Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 125 Female Warrior

A small house in a village outside Longxiao City.

“It’s been three years, Cohen, and dear Miranda. Did Tari send you?” In the dimly lit room, the short-haired girl on the wooden bed, Chloesh Mailke, gave them a complex yet peaceful smile: “Seeing you now is the best comfort.”

"Thank you, Uncle Kaslan," the short-haired girl said expressionlessly to Kaslan beside her.

Miranda frowned deeply.

Even someone as oblivious as Cohen couldn't help but notice the dramatic changes in Chloe, the girl from the North, who had been around the same time as them.

Compared to the spirited Chloeshi Mailke who left three years ago at the Tower of the End, she has not only become much thinner but also much more somber. The determination that was once etched on her round face like a stamp has somehow turned into bitterness and loss.

Cohen's gaze shifted to her hands, and his breath caught in his throat.

This girl, with a resolute expression, trained diligently in the tower, and never easily gave up...

Her right hand, holding the sword...

It was completely wrapped in bandages.

“Kroeshy…” Cohen struggled to look away from her right hand, forcing an awkward smile, and asked carefully and slowly, “Are you… alright?”

Are you ok?
As soon as the words left his mouth, Cohen felt an urge to slap himself.

Chloe looked at him slowly, her eyes completely calm.

“It’s alright,” Cohen said, feeling a pang of pain in his heart at the girl’s empty eyes. “It’s just that her right hand… can’t touch weapons anymore.”

silence.

Cohen was embarrassed and didn't know how to respond: Damn, if only Raphael were here right now, comforting people is always that white-clad kid's forte.

Sure enough, Miranda stepped forward and gave Cohen a disdainful look.

Then, as she had done countless times before, she stomped hard on the innocent-looking Cohen without making a sound.

"hiss--"

Just as Cohen was wincing in pain, Miranda sat on the edge of Chloesie's bed. Her expression remained unchanged, and she decisively asked, "Who did this?"

At this moment, any words of comfort would be futile—Miranda thought to herself: it would be better to get straight to the point and stop her from thinking about those pointless things.

Kaslan coughed.

The former leader of the White Blade Guard did not show much emotion when facing Kroesi.

He had seen this situation in far too many retired soldiers.

Kaslan sighed deeply in his heart.

And they—those soldiers—will never know how fortunate they were to be discharged due to injury.

Kroesh snapped out of her daze and gave an awkward laugh.

“I think you all know some of the background,” Kroesh’s tone softened, sounding less like a swordsman who had just lost hope in using a sword: “An officer named Hardy infiltrated the army of Black Sand Territory and almost assassinated your prince with a magic-powered gun at the foot of the fortress.”

Cohen nodded.

“I saw it from Dragon Fortress, but I couldn’t see it clearly. I thought it was just a demonstration shot,” Miranda replied quietly.

"By the way, Miranda, you're now a key member of the Star Kingdom, a trusted lieutenant of the Fortress Flower, right?" Chroese smiled at her former classmate, then glanced at her right hand, her face darkening as she uttered a few words:
"congratulations."

Miranda remained expressionless and silent; she simply reached out and grasped Chloe's left hand.

Kroesi trembled slightly as she felt the warmth of Miranda's hand.

"Um... Ah!"

Cohen, who was scratching his head and about to speak, was choked back by Miranda's expressionless elbow.

Cohen, his face contorted with grief and indignation, continued to grimace silently, while simultaneously glaring at Miranda in protest.

Does it really have to be this way?
Chloeshi chuckled.

This scene reminded her of her past experiences in the Tower of the End.

Kaslan, who was standing to the side with his arms crossed, looked at Miranda approvingly—what a thoughtful and considerate girl, who had unknowingly lifted Chloeshi's mood.

The girl from the Aarond family has a rather cold expression; it would be better if she smiled more.

