As members of the Black Rose Family cooperated with Wind Facing City's defenders to eliminate the remaining forces of the Heavenly Punishment Holy Church within the city, another fierce battle was unfolding on a snowy plain outside the city.
One side of the conflict...
Was the Fourth Princess, Fengling, leading the vanguard of the Snow Night Empire's Fourth Army Group together with her personal guard toward Wind Facing City.
Originally,
After learning that Wind Facing City had come under attack by the Heavenly Punishment Holy Church, Fengling had immediately rushed to reinforce it with her advance force.
However, on the way there, they unexpectedly encountered a detachment of Heavenly Punishment Holy Church members retreating from the city.
Thus,
A large-scale battle became unavoidable.
Although the Fourth Princess's forces enjoyed the numerical advantage, nearly every member of the Heavenly Punishment Holy Church was an elite, including two Seventh-Tier Archbishops. Overall, the two sides were evenly matched.
The battle quickly reached a deadlock.
Fortunately, after a long and brutal struggle, the troops under Fengling's command finally defeated the Holy Church forces...
Though at a tremendous cost.
And just then—
A streak of purple lightning suddenly descended from the heavens.
"BOOM—!"
Accompanied by a deafening roar of thunder and the dazzling eruption of violet lightning, another wave of thunder magic slammed into Fengling's mana barrier, instantly shattering it.
The remaining lightning showed no mercy as it crashed directly into her delicate body.
Her armor exploded apart.
The excruciating pain twisted the princess's face as the impact hurled her backward, sending her crashing violently into the snow.
Even the staff in her hand flew from her grasp.
"Cough...!"
After coughing up two mouthfuls of blood that stained the white snow crimson, the Fourth Princess forced herself to endure the agonizing pain in her chest.
Using the little strength she had left, she slowly raised her head and looked toward the purple-haired witch surrounded by crackling lightning, who was mercilessly slaughtering her royal guards.
"Talovise... y-you... why?!"
That was right.
The Seventh-Tier powerhouse who had descended with the lightning...
Was none other than Talovise, Marshal of the Snow Night Empire—and one of Xue Tianao's women.
Fengling had believed she had come as reinforcements.
She had never imagined...
That this woman would suddenly turn her attacks against both her and the surviving soldiers on the battlefield.
Although Fengling had never gotten along particularly well with Talovise, she had never dreamed that she would actually attack her.
Overwhelming shock filled her mind.
Her pale violet eyes trembled uncontrollably.
"No! Stop! Stop it!"
Ignoring Fengling's desperate screams, violet mana surged around Talovise as an enormous magic circle appeared before her.
The next moment—
High-Tier Magic—
Masala Chain Lightning.
"HOOOOONG—!"
As thunder roared across the battlefield...
Fengling watched in despair as the royal guards who had remained faithfully by her side cried out in agony.
Then they were swallowed by purple lightning.
One after another...
They collapsed onto the snow as charred corpses, smoke slowly rising from their bodies.
"Everyone..."
Unbearable grief welled up in Fengling's eyes.
It was immediately followed by boundless rage.
Her bloodshot gaze locked onto Talovise as she shouted,
"Why?! Why are you doing this?!"
Hearing the question,
After finishing off everyone except the princess, Talovise, with the pair of demonic horns atop her head, slowly walked over with an alluring smile.
"I'm sorry, Princess. But I'm doing this for your brother... for His Highness the Crown Prince."
"W-What did you say? My brother ordered you to do this?"
"Hehe, of course not."
Covering her mouth, Talovise let out a flirtatious laugh.
"You know perfectly well how His Highness feels about you. Why would he ever lay a hand on you himself?"
"Then... this is your own doing?"
"That's right."
Talovise admitted it without the slightest hesitation.
At the same time, she kicked Fengling several meters away just as the princess tried to reach for her staff and counterattack.
After coughing up several more mouthfuls of blood...
Fengling completely lost the ability to fight.
All she could do was lie helplessly in the snow, glaring at Talovise with murderous hatred.
If looks could kill...
Talovise would already have been cut into a thousand pieces.
"Then... why...?"
"I already told you."
"It's for His Highness."
"W... What?"
"Everyone knows His Highness has taken an interest in you. He doesn't care about worldly morals, but the Empire's people certainly do. Once next month's plan succeeds and he becomes Emperor, he'll most likely make you one of his imperial consorts."
A cruel smile spread across Talovise's face.
"A relationship that defies all morality would seriously damage his reputation among the people. His enemies would certainly use it against him."
"I know I can't persuade His Highness to give you up."
"So..."
"The only option is to remove you."
A spear forged entirely from lightning slowly formed in her hand.
"Besides..."
"I should reduce the number of rivals while I can."
"For the revival of the demon race, I naturally want His Highness to devote as much attention to me as possible."
"That way..."
"In the future, I can secure greater benefits for my people from this 'Child of Destiny.'"
"So in the end..."
Fengling laughed bitterly.
"...you're just fighting for favor."
"Mmm. You could put it that way."
"So..."
"I'm sorry, Princess."
"You damned bitch..."
"My, my."
Talovise's violet eyes flashed coldly.
"Even now, your mouth is still as foul as ever."
With a flash of movement, she instantly appeared before Fengling and drove a vicious kick into her chest.
The heavily injured princess was launched through the air, crashing straight into a nearby carriage.
