Chapter 219: United Front

The oak door closed behind the three women, completely cutting off the faint arguments and roars from outside.

Wendy’s strength seemed to drain from his body in an instant. His legs gave way, and he collapsed back onto the velvet sofa, letting out a long sigh.

‘I made it out alive.’

‘That was more dangerous than the most brutal fight.’

“Classmate Wendy, your tea is getting cold.”

Xi Ya placed the steaming cup of lavender tea back on the coffee table in front of the prince and pushed the plate of butter cookies closer to him.

“Thank you… Senior Xi Ya. Oh gods… I can’t thank you enough.” Wendy’s voice was weak as he spoke. He could barely lift a finger.

“Don’t mention it. Maintaining order in the reading room is my duty.” Xi Ya sat down on the chair across from him, elegantly folding her hands over her knees. Her violet eyes held a hint of curiosity. “Still, this is the first time I’ve seen Instructor Tracy lose her composure like that. Normally, she’s the strictest person in the academy when it comes to rules.”

Wendy picked up his teacup, using the action to hide his embarrassment.

‘Why else? She wanted to fight for second-author credit on this “academic golden goose” of mine.’

“Classmate Wendy, you mentioned earlier that you were planning to write a book called ‘On War,’ right?” Xi Ya closed the door, turned around, and asked with a smile.

Wendy sat up straighter. Facing this gentle yet firm librarian, he dared not show any carelessness.

“Um… yes. It’s just a preliminary idea.”

“Could you tell me more?”

Xi Ya pulled up a chair and sat at a safe distance across from Wendy, curiosity flickering in her purple eyes. “I’m very interested in this topic.”

Having someone willing to listen was better than stewing in his own thoughts. After all, this book needed real-world examples from this world to gain authority.

Wendy steadied himself and began to pull out the intellectual property of Clausewitz from his mind, mixing truth with fiction.

“I believe that to understand war, we must first define it. War is the continuation of political intercourse by other means. It is not an isolated act but a political act.”

He tried to explain in terms this world could understand.

“Most people think war is about killing and fighting, but I believe the purpose of war is never the fighting itself. It is to… force the enemy to submit to our will.”

“An interesting perspective.”

Xi Ya didn’t look confused. Instead, she nodded in agreement.

Xi Ya didn’t look confused. Instead, she nodded in agreement.

“Three hundred years ago, Duke Du Lan, the ‘Grizzly Bear’ of the Northern Region, clashed with the ‘Sea Wolf’ Chamber of Commerce of the Eastern Merchant Federation over tariffs on a golden waterway. The Federation blockaded all ports, and Duke Du Lan cut off inland trade routes. The standoff lasted three full years without a single battle involving more than a thousand soldiers, but in the end, the Merchant Federation was forced to make huge concessions at the negotiating table.”

She looked at Wendy and asked softly, “According to your theory, this conflict without large-scale bloodshed still falls under the category of war, doesn’t it?”

Wendy was completely stunned.

‘He had just wanted to show off in this barren world by transplanting Earth’s military theories. But this woman had instantly found a perfect example from this world’s history to support his theory—and she seemed to know every detail of that history.’

‘This pink-haired woman… is no ordinary person!’

“Yes, exactly right.” Wendy suppressed his surprise and tried to stay calm. “Military action is just one means to achieve political ends. The real war begins before the soldiers even draw their swords. Economic blockades, diplomatic isolation, even slander in public opinion—they are all part of war.”

“I see.”

Xi Ya seemed thoughtful.

Xi Ya seemed thoughtful. “So a commander must consider far more than just troop numbers, terrain, and morale. They need to understand the enemy’s economic situation, political factions, alliances, and even… the will of the people.”

With every word she said, Wendy’s heart sank a little.

‘She got it. She got it all!’

‘I just started, and she’s already deduced the core ideas from there!’

“This work is bound to be great,” Xi Ya said with genuine admiration.

Then she changed the subject.

“But writing such a work requires more than just theory. You also need to understand the commanders themselves—what factors influence their decisions.”

“For instance, those two just now… Princess Astreia and Miss Klein. They both seem… very concerned about you. Is that concern born from political alliance? Or something more personal?”

The gossip instinct of a woman finally arrived—better late than never.

Wendy understood and didn’t feel offended. After all, even a living bodhisattva might get curious about mortal affairs sometimes.

“Yeah, they’re good to me,” the prince replied vaguely.