“Following the Grand Duke’s instructions, we tracked down the arms dealer of that officer Hardy,” Kroesh continued, maintaining a hard-won smile. “They sold the magical gun parts that Hardy had discarded from the army and that should have been destroyed to the south and the west. Hardy used this to obtain more funds, which he then used to fund troop training and personal relationships.”

"In a few years, His Excellency's magic gun squad might be under their control. Fortunately, we discovered it early and intercepted his contact person in the underground arms deal."

“That officer… what information did you find about him?” Miranda asked softly.

“Not many,” Chloe said calmly.
"Hardy comes from a small village further north, in the territory of Duke Lyco of the Watchtower. He was a survivor of the war between Exter and the Stars eleven or twelve years ago, and he survived the fierce siege of Dragonslayer Fortress, losing a hand and half of his face to the bombardment of the magic gun."

Miranda's face turned pale.

It's another war from twelve years ago.

Cohen sighed, stepped forward, carefully avoiding Miranda's unarmed attack range, and slowly asked, "The Kingdom of Exter, the Duke of the Guardian City, one of the two Grand Dukes of the North? The Lyco family? So the Duke of Lyco is the mastermind behind the plot to use the magic gun to murder Prince Star?"

Kroeshe shook his head: "It's not that simple. Hardy came to Black Sand Territory after the war and has lived there ever since. He hasn't had any contact with anyone related to the Guardian City since then—so we can't be sure it's him."

"But there is one thing that makes us very suspicious."

“We interrogated Hardy’s arms contact and found that Hardy had casually mentioned once that he had a daughter named Lucy.”

Cohen's eyes lit up: "You found his daughter? Is there something wrong with her?"

“It’s not just a problem.” Chloeshi pursed her lips and shook her head.

"Instead, this person never existed at all."

"No... such a person?" Cohen asked, puzzled.

“Hardy has been single for over forty years, as we confirmed with his neighbors—he has no wife or lover, let alone children,” Croesi said quietly.

"We followed the name Lucy and discovered that he had mentioned the name Lucy to more than one person."

“From the black market for arms in Black Sand Territory to the transport convoy in Weilan Territory, when the clues led to Dragon Sky City, we were intercepted,” the short-haired girl looked up, her face frightening, “a group of unfamiliar swordsmen appeared.”

Miranda frowned: "The Sword of Calamity?"

Kroesi lowered her eyelids and nodded.

"What kind of people are they? How many are there?" Cohen's expression shifted. Ignoring Miranda's displeased look, he stepped forward and asked anxiously, "What kind of finishing power did they use? How did they identify them as the Blade of Calamity?"

Kaslan, who was listening quietly, frowned.

“There were many of them, their heads and faces covered, and it was dark, so their figures and appearances were not clear. But their power of termination… was just as Professor Shatil described,” Kroesh said calmly, “cold, violent, and the power of termination surged and never stopped.”

"I'm the only one who escaped back."

Cohen was stunned.

But he immediately realized: "Is there any more information? When and where did they appear? For example, how did they draw their swords..."

“I’ve told Uncle Kaslan all the details about their appearance,” but Chloeshi just gritted her teeth and shook her head with a bitter look in her eyes: “Go and complete your mission, whether it’s for the Tower of Ending or for your Star Prince.”

Cohen wanted to ask more, but Miranda grabbed his arm and shook her head.

"I'm tired," Chloe said slowly, turning over to face the wall. "I want to rest for a while."

Cohen and Miranda exchanged a glance, then looked at Kroesh, and finally said goodbye and left under Caslan's gaze.

"Cohen."

Before leaving, Chloe suddenly called out to the Star Guardian.

Cohen turned around in astonishment.

She turned her head, raised her eyes, and her expression was complex and hard to decipher: "You..."

"Be careful."

Cohen was stunned for a moment, then Caslan pulled him out of the room.

“You saw what she looked like… To be honest, from what I’ve observed, I don’t think she’s really too injured to use a sword anymore. Rather, it’s an inner obstacle that’s preventing her from continuing to use a sword,” Kaslan said calmly.

