Watching the pink-haired little girl be roughly taken away by a group of crude golden-armored knights, Mengxi was, without question, furious.
Unfortunately...
There was nothing she could do.
The moment White Yama arrived, Mengxi understood that she could no longer make a move.
The only thing left was to vent her dissatisfaction through words.
“She isn't some little kid.”
"..."
Hearing the emotion in Mengxi's voice, White Yama paused for a moment before thoughtfully looking toward the retreating pink-haired girl's back.
“Hm? You really care about that child that much?”
“Yes.”
“She means a great deal to me.”
“Sigh... They're only taking her to the Imperial Capital. It's not like they're doing anything immediately. There's no need to panic so much, right?”
White Yama asked in confusion.
As she spoke, she stepped forward and gently draped her cloak over Mengxi's shoulders.
“Big Sister Bai... do you know why the Royal Knights arrested them?”
“For what reason?”
“They're accusing them of colluding with the Abyss Demons and attempting to cultivate using the Power of Shadow of Silence. In nearly every country—including the Snow Night Empire—that's a capital crime.”
“And not just for the individual.”
“It usually means execution of the entire family.”
“...What?”
“Then... doesn't that child have almost no chance of surviving...?”
“Yes.”
Mengxi nodded helplessly.
White Yama's expression also turned bitter.
She hadn't sensed even the slightest trace of the Power of Shadow of Silence from Marquis Xiumu, his wife, or the pink-haired girl.
Given the current situation within the Snow Night Empire, she could more or less guess that this was simply a political struggle.
The accusation of colluding with the Abyss Demons...
Was nothing more than a fabricated charge.
Watching an innocent child potentially be executed over something like this...
Even White Yama found it difficult to accept.
“But Archbishop Mokaluo has already signed an agreement with the Snow Night Empire's royal family.”
“We can't interfere in their domestic affairs.”
"..."
“But... we can't interfere openly.”
“Hm?”
“Big Sister Bai... what do you mean?”
“It's simple.”
White Yama smiled.
“If you're that worried about the child, then rescue her while the Royal Knights are returning to the capital.”
“And if you're worried you can't handle them...”
“I'll help.”
As she spoke, she confidently patted her chest with a dependable smile.
Hearing that, Mengxi couldn't help looking at her in surprise.
“On the way back?”
“Wait... Big Sister Bai... aren't you here to take me back to the Holy Headquarters?”
White Yama chuckled and shook her head.
“No.”
“I'm here to escort you to the Snow Night Empire's Imperial Capital—Sky Dome.”
?!
“Huh?”
In an instant, bewilderment and astonishment filled Mengxi's light-purple eyes.
“To the Imperial Capital?”
“What's going on?”
“Hasn't the Holy Headquarters always refused the Snow Night royal family's request? Why this time...?”
“I don't know.”
“I have no idea what Archbishop Mokaluo discussed with Xue Tianao either.”
“I only know it seems to have something to do with an arms deal.”
“Mengxi, you know this as well.”
“Archbishop Mokaluo and even His Holiness are both extremely interested in the weapons Xue Tianao developed.”
“So... this agreement was made because of that?”
“Probably.”
“I see...”
“But sending me to the Snow Night Empire... just what exactly...”
“Well...”
“Actually, it won't just be you.”
“After this, we'll rendezvous with Archbishop Nick.”
“We'll be traveling to Sky Dome together as an official delegation of the Asumos Church.”
“A delegation?”
The moment she heard those words, Mengxi frowned.
“And both you and an Archbishop are going?”
“So formal?”
“Sigh...”
“It's not just us.”
“Every major empire and most important factions have dispatched delegations as well.”
“So what exactly...”
“What is Xue Tianao trying to do this time?”
White Yama looked toward the direction of the Snow Night Imperial Palace with a complicated expression.
“The new Emperor's coronation ceremony...”
—
Meanwhile—
After leaving the Duke residence, Abike, still smarting from the beating Mengxi had given him, didn't hesitate for a second.
With absolutely no gentleness whatsoever, he grabbed the pink-haired little girl beside him and roughly threw her into the prison wagon.
The humiliation Mengxi had inflicted upon him still burned inside him.
Unable to vent that anger on Mengxi herself...
He chose to take it out on the pink-haired girl instead.
“Sit still!”
“Don't even think about escaping!”
“Otherwise, I'll chop both your legs off!”
After viciously roaring at Miss Yumo, Abike slammed the prison wagon's door shut, locked it, and hurried off toward where his commander was waiting, apparently to report that the mission had been completed.
Although Abike's savage throw looked quite vicious...
It caused absolutely no harm to Miss Yumo.
Instead...
The prison wagon itself nearly lost half its durability.
Yumo's face remained completely indifferent.
