HBWnovel Chapter Vol. 1 Ch. 26
Chapter Vol. 1 Ch. 26
Returning to the previous discussion, thanks to the strategic interventions of the Shadow Guards, and with the support of the soldiers valiantly defending the city walls, the invading Beastmen forces, although powerful individually, were unable to make significant headway without additional reinforcements.
While the formidable lion-folk and tiger-folk, unarmored, could easily rival the strength of human mithril or even adamantine, the context here refers to their fighting abilities without equipment.
The rest of the details require no further explanation.
As the strong Beastman warriors fell in their siege attempts, the accomplished lady known as “Scarlet Flame” returned to Princess Lilya’s side.
First, she cast an astonished glance at the colossal golden curtain covering the city walls. Though she had noticed it from a distance earlier, getting up close revealed an aura far more dense and formidable than any legendary defense magic she had encountered before, sending shivers down the spine of the formidable adventurer.
Thankfully, it appeared to be a defensive spell. If it were an offensive one...
Flora could hardly bear to imagine the consequences.
However, having spent some time around Violet, she had learned not to dwell on it. She shrugged off her momentary surprise.
“Princess Lilya, we’ve finished clearing them out.”
“Yes, you did a great job, Flora. Did you notice anything unusual?” Lilya asked, turning her attention to the chaos of battle while her eyes conveyed concern and curiosity towards the red-haired archer.
Flora pondered for a moment, gently straightening her snug ranger attire, which had yet to bear a single drop of blood, just a few wrinkles. “It’s a bit strange,” she began.
“Among those Beastmen, there weren’t any high-level warriors. The strongest of them was at best an Obsidian Steel-level fighter. This doesn’t seem right. In the Beastman Kingdom, the proportion of powerful individuals should be even higher than in our human society.”
Lilya nodded, acknowledging Flora’s observations.
“Indeed, that’s exactly it. It’s still unclear who’s leading this war for the Beastman Kingdom, but they’re quite intelligent. What they’re doing is trying to probe our capabilities and see if we have the strength to challenge them.”
“This individual obviously doesn’t want a life-or-death showdown with our kingdom. If they notice a disadvantage or signs of difficulty in this initial confrontation, they’ll commit their full army to overrun us and take the fortress.”
Violet and Flora exchanged an exasperated glance before Flora stepped forward to support the princess’s arm. Violet, the priestess, lightly patted Lilya’s smooth back and cast a low-level calming spell on her.
During their visit to the ailing General Leyton, Violet had noticed something.
The seemingly intelligent and decisive princess had a weaker tolerance for harsh environments. The scent of medicine and the odor of decay could leave her pale, let alone the immense pressure brought by tens of thousands of people or the intense bloodstained air during battle.
It was likely that this was Lilya’s first time on the battlefield. Although Violet wasn’t sure how she had managed to endure during the previous crisis with the Imperial Guard, she knew that she had to help the young princess. This was why she had purposefully created a wide protective shield that filtered out the oppressive feeling of iron and blood that was prevalent on the battlefield.
However, when it came to the messengers and commanders coming and going, their bloody scent was unavoidable. Some had returned with missing limbs, or wounds that had been bandaged. Lilya had to adapt to this on her own. It was a necessary part of her growth if she wanted to become a capable queen.
As the spell took effect, Lilya’s complexion improved significantly. She forced a wry smile and shook her head.
“I’m sorry to have made a fool of myself.”
“It’s nothing to be ashamed of. When I killed someone for the first time, I wasn’t any better than you,” Flora reassured her with an unusually gentle expression. Violet nodded in understanding.
After all, she was just a 16-year-old girl, and being a princess didn’t make Lilya immune to fear. Furthermore, judging by her appearance, Lilya seemed to be around level 2 or 3 at most. Being able to stand strong in such a situation was already quite commendable.
“But, Miss Violet’s abilities are truly amazing. I’ve received treatments from priests before, but I’ve never seen such immediate results. It’s like... Well, it’s impressive.”
As she spoke, Lilya suddenly stopped herself, as if she was about to say something she shouldn’t. She didn’t mention anything about the ongoing battle but instead lifted her head and gazed at Violet with a look of longing and hope.
“I know this might sound presumptuous, but... could Miss Violet grant me... no, could you exchange some of your power with me? I... I’ve been tested and found to have no magical talent from a young age. I’m completely inept at martial skills. Except for my intelligence, I can’t do anything else. I’ve always had to rely on others for protection.”
“I’ve heard that the Faith magic in the Holy Empire can grant strong powers to those who are devout in their hearts, even if they have no innate talent. As a princess of the Human United Kingdom, I can’t turn to the gods of the Holy Empire for help. But if... if...”
Lilya trailed off, her voice filled with hope and hesitation. Violet didn’t seem to fully understand what Lilya was getting at.
“Oh... Ah?”