"What do you mean? The obstacle in your heart?" Miranda asked, frowning.

“Kroeshe is the daughter of one of my old subordinates in the White Blade Guard,” Kaslan said, shaking his head as he followed the two young men outside, gazing at the distant Dragon Sky City. “You met her in the Tower of Endings, so you should know she’s very ambitious—I suspect it’s due to the indoctrination of you Star People…”

“Hey!” Cohen protested, “What do you mean by ‘indoctrination’ of ‘we Star People’? Kroesi has always been…”

Kaslan ignored him and continued speaking to himself:

“She was strong-willed from a young age and always wanted to become a legendary female knight like ‘Heart in the Rain’.”

"'Heart in the Rain' Loran, I've heard you were a contemporary of Master Shao?" Cohen asked curiously, "The standard-bearer mercenary from the Eastern Continent's Hambul Succession War?"

“Hmm,” Kaslan paused for a moment as if his memories had been stirred, then smiled and said, “There are always some women that you would never dare to mess with in your entire life.”

Then, the old man Kaslan, who shook the earth, sighed: "After undergoing the training at the End Tower, Chloeshe became even more ambitious. When she returned, she even volunteered to take the White Blade Guard's assessment, wanting to join the White Blade Guard..." Miranda raised her head, her eyes burning: "But she didn't succeed?"

Kaslan raised an eyebrow: "The White Blade Guard rejected her—that was a huge blow to her."

Miranda looked puzzled: "A blow? As far as I know, the selection criteria for the White Blade Guard are very high..."

“What hurt her wasn’t the rejection itself,” Kaslan interrupted, turning his head, “but the reason she was rejected.”

"The reason for the rejection?" Miranda stared at him intently.

"What is it?"

Kaslan took a breath but did not answer.

“I know.” Just as Miranda was about to speak, it was Cohen who answered from the side.

The guard sighed, "Because she's a woman, isn't she?"

Kaslan gave Miranda a meaningful look and nodded: "Not bad."

"Because she is a woman."

Miranda unconsciously clenched her teeth.

“Although many people say that we Northerners are very fierce, and when we get angry, even women and children can take up arms,” Kaslan chuckled, “but according to my wife, most Northerners still believe that territory, politics, war, and noble inheritance are all men’s business, and women should stay at home and wait for their husbands to return.”

"And so, Chloeshi, sword in hand, traveled from lord to lord, only to be met with rejection everywhere—a woman who had undergone complete training in the Tower of the End, a super-ranked swordswoman, yet she couldn't obtain a position from even a single count..."

"Several viscounts and barons were willing to take her in, on the condition that she marry them after her term expired... without a doubt, it was all because of her father's position in the White Blade Guard."

Miranda gently tightened her grip on the hilt of the sword at her waist.

Compared to her smooth sailing in the stars, the care of her father, and the protection of Sonia... is this all that Kroesi faced in the North, and what she experienced in Exter?
“According to her father… Kroesi even considered going to the southwest, to the Thornlands or the Dragon’s Kiss Basin, or even the Great Desert, to become a mercenary.”

"But in the end, she arrived in Black Sand Territory and, using her father's name, went to work for my good-for-nothing nephew, a viscount named Kanbida, and managed to get a position in his territory," Kaslan sighed.
“I suspect this is one of the tactics Chaman Lumba used to win me over, but looking at Chloeshi’s expression…”

"Including this time..."

Kaslan shook his head.

“So now you know why, little girl from Aarond,” the old man looked up at Miranda, “that kind of outfit you’re dressed in is really too conspicuous in the North.”

Miranda remained silent, her eyes fixed on Dragon City in the distance.

“When I was on the western front, there were occasional shortages of soldiers, so there were also some female soldiers there,” Cohen began slowly.
"They enlist for various reasons, such as not being able to survive, ranging from suicide squads to regular service. Most are female mercenaries from southwestern countries, but they... are often unpopular," Cohen said, his eyes gleaming.
“Naturally smaller than men in strength and load-bearing capacity, including height, arm span, and stride—this is often fatal when facing orcs, because you have to leap to attack their vitals.”

