Chapter 43: Target, Yisela?

An unintentional dragon’s might emanated from her. Her heart suddenly contracted, as if someone were pulling it out of her chest with their hands.

A particularly sharp pain spread from her heart to all her limbs and bones. A layer of cold sweat broke out on her forehead. Pain.

She clenched her teeth tightly and forced down the surging blood and qi in her chest.

That solid pressure of intimidation bore down directly.

Nightfiend lowered its body even further. A low, wary growl came from its throat. Its four legs involuntarily moved back half a step.

In its scarlet beast eyes, for the first time, a hint of uncertainty appeared—this was due to bloodline suppression.

Thunder Owl folded its wings and hovered in midair. The arcs of electricity between its feathers dimmed.

It tilted its head and fixed its sharp eagle eyes on Yisela, as if reassessing the threat level of this prey.

“Your Highness Yisela!!”

“What are you doing?!”

“Run quickly!”

Knight Commander Lei Ji, covered in blood, rushed over. He reached out to grab her.

Yisela pushed his hand away. Her eyes, turned into slits by the dragon’s might, swept over coldly.

“Uncle Lei Ji.”

Her voice became low and hoarse, carrying a tremor she herself didn’t notice.

“Take Lina and the villagers and go first. Head deep into the Dense Forest.”

The dragon’s might still surged inside her. That feeling of being squeezed in the heart came in waves, as if someone were pounding her chest with a blunt instrument.

But she clenched her teeth tightly, not letting anyone see how much she was suffering.

“No!”

“Absolutely not!”

Lei Ji shouted loudly.

“The Saintess has a secret order. Your safety is above all else.”

“If something happens to you, the Saintess will surely…!”

“Shut up!”

A flash of gold light appeared in Yisela’s slit pupils. The dragon’s might surged even higher.

But this time, the feeling of being squeezed in her heart became even stronger.

Her vision went dark for a moment, and directly in her ears came—

“Can’t you understand human speech?”

Yisela bit out each word. Her voice trembled slightly from enduring the intense pain, but each word was emphasized heavily.

“Take them and go first!!”

“Protect Lina no matter what!”

Lei Ji shuddered violently at that moment.

He looked at this little girl in front of him, usually cheerful and prone to throwing small tantrums. Now her face was extremely pale, her forehead covered in cold sweat, and her lips trembled from forcibly enduring the pain. Cold.

But what burned in her slit pupils made this veteran, who had spent most of his life on the battlefield, feel a chill from the bottom of his heart.

He gritted his teeth and shouted out loudly with tears in his eyes.

“Retreat!”

“Everyone, retreat immediately!”

“All obey Princess Yisela’s orders!”

Watching the main force finally flee deep into the Dense Forest, Yisela slowly retracted her presence.

As soon as the dragon’s might receded, the tightness in her heart not only didn’t disappear but rushed back like a tidal wave.

Her legs immediately went weak, and she nearly knelt to the ground.

She quickly used her hands to support her knees, gasping for breath. The cold sweat on her forehead continuously dripped down her temples.

But she had no time to rest.

She straightened up, turned around, and faced the two magical beasts alone.

Nightfiend and Thunder Owl did not pursue the scattered villagers. From the beginning, their mission target was only her.

Yisela stood there. Her heart was beating very fast, fast enough to jump out of her chest, but her mind was spinning at high speed. They stopped.

Nightfiend lowered its body but didn’t attack immediately.

Thunder Owl hovered in midair but didn’t summon lightning.

This was not a posture for attack. Why is that? They were testing her.

Nightfiend took a small step forward. Not a pouncing move, but a very slow, cautious movement.

Its nose sniffed the air. Its scarlet beast eyes stared at her unblinkingly.

Thunder Owl also began to descend, changing from circling at high altitude to hovering low.

It tilted its head and used its eagle eyes, sharp as knives, to scan her back and forth.

They were confirming something. Confirming how much power she had left. Confirming whether she could still resist.

Confirming if they attacked her, would they kill her.

A thought flashed through Yisela’s mind: They were actually afraid.

Not afraid of her—with her current meager power, she couldn’t threaten them at all.

What they feared was accidentally killing her if she resisted.