When the Saintess Arrives, No King Exist

"Hey—ha—"

Accompanied by the sound of stomping feet, a row of long spears collectively thrust forward, their sharp tips piercing the air, nearly shrieking.

As for the spearheads, they were crafted with fine iron, which is essentially steel.

Due to the use of extraordinary martial arts, the thrust of the spear could puncture even steel armor with a hole the size of a pinky fingernail.

Of course, this only applies unless they aim directly at the thick front chest plate.

Jill stood on the corner tower of the training field, observing downwards through a telescope.

On the reinforced grassy ground, the soldiers of the Black Legion lined up practicing formation, while on the other side, the swooshing sounds of swords slicing through air could be heard.

Without a doubt, anyone selected into the Black Legion had at least reached the second stage of the breathing technique.

Due to its recent establishment, many soldiers in the Black Legion were recruited from mercenaries, wandering soldiers, and knights.

However, Jill also received a significant number of priests and officers from the Holy Alliance and the Dawn Federation.

These young officers, driven by the common ideals of the Holy Sect, often abandoned promising futures at home.

For those soldiers with bad habits or outdated thoughts, there were officers to discipline them in military matters, and priests to guide them in ideology.

Physical and spiritual, a combined effort.

Yet Jill knew that many rotten woods are beyond carving.

Thus, newly recruited soldiers would undergo review in the training camp.

No matter how promising a recruit might be, if they had ideological issues, they were not used at all.

These rejected new recruits were not wasted by Jill; instead, they were organized into another unit responsible for escort, sentinel, and city defense tasks.

"Your training level here is quite impressive." Armand lowered his telescope, "Ever since the massacre at Gerwood City and the assassination of the Governor at Leymingston, everyone has a pent-up resentment."

Jill, watching Armand rushing over from the Dawn Federation, tried to smile but couldn’t: "And we have to thank you for the training methods you supported."

Once restricted within castles and high towers, extraordinary martial arts eventually became widespread among the people.

Falan was alright, but in places like the Leia Region, after several conflicts and the spread of printing technology, extraordinary martial arts became less rare.

Many knights, to make a living, either formed alliances with merchants or sold their own extraordinary martial arts.

Thus, various extraordinary martial arts flowed into the market, were repeatedly printed and reprinted, raising the entire empire’s level of extraordinary martial arts.

Long before the founding of the Holy Alliance, they began categorizing and testing these extraordinary martial arts.

It was proven that most extraordinary martial arts were repetitive and showy, not adaptable to the new era.

Though mysterious, they often boiled down to a single flashy move.

For example, one extraordinary martial art called the Shadowless Sword was actually throwing poison darts when wielding the sword.

Among the remaining effective extraordinary martial arts, many required expensive potions and over a decade of hard training, proving to be not cost-effective.

However, due to the Holy Alliance capturing numerous swordsmanship masters and high-tier knights, they filtered through these extraordinary martial arts texts.

Eventually, they compiled a dozen reliable and usable extraordinary martial arts, including charging, thrusting, and releasing force.

They finally developed the "Holy Alliance Standard Military Swordsmanship" and "Holy Alliance Standard Military Thrusting Technique," two comprehensive extraordinary martial arts.

These two comprehensive extraordinary martial arts gradually improved through internal competitions within the Holy Alliance over the years.

Ultimately, they formed the two extraordinary martial arts now practiced by the Black Legion.

However, currently both the "Swordsmanship" and "Thrusting Technique" are being revised.

With the advent of bayonets, swordmanship training became less important, and thrusting techniques needed to be adjusted accordingly.

"How are things going in Branded City?"

"Those profiteers and El Merchants have been punished and killed, and are much more honest now, voluntarily donating money and grains to us."

"Are more than half of your current income reliant on these merchants, profiteers, and landowners?"

"Yes, draining their money and grain allows the farmers to rest."

Armand gently turned his head: "That’s not good; your army relying on their grain might easily become their asset.

I’m not saying you shouldn’t demand money and grain, but establish stable taxation, rather than slaughtering rich families like killing pigs."

"Is it that serious?"

"You could investigate it." Armand smirked slightly, "An empty cave won’t blow wind."