"And of course, there's the monthly one... you know."

“They have a very low status in the military camp, and sometimes they have to…” Cohen lowered his head, his brows furrowed: “…to please their superiors and colleagues.”

"And once they fall into the hands of the enemy, especially the Bone People... their fate is often much worse than that of the men."

"So even I, when selecting soldiers for the commando team, often avoid female soldiers."

Miranda remained silent.

“I guess that’s pretty much what the White Blade Guard is thinking too,” Kaslan sighed. “Learning swordsmanship in the Tower of the End is one thing, but… women are not naturally suited for the battlefield.”

"Excuse."

Miranda suddenly raised her head and sneered, "You men only see the disadvantages of female soldiers on the battlefield and deliberately ignore their advantages."

“Advantages?” Kaslan frowned.

Cohen raised his eyebrows helplessly and, out of Miranda's sight, shrugged at Caslan.

“Fewer energy expenditure than men, far greater stamina than men, unimaginable flexibility and agility, keen and sharp observation skills, and composure in the face of danger—these are all advantages for women,” Miranda said indignantly. “Even in terms of strength and height—take the Wrath of the Kingdom himself, I have witnessed it with my own eyes, and his height and strength are no better than Commander Sonia’s! Not to mention we have the power of termination!”

“And I am a woman too,” Miranda said coldly. “In the Tower of the End, I am stronger than you, stronger than Raphael, stronger than Misadun, stronger than every one of you from my generation.”

"Not to mention, there's also the Valkyrie legend like the 'Heart in the Rain' Knight of Loran from twenty years ago!"

Cohen coughed awkwardly a few times.

“As the old man just said, the battlefield is a different matter… and you can’t compare certain special individuals,” the guard said with a helpless shrug. “‘Heart in the Rain’ is an exceptional case among exceptional cases. Lady Sonia is also a legendary figure under the Duke of Starlake. As for Miranda, you are a daughter of the Arund family, born and trained as a warrior, lord, and commander…”

No sooner had Cohen finished speaking than Miranda's murderous gaze pierced him to the core.

He also cut off the rest of his sentence.

“I think the Western Wilderness and the Northern Lands are both rather special,” Kaslan chuckled. “The Western Wilderness is a front line that is constantly ravaged by war, while the people of the Northern Lands have had their own views on women since ancient times…”

“I’m from the North too!” Miranda retorted coldly.

The old man, Kaslan, led them toward the stables, where two men who looked like soldiers bowed to him.

“You are a northerner from the Stars, and an Arend. You even allow women to inherit the throne. As far as I remember, you even had a queen a few hundred years ago.”

“And the North,” Kaslan sighed, “is far from accepting a female knight, a lord, or even a queen…”

"It's still a long way off."

No, even in the Stars, female lords are still looked down upon—Miranda thought to herself: Hundreds of years ago, the Queen of the Stars didn't have a good ending either.

“That day will come,” Miranda said, raising her head with a determined look in her eyes. “On that day, female warriors, female swordsmen, female lords, and even queens will no longer be a minority. We will prove to the world that men can do it.”

"Women can do it too."

Kaslan shrugged and went into the stable.

Cohen stuck out his tongue, thinking of his two devilish sisters at home, and sighed helplessly.

Miranda... how could Raphael like her?

But the thought of Raphael, his current position, and the power of termination within him weighed heavily on Cohen's heart.

"The Black Sand Territory's army is currently stationed in a village near Dragonsky City to escort the prince. They will bring Chloeshi back." Kaslan led over two horses and looked at the two young noble swordsmen: "The next task is entrusted to you."

"Aren't you going?" Cohen raised his eyebrows.

“My appearance is not a good idea,” Kaslan said, his face darkening. “It will alert too many people.”

