Raise Joan of Arc to be an empress, then discard her.

*

Most of the people in the convoy were seeing the carnage of the battlefield for the first time. Like many ordinary people who were seeing this for the first time, they were left with varying degrees of psychological trauma.

The men were alright; many of them aspired to be knights and had some mental preparation. The women, however, were in worse condition. Most were pale and, even though they were now safe, couldn't stop vomiting. Some were trembling with fear and couldn't bear to recall what had happened, which might leave them with lifelong psychological trauma.

Carol's situation was worse than the other girls'. She was the first to be impacted in this group, and everyone knew that she was the most valuable person among them; she was actually the bandits' real target.

While the convoy was being surrounded, a terrible rumor circulated among them: they were going to hand Carol over to the bandits in exchange for the lives of most of the people.

Although this didn't happen in the end, she was, after all, only a fifteen-year-old girl. The thought that she might have almost been handed over to those bandits as a bargaining chip, and the fear she had experienced, naturally caused Carol to break down emotionally afterward and cry continuously.

But she cried not just because of fear; the most important reason was that she realized she had lost her love.

She realized that Aaron didn't like her.

When Dylan drugged her, Carol was terrified. She could only hope that a hero would come to her rescue. At that moment, Aaron really appeared, making his grand entrance like a hero, stepping into the sunlight as he came to her. Looking at that familiar yet unfamiliar person, Carol's heart was filled with happiness. Although she felt both heartbroken and wronged, she also felt happy because her hero had come to save her in her moment of danger.

But when Aaron finally came to her, and she wanted to whisper sweet nothings to him, she found that he was looking at her as if she were a stranger. He wasn't looking at Carol, but at an important duke's daughter, someone who was determined to ensure that such an item was not lost.

Carol sat in the chair like a treasure that had been put away, watching countless enemy soldiers charge towards her, their eyes filled with desire for her. They all fell under the sword domain, and in front of her was a scene of flying flesh and blood. Their eyes were filled with deep hatred for her.

Carol recalled the first time she heard about the engagement three years ago. When her parents happily told her that she would soon have a knight of her own, she felt shy and full of anticipation for that person. Her world seemed to turn pink from that moment on because a knight had appeared to protect her.

She spent many years like this, buying lots of beautiful clothes and shoes, trying them on in front of the mirror while imagining what she would look like in front of that person.

She was overjoyed to hear that the person would be attending the school event and that she would be the flower presenter. She practiced her flower-presenting posture and movements over and over again, thinking about what she should say when she first met him.

Chapter 46 If it were her...

Finally, at the school ceremony, she saw him. To her dismay, her long-planned flower presentation was disrupted by another girl. She immediately became angry, forgot all the lines and actions she had rehearsed, and went straight to him to present the flowers.

At that moment, Carol was wearing a carefully chosen palace dress, and everyone looked at her in surprise, including him. Carol was not shy but proud. At that moment, she felt full of confidence because she was wearing her best clothes and the most elaborate makeup, and she was stunningly beautiful. Sure enough, the man did not reject her and accepted her flowers. Carol felt that her love had taken a solid step forward.

The moment Carol saw the look in his eyes, she felt her heart break; the pink bubble shattered.

Carol sat by the stone bench and heard slow footsteps. She turned her head and saw a familiar person walking up to her.

He had already sheathed his weapon, transforming from the powerful Obsidian Knight back into the young man who would receive flowers at the Holy Church. His eyes were not cold at all, and he seemed to readily accept the girl's invitation; nothing had changed.

But the atmosphere between them was stiff, as if something had shattered and could never be put back together.

“I’m fine… Thank you for saving me… and our whole convoy…” Carol abruptly avoided his gaze, turned her back, wiped her tears with her sleeve, and said calmly.

Meanwhile, thousands of miles away in Esgard, in a dimly lit room, Jeanne d'Arc gazed at the Omniscient Stone, its light not yet fully dissipated, her face serene and earnest.

"Sorry……"

When Aaron saw her, he didn't know what to say. He saw Carol sobbing by the stone pillar and instinctively spoke up.

Carol shook her head and said magnanimously, "It's alright, Lord Aaron has nothing to apologize for. I'm the one who should apologize; I was too willful."

Aaron shook his head, took a few steps closer, and said, "The situation was very special at the time. Attacks were happening everywhere, and if I wanted to protect everyone, this was the only thing I could do."

He was telling the truth; he was gambling at the time, gambling that he could save everyone.

Carol nodded understandingly: "I already know about the mine and I've heard about Lister and Levanta. I know Lord Aaron has to consider the bigger picture, so there's really no need to worry about me. I'm fine now."

Aaron nodded, and it seemed the matter was over. But before leaving, he seemed to remember something and said:

"By the way, Joan of Arc told me that if she sees you, she should give you her greetings. Like many of your classmates at the Holy College, she is very worried about you."

“Joan of Arc?” Carol was suddenly startled and looked at Aaron.

While the Omniscient Stone is indeed precious, it is not difficult for the truly powerful and wealthy to acquire one.

Carol also looked at the Omniscient Stone in her hand, and her originally calm heart was stirred up again, because she suddenly remembered that this Omniscient Stone was also given to her by Aaron.

She suddenly remembered that Aaron had given her the Stone of All Knowledge through Joan of Arc, and Carol had been very happy at the time. Even as the daughter of a duke, the Stone of All Knowledge was still extremely precious to her, and Aaron had given it to her as a token of his love.

