"Look who we have here!"
"Isn't that the fad Teraquin traitors?"
"Ahaha! Exactly! After being crushed by our fleets, they fled to their Ruvelion masters, and now they're scurrying about like obedient dogs!"
"How pathetic can they get?"
Mocking laughter echoed across the northern coast of Elyen Kiora as two armies faced off against each other. The first army, bearing the banners of the Teraquins and supporting Kendel Teraquin, stood in formation. Opposing them was the Sancta Vedelia alliance, a coalition united in disdain and hostility toward Utopia but mainly the Teraquins.
The Teraquin soldiers bristled at the jeers, their hands tightening around their weapons. Their pride was wounded, but they held their tongues.
For a mont, silence blanketed the battlefield as the two sides glared at each other. Then, as if on a mutual signal, the armies charged.
Mana circles flared to life in the sky, casting a glow over the battlefield and sky.
-BOOM!
Explosions tore through the air, mingling with the clash of swords and the cries of warriors. Blood splattered the sandy ground as the battle descended into chaos. The rage between the two armies was evident, with Sancta Vedelia's soldiers fighting with vengeance in their hearts, blaming the Teraquins for their betrayal.
On the other side, the extremist faction of the Teraquin army fought with fury as well, their hatred for the other races spilling forth in every swing of their blades and every spell they cast.
The battle raged fiercely for over ten minutes, with neither side relenting. However, it soon beca clear that Sancta Vedelia held the upper hand. Their superior coordination and aggression began to push the Teraquin forces back.
The alliance's commander from Dolphis, a grizzled Human with a strong presence, smirked as he surveyed the battlefield. Raising his voice, he shouted, "Keep pushing! We've got them on the run!"
Invigorated by their commander's words, the Sancta Vedelia soldiers fought harder, their ferocity driving the Teraquin forces into a defensive posture. Slowly but surely, the Teraquins began to fall back.
Seeing his forces crumble, the Teraquin commander raised his sword high. "Retreat! The first formation will hold the line while the others fall back! Move!"
The Teraquin army hastily shifted into a defensive stance, their frontlines bracing to buy ti for their comrades to retreat. Such maneuvers were common in war, and the Sancta Vedelia commander recognized the tactic imdiately.
"Cowards! Running away again!" The Dolphis Commander bellowed, his voice filled with disdain. "Don't let a single one escape! Chase them down!"
One of his officers hesitated, stepping forward. "Commander, shouldn't we wait for reinforcents? Charging recklessly could leave us vulnerable—"
"They'll join us soon enough!" The commander interrupted, waving off the concern. "We need to secure this position before the Ruvelion army arrives. Push forward! Now!"
The Sancta Vedelia soldiers roared in response, their bloodlust renewed as they surged after the retreating Teraquin forces, determined to crush them completely.
-BOOOOM!
Suddenly, a thunderous explosion ripped through the battlefield, drawing all eyes to the shoreline. The Sancta Vedelia soldiers froze mid-charge, their gazes snapping toward the source of the chaos. Columns of smoke spiraled into the sky as flas consud several of their ships.
"What-what's happening?!"
"They've attacked our boats, Commander!"
The Dolphis Commander turned sharply, his eyes narrowing as he assessed the scene. "Burning a few boats won't change-"
Before he could finish, the ground seed to tremble as an army of thousands marched toward them. The soldiers, clad in Ruvelion colors.
"Commander! The Teraquins have stopped retreating! They're charging at us!"
"C-Commander! Look!"
Another soldier pointed frantically to the flanks. To their left and right, additional units had already taken position, their mana circles glowing ominously as spells were prid and ready for release.
The Dolphis Commander's growled as realization dawned. They'd been caught in a perfectly orchestrated trap.
How could he have been so foolish? He had underestimated the enemy's audacity, dismissing the possibility that they would dare burn the ships-ships laden with reinforcents. Now, the alliance army was pinned, surrounded on three sides by an overwhelming force. The plan was cruelly simple yet devastatingly effective: destroy the ships to delay reinforcents, then bait the alliance army into a vulnerable position where they could be crushed before help could arrive. Once the alliance forces were obliterated, the Ruvelion and Teraquin armies would simply retreat behind their fortified walls, leaving the alliance in disarray.
The glowing mana circles on both flanks intensified.
"Raise defensive spells!" The Dolphis Commander roared, thrusting his sword skyward. "Form ranks! Prepare for impact!"
***
Not bad for a first ti.
