Appearances matter a great deal.
Even Leilin, when he killed Kaslai, had to find a fig leaf for the occasion — and the great nobles were far more particular about such things.
Amid the racial conflict, the human kingdoms shouted their slogans loud and clear and even dispatched so-called grand armies to aid the humans of the Northlands.
Yet even the most aggressive forces had only pushed the front line to the vicinity of
And now, a lone Paladin heading into the Northlands carried a sense of tragic grandeur.
Leilin did not dwell on such sentiments for long. Before long, the cavalry from Yorkshire brought the city's terms.
Leilin and the other nobles could enter the city, but their armies had to stay outside! That was the bottom line!
Leilin merely shrugged his shoulders and calmly accepted.
The massive influx of Northern nobles had driven prices in Yorkshire up several times over — to the point where even the nobles themselves were clutching their chests in anguish.
Of course, being a man of real power still had its advantages. The Marquis had arranged for Leilin to stay in a luxurious villa, with every amenity provided free of charge.
Shortly after, Leilin met the legendary Marquis Lansnete.
"Baron Leilin! I have long wished to meet the rare
Lansnete had a head of silver curls and the distinguished bearing of an elderly gentleman. Upon meeting Leilin, the wrinkles on his forehead smoothed out with his smile.
It was clear that before this meeting, he had conducted a thorough investigation of Leilin.
"To receive the Marquis's hospitality in these dire times, with the Northlands having fallen — I am truly grateful!"
Leilin's composure greatly surprised the Marquis. Most prodigies carried a certain arrogance about them, but Lansnete could see none of that in Leilin.
Moreover, Leilin lacked the stiffness and detachment typical of Wizards. Instead, he exuded a scholar's temperament so strong it even surpassed several of the master-level figures the Marquis had personally recruited at great expense.
Lansnete poured Leilin a glass of deep crimson wine, a touch of sorrow on his face.
"Before our formal discussion today, I wish to inform you of something first — regarding the North..."
"Silver Moon City has already fallen?" Leilin's gaze flickered, and he said evenly.
Lansnete's hand froze for an instant, causing the arc of wine to hesitate in mid-pour before he calmly settled into his seat across from Leilin. His eyes held a deep, somber color. "It seems the Baron has his own sources... That's right. Yesterday, Silver Moon City fell..."
...
One day earlier. The Northlands. Silver Moon City.
As Silver Moon City's chief administrator — effectively serving as prime minister — Scholar Bulen gazed at Ailastruo with deep concern.
A weariness hung on her face, her delicate brows furrowed in a way that was almost heartbreaking to witness.
Disregarding her actual age and judging solely by her demeanor and appearance, entrusting the fate of an entire city and federation to a young girl seemed almost cruel.
Scholar Bulen thought quietly to himself.
While Ailastruo possessed an excellent reputation and personal charisma, she was not a qualified leader, and the pressure of war was nearly crushing her completely.
"No! The Mother Goddess still hasn't given me any response!"
Ailastruo appeared to have finished her meditation, the creases on her forehead deepening further.
The Goddess of the
"Not just the other gods — even the great Goddess of the Weave has abandoned us?"
Even though Bulen himself was a [Legendary]-rank Wizard of tremendous power, seeing this scene sent a chill through his heart.
"ROAR!"
The distant roar of beasts echoed into the palace once more, causing Ailastruo's expression to change.
"They've started again!" Scholar Bulen sighed.
A teleportation gate opened, and moments later both Ailastruo and Bulen stood atop the city walls.
"Long live the Queen! Long live the Queen!!"
The moment the defenders saw Ailastruo appear on the walls, morale surged. Hope blazed in the eyes of countless soldiers.
Over these past few days, Ailastruo had demonstrated the immense power she wielded as the Goddess's chosen — High Legendary strength that only the opposing Orc Emperor Saladin could hope to match.
"But as a leader, the Queen's duty is not to be here — battling their high-ranking professionals is something our own battle Wizards should be doing!"
Scholar Bulen sighed inwardly.
For all her personal charisma and strength, this young queen was clearly still too green.
Bulen gazed down at the Orc formations below — the massive siege engines, the terrifying Behemoths — and his worry deepened.
Even with the aid of various alchemical devices and a host of [Master Wizards] and [Legendary Wizards] holding the line, they were still at a disadvantage.
