Lilburg sat on the northern border of the Human Kingdom, at such a high latitude that even in summer, the heat never really arrived.
Ella lightly hopped down from the carriage.
The motion made her chest sway, and she felt a bit dizzy from the inertia.
Was this how Lilburg looked in her memories?
As a frontier town, the living conditions here were naturally nothing to boast about.
“Sparse population, vast land” described it perfectly.
Scanning the area, there were indeed many houses scattered across the plains, but most stood empty.
The buildings themselves were crude and dilapidated.
Ella had visited once before, to inspect the Boundary Line.
That was a long time ago, when she had just become the Demon King—full of ambition, high-spirited.
Well, her chest was still just as full of ambition now…
“It feels so desolate here, and there’s hardly any defense.”
Zero glanced into the distance.
“I’m honestly worried—if the enemy attacks, they could take this place easily.”
Ella hesitated, wanting to speak but holding back, then finally couldn’t help herself.
“That shouldn’t happen.”
The others looked at her curiously.
“I once saw a letter the Demon King wrote, where he instructed the stationed Demon Race troops that Lilburg is easy to attack but hard to defend. Rather than trying to hold it, it’s better to employ harassment tactics—let this place become a bleeding wound that keeps draining the Human Kingdom. The Human Race would never willingly abandon Lilburg, so they’re forced to swallow this bitter pill.”
That was my brilliant strategy back then.
Pretty impressive, right?
“Ugh.”
Leah clicked her tongue in disgust.
“The Demon King really is a cunning, treacherous villain.”
Ella’s mouth twitched.
Can’t you at least admit it was clever?
Could you be a bit more objective?
Vina started giggling at some thought.
Only Zero kept working diligently.
She scouted ahead, then returned to report, “Nothing’s wrong here. Lilburg’s Lord is waiting for us up ahead.”
Celes nodded.
“Let’s go.”
The convoy moved forward, passing through fields without a single wisp of smoke, and by empty, crumbling houses.
The low, squat lord’s keep lay just ahead.
Ella climbed back into the carriage.
After all, the horses were walking—no reason not to ride.
Leah and Vina joined her.
Leah tidied up some ceremonial items, preparing to give thanks before dinner. Vina, like Ella, simply didn’t want to tire herself out.
Celes led at the front, her calm gaze sweeping the surroundings, a hint of suspicion in her eyes.
Zero walked idly beside a carriage, a little downcast—she hadn’t seen any flowers while scouting.
Maybe it was just the weather.
“Welcome, welcome! Honored guests from the Royal City, we have prepared a small gift to greet you!”
Ella pushed open the carriage window and saw a plump man standing ahead, flanked by a group of servants holding gleaming gifts and jewels.
“That’s the local Lord. His name is Lil. Everyone in his family is called Lil. His son is Little Lil, and his father is Old Lil.”
Oh, I see… Wait, who’s talking?
Ella glanced around and finally found Zero right beneath her carriage window.
“No need for the gifts,” Celes stepped forward.
“We just require food and lodging. You should have been notified.”
“Yes, yes, I received the notice. I’ll cooperate fully. Please, come in!”
Inside the keep, the fires were lit, making it warm and comfortable.
A sumptuous dinner was already set on the table.
Leah was the first to sit and began her blessing.
While this was happening, Celes suddenly spoke.
“Lord Lil, I need to see the official Document you received.”
The plump man froze.
“May I ask why?”
“Routine inspection. I need to make sure you received the original Document from the Royal City, in case it was swapped en route.”
“…Understood. Please enjoy your meal, I’ll go fetch it now.”
He said that, but it wasn’t until most of the girls had finished dinner that Lil hurried back with the Document.
“Here, take it.”
Celes took it and unfolded it.
The whole Document was wrinkled, as if it had been balled up, with a few stains here and there.
But the contents confirmed it was the original.
“I didn’t know it would be checked, so I just put it aside after reading… Oh, right.”
Lil asked, “The Document says there are only four in your group. Who is that young lady with the pink hair?”
Ella, munching on a piece of roasted flatbread, looked up, cheeks puffed, blinking her eyes.
Pink-haired troublemaker, is he talking about me? Wait, no, he didn’t say troublemaker…
“We made internal personnel changes. We’re not required to report them to outsiders.” Celes put the Document away, her tone cold. “Don’t ask about things that don’t concern you.”
Lil forced a smile.
“Please enjoy your meal. I’ll leave you to it.”
With that, he led his attendants away.
Vina poked at the table with her fork.
“He’s trying to change the subject.”
Using a question to divert attention—it worked, but was a bit too obvious.
“Zero.”
Celes called the assassin girl over and whispered something to her.
“You go…”
Dinner was quite tasty.
The local roasted flatbread kept Ella busy for a long time, making her the second-to-last to finish, only a little faster than the ultra-ladylike Leah.
Full and satisfied, it was time to go to bed.
The guest rooms were all on the second floor.
Ella picked the room at the very end, where lying on the bed gave her a direct view outside.
She couldn’t see the moon or any bright stars from this angle, but she could gaze at the sky on the other side.
Beyond the Boundary Line lay the Snowy Wolf Plains—a name she had chosen herself, to express her trust and hopes for Feng Lie and the others.
She never expected things would turn out this way. It was enough to make one sigh.
Speaking of which, what was that traitor planning now?
Lost in thought, her eyes drifted closed.
Then she was jolted awake by an urgent knocking.
“Who is it?”
“It’s me. Get up, quickly.”
Celes called from outside.
“There’s a situation.”
A situation?
What kind of situation?
Rubbing her sleepy eyes, Ella got up and went downstairs, only to see Lil tied up and kneeling, a dagger pressed to his neck.
“After walking around Lilburg’s outskirts, I found no one anywhere but here. Not a single wisp of smoke during dinner, only weeds in the fields—not even wildflowers. This can only mean one thing.”
Celes spoke coldly.
“Lilburg has already been taken by the Wolfhead Tribe.”
“I watched him for a while and caught him trying to escape through a secret passage.” Zero spun her dagger with a flourish.
“Caught him on the spot.”
Lil’s face was ashen, his small eyes squeezed shut as he whimpered, “Please, I beg you, spare me! I had no choice—if I didn’t do this, they’d kill me…”
Ella’s expression darkened as well.
Clearly, less than a week after word of her “death” spread, Feng Lie had already brazenly violated her Ripping Open the Wound Strategy.