Chapter: 1. Defeated?
“It’s already over… Demon Princess, Xue Fei · Halde. This war was destined for your defeat.”
“Ugh… damn Hero… is this really where it ends…?”
A petite and stunning six-winged silver-haired girl in a pitch-black Gothic dress knelt on the ground, blood spilling from her mouth.
The scene was heartbreaking and tragic, filled with unwillingness and helplessness.
— The silver-haired girl quickly pressed down on the well-prepared ketchup packet under her palm, furrowing her brows, determined to carry on her tragic role to the end.
Raising her head revealed a cold light, sharp enough to sever all things in the world, like the edge of a sword.
The light breeze, heavy with the scent of blood from the battlefield, blew back the brilliant golden hair of the sword-wielder, yet it could not shake her stance at all.
Beneath her golden locks reflected determined azure eyes, elegant and noble, carrying an impeccable exquisite visage.
It was hard to imagine that this seemingly fragile figure, clad in armor, gripping the hilt of the sword designated as the Holy Sword, would steadily aim it at the Demon Race’s proud and historically strongest princess.
In that moment… it also signified the hope of a brief ceasefire in the decades-long war between the Human Race and the Demon Race.
The point of the sword was but a slight tilt from severing the head of the Demon Princess.
Yet the golden Holy Sword… hesitated to advance even a fraction.
On both sides of the battlefield, the previously bloodthirsty armies held their breath, their eyes filled with fury directed towards the center of the battlefield.
The long-suppressed scene suddenly fell into a brief shared silence.
But this was merely the eerie calm before the storm…
Just a moment later, the two sides on the battlefield erupted with a heart-wrenching surge of hatred!
“Hero! Please swing your sword! Do not show mercy! Strike down the thorns for the future of the Human Race!!”
“Princess Xue Fei, please pull yourself together! Despicable Hero, do not swing your sword! We are willing to die for the Princess! Hero! Despicable Human Race, vile humans! You all deserve to die! Die!!”
The cries shook the heavens, nearly shattering the mountains and overturning lakes.
The Human Race’s side dared not advance, fully aware that they would only drag the Hero down; no one wanted to be the historical sinner that delayed the slaying of the Witch.
The Demon Race side was equally cautious; their eagerness to save the Princess clashed with the fear of whether their recklessness would be the last straw that urged the Holy Sword to strike.
They were shouting like the heavens were collapsing.
Meanwhile, the atmosphere at the center of the battlefield for the two figures…
Was strangely stiff.
The kneeling Demon Princess, Xue Fei, blinked her large, lively purple eyes, shrugging her left shoulder, making the Holy Sword resting on it hum as if madly hinting.
But when she looked up and saw the Hero Xialet’s similarly confused expression…
She could only quietly remind her!
“Hey… Xiya? Why are you in a daze? Quickly knock my head! Didn’t we plan this out beforehand!”
“But… Xue, if I really knock you… you’ll be in a lot of pain.”
“Tsk, look at you, losing your nerve at a critical moment, what pain? If it’s really pain, do you think I would let you knock me? I’m not stupid; I’ve been casting the 【Barrier Magic】 all this time, with three layers of great shields! Just follow my plan. Knock me, I’ll act faint, you’ll treat me as a captive and take me to your country, where I can enjoy life!”
“Well… that’s true… but Xue, you have to consider my feelings… Asking me to knock your head, wasn’t that a last-minute decision…? It’s definitely going to leave a psychological shadow for a lifetime! I’m very heartbroken, you know that… I just can’t do it! How about… we change the plan to you hitting me instead?”
“Not gonna happen! Are you enjoying the luxury or am I?! Look at you getting all flustered!”
“Ugh… what should we do? They’re all so noisy…”
“Ahhhh, I’m really at my wit’s end with you, stupid Hero! Temporary pain is for greater happiness; do you understand?! Forget it… if you won’t act, then I’ll do it myself!”
“Xue…?!”
