The Order of Light had utterly defeated the enemy forces in the Gargo region, and titles such as the “Immortal Knights” and the “God-Blessed Soldiers of the Holy See” began to spread throughout the army.
The morale of the army, which had been shaken by previous setbacks, was stabilized in the span of just a single battle.
At the same time, the admiration of the soldiers on the front lines for the great Holy See reached its peak after this battle.
“So the Holy See personally consecrated you and bestowed this holy power?” Genevieve looked at Teresa, her face filled with disbelief.
“Of course! The Holy See is the apostle of the Lord. Who else could it be but the Holy See?”
Teresa spoke as she triumphantly raised her coffee and drank it down in one gulp.
Alcohol was banned during the war. Although the coffee supply was also limited on the front lines, it hadn't reached the point of being completely unavailable.
“You really hit the jackpot,” Genevieve said, her tone laced with jealousy.
She and Teresa had been born in the same town. The two used to be best friends, and both had dreamed of growing up to become honorable knights.
Later, Teresa had witnessed a Templar Knight helping a noble oppress commoners. Since then, she had stopped believing in the purity of the Templar Knights, viewing them as nothing more than birds of a feather with those noble masters.
When the Templar Knights expanded, Genevieve had urged her multiple times to sign up with her, but Teresa ultimately refused.
Although she knew that not all Templar Knights were like that one, after that incident, it was hard for her to identify with the Templar Knights she had once revered.
So Genevieve left and joined the immensely prestigious Templar Knights, while she stayed behind to become a member of the town guard knights.
“Genevieve, I've been waiting for this opportunity for ten whole years!” Teresa smiled.
She could certainly understand Genevieve's feelings. After all, over these ten years, she had watched every single one of Genevieve's promotions, and back then, her own feelings were exactly like Genevieve's were now.
She feared her sister-in-arms would suffer in her knight order, but feared even more that she would be the one calling the shots.
Fortunately, she had finally survived the cold winter.
“What do you plan to do next?” Genevieve shook her head helplessly and said, “You drove Celine out of the Gargo region in this battle. She definitely won't let this slide.”
“Hmph! Even if she tries a hundred more times, she's still no match for us.”
Teresa let out a disdainful cold snort. The blessing of the Holy See was their greatest source of confidence; they would fight endlessly until they achieved total victory.
This was precisely their purpose in coming here.
The news of an immortal knight order appearing on the battlefield of Gargo spread with extreme speed from the mouths of the surviving soldiers of Northland's Hellfire Legion.
“Devils!”
“They're devils!”
“They won't fall even if a longsword pierces their hearts!”
“They are an army sent by the devil! They will breach the royal capital! They will hang our heads on the city walls!”
“Oh Lord! Save your lambs!”
In the tales of these survivors, the Order of Light became an army sent by the devil. Their bodies were supposedly covered in the pungent stench of hellish sulfur, and their capes were as blood-red as could be.
No one wanted to meet them on the battlefield, nor did anyone wish to see their figures in the royal capital.
“Celine Aiswode, you are my last reliance,” Ragna said sincerely, gazing at the young girl's bandage-wrapped body.
Celine shuddered slightly upon hearing this. Gritting her teeth, she said with determination:
“Please rest assured, Your Majesty. I will surely reclaim the lost lands for you.”
Now that the Gargo region was completely lost, more than half of Northland had fallen into the hands of the Holy State. Supporting forces from the Havaron Empire were likely out of the question; after all, what Havaron had wanted from the very beginning was simply an intact Northland.
Rather than helping Northland repel the Holy State's army now, it was better for them to wait until Northland was destroyed, and then sweep everything here into their own pockets under the banner of seeking vengeance.
Ragna watched Celine's limping figure depart, her original expression of worry replaced by a wave of calm.
“Someone, come!” she shouted loudly. “Bring Legion Commander Madi here.”
At Ragna's command, the soldiers outside the hall immediately left to carry out her orders.
Before long, Madi's figure appeared in the grand hall.
She was reeking of alcohol from head to toe, and still seemed half-unconscious as the soldiers escorted her into the hall.
“Madi,” Ragna said coldly.
Madi raised her head dejectedly, her eyes staring blurrily at the figure on the throne.
“Y-Your Majesty... You, did you s-send for me?”
“I can let bygones be bygones regarding your past actions, including all the vile things you did: colluding with the Havaron Empire, leaking military secrets...”
Ragna spoke slowly. As her voice echoed through the hall, it felt like a bucket of cold water had been dumped over Madi's head, snapping her awake instantly.
She spoke in panic, “Y-Your Majesty, I...”
“Enough! There's no need to cry foul.”
Ragna sharply cut off her trembling voice, then added, “I said, I can let bygones be bygones.”
Hearing this, Madi seemed to realize she wouldn't be put to death, and immediately calmed down.
“Please give your orders directly. As long as it is within my power, I will certainly not refuse.”
She looked at the sovereign, who was usually prone to fits of senseless rage, but for the first time, she felt a bone-chilling coldness radiating from those calm eyes.
“I want you,” Ragna narrowed her eyes, her tone menacing as she emphasized every word, “to block the Holy State's army at the Oran Plains.”
Gargo City was the last major stronghold blocking the path of the Holy State's advance. Further ahead lay the vast Oran Plains, and behind the Oran Plains stood the royal capital of Northland—“Iron Crown Keep.”
However, trying to stop the Holy State's army on the open Oran Plains was an almost impossible task.
Even Celine—the girl rumored to be blessed by God—had only managed to reclaim a few small towns in the Gargo region.
Now that the Gargo region was completely lost, any hope of reclaiming it was nothing but a pipe dream!
Feeling Ragna's freezing gaze, Madi suddenly realized.
Ragna didn't want her to stop the enemy forces at all; she wanted her to die!
“No! Your Majesty, you can't do this!” Madi shook her head frantically.
Knowing full well that there was a pit of fire ahead of her, how could she willingly jump in?
“Go to war, or die! Take your pick!”
How could Ragna possibly let her off? It wasn't just her—every single one of the pawns planted by the Havaron Empire, without exception, would not be spared.
It had been fifteen years.
Over these fifteen years,
every time she woke in the middle of the night, she would see the river of blood continuously spreading through the palace, and that face covered in tear stains.
It was time.
It was time to settle things.
Rate on N.U.
