“Yisela…!”
Seraphina’s lips trembled as she let out a voice so soft it was barely audible to herself. She stood in the center of the camp, supported by Ailiya. Her eyes swept over the people in the camp.
Nothing.
That silver-haired little figure who always gave her a headache but whom she couldn’t help but spoil was nowhere to be found. Her face had already been as pale as paper from magic power overexertion.
At that moment, even the last trace of color drained away. Her entire body seemed to lose all strength and suddenly went limp. If not for Ailiya’s arm around her waist, she would have fallen straight to her knees on the spot.
“Hey, if you dare die here, I won’t care about you.”
Ailiya frowned, looking at the haggard woman in her arms. Her tone was harsh, but her arm didn’t loosen even a little.
Seraphina ignored her. She tightly gripped the arm of Knight Commander Lei Ji beside her.
“Lei Ji…!”
“Where is she?”
Lei Ji looked at the holy Saintess before him, who had become like this for the sake of her own princess.
The man, as tall and sturdy as an iron tower, felt deep shame in his heart. His knees bent downward, and with a thump, he knelt on the ground.
“Saintess!”
“This subordinate…!”
“This subordinate deserves death!”
Lei Ji didn’t dare lift his head to meet Seraphina’s eyes.
“Her Highness Yisela…!”
“She did it to cover our retreat!”
“Those two platinum-rank magic beasts!”
“Her Highness told us to run deep into the dense forest, and she alone led the beasts toward… toward Despair Valley!”
“Despair Valley!”
Those two words exploded like a thunderbolt in Seraphina’s mind. Boom. That was a dead end, a place where even the wind couldn’t enter. Without finding the correct path, the magic miasma would tear a person apart.
After hearing Lei Ji’s words, Seraphina closed her eyes. When she opened them again, there was no longer any trace of tears in those golden eyes.
“Lei Ji. Gather those who can still walk and retreat south. Find the Red Lotus Kingdom’s army and tell them… the Holy Light Kingdom requests support. Don’t return to the Holy Kingdom’s royal city—it may not be safe.”
“Saintess, what about you?” Lei Ji lifted his head.
“I’ll go bring her back.”
Lei Ji’s lips moved a few times, but in the end, he said nothing. He just heavily knocked his head on the ground.
“This subordinate… understands.”
Spurt!
Blood suddenly sprayed from Seraphina’s mouth without warning, splattering onto Lei Ji’s dark chest armor. Her body trembled violently.
The holy light magic that had been forcibly suppressing her old injuries was now out of control.
“Which direction did she run?”
Seraphina wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth with one hand. The warmth in her eyes was already gone, replaced by an icy pressure.
“It’s… that direction.”
Lei Ji pointed toward the distant, mist-shrouded rugged mountains, his voice choked with tears.
“Before she left, Her Highness said… she said for us not to look back, to survive!”
At that moment, the villagers from the settlement also gathered around.
They watched the exalted Saintess fight so desperately for the little silver dragon princess, and the defenses in their hearts completely collapsed.
Lina mustered all her courage, rushed to the front, and grabbed Ailiya’s pant leg, which was covered in blood and mud.
“Knight!”
“Please, you have to save Her Highness the Princess!”
Lina lifted her small face. Tears swirled in her eyes, but she stubbornly refused to let them fall.
“She could have run away herself, but she still chose to lure away those two magic beasts!”
“She did it to protect us, that’s why she got caught!”
With Lina’s tearful plea, the surrounding villagers also found their voice. They crowded around, pleading one after another.
“Yes, Knight, you have to save her!”
“That little princess is really kind.”
“Milady, we will repay you!”
Ailiya stood there. She looked down at the Saintess in her arms, who was trembling from blood loss and extreme weakness, then at the sincere villagers at her feet. A complicated smile curved at the corner of her mouth. A flicker of surprise passed through her eyes.
“Hah!”
“Wouldn’t have guessed it.”
Ailiya let out a soft laugh, carrying a hint of emotion even she didn’t notice.
“That troublemaking, mischievous little evil dragon now has so many people willing to protect her?”
“She’s changed that much?”
She turned and walked over to Seraphina, looking at the Saintess who was nearly unconscious.
“Listen to me, Seraphina.”
“In your half-dead state, you still want to save someone?”
“You can’t even walk ten li before collapsing.”
“The magic power in your body is completely spent. Going now is just throwing your life away.”
“…!”
“Go…!”
Seraphina lifted her head with great effort. Her eyes were unfocused, but stubborn nonetheless. She opened her mouth, and the words that came out were slurred, but carried a tenacious determination.
“If you run into trouble!”
“Don’t worry about me. Save Yisela first!”
She didn’t even have the strength to argue.
Ailiya fell silent.
She looked at Seraphina’s bloodless face.
After a few seconds, Ailiya bent down and picked up an ordinary standard longsword.
“What a hassle.”
Ailiya walked in front of Seraphina, turned her back to her, and crouched down.
“Get on.”
She didn’t look back. Her tone was still harsh, but now mixed with a hint of resignation.
“But I’ll warn you now: you have to listen to me the whole way.”
“If your injuries worsen or you completely pass out, I’ll stop immediately and prioritize throwing you back to heal.”
“If you slow me down halfway…”
She turned her head sideways, her red hair fluttering in the wind.
“Won’t hesitate to knock you out myself.”
Seraphina didn’t hesitate for a second.
She used the last of her remaining strength to climb onto that solid back. Her arms wrapped around Ailiya’s neck.
“Okay.”
Ailiya stood up, carrying Seraphina steadily on her back. With one hand on the sword hilt and the other adjusting the person on her back, red Battle Qi slowly ignited on the surface of her body, driving away the surrounding cold air.
“Hold tight.”
Ailiya raised her head and looked toward the distant Despair Valley, shrouded in mist. Her gaze grew resolute once more.
“We’re going to cross that valley before that stupid little silver dragon gets cooked and eaten.”