A smile lingered on my lips as I strode across the charred battlefield. Scattered around lay countless corpses-n who had indirectly fallen to my plan. Despite the triumph, an uncomfortable pang twisted in my chest at the sight of so much death. I shook the thought away. This was war. Hesitation had no place here and I had to save my mother at all costs.
The alliance's once army of 1,500 strong, had been reduced to a re 300 in the blink of an eye. Those who remained were battered, their knees sinking into the scorched ground as they gasped for air, exhaustion painted across their faces. They were utterly surrounded, with the Teraquin and Ruvelion Knights forming a ring around them.
"He's their commander," Vesryn said, gesturing toward the man kneeling at the forefront of the defeated soldiers.
The man's eyes burned with hatred as he locked his gaze onto . "A little girl. I really got myself beaten by a little girl."
"You were just naïve, that's all," I replied.
The commander scoffed, his lips curling in disdain. "Enjoy your victory while it lasts. This strategy of yours won't work again."
He was right. The surviving armies aboard their ships would no doubt have figured out what happened by now. They wouldn't fall for the sa trick twice.
"Well, at least they'll think twice—maybe even thrice-before attempting to advance
further," I shrugged.
The commander groaned before speaking again. "Kill . I'd rather die than beco a slave."
A chorus of nods ca from the soldiers behind him. My gaze swept over the group, and my eyes caught on two familiar figures among them-a human girl and a vampire girl.
I blinked in surprise. These were the sa students I had saved back in Vanadias, my classmates. Their faces were pale, their gazes fixed on the ground as they trembled. Sancta Vedelia had grown so desperate that they'd resorted to sending academy students to the battlefield. To their credit, they were elites of their class, though barely past the threshold of adulthood. Even so, they had chosen to fight. It was admirable from them honestly.
But now wasn't the ti to dwell on that. There was a grave misunderstanding that needed to
be cleared.
"I have no intention of turning you into slaves or selling you," I said.
The commander's head jerked up, his expression shifting to confusion. Murmurs rippled through the defeated soldiers as they exchanged uncertain glances.
"We aren't barbarians or scumbags," I added.
Behind , the Ruvelion Knights nodded in silent approval.
I'd co to understand sothing about these knights-they weren't just soldiers. They were Freyja's personal guards, sworn to protect her and Elyen Kiora with loyalty. Freyja herself had founded their order, seeking out exceptional warriors like Vesryn and Rania to train and lead
the force.
But Freyja had sought sothing beyond re strength and skill in her Ruvelion Army. What she valued most was trustworthiness-people who would never lie, never betray her, and who used their heads rather than being ruled by baser instincts. The Ruvelion Knights were devoted to her, embodying a sense of honor. To them, the re thought of enslaving or assaulting others was an affront to the princess they served, an act so vile it bordered on
sacrilege.
This devotion set them apart, making them strangely noble in a Utopia rife with corruption. They despised the vile practices common in the city and among certain factions of Utopia, a sentint that perfectly aligned with my own beliefs.
Their agreent with was there, but the Teraquin Knights weren't as subtle. Their annoyance was clearly visible much like their scowls barely concealed.
"You'll be treated as prisoners," I said coldly, eting their weary gazes. "That's all. But if
you try anything, you'll be killed. Do you understand?"
The captives nodded silently, their shoulders sagging as they exhaled sighs of relief.
With the matter settled, I turned away. "I leave the rest to you," I said, addressing Vesryn and
Rania. "I'll return tomorrow morning."
"Yes, Commander," they replied in unison, bowing their heads respectfully.
I gave them a brief nod before walking away. Unfortunately, my arduous journey wasn't over yet. I had to make my way back to the Utopian
capital to et Alvara.
...
...
The trip was grueling.
After the long battle, my body was crying out for rest. Though I hadn't physically fought, the strain of commanding and keeping my act together in front of thousands of people. But there was no choice-I had to press on.
By the ti I reached Utopia, fatigue weighed heavily on , but sothing felt... off. As I
moved through the city streets, I noticed the way people looked at . For once, they weren't
ignoring . Their eyes followed my every step, and many even nodded in acknowledgnt.
It was strange.
When I reached the Tower, the atmosphere grew even more disconcerting.
"Congratulations on the victory, Commander."
"Remarkable work."
"As expected of the Princess's guard."
The voices ca from all sides, filled with admiration and respect.
News of the battle had already spread?
I sighed internally. Of course, it had. Information from the battlefield was always relayed to
the Tower imdiately. Vesryn must have sent word the mont the fighting ended.
Still, the attention felt awkward. I wasn't used to it.
Why was I becoming such a central figure in the war-and for Utopia, no less?
How many people from Sancta Vedelia died because of ?