Xue Fei’s silver hair flowed like a galaxy.
And then, she slammed her head against the back of the Holy Sword.
The 【Barrier Magic】 clashed with the Holy Sword’s demonic suppression light, producing an ominous explosive sound.
Before the collision, the usually invincible Demon King’s daughter had shown a “deep reluctance” expression.
And loudly said one sentence.
“Despicable Human Hero… actually uses gravity magic on the Holy Sword…! Damn it, today I have lost… but in the future…! Ugh..!!”
Boom~~~
Is it beautiful?
Beautiful means it’s a good sword, a beautiful sound also means it’s a good head.
Xue Fei slumped on the ground, gradually losing her movements.
At the moment she fell, the six black wings behind her, representing demonic power, transformed into sinister black starlight, slowly vanishing.
Only when Xue Fei collapsed, did she manage to keep the ketchup packet steady, specifically blowing away a bug on the ground… something that everyone else did not see.
The sudden change.
Left both sides of the battlefield momentarily stunned.
And in an instant…
— Joy and sorrow intertwined!
The Human side embraced and wept, raising their arms in cheer, morale skyrocketing!
The Demon side was grieving heavily, each gathering their magic power beams, ready to make one last charge at the Human Aulus Kingdom troops, determined to rescue their Princess at all costs!
None of this affected the two people at the center of the battlefield.
Xialet was startled by Xue Fei’s remarkable acting skills.
She hurriedly sheathed her sword and squatted down to check Xue Fei’s condition.
Finding the silver-haired girl still signaling her wildly with her eyes, the Hero finally let out a long sigh of relief…
You can’t be serious right now!!
Didn’t you see both sides are about to fight again?!
This silly Hero… Xue Fei collapsed on the ground without peace of mind.
She pressed her face against the ground to remind her again.
“Stupid Xiya, quickly say your lines… your lines! Say the lines I taught you!”
“Ah… sorry!”
At the critical moment, Xialet could actually be quite reliable.
One of the strongest of the Human Race, the chosen Hero Xialet straightened her posture, gripping the Holy Sword.
— She raised it high, pointing directly at the sky.
The dazzling golden Human national treasure, the Holy Sword 【Siletra】 emitted a terrifying aura of slaughter along with a balanced radiance of protection.
Even without truly demonstrating its might, it already deterred every violent thought that sought to take life on this battlefield.
Before absolute power, all hatred felt fear, and all confrontations seemed trivial.
With some magical enhancement, Hero Xialet’s voice resounded throughout the battlefield.
“The Demon Princess, Xue Fei · Halde has been defeated by me; the Demon Army, retreat swiftly! Continuing to fight is meaningless.”
“In exchange for the Demon Army retreating to the Demon Territory, I swear by the Holy Sword’s authority that I will not kill the Demon Princess. From now on, she will be my captive, imprisoned in our capital, reflecting on her crimes committed to this day.”
“Conversely… to all my Human compatriots, this is not mercy, it is a warning to the Demon Race; never again invade Human territory! They will soon understand that anyone who violates this will share the same fate as the Demon Princess!”
An impeccable statement.
Humans could not refute it—though they might prefer to slay the Demon Princess here to eliminate future threats.
They understood the Hero’s words carried significant weight; whether her judgment aligned more with Human interests was beyond the capacity of ordinary soldiers.
The Demon Race understood this even more… The implication of the Hero’s words was that if they did not retreat, it equated to refusal.
If that were the case, the Hero would slay the Princess on the spot.
Even if they were unwilling… what could they do?
Thus.
It seemed the commander of a division of the Demon Army, a Demon warrior with four black wings, held back tears, sorrowful, and signaled with his hand to the main army behind him.
The direction of his hand motion was toward the return route to the Demon Territory.
“Back…! All retreat! Prioritize Her Highness’s safety! I repeat, prioritize Her Highness’s safety! Retreat!!!”
The word “retreat” echoed through the heavens.
