“That was not a disgrace—”
“So you saw it too, didn’t you?! You saw me in that pathetic state!”
Seniya cried out in dismay, then curled up completely under the covers.
“I’m a ruler of a nation… and yet I showed such a side…”
Lian heard her quietly sobbing beneath the covers… It seemed that having someone witness her in that state was unacceptable to her.
“Seniya, listen to me.” But this was not a mere platitude to comfort her—it was Lian’s true feelings.
“A ruler is not a perfect person. Moreover, given everything you’ve been through… it’s only natural to show fear, to show weakness. No one has the right to blame you.”
“…”
Lian heard her sniffle, trying to stop her crying.
“And haven’t you already done well enough? The Knight told me that the audience ceremonies in past years went smoothly under your leadership.”
“…But this time I failed.”
“It’s only this time. So cheer up, okay?”
Seniya poked her head slightly out from under the covers… On the face of the young girl before her, she saw the same gentle smile that the boy she had once loved had worn.
Ah… so that’s how it is. No matter what changes the body undergoes, this person’s soul still shines brilliantly. It was this radiant light that saved me, and I have fallen into it ever since, unable to extricate myself—
Drawn by her smile, Seniya stopped crying, put down the covers, and slowly sat up straight.
“Your Majesty, Miss Lian is right. This is only a temporary failure… And you still have a chance to try again.”
Seeing that her queen seemed to have regained her spirits, Waletidina echoed this sentiment.
“Waletidina… Do you wish for me to try again?”
“If the audience ceremony causes Your Majesty stress, then please cancel this year’s ceremony.”
Waletidina’s expression was utterly serious and solemn.
“But if Your Majesty is willing to try again, I will not oppose it… However, this time, please allow this vassal to accompany you.”
“…Even if I try again, you can’t enter with me, you know. It’s too dangerous.”
“At least allow this vassal to accompany you to the lakeside, as in the past.”
This was not an admonishment but a heartfelt plea from a knight to her liege.
Though her expression was cold as ice, Lian could keenly feel the fierce loyalty she held for Seniya.
And looking into her eyes… a memory suddenly resurfaced in Lian’s mind—
Wasn’t she the knight from back then? The one with half her face burned, missing her left arm and right leg.
During the days when Fenglin City was attacked by the demon army, Lian and Vera had led the city’s soldiers and civilians to hold the city’s main entrance.
Meanwhile, in the Lower District, which had become enemy territory, a crippled fairy knight had been carrying out sabotage alone.
She had single-handedly disrupted the demon army’s rear and strategic deployments—every time they gathered forces to attack the entrance, their camp in that district would suffer a fire, or a general would be killed, or siege weapons would be destroyed.
In the end, the Fairy Princess had to personally appear to capture this shadow-like knight… And that created a fleeting gap in his carefully planned siege.
To rescue this knight, Lian and Vera led a small squad into a direct confrontation with the Fairy Princess.
At the time, Iyue had not yet joined the brigade and was still within Iyue territory organizing defenses against the demon army’s invasion… So the group had no means to break through the Fairy Princess’s “Academic Devotion,” which could nullify all spells.
In the midst of battle, the group faced danger at every turn, but at the critical moment, this female knight charged fearlessly at the Fairy Princess, causing his attack—which should have claimed lives under their fire magic—to be delayed by a beat.
Lian and Vera seized that opportunity, dealing him heavy blows with their Demon Sword and Saint Sword.
The grievously wounded Fairy Princess fled, but the female knight who had created the opportunity for the two suffered fatal injuries.
They wanted to bring her back to the city to see the queen, but she insisted on staying in the Lower District to fight until her last moment.
Lian and Vera respected her wish and watched as her blood-painted cloak gradually disappeared into the smoke that filled the Lower District.
Soon after, reinforcements arrived, and the city was liberated… But no trace of this female knight was ever seen again.
Her eyes… were exactly the same as those of that knight back then, who had held on with her broken body.
Lian was certain she could not be mistaken. But the Waletidina before her had a clean, flawless profile and no disability on her body.
She had survived… and her injuries had been healed, and she had even become Seniya’s guard knight?
Seniya had spoken to her earlier, and it was clear they had known each other long before, and she had served as one of the guard knights… Could she be a survivor from that time?
Lian felt a bit puzzled. In her memory, there should have been no survivors other than Seniya from that incident… Because at the time, she had only managed to escape the pursuit with Seniya, not even having time to retrieve her father’s remains.
And afterward, Seniya had never voluntarily mentioned the knights who had sacrificed themselves to protect her and her father.
She had only erected a monument for them, carving their names onto it.
Lian didn’t want to touch her heartbreak, so during their time together in Fenglin City, she never asked Seniya about it.
“Thank you, Waletidina. You’ve always supported me and protected me.”
“This is this vassal’s duty. I am Your Majesty’s sword; everything is as Your Majesty wishes.”
Even though she was a bit perplexed, Lian was still glad she was alive.
Watching this pair of lord and vassal gazing at each other, Lian decided to quietly step aside—
“I’ve decided.” Seniya got out of bed, straightened up, and faced the two. Then she lowered her head solemnly toward them:
“I want to try again. This time, may I ask you both to stay by my side? Just wait for me at the lakeside… I swear by the honor of the royal family that this time I will definitely break the barrier and let the ceremony proceed smoothly tomorrow.”
“It is this vassal’s honor.”
“If it can put Seniya’s mind at ease even a little, of course I’m willing to go with you.”
Waletidina bowed. And though Lian hadn’t expected Seniya to make such a request, she still agreed.
“My elder sister… she truly went to the World Tree.”
Iyue and her group found Alvin at the mansion where Milin had stayed that afternoon.
After Milin left, he seemed to have been there the whole time without moving.
“Nefi… and Lady Iyue. I didn’t expect you two to be acting together.”
He looked at the sisters before him with a complicated expression. Facing his gaze, Nai Fei Tali affectionately linked arms with Iyue:
“That’s because we’ve reconciled. We have to thank Milin for all of this.”
“N-no, not at all. I didn’t do anything.”
Hearing her praise, Milin shyly scratched her cheek. But she quickly shook off the embarrassment and stared at Alvin, asking:
“Let’s get down to business! Where is your elder sister now? We want to meet her and properly investigate that curse you mentioned.”
“I’m waiting for news from her too. She went there this morning to undo the barrier… If all goes well, it should be about over by now…”
Although Milin’s change in attitude confused Alvin, his goal had always been to cure his sister’s curse.
“Nefi… Could all this be your scheme? What exactly are you planning?”
He discreetly gave his fiancée a look, and she responded with an enigmatic smile.
Although there was no real love between the two… after decades of interaction, they could read each other’s intentions from their expressions.
And Nefi’s smile conveyed a very clear message:
“Just let things take their course. Your wish will soon come true.”
“She might be in the palace. I’ll have someone arrange a meeting immediately.”
So he stood up, clapped his hands, and called for the mansion’s guards.
But before he could give the order, the guard first leaned in and whispered a message in his ear.
“—What did you say?! My elder sister failed?!”
His face turned pale, and he slumped back into his chair.
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