Homeland War

page views:1 Publication date:2023-03-24

I once had a home.

My earliest memories are of leftover food given to me in a dirty alley, and chilblains on my hands and feet.

I guess I was probably a homeless child back then.

My memories of that time are very blurry, so I think I was no more than five years old.

One day, I was taken in to an orphanage.

The only impression I have of it is a basin of milk that smelled foul—perhaps it was milk from some

other animal.

Later, Shashi took me from there.

Shashi was young then, not much younger than I am now.

To ordinary people, he would be considered my adoptive father.

But only we know that there is no such thing as a father among the Shadow Eaters, or rather,
every is a father.

Our leader is called [Runshian].

This is a code name that has been passed down for a very long time, and only
those who reach the top of the organization and are willing to shoulder the responsibility of leading everyone are qualified to use this name.

There is also the female leader [Pandora] who stands shoulder to shoulder with him, and the transcendent [Ink].

Becoming one of these three is the dream of every young Shadow Eater, and I was no exception when I was young.

I once made a promise with Shin-gin to stand at the top together.

Shin-gin and I once considered each other irreplaceable.

She was my first woman, and I was hers.

However, the mindset of a young person doesn't remain static with age.

I broke my promise.

One of the biggest sources of income for Shadow Eaters is selling information. We are happy to accept occasional hires
to solve a target or act as protectors of important figures.

But these are not the ultimate purpose of the Shadow Eaters.

The guys at the top of the organization always say, "We must know everything."

So everything we do revolves around this sentence.

However, we young members didn't understand the true meaning of this sentence.

This illusory purpose troubled me for a long time.

During my most rebellious period, what I wanted was to no longer be bound by those so-called elders.

I hated all the will imposed on me and left that place.

But I couldn't hate them because they were always good to me.

They were good to everyone in their family.

This is something I only truly felt after immersing myself in the outside world.

I spent many years in the world above ground and learned its cruelest lesson. This

wasn't the first time I'd felt lost about my choices.

I just hadn't realized how severe my escapist tendencies were.

When Jin-gin appeared before me, I discovered how afraid I was of facing those I was once
so close to.

Like a gambler who's lost everything and encounters the worst person in his despair.

Years ago, Jin-gin came to see me, and I just kept showing her off my new
life .

When she realized she couldn't take me back, she left disappointed, abandoning her
last .

Jin-gin and I, and the home that once belonged to me, truly split into two completely
different .

Jin-gin's advice has all come true.

She told me that everything I had was fragile and false.

When this dream was shattered, I would be nothing.

Jin-gin was right, which is why I'm afraid to face her again.

I was afraid to see her mocking smile, or a dismissive "I told you so."

She didn't do that; instead, she displayed an anger I'd never anticipated.

This terrified me even more, because I felt as if I saw the same anger churning within myself, the same
anger towards myself.

Humans are like that; the only anger we can't quell comes from within ourselves.

Because I can't articulate what kind of life I want.

I stood here searching for answers, hoping that money would grant me the ability to see
further .

This was the right choice, I told myself, and Yuanchuan told me the same.

We both firmly believed that money could buy a ticket to the future.

However, even with money, I didn't know if I could clearly see which ticket to buy
.

Yuanchuan said that choosing money was infinitely simpler than choosing a ticket.

As long as we got the money, the answer would appear sooner or later.

That was the best thing about this woman; she was always optimistic, like a honey badger sitting under a beehive.

I believed her words and became a servant of Princess Xiuran of the Duchy, but this didn't give me much
courage.

When I saw Zhenyin, I couldn't help but want to indulge my fear of this world and beg her to take
me back.

It was my remaining pride and a sliver of hope for the future that stopped me; I ultimately couldn't
utter .

Because I knew that this would not only destroy the last glimmer of hope I held in Zhenyin's heart, but also destroy
everything I had sacrificed to get to where I am today.

It might be a foolish obsession, but I didn't want to retreat back to
the protection of the Shadow Eaters as a stray dog.

Zhenyin understood me.

So she didn't try to persuade me like she had years ago; she knew that would only destroy me.

The proud boy who had once embraced her naked by the stream would never exist again.

"I really didn't expect her to come here,"

Yuanchuan sighed, looking at the darkness outside the window.

"What kind of tone is that…?"

I asked, regaining my composure.

Yuanchuan turned to look at me, a look of melancholy on his face. "Zhenyin is my dream girl. I
fell in love with her at first sight three years ago. I love strong girls like her. If I had known it was her inside, I would
have come in long ago."

"Did you hear everything we said?"

I couldn't help but ask.

Although Yuanchuan and I had nothing to hide, I didn't want her to worry about my wavering feelings.

"How could I not hear her when she suddenly yelled at me like that?"

Yuan Chuan muttered softly.

She walked up to me, raised a hand, and placed it on the back of my neck over my shoulder.

I looked down and met her eyes.

In an instant, Yuan Chuan's gaze sharpened, making me want to turn away.

Her hand was on the back of my neck, so I couldn't.

"Nisher, there's no turning back now, you understand? We've staked everything
. You owe me so much, you have to pay me back."

Yuan Chuan rarely spoke like this, at least not often in my memory.

"This was agreed upon a long time ago."

I looked into her eyes, no longer trying to look away.

Perhaps she was trying to make me stand firm in her own way, or perhaps she was simply reminding myself of
the debt I owed.

It didn't matter, because our interests had always been aligned.

My answer didn't seem to satisfy her. She grabbed my neck and slammed
her forehead against mine, as if to leave a deeper memory with the sudden pain.

My forehead hurt, so I wouldn't forget her words.

She released me, stepped back to the window, and peered upstairs, a bright red mark still visible on her forehead.
"As an unqualified security guard, shouldn't you do something?"

Yuanchuan didn't say anything more, because she knew it was pointless.

We'd discussed this kind of thing far too many times.

So she chose to let me deal with my own inner turmoil rather than endless chatter.

That's why we've stayed together.

"I'll handle it,"

I said, straightening my clothes and climbing up the window to the second floor.

I didn't know what Zhenyin's job was, but besides Gongnu Dorn, there was no one else
worth her showing up.

She received some kind of signal from upstairs while talking to me, so I was certain she wasn't
alone.

The most likely scenario was that Zhenyin had been hired as a guard.

While her employer was talking to Dorn, she left her room upstairs to find me to avoid suspicion.

With me on high alert, it
simply didn't .

Even if the other party is a Shadow Eater, I can't use real silver as an excuse.

On the second floor, the door to Dorn's temporary bedroom was slightly ajar.

I leaned closer and peered through the crack.

The room was dark, without any lights.

However, my night vision is quite good, so I immediately spotted Dorn sitting by my bed.

Summers in the Duchy of Xiuran are hot, and clothing is typically short and light; Dorn was only wearing a tight-fitting,
waist-length camisole.

She sat there, head bowed, as if a huge boulder weighed on her back.

I gently knocked on the doorframe: "Your Highness."

Dorn sat up abruptly, her face showing a hint of panic and disorientation, like a startled snipe.

A few seconds later, she recognized my face in the moonlight.

The Duchess's expression quickly returned to calm.

"Come in. Close the door, it's a bit chilly,"

her gentle voice drifted over.

The hardness and oppressive aura this woman displayed during the day melted away like wax in the darkness.

I did as she said.

I stopped a few meters away from her, not approaching any closer.

