Princess's Struggle for Survival

"How is it, Commander Kales?"

"Thanks to Miss Lyra’s understanding and support, the conscription has gone quite smoothly these past few days. The Light Knights from the surrounding towns heard of our creed and have all chosen to join the Knight order."

Inside the Holy Radiant City, Kales faced the Holy Light knight walking toward him in measured steps, silver-white light armor on her body, pink hair, blue eyes, and spoke in a low voice.

"Then it seems there are quite a few believers within the Church who had objections to the Pope’s decision from the start."

Bearing a holy relic of Light and possessing the talent to save the world and deliver the people, Lyra Beckett perfectly matched the savior described in the canons. Even popes of past generations would hold no advantage in public opinion against a chosen maiden of destiny with such outrageous affinity for the Light element.

Those Light believers who had doubted the Pope’s edicts before had only powered a suitable spark, an upright banner they could rally under. Lyra’s appearance, along with the Church Knight Order’s independence, filled that void and gave them legal justification.

What was more... the expeditionary army’s moves did not seem unprepared...

The Church Knight Order had only just reassembled its faith and announced independence to the outside world; the Pope of Light’s orders had only just been issued and carried forth, yet bishops across other regions immediately rose in revolt, recognizing the new faith represented by Lyra, answering from afar throughout the kingdom.

Kales was no fool. On the contrary, being able to sit in the commander’s proved seat he was among the most devout and most astute of Holy Light knights.

Coupled with various anomalies he had noticed earlier, rumors fermenting within the army, it was not hard for him to guess that someone had long been splitting forces within the Church, opening channels and buying hearts, in order to form an alliance of offense and defense at this critical moment against the old Church now before them.

And whoever could accomplish all that must be high-ranking enough to frequently contact local upper circles, while also possessing a powerful ability to rally others, someone who could form a faction beneath the pope’s overwhelming authority.

The Saintess Monica. Only she could do this.

When exactly had she betrayed the Pope? Could it have been that magic exchange tournament? And afterwards, how did she make contact with Astrid? It couldn’t be that both sides never exchanged even a sliver of information and simply developed their own networks independently.

Monica Angelis, the Saintess of Light... she truly wasn’t that simple...

Yet even realizing his "independence" had been orchestrated by someone’s hand, Kales did not regret it. He had already seen clearly that the road the Pope insisted on was impossible. If the Church of Light wished to endure into the future, then it had to discard the new dogma and embrace the old, tolerant creed.

Hearing the red-haired commander’s words, Lyra shook her head, her tone gentle.

"Commander Kales, you flatter me. The allied army’s achievements today come from everyone’s efforts. At the end of the day, I’m still from the Valeria Empire. Absorbing old forces like this, those are matters that depend on you, Commander Kales, and Miss Monica."

"You understand the Church of Light better, and you understand their thinking better."

As she spoke, Lyra lifted the Sword of Light in her hand. Brilliant motes condensed along the blade, then surged like a tide into the Holy Radiant City.

The nearby knights noticed and immediately showed pious expressions, their eyes filled with praise for Lyra.

Within the Church of Light, the stronger one’s affinity for the Light element, the more it signified closeness to the Lord. Whether it was Hebrew, Monica, Kales, or Lyra, their affinity for Light was outstanding, this alone gave other knights long-term motivation to follow them.

"The expeditionary army has fully taken control of the city. Once the one-day rest period ends, we’ll continue to advance and give the king and the Pope no more time to respond."

"How are things on your side, Commander Kales? Can you keep pace with us?"

Looking at Lyra, her edge undiminished, as sharp as she had been while storming the walls, Kales seemed to see again the young woman spreading six wings of light, scattering searing radiation with a blade as she swept the battlefield. He replied in a low voice.

"We can. But those newly absorbed Light knights have never contained professional training. They have no experience forming battle arrays, so they can’t be integrated into the Holy Radiant City."

"My personal suggestion is to have them handle logistical transport or town defense, and serve as the backbone linking the front and rear."