"Alright, I understand." Jill had a determined look; Armand wasn’t someone to boast empty words.

Having created from scratch the Holy Sect organization around Windmill Land, closely affiliated with Cheka, his sources wouldn’t be far off.

"How do you plan to propagate the Leymingston incident?" Armand spoke again, introducing a heavier topic, "The Truth Court is cooperating with you on it."

At this, Jill’s expression darkened somewhat.

Truthfully, Leymingston and Jill did not share political opinions.

Leymingston believed Windmill Land should be independent, so people could take pride and truly stand tall.

But Jill always criticized in the newspapers, asserting Leymingston was being regionally protective.

The happiness of believers should be the future direction of Windmill Land.

Clearly, Windmill Land’s independence didn’t necessarily relate to whether believers could find happiness.

Moreover, aren’t believers outside Windmill Land human beings too?

Believers should live in a family without ethnic divisions, like the Holy Alliance.

Though Jill was currently fighting for Windmill Land’s independence, his ultimate goal was the welfare of its people.

If independence followed by joining the Holy Alliance brings better living conditions for Windmill Land’s people, then why not?

Thus, Leymingston was merely fighting for the civic class to which he belonged and a shallow national pride.

Regarding Leymingston collaborating with vampires, Jill was taken aback but not surprised.

What truly shocked him, even seemed incredible, was Leymingston’s assassination of the Governor of Arkadela.

The priest who only knew how to talk big actually accomplished such a feat?

Such a major event couldn’t be concealed, not even by vampires.

Both Leymingston and Arkadela were known figures; their sudden disappearance essentially confirmed the rumor.

The assassination happened at a public banquet with many local elites present; there was no way to seal the news.

Coupled with Leymingston’s final note and the assassination, the logic was extraordinarily complete and clear.

Aside from those feigning ignorance, everyone else was left with no room for debate.

"We’ll publish a tribute to Priest Leymingston in the Freedom Newspaper and erect his statue in the Windmill Land Great Cathedral of Branded City."

"Good, I’ll draft an article ’In Memory of Mr. Leymingston,’ and the Holy Brotherhood will help you with propaganda in the countryside to ensure the massacre of Gerwood City and the Leymingston assassination spreads."

After speaking, seeing Jill’s somber expression, Armand grasped his shoulder: "How is your brother? Wasn’t he supposed to come over?"

With a bitter smile, Jill didn’t answer.

He simply turned, took the latest issue of Windmill Land Independence News from his pouch behind, and handed it to Armand.

Lowering his head, Armand found the newspaper’s front page featuring a new article, "Why Profiteers are Enemies of All Windmill Land People?"

As for the editor’s name... it was Matis.

"He’s planning to stay in Dam City, take over Leymingston’s newspaper, keeping it running." Jill leaned against the tower’s parapet.

Dam City is actually a vampire stronghold in Windmill Land, quite dangerous.

Reading the article, Armand commented nonchalantly, "Still opting for newspaper warfare?"

Jill continued, "He asked me to assign him some veterans and instructors; if there were Divine Favor Seeds and clockwork guns, he’d buy them."

"Oh?" Armand raised his head, "That’s not cheap. Where does he get the money?"

"From citizen donations across Windmill Land, and anonymous bank drafts sent over, substantial amounts."

Armand nodded, feeling the autumn wind, sighed: "Leymingston accomplished his goal."

"Indeed." Dispelling prejudice and disputes, Jill actually admired Leymingston’s action.

Opening the wound, how else could people see the bloody reality?

Moreover, Leymingston’s move truly relieved the people of Windmill Land, especially those with relatives in Gerwood City.

Under multiple factors, the previously stable vampire rule in Windmill Land might be shaken a bit.

"The Holy Sect brothers are always generous; just send him a batch." Armand, after thinking for a moment, spoke frankly.

Yet Jill shook his head: "That’s what I said too, but he said clear accounts keep brotherhood honest, plus the Holy Alliance shouldn’t suffer loss."

Armand was stunned briefly, then smiled in relief: "Still the dream of independence?"

"Yes, but not his dream alone." Jill nodded, "These dreams will continue until the day they are realized."