Beneath the thin gauze robe lay Dorn's fair skin and curves; she wore nothing underneath, and I was afraid that
getting too close would raise suspicions.

But clearly, Dorn's mind wasn't on such things.

She rested her elbows on her knees, her shoulders slumped wearily.

"When did you get there?"

she asked.

"When someone came in."

To ensure the princess's opinion of my abilities, I lied.

"You didn't stop them."

There was no accusation or reproach in Dorn's tone; she seemed to be simply stating the facts.

"When I came up, a woman stopped me at the door, saying that an important person needed to speak with
His Highness . I assessed the threat level and chose to wait."

To cover up the old lie, I had to fabricate a new one.

I didn't know what had happened in Dorn's room, but based on Zhenyin's reaction, I could easily deduce
what had just happened.

Judging from Dorn's expression, I hadn't said anything wrong.

"That person must be quite formidable, right? That woman?"

Dorn gave a pale smile, a smile that made me uneasy.

"Very formidable, probably even more formidable than me."

I was telling the truth to some extent.

Dorn nodded. "Yes, there's no way around it. Someone like that can't keep an ordinary person by their side."

She gestured towards the central hall. "Pour me a glass of water."

I went over, picked up a crystal-clear glass bottle, filled a glass with the clear liquid, and handed it to Dorn
.

The princess took the glass, the liquid trembling in her hands.

Dorn slowly sipped the water.

Her throat bobbed as she swallowed, and I could see the faint blue veins on her neck.

After finishing the water, she held the glass in her hands and continued to sit on the edge of the bed, lost in thought.

I reached out and took the empty glass from her.

Under Dorn's gaze, I walked to the cabinet, put down the cup, and returned to her side. She watched me like
an actor taking the stage in a play.

"What happened?"

she suddenly asked.

I was slightly taken aback. "Your Highness?"

"Did I say something wrong? Nothing happened to you?"

She seemed to want to confirm something.

"Why do you say that?"

I asked.

"I smell a hint of resonance. The despair in this room is a little too strong."

Dorn said these words with a smile, as if she were joking, or perhaps mocking herself.

I hadn't expected this woman's insight to be so sharp, and for a moment I felt somewhat passive.

So I didn't reply, because I couldn't possibly reveal the answer to this question.

Rather than continuing to weave lies, I chose silence.

Dorn didn't press me; perhaps a woman's intuition doesn't need a man's words to corroborate it.

We spent a long time quietly together in the darkness, until she spoke again.

"I've lived here since I was eight or nine years old. I loved it here then
because the yard was so big, and I liked spacious places. My father's castle always felt a bit suffocating."

"One day, I was playing in the yard with the maid who took care of me. I saw
something ."

"It was a coyote hole. Have you ever seen a coyote hole, Neshker?"

Faced with this question, I could only nod mechanically.

"The first time I saw one of those things, it was a round hole less than ten centimeters in size, sloping down from the ground,
pitch black and bottomless. At the time, I had no idea what it was until the maid told me it was a
nest dug by a coal rat."

"I hate rats, and in my eyes, coal rats and rats are equally disgusting. So I had the maid help
me gather a huge pile of gravel, sand, and water, carefully mixing them together to seal the

hole completely. I was quite clever back then; I knew that this mixture was needed to seal the hole securely." "

This work took quite a while, and I was sweating profusely. I had this
thought : since I've put in so much effort and am exhausted, the coal rat shouldn't be able to climb out.
It should give up on such a troublesome task."

"But later, when I saw the coal rat desperately struggling to emerge from the freshly dug soil,
I still screamed in fright. The scene was probably quite funny; the maids comforted me for a long time."

"Later, I couldn't help but keep thinking about it. That coal rat in the pitch-black underground, sucking in
the increasingly scarce oxygen, with the soil pressing down on it from all sides. For it, it wasn't just
a matter of trouble; if it couldn't dig a path for itself, it would surely die in the darkness.

It was a troublesome matter for us, but it was fighting desperately." "

I used to think that I was that coal rat. All the paths were blocked, and to escape that
dark burrow, I had to dig my own path out of the soil, risking everything."

These words should have been words of encouragement to herself.

But when Dorn said them, she felt so powerless, as if she would collapse onto the bed in the blink of an eye.

"The image of that coal rat bursting out of the ground is etched in my mind, but I forgot its true fate."

"The guard on duty in the yard, after hearing my scream, rushed over and
smashed the coal rat's head with his large, metal-booted foot."

"I arrogantly thought that as long as I threw everything away and fought, I could usher in the light… but that boot had already fallen
."

Dorn could no longer control herself as she said this.

She covered her face with one hand, sobbing in the darkness.

Her shoulders, now free of armor, looked unusually frail; she trembled uncontrollably from her sobs, no longer possessing the indomitable spirit she had shown in the wilderness
the previous night.

I could only let her vent her emotions in this vulnerable way.

It was a long time before she calmed down somewhat.

"Who came?"

I asked.

"He was a thin, refined man."

Dorn lowered her head, slowly wiping away the tears streaming down her cheek with the base of her thumb. "He didn't
reveal his identity, he just told me a few simple words."

"What did he say?"

As a so-called temporary guard, I had no right to ask this question.

But I didn't care; I never considered her a supreme being, because I wasn't a dog
that needed a master.

"He said they decided that I would be the Grand Duke of Xiuran City."

The "they"

referring to couldn't possibly be the Shadow Eaters.

Because these power struggles were simply not something the Shadow Eaters would care about.

Besides, if the Shadow Eaters really interfered in these matters of the surface world, they would probably have become the target of everyone's hatred long ago
.

There was a reason why this organization could hold such a transcendent position. So, there was only one possibility left for

"they ." The fact that someone could hire a candidate for the Shadow Eaters' [Pandora] as a personal guard was enough to show how terrifying that guy's background was. "They... refer to those guys in Yoheril..." I answered for Dorn. In Yohliel, the capital of the TWP Empire, the imperial nobles residing in the Holy Demon Castle inexplicably gave a meaningful smile to the princess of a mere border duchy. Dorn lowered her head, letting out a chilling, bitter laugh: "You've truly always surprised me, Neshker. You actually came to this conclusion. You're not just some ordinary war dog, are you?" "If I were, you wouldn't even look at me. The fact that I could witness your weeping in your bedroom proves I've never been ordinary." Dorn raised her head, smiling weakly: "I'm sorry, I probably can't give you the reward you want." "Why? If the Empire promised you a Grand Duke, wouldn't your goal be practically achieved ?" Dorn had never revealed her true intentions to us, so naturally, I wouldn't let . If Dorn gave up the struggle and chose to go with the flow, then everything that Yuanchuan and I had invested would be for naught. "I could have had the Empress take me away, but I stayed because I couldn't hand over the people of Xiuran City to my brother. That's why I started struggling with a sliver of hope, striving to become the ruler of the duchy, so that those who admire and love me could live peacefully like they did under my father—this is my innate responsibility." "If the Empire's intention is to destroy everything that exists in Xiuran City, then at least I can protect its people."

The last wall. But from this day forward, Grand Duke Xiuran will become a
puppet .

From Dorn's earliest words, I could clearly sense her yearning to break free of her constraints.

She summoned us to her side for this very purpose, hoping to gamble for a chance to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

If the opponent were her father, her brother, or some powerful noble of the duchy, Dorn
would certainly have a place at the table.

However, when the immense shadow of Torrevopang loomed over us, all plans became meaningless.