Lyra pondered, then spoke after a moment.

"Mm. If Commander Kales can ensure their absolute loyalty."

"To be safe, I’ll assign some expeditionary troops to cooperate, also to teach them how to integrate."

With a temporary absorption and no time for assessments, the knights’ reliability was naturally questionable. As the overall commander, Lyra had to consider every unfavorable possibility and reduce casualties as much as possible.

After discussing the next steps with Kales in earnest, a dozen minutes later Lyra left the Holy Radiant City and returned to the army to continue command. Kales went to call his adjutant, ordering him to bring the wounded expeditionary soldiers from the previous battle into the Holy Radiant City, preparing for rapid large-scale healing with Light magic.

Although these wounded soldiers will not join the next battle immediately, staying here is still counted as a defensive force. Those slightly injured, equipped with ample mana devices, could still bring out seventy to eighty percent of their combat strength.

On the other side, after returning to the city, Lyra found Astrid in her room and asked about the specific situation regarding the city’s plague.

"Bad luck. It’s worse than we expected. There was a plague outbreak here some time ago, with a large number of mild cases."

At the desk, Astrid sat with her legs crossed, flipping through a letter Amalia had sent from the imperial capital. Hearing Lyra, she lifted her eyes toward the window.

"You talked with Kales? How was it?"

Lyra repeated the conversation in full. Astrid then lightly set down her long, slender legs clad in black stockings and spoke softly.

"That’s fine. Light knights generally have high Light-element affinity, and they aren’t easily infected by disease. Perfect, have them isolate the sick and do logistical work."

"They should quite like doing that, too, shouldn’t they?"

To care for the city’s soldiers and civilians, among whom there might even be their own relatives, friends, lovers, was far better than going to the battlefield to slaughter compatriots and drench themselves in blood.

At least the burden on their conscience would be lighter.

At Astrid’s words, Lyra gave a slight nod in agreement.

"Mm. The Church knights who defected are Kingdom of Velys people, after all. They have a certain mass base. They’re more suitable for plague isolation work than our soldiers."

With the strict military discipline laid down by Duke Charles and the morale-boosting effect of Regent Astrid personally leading the expedition, they had only barely stabilized the army’s discipline and prevented barbarity from unchecked breeding.

Having experienced several wars and knowing the importance of discipline, Lyra did not mind killing a few who seriously violated military law as a warning.

But deep down she did not wish to do that, and she also could not quickly raise the soldiers’ horizons to the point of understanding that these city-dwelling citizens were similarly exploited by nobles, not enemies. So it was best to keep imperial soldiers away from Velys civilians, supplementing them with generous wine and meat to soothe their hearts.

Guessing what Lyra was thinking, Astrid fluttered her lashes, set down the letter from some blonde girl, and softly sighed.

"That’s naturally best. But it means we can only make things a little harder for Amalia."

To take the throne and immediately fill such a massive gap in military supplies, truly not easy.

"When we return to the capital, we’ll find a chance to reward her properly." Astrid said.

That outwardly cool yet inwardly burning imperial emperor would most likely cling to her as before, straddling her lap with parted legs, replenishing so-called "big sister energy."

As her words fell, Astrid found the thin high heels she had taken off earlier. Then she continued.

"The mana-powered airship fleet we prepared earlier is also fully ready. We’ll stick to the original plan and keep it as our final conventional trump card."

"As for now..."

She straightened her waist, bent only to adjust the heel placement beneath her feet, and her silver-white waterfall of hair fell from nearly brushing the carpet to hanging by the hem of her black pleated skirt. Astrid stood, extended her hand, and clasped Lyra’s slender white gloved hand.

"...let’s spread light and warmth through the city, our kingdom idol, Lyra."

Come to think of it, that offhand metaphor she’d once made really was apt.

Wherever the expeditionary army went, Lyra, as overall commander, would appear and heal the locals’ pain and sickness, dispel plagues. In form, it was not much different from a touring concert in her previous life.

Only one was singing, and this was purification.

"Mm."