"There simply aren't enough hands... Very few within the Silver Moon Alliance have actually committed their forces. Not a single messenger has brought back reinforcements, and even among the original City Guard, fewer than half have followed orders and returned to defend the crown..."
After some thought, Scholar Bulen finally made his proposal: "Your Highness, at a time like this, please reconsider my earlier suggestion!"
"I will not! Abandoning my people — I could never do that before, and even less so now!"
Ailastruo cut off Scholar Bulen's speech with resolute determination.
"Look!"
She pointed sharply downward. "There are still so many of my people, so many who trust me here — how could I possibly abandon them and leave?"
Her face flushed red, and a surge of powerful aura erupted from her body.
At the edge of the crowd, Lafinia quietly watched Ailastruo.
Then terrifying waves of energy swept outward, golden light washing over everything, filling her body with a warm, radiant sensation.
"Is this divine grace? No — this is... a large-scale enhancement spell!!!"
Lafinia's face flushed crimson. She felt as though she had the power to slay dragons surging within her.
"We shall prevail!"
Ailastruo's small face had gone deathly pale. Even with the giant magical formation beneath the walls supporting her, this large-scale buff spell was an immense burden — she had even burned a sliver of her own divinity to sustain it. Yet she showed no sign of weakness, instead shouting with all her might, her young voice echoing across the battlefield.
"Prevail!" "Prevail!" "Prevail!"
The soldiers roared in response.
Lafinia was moved to tears, crystal droplets glistening in her eyes as she looked around at the fellow Paladins whose faces were flushed with unwavering determination. She felt that she had truly found the right path.
"This is the righteous cause! Fighting for the welfare and happiness of all!"
Lafinia clenched her fists. "That Leilin... one day he will surely realize his mistakes and regret them!!!"
"ROAR!"
At that moment, Orc Emperor Saladin stepped to the front of his battle line.
"A large-scale enhancement spell, is it?"
Saladin's eyes were utterly devoid of expression. The attendants and Orc clan chiefs beside him all bowed their heads respectfully, not daring to make a single move.
"Everything is prepared, my lord. Your power may descend at any moment!"
Several high-ranking priests and shamans approached and reported.
"Excellent!"
Saladin took a thunderous step forward!
BOOM! The very ground seemed to shake. A terrifying aura exploded from his body!
CRACK! CRACK!
Saladin's body swelled in an instant, growing into a small giant over five meters tall — and still growing. His clothes, his armor, everything shattered as his form skyrocketed in size.
Legendary Spell — [Avatar of the War God]!!!
By the end, Saladin had become a terrifying giant over fifty meters tall. The only thing still in his grasp was the equally enlarged divine artifact — [The Hammer of Thunder]!
"Thunder Strike!"
Even Lafinia could hear Saladin's voice with perfect clarity. The monstrous sound was so overwhelming it made her eardrums tremble and sting.
Then violent lightning filled the entire sky in an instant, tearing through the dark clouds and converging upon Saladin's warhammer.
BOOM!
The lightning from the heavens seemed to transform into a monstrous dragon, unleashing its ultimate fury upon Silver Moon City!
Purple light! A purple radiance reminiscent of the birth of the world surged outward. The city gates, everything — all of it slowly dissolved beneath that purple glow...
...
"And just like that, the Orc Emperor Saladin brazenly violated the Continental Accord, unleashing a terrifying Legendary spell amplified by a divine artifact, and took Silver Moon City in a single blow!"
Marquis Lansnete recounted this calmly, though he took a long, hard gulp of his wine. It seemed the power of legend had greatly frightened him.
Leilin listened in silence. Though he already knew the outcome, the specifics remained unclear. "Then... where is Her Highness Ailastruo now?"
Seeing that Leilin had immediately grasped the crucial question, a look of appreciation appeared in the Marquis's eyes.
"She is reportedly missing, but there is a strong likelihood she survived. After all, the vitality of one possessing divinity is truly fearsome..."
With Ailastruo's strength, if she truly wished to hide, very few would be able to find her.
But having suffered such a devastating defeat, knowing her temperament, she would either collapse entirely or require a very long time to rally again.
"Leilin, I am hosting a banquet here the day after tomorrow. I hope you will attend!"
In the end, Marquis Lansnete's words carried a pointed undertone.