No one on this continent could defy the will of the Empire.

"Are you going to run away?"

I asked.

"Where can I run to? Abandon my responsibilities and hide where no one can find me? All the suffering that the people of Xiuran will
endure will haunt me like a ghost for the rest of my life."

Hearing this answer, I felt relieved.

If she were to give up, then Yuanchuan and I would truly be in trouble.

Since she didn't intend to escape, we still had a way out.

I walked up to her, kneeling down to meet Dorn's gaze.

"You're desperate?"

"Shouldn't I be desperate?"

Dorn's answer sounded very light, but it was a sign of giving up resistance.

"You haven't lost anything yet, and you're already desperate just by glancing at the future? No wonder you're
a pampered young lady raised in a greenhouse; you could almost be a template for a noble's story."

Dorn never expected that after pouring out her heart almost without reservation, she would receive such a sarcastic remark.

She paused for a few seconds, leaving a contemptuous smile, as if to say that I completely misunderstood her situation.

I ignored her attitude.

"You're not even 100% sure if the other party is from the Empire, and you're scared to
the ground by just a shadow. If you find out a few months later that this was just a little trick by Faron to test you, I wonder if you'll want to
slap yourself a few times."

Of course, Faron wouldn't actually use real money; I believe that there isn't anyone in the entire Duchy of Xiuran who knows about
the existence of Shadow Eaters.

But my radical speculation effectively shook Dorn's judgment, leaving her momentarily stunned for two
seconds.

Two seconds later, she would realize that the possibility of my hypothesis was zero, but I didn't give her
time to sink back into despair.

"Wherever that guy came from, it's just a signal. Even if you're going to die, shouldn't you
die knowing why?"

Dorn shook her head violently. "Nishkel, perhaps you're quite clever among the war dogs. But you're
too far removed from the true power of this world; you don't understand what the Empire truly represents."

I suddenly reached out my right hand and grabbed Dorn's chin.

Dorn's body immediately stiffened, a fleeting fear flashing in her eyes.

I applied some force, digging my fingers into her cheek.

"Since you understand so well, then become a puppet as you wish. In this era, being
a woman has one advantage: you can always exchange your body for something you want."

Dorn, regaining her senses, showed anger between her brows. She abruptly swung her arm, swatting my hand away.

The blow struck my forearm bone squarely, and it took me a while to suppress a wince.

"Who do you think you are, daring to speak to me like that?!"

It was obvious that as the daughter of a duke, she was surrounded by
obsequious .

Allowing commoners to speak to her as equals was merely a way for her to display her magnanimity; a lowly
war dog would never be allowed to show her contempt or insult.

I wanted her to be angry, whether for herself, for the empire, or even for me.

Anger signifies a sharp will, and represents the fire burning in one's veins.

"The Duchess, huh? There's precedent for that..."

I said, acting as if nothing had happened. "In a place like Esdrara, where things are relatively straightforward, this isn't
anything new. But anyone with a brain can figure it out: to control you, the Empire will eventually
assign you a man you'll obey. So, you can't accept my rudeness, but they can? You
're just a cowardly woman who only knows how to bully the weak and fear the strong."

Dorn suddenly stood up and raised her hand to slap me across the face.

I was prepared and grabbed her wrist, preventing her from succeeding.

I could stop her slap, but I couldn't stop her frantic approach.

She grabbed my shoulder with her other hand and shoved me against the wall.

"Bully the weak and fear the strong!? I didn't back down even when my whole world collapsed! What
right do you have to say such things!?"

Indeed, when she learned that her family members were all illusions and pretense, she made a brave choice.

In that respect, I had to admit her courage, but it wasn't enough.

"So why back down now, huh?"

I looked directly at her and said softly, "I don't understand the Empire, but what about you? Do you really know
what they want? Why did they choose you? Just because you're easy to control? They could have chosen their own
governor to accept Xiu Ran. They chose you because you have what they want, didn't they?"

My words had an effect. Dorn released her hand and took a half step back.

She seemed to have regained a little rationality and calmness and began to think.

"Me? What do I have that they would want..."

There was still a hint of gloom in her voice, but it was no longer desperate.

"Heh, it's certainly not your face and ass. The Empire has no shortage of women."

Dorn's face flushed red, she was angry before—and still was.

But her rosy complexion was much better than her previous deathly gray.

She didn't continue to rage, but quickly cooled down.

She was smart enough to understand what I meant.

The Empire chose her because she had irreplaceable value.

And this value, at least, gave her a loophole to bargain.

It might be just a pitiful crack, but it wasn't a silent iron boot that could crush her.

She could still struggle, using all her strength to tear that crack into
a space .

In that sense, what she needed to do had never changed.

Dorn stood there for a while before finally letting out a soft chuckle.

"Nishkel, who exactly are you?"

"I told you, we are jackals lurking on the edge of the battlefield."

Dorn didn't respond to my childish, pretentious answer. She tilted her head and
stared at me with a curiosity she had never shown before.

"Why do I feel like you never look up to anyone? Why do you see me or
any other noble as worthless? You'll say anything to achieve your goals

... Are all war dogs like you?"

Because I had no time to look up or down, I couldn't help but look past.

I forced my body forward, but my gaze drifted further and further away.

I didn't voice my answer.

Dorn stopped dwelling on me. She looked at her palm and slowly clenched it into a fist.

"Nishkel, when the opponent on the chessboard becomes the Empire, we have nowhere to retreat. If it were just my
father, or even the Estdra royal family, I could escape. But dancing in the Empire's palm, if we make a wrong move
, we'll all be crushed... You instigated me to move forward, you encouraged me to walk this path of no return,
so you also have to take responsibility."

She clearly understood my intention.

"Instigated," "encouraged"... It seems that in her eyes, she had already considered me some kind of culprit.

"This path, we chose together. It will be very interesting."

That was my only reply.

Dorn ruffled her hair, fine strands falling from her head, her playful gaze piercing through them
.

"You said 'we'?"

I couldn't help but look away, gazing at the inky blackness outside the window.

For a fleeting moment, the image of Shin-gold flashed through my mind.

The "we" that once seemed so natural was gone

, replaced by this new "we."

It was ironic, yet intriguing.

There was an indescribable stirring within that word, representing an unprecedented ambition and challenge.

"Yes, Your Highness,"

I replied.

Dorn's rapid shift in mindset was perhaps a form of self-destructive abandon.

But I didn't need her to win the game against any power in the Empire; I only needed to secure my reward before she failed
.

This game might last ten years.

Perhaps even before the game ended, this woman's pride and determination would be swallowed by time, turning her into
a slave to fate and habit.

Genkawa and I only needed to ensure that she wouldn't be taken by the blades of the night before she gained her footing
.

At this moment, Dorn turned towards the door, picking up a gauze robe from the chair.

"Shimizu sleeps in my old bedroom. When that uninvited guest came, she probably went there first. I
need to go check if she's alright."

"I'll go with Your Highness."

Dorn took a step to leave, but silently turned back.

Darkness swallowed half her face,

and she seemed lost in thought. Her eyes seemed to be looking at me, yet also at a non-existent past and future.

"Have you ever trusted anyone?"

When she said this, Dorn didn't look me in the eye.