The thought struck as I clenched my fists, stepping into the elevator. I reminded myself of
the reason behind all this-the one thing that kept moving forward: my mother. I had to
bring her back, no matter the cost.
Just six more days. I could endure anything for six days.
With that determination, I strode toward the familiar doors. The guards stood in their usual
positions, their expressions unreadable.
"I need to see-"
"Yes, Commander," one of them interrupted, stepping aside before I could even finish.
Well, that was unexpected. I raised an eyebrow, but a small smile tugged at my lips. Perhaps
things weren't entirely terrible.
Feeling a little lighter, I reached for the doorknob, but as soon as I turned it, I realized the
door had been barricaded again. My smile vanished.
"You've got to be kidding ..." I muttered, pushing the door open with enough force to send
a chair tumbling across the room.
Stepping inside, I took a long, exasperated look around. Nothing had changed. The living room was still a chaotic ss. Plates, papers, and broken furniture littered the floor, untouched despite my clear instructions to fix this.
I pinched the bridge of my nose, letting out a sigh. "Not a single thing has been cleaned. I
specifically told her to take care of this..."
Shaking my head, I walked toward her room. The door creaked as I pushed it open, revealing
the sa state of disarray.
Alvara sat on the bed, her knees pulled up to her chest and her head buried in them. She didn't
even flinch as I entered.
"I told you to either clean this room or move to another. What's the problem with that?" I
asked.
She didn't reply.
Her silence, combined with the state of the room, grated on my nerves. "Damn it..." I
muttered under my breath before storming back to the living room.
Rolling up my sleeves, I grabbed a broom and got to work.
"She's not even eating..." I grumbled, my eyes landing on a plate of untouched food. The
sight deepened my frown. What are the guards even doing? Weren't they supposed to ensure she stayed alive? Their negligence was beyond annoying. Fifteen minutes later, the living room was spotless. I had gathered the broken furniture into a
corner and cleared away the garbage. The guards would at least be tasked with replacing the ruined pieces-surely, even they could manage that. "Now for her room..."
I stepped back into the disaster zone that was Alvara's quarters. Gritting my teeth, I began
tidying up, shoving aside resentnt as I worked.
Why was I doing this?
Why the hell was I becoming a maid?
I exhaled sharply, shaking the thought from my head. No, it was fine. Just a little more effort.
It wasn't just for her-it was for the future, for the end goal.
All the while, I could feel her gaze on , like a faint pressure on the back of my neck. Yet
every ti I turned around, she had her head buried in her knees, unmoving. She probably knew what I was doing-cleaning up her room, trying to give her so
semblance of normalcy. But if she did, she didn't care enough to acknowledge it.
Whatever.
When I finally finished tidying, I stepped out and headed to the bathroom to wash my hands.
The cool water ran over my fingers, taking with it the gri and dust. As I reached for the soap, the distinct scent of floral shampoo and fresh soap caught my attention.
I paused, letting the fragrance linger in the air. So, bathing is the one thing she doesn't
neglect. It was ironic. For soone who hated being dirty, she could at least show the sa effort toward clearing her room. But I didn't dwell on it. There was still work to do.
Once my hands were clean, I returned to her room. She hadn't moved an inch. Her frail fra looked smaller than ever, huddled in the dim light filtering through the curtains.
I walked closer, the floorboards creaking softly beneath my feet. "Let's start, then," I said,
slipping on my gloves again.
She didn't bother to answer-not even a flinch or a sound.
Reaching out, I gently took her hand, prying it free from where it clutched her knees. Her skin was cold against mine, almost fragile, as if she might break from the slightest pressure. Fortunately, the bandages were still intact, wrapped neatly around her wounds. I let out a quiet breath of relief. At least sothing had remained untouched in this chaos. I began the process imdiately, channeling Wrath into her. A familiar, draining sensation swept over as my energy ebbed away with every passing second.
The minutes stretched long, and by the ti I finished, my body felt heavy with exhaustion. I replaced the old bandages with fresh ones, ensuring they were secure but not too tight. Stepping back, I looked at her one last ti. She still hadn't moved, but her breathing was steady, her form slightly less tense.
"You should eat sothing," I said. "If you want to be at full strength when you see Bryelle again."
For a mont, I thought I saw a flicker of recognition in her posture-a faint shift, a subtle tightening of her fingers.
But she didn't look up.
I sighed and turned to leave the room, pulling the door shut behind . "Dispose of the debris and broken furniture I've gathered in the living room. And do not
disturb her," I said, fixing the guards with an icy stare before exiting.
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