesses too! Just as you were taught during your training at the Academy, find their cores and strike with a killing blow!”
Under his command, the Cross Knights—who were seeing demons for the first time—regained their composure after a brief moment of confusion.
They swung their longswords, precisely piercing the demons’ vital spots.
Bolstered by the Artifact Banner, their attacks carried a Divine Aura. No matter how powerful the demons’ regeneration abilities usually were, at this moment, they died under the knights’ onslaught.
The initial engagement was a victory, but more demons swarmed forward.
Looking at those twisted, struggling faces, some young knights couldn’t help but feel a flash of fear in their eyes, and the line wavered slightly.
“These are all low-ranked demons! Do not be afraid! The swords in your hands possess the power to kill them! And don’t forget, we are knights from the Cross Knight Academy!”
The voice of the Cross Knights’ commander rang out once more. The glory of the Cross Knight Academy seemed to be the greatest blessing, and the fear in the young knights’ eyes was gradually replaced by determination.
A young knight who had initially shrunk back suddenly let out a roar. He stepped forward of his own accord and slashed with all his might at a lunging hound demon.
The blade, imbued with holy power, sliced through the demon’s body without resistance.
The demon let out a short wail and its body quickly turned to ash like parched grass set ablaze.
“Do you see?!”
The commander struck while the iron was hot. His voice was filled with intense encouragement and even a hint of deliberate comparison.
“What the Rose Knights can do, we knights of Cross can do as well! And we can do it even better than them! For the glory of the Academy, for humanity, advance!”
“For glory!!”
Their morale ignited, the Cross Knights let out a collective roar that shook the heavens.
No longer defending passively, they began to go on the offensive against the black tide of demons.
Under the blessing of the Artifact Banner, the battle line was actually pushed back by them slowly.
Seeing this, the commander remained standing atop the slope. His clenched fists slowly relaxed, and a look of satisfied, proud triumph appeared on his face.
However, when he looked toward the Rose Knights, that smile gradually faded.
Premium Chapter
Login to buy access to this Chapter.