“Good isn’t the word.”

Xi Ya put down her teacup and leaned forward slightly, her purple eyes gleaming with pure curiosity. “Earlier, I felt a special connection between the three of you.”

Wendy’s heart skipped a beat.

“A bond… that goes beyond ordinary feelings.” Xi Ya tilted her head, searching for the right words. “Especially when Miss Laxana rushed in. The expression on her face looked like… she could personally feel what you were going through.”

“That resonance, that synchronization… it was almost like some kind of soul sensing.”

Wendy’s hand holding the teacup stiffened slightly.

“Hehehe… Senior, you really know how to joke.” He gave a dry laugh. “We’re just… close.”

“Are we?”

Xi Ya didn’t press further. Instead, she picked up her teacup again, looked down at the rising steam, and spoke softly.

“I once read about a magical ritual in some very, very ancient forbidden texts.”

“Through a special ceremony, two or even more souls can be linked together. They can share senses, and to some extent, even share life force.”

“Such a link grants partners seamless teamwork in battle, unleashing combat power beyond imagination.”

The pink-haired librarian looked up, her pure purple eyes quietly fixed on Wendy.

“But it also has a fatal weakness.”

“If one of them endures pain beyond their limit, or falls into an uncontrollable desire… then that pain and desire will be transmitted without reservation—even amplified—to everyone in the link.”

“Until all of them are dragged into the same abyss.”

Xi Ya finished speaking and then flashed the same warm, gentle smile as before.

Xi Ya finished speaking and then flashed the same warm, gentle smile as before.

“Of course, these are just old legends. Not to be taken seriously.”

“Come on, your tea is getting cold. Have another cup.”

As she spoke, she picked up the teapot and refilled Wendy’s cup.

Wendy stared blankly at the pink-haired librarian.

The reading room was warm as spring, but the prince felt as if he had just stepped out of a bath onto the Northern Ice Plains—chilled to the bone from head to toe.

Meanwhile, outside the library door.

Tracy stood still for a moment, barely restraining herself from charging back in and dragging Wendy out. She shot a vicious glare at Astreia and Laxana, then turned and strode away.

She had to report to the dean immediately. They needed to protect this treasure, Wendy, right now—no delays!

She wouldn’t let those two female thugs lay another finger on him!

With Tracy gone, the corridor was left with Astreia and Laxana staring at each other.

“Now look what you’ve done. He’s been taken away by some random pink-haired vixen! It’s all your fault!” Laxana attacked first, her red-rimmed eyes full of fury.

“Shut up.”

Astreia rolled her eyes. “Does this help? Didn’t you feel it? That woman named Xi Ya… is dangerous.”

Laxana attacked first, her red-rimmed eyes full of fury.

“She’s even more of a snake than I am! No, the two of us combined aren’t as scheming as her! That smile she uses to drive people out… it’s just…”

The young lady couldn’t find the words to describe it.

“She’s not the straightforward type like Tracy…”

Astreia finished her thought, her emerald star eyes full of gravity.

Indeed.

Against Tracy, they could stand their ground. But against Xi Ya, they felt all their strength hitting cotton—frustrating to the point of suffocation.

An unprecedented sense of crisis washed over both of them.

This pink-haired librarian was a more formidable opponent than any woman they had faced before!

They exchanged a glance and immediately understood each other’s thoughts.

“Temporary truce.”

Laxana said first.

“Agreed.”

Astreia nodded instantly.

The former “fake sisters” had formed an unbreakable united front against a powerful external enemy.

Thus began a secret investigation targeting the “pink-haired librarian.”

Back in the reading room, Wendy was completely unaware that he had become the “princess kidnapped by a dragon,” with two “heroes” ready to team up and slay the beast.

He finished the last sip of lavender tea, feeling both body and mind deeply relaxed.

Xi Ya stood up and collected the empty cup and plate onto a tray.

“I really enjoyed our talk today, Classmate Wendy.” She gave him a gentle smile. “Your theories have given me a lot to think about. It’s getting late. You should head back and rest.”

“Yeah, see you later, Senior.” Wendy felt satisfied and was ready to leave this warm haven.

But just as he passed by Xi Ya, the pink-haired girl suddenly stopped and said in a light, seemingly casual tone, with a soft laugh:

“By the way, I’m still curious… what kind of nightmare did you have, Classmate Wendy, that made you cry out in your sleep, ‘I have nothing left’?”