I don't know if it was my imagination, but she seemed uneasy. I originally wanted to respond with something like

, "War Dogs never truly trust anyone." But in that instant, Dorn's voice inexplicably pierced a deep part of my heart. An urge to tell her the truth rose in my throat. So I blurted out, "Yuanchuan." Dorn nodded slightly, as if it were a matter of course. "If only you weren't War Dogs." She added. I didn't know how to respond to this rambling confession, and Dorn didn't give me a chance to reply. She led the way, and I followed in her shadow. [Support the original work by following the official WeChat account "Acameron Royal City," thank you.] We passed through the side corridor leading to the main building and soon encountered patrolling guards. They bowed steadily to the woman in front of me and then watched us leave. The main building, especially the area near the master bedroom, was heavily guarded. If it were me, I would have to deal with several guards or make a noise to attract attention before I could get in; entering and leaving this room without leaving a trace was almost impossible. I wasn't sure if True Silver could do it, especially with someone else in tow, since women have an advantage in infiltration. Dorn's actual living room was ridiculously large, with the bedroom section being three times the size of the previous rooms. We pushed open the door and went inside, the entire room immersed in the silence of the night. Her Highness the Princess strode towards the bedroom, and I instinctively wanted to follow, but she reached out and pressed her hand against my chest. "Shimizu's still childish. If you see something she shouldn't, she'll explode." I surrendered and stayed in the living room. From where I was, I could see a luxurious bed in the bedroom, clearly someone was sleeping on it, but nothing else. Dorn went in, glanced around the room, and seemed to think everything was normal. She leaned against the bedside, like a mother checking on her child at midnight. "Nisher!" Just as I was stunned, a low, anxious cry suddenly rang out. I rushed over, and the sight before me made my throat tighten. Shimizu was lying on the bed, the blankets had just been pulled back by Dorn, and the bed and pillows were covered in blood. Dorn held her in her arms, trembling with emotion. "That's what you call a human being!" I turned and rushed out, but Dorn grabbed my wrist. Her palms were covered in Shimizu's sticky blood. "We can't let anyone know!" I stopped immediately, because she was right. While Esdrara is far from possessing the strength of an empire, none of its upper echelons are fools. The fact that someone had silently attacked the heavily guarded duchess's residence is itself a highly sensitive matter. How many people could possibly command such skilled individuals? If left to speculation, the truth will inevitably be revealed.

Come on, and then put Dorn in a disadvantageous position.

Thinking of this, there was no other way.

"Is she still alive?"

I asked anxiously.

Dorn nodded vigorously, constantly rubbing Qingshui's cheeks, tears welling up.

Perhaps these tears contained self-blame and guilt, but it seemed she truly cared for Qingshui.

"Get out of the way!"

I grabbed her shoulders and said sternly.

Dorn was somewhat dazed, but still complied.

I leaned against the bed, pulled Qingshui's body, and lifted her from the bed to the floor.

It was difficult to see details in the darkness, so I reached out and rubbed my hand hard on the sheets.

The blood on my hand wasn't as thick as I had imagined, indicating it wasn't a major arterial hemorrhage.

"Turn on a lamp,"

I instructed Dorn as I forcefully pulled the mattress off the bed. Dorn was now at the forefront of the power struggle in Xiuran City; it was hard to guarantee that someone wasn't monitoring their movements

from somewhere , so we had to be careful. Dorn rushed to the bedside table, took down the lamp, and activated the light stone inside with energy. I took the lamp post from her and used my sword to prop up the mattress, creating a makeshift shade. The bedroom curtains were drawn tightly, so no light should have gotten through. In the dim light, I saw Shimizu's battered face. There was a faint trace of magic on the girl's cheeks; my first thought was that it was a silence-inducing spell from True Silver. This was a very common ability in the underworld, enough to render the victim completely silent. Shimizu had more than a dozen cuts on her body, each one avoiding vital organs. Her left hand was bruised and blackened from being struck by some blunt object, and all her fingers were broken. Judging from the area of impact, it must have come from the hilt of True Silver's short sword. "Do something!" Dorn grabbed my clothes tightly, her voice filled with barely suppressed anxiety. "Go and call Genkawa." Without another word, Dorn opened the door and ran out. Shimizu's wounds weren't fatal, but with continued blood loss, she would soon never wake up again. This girl had made a good impression on me, and I didn't want anything to happen to her. I calmed myself, took a deep breath, and extended a finger. A cluster of sharp flames slowly condensed at my fingertip. This was fire-attribute energy, a power that skilled warriors could wield. However, condensing fire-attribute energy consumed three times the base energy, so most people could only create a ball of flame, unable to precisely control it within the size of their fingertip. I quickly smeared the flame across Shimizu's cuts, scorching the blood vessels and stopping the bleeding. This task took me five minutes, leaving me drenched in sweat. A chilling atmosphere filled the room—the strange smell of expensive perfume and heated blood . I had used this method to stop bleeding before when I was injured; the pain of setting a fire on a wound was a terrifying experience. Fortunately, Shimizu was unconscious and hadn't suffered this torment. At that moment, I felt the girl in my arms stir, perhaps awakened by the excruciating pain. Shimizu's eyes opened a crack: "...It's you..." She uttered those two words before breaking out in a cold sweat. I immediately covered her mouth with my hand, silencing her agonizing cry. "Don't make a sound, Dorn will be back soon," I whispered in her ear. The girl nodded slightly, her whole body trembling with pain. I held her hand tightly, preventing her from tearing open her wounds. "...Your Highness...someone wants to harm Your Highness..." Her throat convulsed, managing only a few words. The first thing she thought of after waking was Dorn's safety. Dorn's loyalty was a stroke of luck. "Dorn is alright, the intruders are gone," I reassured her. I felt the girl in my arms relax slightly: "...They forced me to reveal Your Highness's location... I held back...I didn't tell them..." "Don't speak, it's all over, everyone's alright." Except for Shimizu herself. Tears finally streamed down Shimizu's face as she sobbed softly. "...It hurts so much...my hand...it hurts so much..." I couldn't respond, only stroking her hair repeatedly to offer her some comfort. A few minutes later, Dorn burst in with Genkawa. "What happened?" Genkawa's face was icy. She immediately knelt beside us, her demeanor remarkably calm. "Sixteen cuts, I've stopped the bleeding. Severe impact injury to the left hand." Genkawa nodded, bringing over her protective gear straps. These were the elastic nylon straps we wore daily, with small survival . They could also be used as tourniquets in emergencies. She took two white pills from the lining and placed them near Shimizu's mouth. Shimizu's eyes had been fixed on Dorn since they entered. Dorn nodded, pursing her lips, and Shimizu swallowed the pills. Within seconds, Shimizu's tense body went limp. She closed her eyes, breathing softly. "What did you give her?" Dorn asked anxiously, noticing the strong effects of the drug. "Whitenine," I replied simply. "What!?" Dorn's voice suddenly rose. This wasn't her fault; this drug was illegal throughout the continent. Due to its high hallucinogenic and addictive properties, all countries were cracking down on its distribution and use. However, the dosage we War Dogs used was carefully formulated, with added hallucinogen-dispelling ingredients. One pill was enough to effectively relieve pain without affecting movement. This stuff ensured we could still fight even after serious injuries; it . Two pills would allow the user to get a good night's sleep.

In the eyes of the War Dog, nothing is evil; used properly, it can save lives. Humanity's own abuse and
desires are the true roots of evil.

Yuan Chuan took out another milky-white, slender bone needle—a trophy we obtained from a high-level magical beast.