"Today might be more tiring. I just confirmed with Elise, there are quite a lot of infected in the city. The unhealthy already outnumber the healthy."

"And you, Astrid, do what you can. Don’t drain your mental power dry."

"I know, dear~"

"Besides, is my mental power reserve really that small?"

......

As the Church Knight Order completed the initial absorption of believers around the area, the main force commanded by Commander Kales also followed the expeditionary army’s pace and joined the siege.

Afterward, following the fall of Hoskar City, the second prince-duchy city blocking the allied army’s path held out for less than two days before declaring capitulation, becoming treasure in the Valeria Empire’s grasp.

There was no denying that the Velys king’s tactic of exhausting the enemy was effective. Taking two cities in a row, Lyra could clearly sense morale dropping within the army.

These imperial soldiers who had followed her from their homeland to a foreign land to judge sinners had been battered by days of cold wind, weary now, no longer as fiery as when they first set out.

The only things keeping morale afloat were the still-considerable military pay since the war began, and the Velys royal capital, Seville City, now so near it was almost within reach.

Capture the city not far ahead, and the next step will be to attack the capital. Once Seville fell, every soldier in the expeditionary army could return home in glory. Those willing to continue guarding the empire’s borders could stay; Those unwilling could take the wages earned during this time and go live completely, enough to live freely for half a lifetime.

Relying on such talk, Lyra barely stabilized morale. But another great dilemma now lay before her.

Every piece of intelligence the scouts obtained points to a single fact: the Pope of Light Hebrew and several Arcanist royal mages were stationed in the city before them, quietly waiting for the great army to press in.

The next battle will inevitably be several times more brutal than before. It might even resemble the battle at White Maple Town, Arcanist mage against Arcanist mage, chanting one destructive spell after another, the shockwaves alone erasing a metropolis holding tens of thousands from the Kingdom of Velys’s map.

Destruction was always easier than construction. Whether considering Brennild’s situation or Lyra’s own wishes, she did not want this war to cause such horrific casualties.

But having come this far, even Lyra couldn’t stop. Those nobles who had already tied their heads to their belts would not gamble their lives on negotiation, nor could they believe the imperial army would reach their doorstep and still be willing to withdraw.

Headmaster Anthony was already in position. A clash between Arcanist mages was imminent.

"The importance of this battle is second only to the upcoming assault on Seville. Everyone here should understand that."

Inside the military camp, the striking silver-haired regent wore a black top hat. Her graceful figure was hidden beneath an elegant black dress. Cold red eyes shifted as she looked around at the people seated by the discussion table.

"The Pope of Light Hebrew is here. He is the greatest hidden danger to our push into the royal capital, and the top combat power of this entire battlefield."

"Peak tier Arcanist mage. The only one who can stably contend with him, as things stand, is Headmaster Anthony."

Tonight’s meeting was both a prewar mobilization and a planning discussion. Astrid did not hide anything, directly stating the battle’s focus.

"Our goal is not to take the city. It is to restrict the enemy’s high-end combat power to the greatest extent possible, to make sure they cannot continue affecting our advance in the time to come."

If possible, do not kill. Capturing alive like they had Duke Grant would be best. But everyone present understands that such restraint exists only in theory. A mage’s battle was glass cannon versus glass cannon, one mistake and one side would be blown apart. And Arcanist mages were nuclear-grade cannons. Whoever dared to hold back might be reduced to nothing the next second.

"That is to say, we must complete the kill or capture of these targets as much as possible. Do not let them escape. Better to break one finger than to wound ten."

In the best-case scenario, Hebrew would even take the initiative to release the Holy Light Manifestation Torrent of Light to form a barrier, forcing a fight to the death right here.

Of course, that was an ideal state. Not to mention Hebrew was not a fool, without the holy relic of Light, he might not even be able to construct such a barrier.

To be safe, Astrid did not send Monica into battle. Instead, she ordered her to stay on standby in Hoskar City with the relic.

That city was not far. If Hebrew attempted a sneak attack for the holy relic, they could rush to support immediately.