Chapter: 43. Division of Labor
The twin moons hung high, racing across the wild and desolate roads.
By all accounts, rebellion should be shrouded in gloomy tension, but there are always exceptions.
If there is a silver-haired bundle nonchalantly munching on a donut in this carriage, it is hard to feel any anxiety.
Thanks to this, when Princess Belis explained the upcoming plans, she did so in an unexpectedly relaxed state.
— The troops would split in two.
First, Xue Fei should prioritize reaching the Second Legion’s base in the Ice Fields of the Northern Region of the Demon Territory to rendezvous with the Second Legion.
The Second Legion is currently leaderless; although they are about to reach the battlefield, they are completely clueless about what to do, more eager to meet their “idol” than to fight.
This idol is, of course, Xue Fei — the core capable of mobilizing the Second Legion to act.
This is the first route.
The second route involves sending people to the Border Fortress Lide Qidu simultaneously to rescue Ailer.
The reasons behind the Third Legion’s betrayal are still unclear, but no matter which legion, they are vital forces of the Demon Territory. It is possible they were merely deceived and not genuinely rebellious. If an uninformed battle ensues, it would only provide a joke for outsiders.
Thus, avoiding annihilation means not easily deploying great magic to cleanse them; therefore, during the understanding of the situation, the presence of Ailer, the former commander of the Third Legion, and the information she provides are indispensable.
Moreover, should any incident occur, as a Six-Winged Demon, she is also an important combat force. Rescuing her is just as crucial as mobilizing the Second Legion to restrain the Third Legion.
As for Ailer’s safety…
As Xue Fei said, the priority for that is the lowest.
That person can survive being cut in half; it’s not a big deal.
The arrangements have been explained.
However, at the moment Belis finished speaking, the atmosphere in the carriage suddenly became unusually quiet.
It wasn’t that everyone didn’t understand.
Rather, after understanding, a question naturally arose in their hearts.
But this question, due to individual gains and losses, everyone hesitated to ask, leading to the silence.
No worries.
An idiot will speak up.
Silver-haired Xialet slowly raised her left hand, shoulder pressed closely against Xue Fei’s, as if preemptively claiming a spot for herself.
“Um… I don’t know if it’s appropriate to ask this, I understood the arrangements, but… how specifically will the division of troops be made? Xue Fei is going to the Northern Region for sure; so who will go with her? Uh… why are you looking at me like that? Did I say something wrong? Isn’t this something we need to decide on?”
Belis gave Xial a look of disdain and speechlessness.
That gaze resembled one seeing a bizarre species.
Sigh… How could the Queen Sister like such a dullard? This kind of matter, which requires adapting and seizing the moment, she just straightforwardly blurted out!
But, it’s good she said it.
Indeed, there must be a conclusion sooner or later; dragging this out won’t solve the problem.
To put it simply, the only contender for the spot to go to the Northern Region with the Queen Sister is Xialet; at least the Fire Dragon Clan and the Human Princess across from them would definitely not…
“Ahem…! I can reluctantly go with Xue Fei? Didn’t you say this matter might be related to high-level races? I used to be part of the Fire Dragon Clan; if it’s the good work of another high-level race, they wouldn’t recognize me. Seeing my wings, maybe they would give me some face; although I don’t know if I have any face…”
“Miss Timani is right.” Livra stated confidently, “High-level races might give her some face, while I have no face, I am fully aware of the status of the Aulus Kingdom. However, I would like to go along to gain some experience; in case the Aulus Kingdom meets its end someday, I could help my father and mother find a way to survive.”
Hey…
That princess over there, making comments that could easily lead to losing her head! Have some respect for your motherland!
Xialet did not understand why they suddenly began chattering; wanting to put the fish into her pocket but finding it impossible, she had to lift it up again, bouncing to the center of the carriage in a running pose.
“Lord Xue Fei, they are indeed strange; let’s ignore them and go.”
“You can’t go either.”
“What?! Just because we have fish doesn’t mean we can’t?!”
“You can have fish, but… it’s not about the fish!”
What does it mean to have a bad start?
At the first major decision, the progress has already suffered a setback; it’s hard to imagine how everyone will cooperate in the future.
This time, Xue Fei timidly raised her hand, proposing her suggestion.
“Um… actually, I can also go to the Northern Region by myself…?”
“Xue Fei…” Xial, this big fool, revealed a rare tiny-watching-a-smaller-fool look, “You can’t say that… Why take action alone?”
“It’s like this; perhaps the Queen Sister hasn’t fully woken up and is saying some nonsense.”
I didn’t! If you all argue like this, then acting alone would clearly be redemption for me!
Everyone has their reasons.
The matter of rescuing Ailer feels like a hot potato no one wants to handle.
Auntie, you’ve reached your limit.
In reality, everyone does not want to save Ailer; they merely want to follow Xue Fei to the Northern Region.
What has put Auntie in such a predicament is our Xue Fei!
This messy situation is entirely within Belis’s expectations.
“Eh…”
“I really still think…!”
“Princess of Aulus, I advise you to stop talking, keep quiet, or else… I might just kill you?”
“I promise I will be quiet. Silence is golden, I won’t say a word.”
Oh no, Princess Belis sighed; I’ll directly become mute.
This time, the silence in the carriage was no longer about hidden strife but about everyone waiting for Belis to provide a convincing task distribution result.