She cleanly and efficiently stitched up Qing Shui's wounds and then bandaged them.

It must be admitted that women's talent for sewing may always surpass men's, even when sewing flesh.

The final step was treating the numerous fractures in the hand, which took us quite a while, but we finally
finished before dawn.

Dorn gradually calmed down from her initial anxiety. Seeing Yuan Chuan's skillful medical techniques, she
finally relaxed and stopped watching our work closely until I stood up carrying Qing Shui and placed her on
the soft bed.

Everyone breathed a slight sigh of relief. I sat on the carpet, wiping the sweat from my brow.

"This revenge… I must avenge it…"

I heard Dorn's voice from beside me.

Her mindset showed that she had mustered the courage to fight back.

I should have been happy, but… “Revenge? What revenge is there to take?”

I said casually.

Dorn was angry at my words, and she couldn’t help but raise her voice: “They ruined Qingshui like this,
and you can’t believe you’re asking this kind of question!?”

I glanced at her, my patience was running out after a whole night of this, so my tone was also
very unpleasant.

"They did this for you, stop yelling like an idiot."

Just as Dorn was about to explode with anger, Yuanchuan interrupted, "Can't you speak properly?!"

I sighed and stood up. "They knew very well that what happened between you and me needed to be kept secret, so
logically, the best thing for both sides would have been to kill Qingshui. The dead can't speak. But they didn't,
because they knew Qingshui was valuable to you."

"What?! Should I thank them?!"

"If Qingshui had revealed your location after they tortured her, she would have been silenced. It was precisely because she
didn't yield that they spared her. They really want you to become the Duke of Xiuran, so
they can't bear to use a tool that's useful to you! Now you understand?!"

Dorn was stunned for a while. She sniffed and gently sat down next to Qingshui.

She lovingly stroked Qingshui's hair, and her resentment evaporated little by little through this action.

"...Qingshui is not a tool..."

she said softly, looking at the sleeping girl.

"If you want to carve out a path for yourself in their hands, we are all your tools
. You must understand that,"

I said bluntly.

"But I don't know how..."

Dorn said, biting her lip.

These words suddenly ignited a spark in my mind, and I blurted out, "I think I know."

Yuan Chuan and Dorn looked at me together.

I also looked at Yuan Chuan: "Do you think that the Empire's 'Dragon Flame' mage appeared
here by chance?"

Yuan Chuan's eyes widened, she raised her eyebrows, and nodded thoughtfully.

I think the answer we need lies in Osovie.

Chapter Eleven:

Osovie's overtures, Zogel's identity, and their attitude during the mercenary rebellion
all sent a very clear signal—they weren't here for money.

After piecing everything together, the answer became clear.

The Empire sent them as insurance to protect Dorn's safety; this was the only plausible
conclusion .

Osovie's terrifying strength also made more sense under this assumption.

Only the Empire could find a boy with such talent given its massive population and then invest enormous
resources in nurturing him.

The only contradiction is that they have no reason to go to such lengths to win me and Yuanchuan over.

If they were sent by the Empire, their purpose would be very clear, and they wouldn't care about
anything .

"A Dragon Flame Mage?"

Dorn exclaimed in surprise after hearing my words. "What are you talking about?"

"Zogel told us about his origins yesterday, but we didn't expect
things to turn out this way,"

I replied.

Dorn frowned and stood up. "Go find them and ask them clearly."

She prepared to leave, but I didn't move.

"Don't you think it's too hasty? If they're not as we suspect, then exposing what happened last
night to them isn't a big deal, is it?"

Dorn stopped and nodded. "You're right..." "

Leave the sounding out to me and Neshker,"

Yuanchuan said, "but not now. We have something else to do."

"What is it?"

Dorn's voice was a little stiff.

Yuan Chuan shifted his gaze to Shimizu: "We can't keep this a secret forever, so we need
a reasonable explanation."

We hadn't called for medical help for Shimizu before precisely because we wanted to conceal it.

But her daily needs definitely can't be managed by the three of us alone, and besides,
it just doesn't make sense for her to suddenly disappear.

Yuan Chuan's words immediately made us understand the crux of the problem.

After calming down, Dorn regained her ability to think: "Yuan Chuan, put on Shimizu's clothes. At dawn,
go with Nashker to the courtyard where I often do combat training, and make some noise with your energy. If
anyone asks about Shimizu's injury later, just say it was from sparring with Nashker."

I blinked at Dorn, realizing this might be the only solution, and could only shake my head helplessly.

Shimizu, as a substitute, lived in the bedroom that originally belonged to Dorn, so she naturally brought many personal clothes.

Yuan Chuan went over and picked through them, unable to help but frown deeply.

"She's so short, she doesn't have any clothes that fit me."

"Find something a little looser. There won't be anyone in the house at this time of day, to avoid the guards
recognizing you from a distance,"

Dorn said.

Yuanchuan changed his clothes while pursing his lips.

As dawn broke, Dorn led us to the back courtyard.

This place was quite far from the buildings, and with the poor visibility at dawn,
it was indeed difficult .

We pretended to fight with swords for a while, and judging by the time, we figured quite a few guards
had seen us on patrol, so we stopped and went back inside.

Although the temperature at dawn wasn't too high, the back and forth had left everyone sweating quite a bit.

We told Dorn we'd meet again for breakfast, then ran back to our room in the side wing to shower.

My clothes were stained with blood, so I changed into clean clothes and silently considered our next move.

The stance of Osovie and his group was what we needed to figure out first.

If they could convey the Empire's core intentions to us, Dorn's future choices would be
much clearer.

Zoger's willingness to reveal his identity as a [Dragon Flame] mage suggested that, to some extent, they
might not have intended to hide their true identities.

But why were they trying to recruit Yuanchuan and me? If Osovie and his group really are backed by
some force within the Empire, would it be better for Yuanchuan and me to join them?
Even just getting in touch with the Empire, even if it's just a minor noble, would bring us far more benefits than
what Dorn could promise us.

It all depends on Osovie and his group's attitude; I need to find a way to properly test
them .

I left my room and knocked on the door across the hallway.

Osovie opened the door, his hair a mess, rubbing his face sleepily.

"So early, what's up!"

he muttered as he opened the door, completely ignoring me.

He swayed a couple of times and collapsed onto the sofa, as if to continue his nap.

I went inside and saw that both bedroom doors were tightly closed.

Osovie was curled up on the sofa like a chipmunk, clutching a pillow.

"Why are you sleeping here?"

I remembered that each bedroom here had two beds.

Osovie didn't even open his eyes, just snored, "Zogel snores so loudly at night."

He seemed completely unguarded, as if he already considered me one of his own, but I naturally didn't take
it seriously .

"Yuanchuan and I are joining you."

Osovie lay motionless on the sofa for a few seconds, then suddenly opened his eyes and jumped up.

"Really!?"

He was quite excited, his childlike voice slightly shrill.

"But there's a condition: we must leave Xiuran City immediately,"

I said.

As I expected, Osovie immediately frowned: "What happened?" "

This morning I had a little scuffle with one of Dorn's confidants. I went a bit too far, and during the sparring
, I seriously injured her; she might be dead by now. Yuanchuan and I need to run away before things escalate."

I used the Shimizu incident as a pretext.

If Osovie truly valued Yuanchuan and me as much as he claimed, he would have to make a statement immediately.