The two tiny passengers inside the carriage poked their little heads out with obvious dissatisfaction.
As for Fengling...
Already gravely wounded, the additional blow only worsened her injuries.
Unable to endure the overwhelming pain any longer...
She lost consciousness.
"Oh?"
Talovise raised an amused eyebrow.
"You actually passed out already?"
"Oh well."
"I've never been interested in torturing people."
"Since we've known each other..."
"I'll grant you a quick death."
With that thought, she slowly approached Fengling, lightning spear in hand.
A chilling killing intent filled her violet eyes.
"Goodbye, Princess."
She raised the spear.
However—
Just as she was about to drive it through Fengling's heart and frame the entire incident on the Heavenly Punishment Holy Church...
Talovise suddenly stopped.
"Hm?"
There, standing before the unconscious princess...
Were a tiny adorable white wolf...
And a little gray bird.
The two little creatures stared at her with unmistakable displeasure.
"...?"
A Snow Wolf?
And a Hui Spirit Bird?
Why would such rare spirit beasts appear here?
Were they the princess's spirit companions?
"Little ones."
Talovise casually gestured.
"If you don't want to die, move aside."
Unfortunately...
The two tiny creatures completely ignored her.
They stubbornly remained where they were.
"Hm?"
"So they really are the princess's spirit beasts."
"In that case..."
"I have no choice."
With a sigh...
Talovise hurled the lightning spear.
Violent lightning exploded across the battlefield.
The immense thunder magic roared forward.
Against such overwhelming Seventh-Tier lightning...
The two tiny spirit beasts—
Together with the princess they were protecting—
Should have been annihilated without a trace.
However...
The very next instant...
Talovise froze.
"...?!"
Because—
Under her disbelieving gaze—
Just before the lightning spear reached Fengling...
The little white wolf bit down on it.
Then—
With a single crunch...
It shattered the entire lightning spear into countless particles of mana.
The attack simply dissolved into the snowy wind.
Talovise stood completely dumbfounded.
Countless question marks flooded her mind.
"H-How... h-how... how is that possible?!"
Why...
Why had an attack containing the power of a Seventh-Tier powerhouse been casually crushed...
By a tiny spirit beast?
But before Talovise could figure out what had happened—
A terrifying presence suddenly entered her perception.
An °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° overwhelming aura that could not possibly be resisted.
The imperial marshal, who moments ago had remained perfectly composed, instantly revealed unprecedented terror.
She involuntarily stumbled backward again and again.
At that moment...
Reflected in her violet eyes...
The two small and adorable spirit beasts erupted with earth-shaking power.
Their bodies rapidly expanded...
Growing larger...
And larger...
Until they towered before her like two mountains.
"...?!"
"D-D-Demon King-class?!"
"BOOM!!"
With a deafening explosion...
Silence once again returned to the snowy plain.
...
...
...
No one knew how much time had passed.
As her strength gradually returned, Fengling slowly awoke from her long unconsciousness.
Her consciousness once again took control of her body.
Opening her eyes, she looked across the battlefield, now blanketed in fresh snow.
Enduring the pain in her chest, she slowly sat up and rubbed her blurry eyes.
Then...
She looked down at herself.
"...?!"
"Huh?"
"I... I'm alive?"
"Talovise..."
"She didn't kill me?"
"What... happened?"
Countless questions filled Fengling's mind.
She immediately looked around, trying to find Talovise.
After all...
Who knew whether that cruel woman intended to toy with her one last time before killing her?
Unfortunately...
After searching for a while...
She found nothing.
The snowy plain was deathly silent.
There wasn't the slightest trace of Talovise anywhere.
However...
Although Talovise was nowhere to be seen...
Fengling did notice the two tiny spirit beasts lying quietly before her, apparently waiting for her to wake up.
"You two little ones..."
"You're still here?"
She couldn't help letting out a surprised exclamation.
Originally, the two little creatures had only followed her because she had fed them.
Yet after surviving not one...
But two massive battles...
They still hadn't left.
They were obviously so tiny and weak.
Yet they hadn't even run away in fear.
At that moment...
Standing amid the snowy wind...
Fengling felt an unexpected warmth in her heart.
Still...
'Talovise really is gone... What exactly was that woman trying to do?'
No matter how she thought about it, Fengling couldn't understand.
Then she suddenly remembered Talovise's earlier words.
'She said... my brother will become Emperor next month?'
'Does that mean... he's planning to make a move against Father?!'
'No...!'
'I have to...'
'I have to return immediately!'
With that thought, Fengling slowly struggled to her feet despite her exhaustion.
Her expression grew complicated as she looked toward the direction of the Imperial Capital.
Then...
Having made up her mind...
She crouched back down and gently patted the little white wolf on the head.
"By the way..."
"Why don't you two come back with me?"
"Winter is almost here."
"Little cuties as weak as you won't survive alone on this snowy plain."
Hearing her invitation...
The two little creatures exchanged a glance.
As if silently reaching an agreement...
They both nodded adorably.
The sight made Fengling smile.
However...
Just as she bent down to pick up the little white wolf and the little gray bird before heading back to reunite with the main force of the Fourth Army Group...
The little white wolf suddenly let out a meaningful little burp.
"...Hm?"
"You little wolf..."
"Did you eat something just now?"
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