“Fortunately, I still know some people in Dragon Sky City, some old acquaintances, who can provide you with intelligence. But when it comes to specific investigations and reconnaissance, to distinguish the Sword of Calamity from the Sword of Ending,” Kaslan handed the reins to the two of them, “no one is more knowledgeable than you, more knowledgeable than this year’s seed of the Tower of Ending, whether it’s the innate insight of nobles, the super-class combat power adapted to the battlefield, or the sense of the Sword of Calamity.”

"You know someone in Dragonsreach City?" Cohen looked skeptical. "Uncle, didn't you run a tavern in Black Sand Territory for twenty years?"

“Ah, this,” Kaslan awkwardly touched his white hair, “I did live in Dragon City for many years back then.”

"Will the manpower still be usable in twenty years?" Cohen frowned.

"We've been keeping in touch..." Kaslan looked around, then chuckled, "And all along, many of my old White Blade Guard subordinates have stayed in Dragon Sky City after retiring. I've helped them out a bit when they were trying to make a living..."

"Making a living? Helping out?" Cohen's doubts deepened.

“Well, when some retired soldiers are having a hard time getting by, I act as a go-between and help them find some work,” Kaslan coughed awkwardly. “You know, there are always jobs that need to be done by people who can fight…”

“You could just say you introduced them to the mafia,” Miranda said with a look of disdain. “That would be easier for us to understand.”

Kaslan coughed loudly, drowning out Miranda's words: "Those gangs in your StarCraft, the Brotherhood, have been causing a lot of trouble in the last ten years or so, even expanding their business here. Some old friends are always short-handed and have asked me to introduce them, so..."

"What?" Cohen's eyes widened. "So, after all this time, you—you're actually a contact person and intermediary for the gangsters in Dragon City?"

Kaslan's coughing grew louder. Under the suspicious gazes of the two young men, he raised his head with an air of righteous indignation and patted them on the shoulders: "In short, whether it's the mission to the Tower of the End, giving Chloeshe an explanation, or the truth behind your Star Prince's assassination, it's all up to you!"

Miranda gave Cohen a disdainful look, while Cohen shook his head and clicked his tongue.

“Remember, your mission is only to investigate, not to die for an unconfirmed report,” Kaslan said solemnly before they departed. “But you all have the ability to come into contact with the Sword of Calamity, and even survive it.”

"As long as we don't encounter any swordsmen at the pinnacle of their abilities... I have faith in your strength."

The two looked at each other and nodded seriously.

“My people will help you… but if things get out of hand, remember to keep yourselves hidden… Although your prince is on a mission to Exter, and the tension between the two countries has been greatly reduced by his arrival, it is not a good thing for Star People, especially the families of Star Nobles, to rashly reveal their identities here.”

“Furthermore, what you need to be concerned about and worried about is not just the sword in the open,” Kaslan narrowed his eyes: “The Sword of Calamity is very likely cooperating with a lord of Exter—such as a Grand Duke. In any case, deliberately joining forces with a lord and doing something like assassinating the Prince of Stars, their purpose is probably not simple.”

“I understand,” Cohen took a breath and mounted his horse. “We will find out their background and the truth, whether it is an assassination attempt on the prince or an attempt to harm the Tower of the End.”

Miranda didn't say much, just nodded slightly and rode away.

Cohen followed closely behind.

Kaslan watched the two figures depart, then glanced at Dragon Sky City in the distance, a hint of nostalgia flashing in his eyes.

I myself entered Dragon Sky City from here back then.

What exactly is wrong with Dragon Knight?

I don't have @Drogokao, @Dario Naharis, @Sizdala Zo Lorac, or @Yin Zhiping or @Yang Guo... and so on, these famous dragon riders.

You guys are all so dirty-minded!
No one is urging me to update! No one is urging me to update! No one is urging me to update! No one is urging me to update! No one is urging me to update! No one is urging me to update! No one is urging me to update! No one is urging me to update!

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(End of this chapter)