Such unexpected events are very effective as a breakthrough point; unforeseen variables can easily expose flaws in the opponent's
disguise .

Osovie, with an awkward expression, hesitated for a long time before speaking.

"Sigh, there's still something I haven't finished… Never mind! We can talk about that later. If you two
run away, you'll never find us again. Let's go now! I'll go wake them up!"

Osovie ran off and banged on the door, leaving me standing there, somewhat bewildered.

His ability to make decisions for others proved that he was indeed in charge of the team.

Neither Osovie nor Zogel had lied to us about this matter.

And the fact that he could abandon things here and run away with us meant they weren't
running to Xiuran City for Dorn? Had Yuanchuan and I misjudged? Or had he seen through my lie? Was he just playing along
? Monks and Legin yawned, their breath reeking of bad breath, as they emerged from the house.

Although they were a little unhappy, they didn't utter a single word and immediately began packing their luggage.

Zogel straightened his clothes while scanning me with a hint of doubt.

"Just leaving like that? What about the Queen's matter?"

he asked Osovie.

"We can't escape anyway. I'll just find an excuse to come back when I have time,"

Osovie casually replied, stuffing his belongings scattered on the table into his backpack.

To my surprise, these two seemed to be discussing something important, yet they didn't seem afraid of me
overhearing .

I didn't know if they were just too frank or a bit oblivious.

I couldn't really lead them on a runaway mission.

At this point, the charade couldn't go on forever.

"Stop it,"

I said awkwardly. "I was just kidding. It's not that serious. We don't need to run away."

Everyone in the room stopped what they were doing, their angry eyes piercing me.

"Is it fun to drag someone out of bed so early in the morning, huh!?"

Monks stomped over in two steps, reaching out to grab my collar.

Monks was the kind of person who was least likely to put on an act.

His anger meant that Osovie and the others weren't just putting on an act because they saw through my lie.

I was pretty sure these guys really had no direct connection to the Empire's mysterious envoy.

"Monks!"

Osovie shouted his companion's name, startling me.

The sudden burst of intimidation from the boy pierced my nerves, as if he were a completely different person.

Although Monks seemed angry, Osovie's words effectively stopped him.

The big guy withdrew his hand and stood there, glaring at me with murderous eyes.

I shifted my gaze to Osovie; the boy's face was grim.

Although my lie wasn't malicious, it had clearly damaged their previous trust in me.

Actually, I hadn't expected Osovie and his group to be so honest.

This made me somewhat regretful of my lie.

"Nishkel, shouldn't you give us a reason?"

Osovie stared at me and said in a deep voice.

His expression was no longer that of a boy, but rather like that of a wolf whose territory had been invaded,
trying to determine whether it should show hostility.

I decided to ask them one last question to weigh whether I should tell the truth.

"Osovie, your purpose in coming to Xiuran City is related to that 'Queen'?"

Osovie narrowed his eyes: "You still have the nerve to ask us questions?"

"Because Zoger just mentioned..."

"We thought we could treat you as one of our own!"

Osovie interrupted me rudely, "You're treating us like fools, and if we say another
word to you, we'll be truly fools."

Being mocked by a boy, I couldn't hold back any longer and started to speak.

"It seems you're far more naive than I imagined. Just because I said one thing, you've already accepted
me as one of your own? Are you all rookies who've never been on War Dogs' territory before?"

"We thought you and Genkawa had a superior pride, that you'd take responsibility for your words!

Maybe we were wrong from the start. You're not the companions we're looking for at all."

Although Osovie was rebuking me, his tone grew increasingly calm, even cold.

I sensed something amiss: "You came here just to find companions? That 'Queen' is also
someone you've chosen? What exactly are you trying to do?"

"We're organizing an adventurer's party. This is my final response to you. If you're not going to
explain, then please disappear from this room immediately!"

Adventurers? What does that mean? I was completely lost on Osovie's train of thought.

Although I didn't truly understand their purpose, I had achieved mine.

I found myself still having a high regard for this group, and I didn't want to destroy
the good .

“Last night, someone broke into Dorn’s room.”

I pointed to the direction above their heads. “We suspect you’re involved, so we came to test
how much you care about Dorn. Are you satisfied with this explanation? But even if you’re not,
I don’t care. You can go back to sleep.”

I withheld some key information, but I said everything I needed to say. What they thought was beyond my
control.

Just as I was about to leave, another voice suddenly sounded behind me.

“Why do you think the intruder is related to us?”

Zogel asked.

I thought for a moment before turning around: “Because you said you’re a mage from [Dragon Flame].”

Zogel took a few steps toward me, looking thoughtful: “You mean the intruder is
from the Empire?”

I shook my head noncommittally: “Nobody knows where those people came from, but your
presence here as a mage from [Dragon Flame] is the most suspicious thing.”

Osov suddenly burst into laughter, and the tense atmosphere in the room dissipated.

"Hahahaha! What did I tell you? You're using your [Dragon Flame] identity to scare people, you'll get what's coming to you
sooner or later ! See, you've been suspected!"

Zogel sighed, "I was just trying to help you increase the attractiveness of our team..."

Osovie snorted, "From now on, you'd better listen to me."

Since things were already out in the open, I decided to calm down and ask for clarification.

"So you have no direct connection with the Empire, can I assume that?"

Osovie remained noncommittal, "Even if I said no, you wouldn't believe me, would you?
Someone like you who comes here to lie so early in the morning is the most suspicious person."

"Oh, you're quite vengeful."

"You deserve it."

It was too embarrassing to argue with a teenager who was a head shorter than me, so I simply shut up and turned
to leave.

When I returned to my room, Genkawa had just finished showering and was vigorously drying her hair with a towel.

"Where did you go?"

she asked absentmindedly.

I tilted my head towards the door. "I went over there to sound them out."

"They probably don't have anything to do with the Empire, right?"

Yuan Chuan said.

I was a little surprised. "How did you know?"

"Just a feeling,"

Yuan Chuan said casually. "If they really were sent by the Empire, they wouldn't be
like that ? Just look at Monks' slovenly appearance and Osovie's pretentious manner. To say they
were sent to help seize power would be too incongruous."

I was stunned for a moment, and had to admit that Yuan Chuan was right... A woman's intuition always
surprises , and I hadn't considered the problem from that angle at all.

"They might be faking it,"

I still stubbornly insisted.

"What's there to pretend about?"

Yuan Chuan retorted. "Did you find out their true identities?"

"They're here to recruit people. Osovie claims to be organizing an adventurer team. The two of us are one of
their objectives. But what's more important to them is the 'Queen' of the Xiu Ran City army."

Yuan Chuan raised an eyebrow. "That kid really knows how to take advantage! He used
the opportunity to infiltrate and betray the country. But speaking of which, he's really ambitious. What makes him think he can
undermine the 'Queen'?"

"It's none of our business, don't overthink it,"

I said casually.

But Yuan Chuan still looked thoughtful. "Tell me, why do they want to organize an adventurer
team ? Are they looking for treasure?"

"Treasure? What era are we living in? Where are there treasures anymore?"

I said irritably.

Our race is not a native inhabitant of this planet Nasarius.

Eight hundred years ago, humanity's home planet, Earth, was destroyed. Before Earth's destruction, Emperor Paul I single-handedly
built two immigration ships to transport humanity to this new world.

During the voyage, one of the ships defied Emperor Paul I's will, changed course without authorization, and landed on the
Crystal Continent on the other side of the ocean.