However—
Yumo herself didn't care.
The others inside the prison wagon certainly did.
Several maids immediately rushed over and surrounded her.
“Miss Xia'er! Are you alright?”
“Were you hurt?”
“Did they do anything to you?”
“Those damned Royal Knights!”
“How could they treat Miss so roughly?!”
“That throw must have hurt!”
“Miss, are you alright?”
“I secretly hid some medicine. Do you need it?”
...
...
The servants' concerned voices came one after another, causing a faint expression of gratitude to appear on Yumo's face.
But while feeling touched, she frowned after recognizing several familiar faces among the maids.
“Duo'er?”
“Why are all of you here too?”
“Of course...”
“We were arrested by those knights as well.”
Duo'er—
Yumo's personal maid—
Shook her head helplessly.
Yumo looked puzzled.
“I thought they were only arresting the family head and direct relatives?”
“That was the original order.”
“But after Lord Marquis was captured, those Royal Knights completely dropped all restraint.”
“They began arresting the Duke Family's trusted retainers as well, claiming they were suspected accomplices and had to be taken back for investigation.”
“I think... they're trying to wipe out all of the Duke Family's influence in the northern territories in one stroke.”
With a sorrowful sigh, Duo'er lowered her head.
“I see...”
Yumo quietly murmured with a complicated expression as she looked outside the prison wagon.
There stood rows upon rows of perfectly disciplined Royal Knights.
Beyond them...
A sea of ordinary citizens.
Although the Royal Knights were arresting a family that had devoted itself to fighting the Abyss Demons, there wasn't a trace of guilt on any of their faces.
Only cold killing intent.
It seemed these knights, loyal to Xue Tianao, genuinely believed the Duke Family had colluded with the Abyss Demons.
As for the civilians...
The very people Marquis Xiumu had dedicated his entire life to protecting...
The way they looked at the prisoners was filled only with suspicion and distrust.
There wasn't the slightest sign of protest.
It was... rather heartbreaking.
Apparently, news about Yuan'er had already spread throughout the city.
Most likely...
The Royal Knights had deliberately circulated those stories before making their move.
She truly hadn't expected...
That one day she herself would become entangled in a political power struggle.
It was...
A rather strange feeling.
Still...
They're taking me to the Imperial Capital?
Hmm...
Then I might as well go.
It's about time...
To meet that so-called Child of Destiny.
Although...
Suddenly trembling slightly, Yumo looked back toward the Duke residence—
Toward the place where Mengxi had been resting.
Now that I've suddenly been taken away...
She must be very worried...
—
At the same time—
On the rooftop of a residence not far from the Duke estate...
Several young men and women dressed in the uniforms of the Black Rose Family silently watched the Royal Knights' convoy in the distance.
The moment they saw those golden lumps of iron so roughly throw the pink-haired girl into the shabby prison wagon—
Every one of them clenched their fists.
Terrifying killing intent spilled from their eyes.
The powerful battle aura surrounding them gradually began to rage out of control.
The sturdy wooden house beneath their feet started trembling under the pressure, nearly collapsing.
One heavily muscled Legion Commander suddenly hoisted two enormous battle axes onto his shoulders.
“Damn it!”
“What kind of bullshit Royal Knights are these?!”
“How dare they treat Lady Yumo like that?!”
“Are they looking to die?!”
Roaring furiously, the towering man prepared to charge straight at the Royal Knights and fight them to the death.
However—
Just as he was about to move, a pink-haired girl standing before him suddenly raised one hand to stop him.
The burly giant frowned unhappily at the little girl, who was nearly a full meter shorter than he was.
“Commander?!”
“Why are you stopping me?!”
“Calm down.”
“They can't hurt Lady Yumo.”
The little girl known as the commander—
Qiu Mingtong, commander of the Autumnfall Legion—
Answered calmly.
“I know!”
“Even if those bastards fired at full power for an entire year, they still wouldn't be able to hurt Lady Yumo!”
“But their attitude!”
“The way they're treating her!”
“It's unbearable!”
“We treasure Lady Yumo more than anything!”
“And yet those damn idiots actually dare treat her so disrespectfully?!”
“I know you're angry.”
“But you'll have to endure it.”
“Now isn't the time to act.”
As she spoke—
An indescribably chilling aura suddenly flowed from Qiu Mingtong's eyes, instantly silencing the giant.
Clearly...
When it came to anger—
Qiu Mingtong felt no less than he did.
In fact...
Perhaps even more.
Her pale golden eyes remained fixed on the distant golden legion, overflowing with murderous intent.
“For now...”
“We cannot openly turn against them.”
“Report everything that happened here to His Grace.”
“And await his next instructions.”
“Yes... Commander...”
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