Chapter 145: The Crimson-Eyed Scholar | The Pink-Haired Beauty
After that he gave a last look toward Osric, who understood the meaning and nodded.
"All Body Temper soldiers will not participate in the upcoming battle."
"Return to the territory at once."
Hearing Osric’s order, the surviving Body Temper soldiers breathed sighs of relief.
Since they had been stationed at the rear during the previous battle, most of them had survived.
Now, being ordered to withdraw instead of marching into another war filled them with gratitude.
Many couldn’t help but silently thank their commanders as they immediately turned and began the journey back to Blackstone Territory.
Even though some spies did feel a little uneasy, seeing Osric was leading them back, they shook their heads and followed him back.
Luke had done this because he intended to deal with every traitor who survived the war afterward.
"Luke." Aurielle, who had already cursed Luke thousands of times in her mind, came toward him with a worried expression.
Seeing her expression, Luke just smiled and said, "I will be back soon. So rest until then."
Aurielle nodded at his words.
However, the moment Luke added another sentence...
The blush that had only just faded from her face immediately returned.
"Because you won’t be getting any rest tonight."
Luke said with a playful smile before turning around and climbing onto one of the Warwalker Fortresses.
"W-What?!" Aurielle’s beautiful face instantly turned crimson.
Realizing what Luke had implied, she stood frozen in place, too embarrassed to say a single word.
Afterward, Luke turned his gaze toward the onlookers.
The moment his eyes swept across them, the crowd instinctively froze.
His gaze wasn’t hostile...
But it certainly wasn’t friendly either.
An invisible pressure settled over everyone, making even the nobles lower their heads.
Then...
Luke’s eyes landed on Sophia.
A faint smile appeared on his lips.
Seeing that smile, the surrounding nobles, merchants, and adventurers were stunned.
’Who is that woman...?’
’She actually earned Baron Luke’s recognition?’
’What is her relationship with him?’
Whispers immediately spread through the crowd.
Sophia also smiled back at Luke.
However, noticing hundreds of eyes suddenly focused on her, she felt slightly uncomfortable.
After a few moments, she gradually regained her composure.
Seeing this, Damien couldn’t help but rejoice inwardly.
’It seems Baron Luke doesn’t dislike Sophia.’
His merchant instincts immediately began working.
Countless opportunities for cooperation with Blackstone Territory flashed through his mind.
Luke then nodded and gave Nyra a gentle smile as well.
However...
The moment his gaze shifted toward Octavia...
A trace of displeasure flashed through his eyes.
If she had chosen to help the Blackstone Army during his absence...
Perhaps...
Aurora wouldn’t have suffered those injuries.
But a moment later, Luke quietly shook his head.
’I can’t depend on others.’
His hand slowly clenched into a fist.
’I have to become even stronger...’
’So that today’s incident...’
’Will never happen again.’
Nyra smiled when Luke looked at her, but then she noticed Luke’s face when his eyes turned to Octavia.
At that she became worried, because she also knew why Sir Luke was upset.
While Octavia shook her head without caring about his looks, because for her,
Her sister was the most important to her, which was why she had made that decision earlier.Which she didn’t have any regret.
"Let’s go Nyra, we have to go back home."
Octavia turned back, at which Nyra got stunned before she also shook her head and gave a last look to Luke, before following Octavia.
Many onlookers also chose to return, while some chose to follow the army in hope of seeing Luke’s battle with Viscount Aldaric.
Which they didn’t know, that he was already dead.
***
After settling everything, Luke personally led the army with all 99 remaining Warwalker Fortresses.
Fortunately, only one fortress had been damaged during the previous battle after being assaulted by the Golden Knights.
The other ninety-nine remained fully operational.
Following behind them were the "100 Peak Tide Keeper Realm Marinthains", along with the Bronze Knight archers and the rest of the Blackstone forces.
With the Warwalker Fortresses carrying the army at remarkable speed, what would normally have taken much longer was shortened considerably.
After traveling for nearly half a day...
Luke and his army finally arrived at "Windmarch Reach".
With that, the "99 Aether Devastation Beam Cannons" unleashed a simultaneous barrage, reducing the already damaged main gate to rubble.
BOOOOOOM!!!
The colossal gate exploded apart, clearing the way into Windmarch Reach.
Meanwhile, the "100 Peak Tide Keeper Realm Marinthains" charged through the breach, swiftly eliminating the remaining Silver Knights who attempted to resist.
Throughout the entire conquest, Luke never personally joined the battle.
Instead, he remained in command, directing the army from the rear while issuing orders with calm precision.
Without their Golden Knights and with their defenses already shattered, the city’s resistance quickly collapsed.
Just two hours later...
The Blackstone Army had taken complete control of Windmarch Reach’s main city.
As for the surrounding towns and smaller cities...
Those would require more time to fully occupy and bring under Blackstone’s rule.
***
While Luke’s conquest was going smoothly,
the tales of his deeds, which included killing a mid-golden knight with one punch, spread throughout the whole world in a single day.
Because after the hero summoning, most people were often ready or expected some achievements the hero would make.
Which had already occurred many times among the Ver Spring Month. Because the hero summoning didn’t occur at the same time.
Instead it began at the start of Ver Spring month, But Luke was summoned at the last date which was the 30th day of Ver Spring, 50,001 year of Dusk Era, and today counted as the first day of the new month, Flora.
But when they heard that the last summoned hero was talentless, everyone’s hopes shattered. Because according to the previous summoning, the last hero was always the strongest, which made Luke a failed Hero.
So when the news came that the same failed hero had reached an early bronze knight without any support, and came together with another news that he had also killed a mid-golden knight with a single punch,
Everyone became shocked, and all the guilds which spread news like the Echoes, the Whispers, The Word, the Gazeletter, the Crier, spread this information to every corner of the world immediately.
Didn’t matter the region, the races. Hell, even Demons received letters containing this information.
Because for them, the faster they spread this information, the more people would come to inquire for more information from them.
Which means more money...
***
Empyrean Academy...
Inside a luxurious room, lavishly decorated with pink flowers and brightly illuminated by elegant lamps,
A beautiful woman with silky pink hair sat gracefully at a study table, writing in a notebook with a quill.
Her beauty was nothing short of heavenly, as though even the gods had taken extra care in creating her.
Her crimson-red eyes remained fixed on the notebook before her, which was filled with intricate magic formulas, runic diagrams, and countless mystical symbols.
KNOCK.
A gentle knock echoed from the door.
However, she gave no response.
Her entire focus remained on deciphering the complex magic symbol before her.
Only when the person outside finally spoke did her concentration waver.
"Miss Selene Nightveil."