History books conclude that this event was a despicable plunder, a
shameless violation of private property and rights.

The Crystal Continent has now become a forbidden land, where people are said to live in a state of constant uncertainty and
chaos , scattered among hundreds of groups that rule through a brutal, survival-of-the-fittest mentality.

The Empire's sociologists unanimously agree that this is the bitter consequence of their initial disregard for individual rights: the boundaries of
private property are broken, leading to rampant plunder and violence.

From the very beginning, the Empire has prohibited any nation from contacting the Crystal Continent—an unwritten rule that has been
in place for centuries.

The legal basis for protecting private property can be considered the very foundation of Torrevopon's state.

The Empire protects every subject while maintaining its supreme authority.

Because the immigrant ships are Emperor Paul the Great's private property, everyone brought aboard has benefited from his benevolence,
so legally, the entire planet Nasarius could be considered his private property.

However, Emperor Paul I did not do so; he demarcated the Empire's borders and then focused on governing his own
nation.

In the following centuries, other forces gradually broke away from the Empire and established their own kingdoms in other
parts without facing any resistance from the Empire.

The core of the empire's enduring legacy lies in its concept of private property.

The empire belongs to Paul, to his descendants—an unshakeable
truth for all its subjects.

Four hundred years ago, however, the empire experienced its first major upheaval: the royal family was murdered, and a powerful minister ascended the throne.

When he believed he could control the entire empire with his power, it plunged into a period of chaos that
lasted nearly a century.

Countless noble factions carved up the empire, fragmenting it into pieces.

The reasons for this were intricate, the political networks a tangled mess.

But everyone was certain that the minister's greatest mistake was lacking the Emperor's bloodline.

He underestimated how deeply ingrained centuries-old traditions and beliefs were in a society.

This was something that power and authority could not reverse, nor could a few individuals challenge it.

This nation could only be possessed by the Emperor's descendants; no one else could gain the empire's
recognition.

The empire eventually returned to peace. A new emperor, possessing the blood of a great emperor, reappeared from the countryside,
rallied a loyal army, restored the empire, and ended this dark period.

In the centuries that followed, the empire was again plunged into chaos.

However, during those times, all those aspiring to the throne learned one thing: to desperately
proclaim the purity of their royal blood.

The empire was never truly shattered again; the bloodshed of power struggles was contained within the infighting of the upper nobility,
never again threatening the empire's very structure.

This, at least, was something humanity learned from the cruel lessons.

However, it was precisely during that dark and chaotic period of fragmentation that many interesting things were left behind.

Large-scale, unbridled energy warfare led to the emergence of numerous magical beasts.

That was also the first time in Nasarius's human history that energy manipulation was linked to the appearance of magical beasts.

Later, although the continent returned to peace, the proliferation of magical beasts was simply too high.

Various nations mobilized their resources, barely managing to drive the beasts to relatively remote areas, but they could not truly
eradicate them.

At that time, no one realized one thing: even magical beasts differed.

The lower-level beasts possessed only the instinct to attack; while those that understood fear and could be driven away by
humans possessed varying levels of intelligence.

Over the next few centuries, they rested, multiplied, and
accumulated power deep within deserts, jungles, and mountains.

By the time people discovered this, it was too late to stop their existence.

Those places became adventurers' paradises.

Minerals imbued with high concentrations of energy and magic, and exotic materials from magical beasts—these things contributed to the glorious histories of
many adventurers.

On the other hand, during the empire's dark period, many nobles and wealthy merchants amassed fortunes through war.

Countless plundered riches and treasures vanished

from .

Thus, the profession of adventurer became highly sought after for a considerable period.

They meticulously searched through various documents and records, hoping to find those
unknown treasures.

Many succeeded, leaving behind beautiful stories that have been passed down for centuries—this is an undeniable fact.

However, even the greatest wealth eventually runs out, especially
when the state apparatus gets involved.

When the royal families and nobles of various nations realized these treasures truly existed, the
manpower, far surpassed those of lone adventurers.

Therefore, within a few decades, these legendary riches were essentially wiped out.

Although news of treasures occasionally surfaced in the following centuries, the vast majority
were merely fabricated stories from the streets.

In the last hundred years or so, even these storytellers have disappeared; perhaps everyone has exhausted
their imaginations.

The forbidden zones inhabited by monsters were later controlled by the various nations' own violent institutions, who
firmly . The adventurers involved either became government officials or
vanished into the annals of time.

I'm used to reading history books to pass the time, so I have a fairly good understanding of
the causes and consequences .

This makes it hard for me to believe that in this day and age, there are still many
areas .

As for Osovie, I can only question that.

It's not that there are no adventurers left in this world, but rather that the risk-reward ratio is too high.

Those forbidden zones of magical beasts that few have ventured into are often places where one cannot easily emerge alive, and
the hidden wealth within may not necessarily be worth the price.

"We don't have any here, but what if there are some good things hidden on the Crystal Continent?"

Yuan Chuan said.

"Even if there are, no one can get there. You know how strictly the Empire controls ships; building ocean-going vessels..."
" Sailing by ship is simply impossible."

"Back when I was competing in underground tournaments, I heard that some smugglers had tried to travel to the Crystal Continent,
but they were caught. Once is never enough; if you really want to get there, it's not like there's no way."

Before becoming a War Dog, Yuan Chuan had spent several years in the black market fighting arena of Ipuno.

Ipuno was poor but its people were fierce, and these underground fighting tournaments were very popular.

At that time, she seemed to be a fairly famous seeded player, but she and her manager died in an accident
, which is why she left that place and became a War Dog.

