In the Cape Kingdom’s Royal Capital, while the entire nation was celebrating and everyone was immersed in a dream of peace, the Demon Clan had already taken control of the territory north of the Snow Break Territory, handing over the important mineral and resource area of the Northern Border to the Demon Clan without any resistance.
Countless refugees surged towards the Snow Break Territory, hoping to return to human lands, but Duke Lars, stationed there, turned a blind eye to these refugees.
Although the border occasionally opened, it was either for those who had money or for demons to let their people in.
“Open the city gates, but remember to let the priests from the Church set up purification barriers. Knights, keep a close watch, and do not allow anyone to come into contact with this batch of refugees!”
As Duke Lars issued his orders, the gates of the Snow Break Territory slowly opened. A group of nuns in tattered habits led even more scantily clad refugees into the city.
Inside the city, a cloth was laid down as a path out of the city, and all who entered were only allowed to walk on this cloth.
If any refugee attempted to step off the cloth, they would be instantly eliminated by the knights, who were watching closely.
Surrounding the cloth, several priests were casting purification barriers to prevent any strange bacteria or curses from entering the city.
Many priests didn’t quite understand the significance of these orders. In fact, when they saw the lead nun wearing a habit marked with the emblem of the Cathedral of the Blessed Mother of Relief, they even thought about calling out an invocation.
After all, the Cathedral of the Blessed Mother of Relief was the most influential church in the Northern Border, and the nuns there were known throughout the kingdom for their loyalty.
However, when that priest clearly saw the face of the lead nun, he unconsciously stepped back and increased the power of the purification barrier he was operating.
The lead nun’s face was covered with foul, oozing sores, and even green fluid flowed from several ruptured sores. Her tattered habit could not conceal the numerous scars on her body, many of which still bore unhealed bruises and various cursed marks.
It was evident that this nun had undergone inhumane abuse. Just by looking at the number of cursed marks on her body, the priests thought it was unbelievable that this nun was still alive.
“Flora! It’s the Scarlet Saintess Flora!”
One priest seemed to recognize the lead red-haired nun and shouted in shock.
All the priests and knights turned their gazes, looking at the nun referred to as Flora.
Some expressed pity, some lamented, and some were confused.
With her influence as the Scarlet Nun, she should have been treated as a guest of honor wherever she went. People who had received help from the Scarlet Saintess could line up from the academy in the Royal Capital to the city gates.
Even the title of ‘Saintess’ was only a spontaneous title from the people, while the Church had already prepared an official title, waiting for Flora to return to the Royal Capital to be officially recognized as the Saintess by the Church.
But Flora chose to stay at the Cathedral of the Blessed Mother of Relief in the Northern Border to help and heal the people there before she was officially awarded the title by the Church.
And now, facing Flora, who was covered in sores and curses, everyone unconsciously took a step back, fearing being infected by her disease and curses.
The priests took a closer look and realized that everyone in this group of refugees seemed to be infected with some unidentifiable disease and curses, especially the nuns, who were nearly at a level that was too painful to behold.
No wonder Duke Lars was so serious about this entry; this was almost an army of walking disease.
The lead Scarlet Saintess saw that she had been recognized and could not help but want to cover her face with her nun’s veil, only to find that her tattered veil could not hide her sores at all.
“Lady Flora, how did it come to this?”
One of the Church’s priests asked his colleague while trying to operate the purification barrier to its fullest strength.
“I heard that she was infected with a plague and curses by the Demon Clan. It’s not the first time; I’ve seen quite a few escapees before, but I’ve never seen someone like Lady Flora with so many curses.”
“But surely holy water should be able to cure it, right? To save Lady Flora, the Church would surely be willing to use holy water, wouldn’t they?”
Clearly, the priest who said this still held hope, but his colleague replied, “Holy water isn’t just cow milk, considering Lady Flora’s condition, it might take a long time to wash her with holy water. Does the Church really have that much holy water left? And besides…”
His colleague spoke mysteriously to the priest, “Because Lady Flora has always been at the Cathedral of the Blessed Mother of Relief resisting the Demon Clan, the lords of the Royal Capital have already condemned her as a sinner disrupting peace. Not only will they not use holy water to heal her, but I’ve also heard that her title of Saintess has been revoked.”
“How can this be?!”
The priest’s brows were furrowing so tightly they could crush a fly, but his colleague continued, “If you ask me, this Flora isn’t a good person; otherwise, why wouldn’t she commit suicide? She’s bringing curses and plagues; she’s probably already allied with the Demon Clan, coming here just to spread the plague!”
A nun walking on the cloth overheard the whispers between the two priests and angrily retorted in a hoarse voice, “What do you know? Do you know what the Demon Clan uses to blackmail us? If it weren’t for Lady Flora, who knows how many people would be dying outside!”
At that moment, a demon cavalryman accompanying the group of refugees directly shot a wind blade at the nun’s back, shattering her back and splattering yellow-green fluid onto the cloth.
“Exactly, so what? You lowly beings should be grateful that the Demon King let you keep your worthless lives.”
The green-skinned demon on horseback did not deny it and looked at the priests with a cruel gaze.
Flora helped the nun who had fallen to the ground, lifting her as if she were an emotionless machine.
“I’m sorry, Lady Flora.”
Tears welled up in the corners of the nun’s eyes; she wanted to die immediately, but under the gaze of the demon cavalrymen, she couldn’t even commit suicide.
They could only comply with the demands of the Demon Clan and drift through the Northern Border as a group, always monitored by the granted demon cavalrymen behind them, who were even permitted to receive supplies from the lords of the Northern Border.
When did this world become so magical? A group of demon cavalrymen could freely spread disease within the enemy’s territory and still receive supplies?
“It’s okay, let’s go.”
Flora’s eyes had long lost their luster, and she didn’t even know the meaning of survival anymore; the goddess had long abandoned her devout followers.
Currently, Flora could only lead this infected group towards the sparsely populated western Northern Border, hoping that those who succumbed to the curses and plagues would die on the way, minimizing the number of people affected.
“I hope Isha and the others are okay.”
Flora prayed devoutly in her heart, even though she thought the goddess would no longer respond to her prayers, just like her increasingly faint Holy Light, but she still habitually wished for Isha, who had fled with part of the refugees, to survive safely.