After all, this is in the Demon Territory, and concerning Xue Fei, the one with the most say is naturally Xue Fei’s sister.
Xue Fei: What about me? Where’s my say?
Belis crossed her arms over her chest, narrowed her eyes, and slowly shook her head, often mixing sighs into her speech.
Whether she was sighing over the unknowns of this operation or sighing over their antics, only she herself could know.
“This whole afternoon, Mother has been trying to talk to me.”
“So that’s why you weren’t around this afternoon; you were chatting with Mother?”
“Yeah, the topic wasn’t very light, so we talked for quite a while, Queen Sister.”
Belis patted her thigh while glancing at Xue Fei beside her.
At first, Xue Fei didn’t understand her meaning, but this action was so obvious that it was hard to miss her intention.
This half-grown little girl actually has such ambition…!
This hint means she wants Xue Fei to sit on her lap and listen.
Understanding the implication of her action, Xue Fei couldn’t help but chuckle.
Pfft… What do you take me for? A little one?
That’s hilarious.
Hmpf, not sitting down is the last dignity of the silver-haired bundle.
No worries.
Belis directly shifted her body.
Under Xial’s increasingly shocked gaze, she elegantly sat down on Xue Fei’s slender thighs, her black skirt lifting gracefully.
“Ahh…! Are you trying to crush me? You rebellious sister!”
“I already gave the Queen Sister a chance… If you don’t sit here, then I have to take action, right? Besides, I’m not that heavy, right? Well… but recently I’ve been trying to eat more sweets so the Queen Sister has a better feel; after all, I’m too thin.”
“Who asked you?! Uh… sweets? Share some with me?”
Feel?
Timani and Livra didn’t quite understand; what is she saying about feeling?
While saying all this, Belis’s peripheral vision casually glanced towards Xial through a thin layer of silver hair.
Taking action signified her intention.
— Let me make it clear, I won’t let you have this matter.
Moreover…
This is not unreasonable.
“Hero.” Belis’s gaze was desolate, not warmer than the freezing cold outside the carriage, “I ask you, when you reach the Northern Region, if it’s determined that the Third Legion is not deceived but a bunch of hopeless cases, what will you do?”
“What do you mean…?”
“I mean, if a massacre is needed, can you guarantee that you won’t need the Queen Sister to take action, nor need her to comfort you afterwards, right?”
“……”
Silence.
In an instant of silence from Xialet, Belis had already confirmed the expected reply.
Another sigh, but this one deeper and more serious than the previous ones.
“Eh… So, perhaps accompanying the Queen Sister to see flowers and fish is fine, but accompanying her to the battlefield isn’t suitable for you.”
Although you are a hero, as the trump card of the Aulus Kingdom, you are too infrequently on the battlefield.
To put it plainly.
You’re just a “hero raised in a castle.”
Facing a sea of blood and corpses, you might not be calm at all.
If you yourself cannot control your emotions, then how will you ensure the Queen Sister’s peace of mind?
Xial’s thoughts tend to be sharp when they need to be, often not dull at all.
The more she understood Belis’s words, even if she wanted to refute and argue, upon seeing Xue Fei, who was struggling to save her legs, and that “fragile” back, Xial could only feel pity.
Some words sound harsh, but that is the truth.
Some things, Xial had heard the Queen Mother mention before.
Xue Fei carries a shadow in her heart that has not been erased with time.
Due to her excessive strength, unable to control the life it takes, there was a cherished pet that exploded and died in her arms, leaving her unable to let go.
Tears could dry, but the shaking of the soul is an ever-flowing river; as long as thoughts persist, even when forcing a smile, she could not find the arc at the corner of her mouth.
The title of the “Calamity Witch,” scaring the enemy in a grand yet minimally harmful way, is not easy to achieve.
Returning to the battlefield, Xue Fei jokes along the way, probably just trying to ensure everyone feels at ease…?
Xial could certainly act tough and say she could destroy the enemy for Xue Fei, without needing Xue Fei’s hands to stain with any blood.
But even if she really did it, could she guarantee that her emotions would remain stable at that time?
If I returned to Xue Fei covered in blood…
Would she still think of me as a good sister?
This is not the point…
The point is, Xial lacks absolute confidence that she wouldn’t need Xue Fei’s comfort.
If that’s the case, then how much help could she offer by following Xue Fei?
These are the deeper meanings behind Belis’s inquiries.
Hero, you can accompany the Queen Sister to see flowers and the sea because those things don’t interest me, but you can, and the Queen Sister likes them, essential.
What I must do is wield the dark blade, bearing the utmost cold, to clear the thorny paths, wash away the sea of blood, and protect what she sees, ensuring it is always vibrant and flourishing.
No one is greater than the other.
It’s merely a different allocation of labor.
To allow her to smile more genuinely, no longer secretly shedding tears.
Having understood all of this.
Xial had no words.
Her nod was an acknowledgment of Belis’s decision and an acknowledgment of Belis’s awakening.
“Hmm, I understand. I will take Miss Timani and Princess Livra to execute the mission to rescue the Princess. Sister Belis, this time you need to take good care of Xue Fei; don’t let your guard down.”
“No need for you to say that.”
Hmm?
Xue Fei blinked, noticing that the atmosphere had suddenly become harmonious!
Have you made a decision?
Then, Belis, you should stand up first; stop chatting there.
My legs… I’m starting to feel numb!