During that time, Yuan Chuan, who had just left the inner sect of the [Mountain Gate], experienced the darkness that could make people grow quickly , and also witnessed cruelty that ordinary people could not see. This allowed her to survive
with ease after becoming a War Dog . "From what you're saying..." I pondered Yuan Chuan's words, "You're somewhat interested in joining them?" Yuan Chuan tossed the towel she was using to dry her hair onto the sofa armrest and straightened her clothes. "If my assessment is correct, the Empire really is going to get involved in Dorn's affairs. I think in the end, the two of us won't contribute much to this upheaval. In short, the gains will be limited." "Limited is still gains," I retorted. "The gains from Osovie's side are even more uncertain." "That's right, which is why I didn't say we should abandon the original plan. Let's try to get as much as possible from Dorn's side, and then make a clean getaway." Yuan Chuan's tone was calm, as if she had already considered it. Although there was nothing particularly special about her words, only I knew what Yuan Chuan meant. She meant that, under Dorn's instructions, if we had the opportunity to access the finances of Xiu Ran City, we should embezzle a large sum of money and then slip away with Osovie's group. We had considered this kind of thing before, but it was always a last resort arranged in case of a crisis. Now that Dorn has revealed some of his cards, if Xiu Ran's "Empress" is on Dorn's side, our chances of winning are actually quite high. However, Yuan Chuan is still considering the final option, which means that the has shaken her confidence. Because the Empire, this behemoth, is simply too terrifying. This terror is not only reflected in its size; TWP embodies a level of order and stability that no other country can possess. When it operates as a state machine, it carries a cold , mechanical feel. The executors of the Empire's will are only responsible to Emperor Paul the Great, so they almost never express their own will. Such beings are frightening. Because that means that both the vulnerabilities we possess as individuals and the room for maneuver we have are compressed to an extreme degree. There was once a joke. An Estrola, an Amarans, and an Imperial were locked in a room without a door. The Estrola meticulously measured the center line of the wall with a ruler, carved a square door, and even decorated it with flowers. The Imperials casually chose a direction they liked, took a step, smashed a hole in the wall, and then turned the hole into a door. The Amarans squatted by the sunny window, picking lice. This was, of course, a joke by the Estrela people mocking their arch-enemy nation to the south. But from this story, it's easy to see that in people's eyes, the Empire was the kind of entity that could flatten everything according to its will. A single misstep by Genkawa and me could plunge us into an inescapable quagmire, and then be easily . I understand her thoughts of retreat; it's a perfectly reasonable reaction. But I myself, surprisingly, remained completely unmoved, as if my keen sense of crisis had suddenly vanished—though it had favored me far too many times. I was somewhat numb, or rather, I had suddenly become stubborn about this matter. Perhaps it was the appearance of True Silver that threw me off balance. I desperately hoped to accomplish something, to change her disappointment in me… if we were to meet again. To help Dorn rise to power, to gain an indispensable position by her side—at least that would give me some closure, would n't it? With these jumbled thoughts in my head, Yuanchuan and I left the room and headed towards the courtyard, which served as the dining room. The soldiers stationed at the Dorn mansion were gathering in the courtyard in twos and threes around breakfast time. Perhaps Dorn's words at dinner yesterday had some effect; this time, no one was waiting under the porch. I hadn't slept well for days. Two days ago, there was the midnight march, then the escape with the daughter, and last night I finally managed to get a good night's sleep, only to be woken up again in the middle of the night. Anyone with a normal mind wouldn't be in good spirits. And when you 're not in good spirits, your appetite naturally suffers. I forced myself to drink a glass of milk, then listlessly picked up a piece of bread and put it to my mouth, nibbling at it little by little. Four or five different kinds of jam and butter were offered on the table, and although my curiosity was strong, I had no interest in trying them. At that moment, I noticed a familiar face walk around to another table not far away. It was that young man named Julian. He had shown some so I didn't like him—he probably did too. He just wasn't paying attention to me right now. Julian chatted idly with his companion while scanning the courtyard, as if looking for something. I rolled my eyes at him, just as Dorn stormed in with her entourage. The people dining in the courtyard immediately stood up to greet her, but Dorn, anticipating this, quickly gestured for everyone to sit down. She went straight to our table, and Sir Ruel and Sir Peorla behind her didn't even have time to keep up . Dorn leaned closer to us and whispered, "His Majesty the King has allocated the first batch of 80,000 volunteer troops to us. The Second Prince led his army on their way last night, and he and his entourage will arrive in Xiuran City within two hours. Yuanchuan, from now on, you will temporarily replace Qingshui as my bodyguard." She then turned her gaze to me: "Nishkel, I have cleared the guards from the second floor. Go to my bedroom."

"Settle Shimizu back in her room, twenty steps to the right after leaving my bedroom. Remember to take everything stained with blood with you and
hide it in Shimizu's room for now."

Dorn spoke very quickly, then turned and left.

Yuanchuan immediately stood up to chase after her.

"Hey!"

I called out to Yuanchuan, tossing her a piece of bread and gesturing towards Dorn's retreating figure with my eyes
.

Yuanchuan nodded, then quickly followed Dorn out of the porch.

Judging from Dorn's hurried manner, she probably didn't have time for breakfast.

Having Yuanchuan curry favor with her would increase her trust, which would be beneficial for future plans.

The fact that tens of thousands of troops could be assembled in a single day meant that
the kingdom .

The Second Prince, just over thirty years old, had a dignified demeanor and a good reputation throughout the kingdom;
generally speaking, he was a sensible person.

It seems His Majesty the King of Estola takes this sudden war very seriously, probably intending to use overwhelming
force to achieve a swift victory.

Estola has the capability.

The kingdom's elite troops have long clashed with Amarans in the south, and the troop rotation frequency is high,
so the reinforcements that have arrived this time are exceptional in both combat experience and mindset.

However, this information comes from hearsay; my understanding of the specifics is not much different from that of ordinary people
on the street .

And that's not something I should be concerned about.

I glanced at the spiral staircase leading to the second floor. The guards who were originally stationed on the second floor had all moved to the first-floor
stairwell , indicating that Dorn's orders had been carried out effectively.

Osovy and the others hadn't appeared yet, and I didn't want to waste any more time talking to them, so I stood up
and left the courtyard.

I chose a less crowded spot to go up to the second floor, and the guards made no attempt to stop me.

Relying on my memory, I circled back to Dorn's bedroom, and indeed, I didn't encounter a single person along the way.

Following Dorn's instructions, I found Shimizu's room at the other end of the corridor.

The room wasn't large, but it was well-lit; the sun had only been up for a short time, and the whole room was already warm
.

It was impeccably tidy; I couldn't tell if it was Shimizu's own doing or the maids' work.

The smell of blood from Dorn's room was still quite strong. I carefully picked up the sleeping girl and carried her back
to my own room.

Shimizu was incredibly light; I could probably carry her all day without getting tired.

After settling her in, I spent a little time tidying the messy bed and opening the window to dissipate the blood smell.

While doing these things, I suddenly realized I'd never done room
cleaning .

However, before closing the door and leaving, I glanced back and felt particularly pleased with myself; it seemed I
had a talent for housekeeping.

I rolled up the soiled bedding and returned to Shimizu's room, casually tossing it beside the bed and then shoving it under
the bed .

After doing all this, the whole world suddenly became quiet.

I sat down on the single sofa by the window, and drowsiness quickly and relentlessly invaded my senses.

The soft breathing of Shimizu was almost inaudible, like a lullaby.

I fell asleep quickly.

"Ugh..."

A small moan woke me from my slumber.

I sat up from the sofa, rubbing my forehead, and suddenly realized the sun was already beginning to set.

My neck and joints ached; I figured it was better not to sleep sitting up in the future.

Shimizu was already awake, and it seemed she'd been awake for a while.

She touched her wound when she tried to turn over, which was why she made that slight sound.

I rubbed my stiff neck and leaned against the bedside, handing the girl a glass of water: "Thirsty?"

Shimizu forced herself to sit up against the headboard, barely managing to take the glass, her arm
trembling .

The whitening agent that Genkawa had given her, while quickly relieving the pain, had also bypassed the body's
natural adaptation period to the pain using its own hormonal analgesics.

Shimizu was probably currently in the most sensitive phase of pain.

The girl gripped the water cup, slowly raising her arm, each movement seeming like she was gritting her teeth.

I couldn't bear to watch, so I took the cup from her and held it out to her.

Qingshui, oblivious to everything else, let me feed her, gulping down
the water .

Watching her, I felt like I was feeding some kind of small animal.

Thinking of this, I chuckled.

Qingshui, already embarrassed by me feeding her, was a little stunned when I laughed.

Our eyes met, and we remained silent for a while.

Then, little Qingshui suddenly burst into tears.

"Waaah…it hurts so much…why are you still laughing…waaah…"

she sobbed incoherently, her shoulders shaking, as if she were carrying a huge grievance.

Perhaps because her arm was covered in wounds, she didn't dare raise her hand to wipe her face, large tears streaming
down her face.

I felt a little guilty, but I also found it somewhat amusing, because she didn't seem to understand
what she had gone through.

"You survived, that's good enough."

[The End]

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