Just like how the Demon Army first stepped onto Human territory with a resounding “attack.”
The vast Demon Army, amidst the cursing from the Humans, gradually retreated like a black tide.
As if no clouds were blocking the sun anymore.
Bathed in sunlight, the Human army dropped their swords and shields to the ground.
Some had even begun to kneel, covering their faces and weeping.
“Won… won?”
“The Demon Race… really retreated? I survived…?”
“Hero! All thanks to the wisdom of the Hero! Long live the Hero!”
“Thank you, Hero! Thank you, Hero! Ah… I can go home alive… I can go home!”
“Unbelievable…”
The land, battered by magic and the Magic Crystal Cannon, had long been left in ruins.
The Hero stood upon it, turning the tide.
Surely, this is a scene any heroic epic would praise…
Not to mention, the Hero is just a stunning young girl who turned twenty this year.
Amidst the cheers of the Human army, Xialet helped the fallen Xue Fei to her feet.
The proud Demon Princess, at this moment, had “awakened” and was escorted by Xialet towards the edge of the battlefield to the Hero’s carriage.
She was now to be taken as a captive back to the Human gathering kingdom, the capital of Aulus Kingdom.
Even as the victor, thousands of Human soldiers instinctively made way as the Hero and the Demon Princess passed through.
Not even the gazes of hatred dared linger too long.
Anyone could remember the terror of the Demon Princess, who could summon natural disasters with a mere wave of her hand…
A dead camel is larger than a horse; no one wanted to seek death in their moment of triumph.
— Even if the Hero had already adorned the Demon Princess’s wrist with the country’s secret treasure, the “Magic Binding.”
Xue Fei gazed at the brilliantly golden carriage from a distance, trembling the bracelet behind her.
Though she continued to maintain a serious expression, only Xialet could hear her voice, which was playfully cute.
“Ah? Full set of acting, even wearing the Magic Binding? Not bad, Xiya, you’ve improved~”
“It’s fake.”
“Eh?”
“This bracelet must be fake… what do you think, do you really think I would give you a real binding artifact?”
“Ugh… I thought it felt like it had no effect… Uh, Xiya, are you angry?”
“What do you think.”
Sigh…
Xialet no longer knew what to say.
Xue… though I understand your intentions and the pressure you were under before with the Demon Race.
But… making me personally play this captive act with you is quite brutal for me.
On the surface, she was escorting Xue Fei by her wrist; in reality, Xialet gently tapped her fingers in her palm.
A faint blush began to rise on her face…
Xue Fei… no matter what, once we return to the capital, you’ve got to properly compensate me for this.
This is called compensation for emotional distress, you understand!?
The poor Xue Fei, oblivious to the thoughts of the girl behind her, was indulging in fantasies of her future freedom!
The carriage exclusive to the Hero was already in sight.
The mist had cleared.
The road leading to the capital gradually emerged in the dawn following the deep night, toward the same direction as the rising sun.
At the back of the carriage, which the battlefield crowd could not see.
Xialet personally opened the luxurious golden side door for the “captive” Demon Princess Xue Fei.
In a rather solemn gesture, she made a “please” motion.
“Let’s go, Xue, we… should go home now.”
These words were as light as snow.
Yet, they were as heavy as a mountain.
Upon hearing this, Xue Fei’s petite body seemed to be lightly swayed by the breeze, trembling slightly as she slowly lowered her head.
The fragmented silver bangs obscured her eyes, making it impossible to see her current expression…
But when she suddenly looked up.
— She just happened to meet the golden rays streaming down from the rising sun, her smile radiant enough to overshadow the sunlight, sparkling like snow-capped mountains.
And amidst her unchanged lively voice… there was a warmth that hadn’t been there before.
“Going home… that word sounds quite exciting, doesn’t it?”
“Don’t like it?”
“No, it’s just that I suddenly feel it’s not easy to come by… Ah forget it! Let’s talk on the way, let’s go, Xiya, home, home!”
“Okay!”