Although the Omniscient Stone is not as beautiful as a gemstone, its meaning is far more profound. Using the Omniscient Stone as a token of love signifies that the giver hopes to hear the other person's voice anytime, anywhere. It represents the giver's desire to be with the other person at all times, and is the most enduring declaration of love, as well as the highest form of romance. Carol also used the Omniscient Stone to help Aaron contact the caravan, which led to their rescue.

At that moment, Carol was completely immersed in the sweetness of Aaron's ingenious gift and the joy of being liked, unaware that Aaron had given her the Stone of All Knowledge through Joan of Arc, and Joan of Arc...

“This Stone of Omniscience… Joan of Arc had one too… Is that right…” Carol said blankly, as if suddenly realizing something.

“Yes, she has one too,” Aaron said. Joan of Arc wasn’t one to show off, so he figured it must have been after he gave her the Stone of All Knowledge that she inadvertently revealed it, and Carol saw it.

"That one of hers, was it also given to her by you?" Carol looked up, staring into Aaron's eyes, her gaze coming alive again as if this were something extremely important.

"Yes, it was a gift from me to her," Aaron answered truthfully.

Carol, holding the Omniscient Stone in her hand, said, "You gave her the Omniscient Stone because you hoped to be able to contact her at any time, to hear her voice at any time, and to hear about her affairs at any time. It was because you were afraid that she would be in danger, afraid that she wouldn't have time to call for help when she was in danger, that's why you gave her the Omniscient Stone, right?"

Aaron was taken aback. Carol seemed strange, and her question seemed inexplicable. He didn't know why Carol was asking this, but Carol stared intently into Aaron's eyes and said in a pleading, almost trembling voice:

"Lord Aaron... answer me, don't lie to me..."

"Yes, I gave her the Stone of Omniscience because I was afraid she would be in danger."

Aaron answered truthfully that Carol was basically right. He was afraid that Joan of Arc would be in danger, so he gave her the Stone of Omniscience. He also made a promise with Joan of Arc to contact each other every evening.

“What if…” Carol looked into Aaron’s eyes and said, “What if it were Joan of Arc…”

Although Carol's voice was choked with sobs, and it sounded like she was stabbing herself as she spoke, she persisted in saying:

"If it were Joan of Arc who was calling for your help from the Omniscient Stone... if it were Joan of Arc in this caravan... if it were Joan of Arc in the same situation as me... would you also leave your blessing, tell her that everything will be alright... and then leave?"

At this very moment, thousands of miles away in Esgard, in a dimly lit room, Jeanne stared intently at the Omniscient Stone, which emitted a faint blue light.

Carol stared intently into Aaron's eyes. Seeing the complex, pleading look in Carol's misty, teary eyes, Aaron's mouth hung open, completely stunned.

He had always considered himself to be very objective and fair, a cold-blooded person to the point of being almost ruthless. Therefore, he could always choose the most correct option on the battlefield. Just as the ancient philosopher in his previous life said, "A merciful person cannot command an army," he would always calmly consider the gains and losses and then choose the option with the greatest benefit. He believed that there was nothing wrong with his choice this time. But at this moment, facing the girl whose eyes were so fragile that she seemed weak, he could not answer.

Chapter 47 Happiness

"Please... answer me... don't lie to me..." Carol said excitedly, her voice almost trembling. Aaron knew that Carol had used all her courage to ask this question. She had originally planned to give up, but an inexplicable stubbornness made her turn back and muster her courage again.

She asked this question not to seek a comforting answer, but to obtain the truth—the naked and bloody truth. Despite its cruelty, she still wanted the truth.

This is a rare moment when young people muster up courage, a moment when a young girl truly wants an answer. This sincere feeling should never be taken lightly, and she should not respond to such sincere feelings with deception.

In reality, he couldn't lie to her, because the moment he heard the question, Aaron already had the answer in his heart, or rather, he had already come to the answer many years ago.

Was there a better way to handle the situation in Domrémy? What could have been a "better" way to save Joan of Arc? There must have been a better way, one that would have saved Joan of Arc without offending the Duke or injuring the villagers. He didn't actually need to injure 141 villagers; he could have had a better method.

But when you see her tied to the stake and burning, you can't think of any more dignified way.

Many years ago, Aaron made that choice, and now, if Joan of Arc were to face a similar situation again, and if Aaron were to make a similar choice once more, the outcome would certainly be the same.

Yes, Aaron realized at that moment that he had been hypocritical. He actually had completely different attitudes towards Carol and Joan of Arc. He felt it was righteous to keep Carol in the caravan because everyone else was staying there, and his actions were justifiable. But if it were Joan of Arc in the caravan...

“I would never have let her leave my side in the first place… If this really happened… I wouldn’t have left her in the team…” Aaron said after a moment of silence.

He answered Carol in a cold, hard voice: "You're right."

Carol had anticipated this answer, but when she actually heard it, she still trembled, stubbornly holding her head up as she listened to this answer that was far too cruel to her.

Aaron said:

“If Joan of Arc were there, I wouldn’t just leave like this. I would definitely wipe out the entire Griffin Legion before leaving. And if I had to leave, I would definitely take her with me and not care about what others say.”

Aaron's words reached Carol's ears one by one, and Carol immediately understood the meaning of Aaron's words. If you truly love someone, you will not tolerate her encountering the slightest risk. Even just thinking about such a possibility will make you feel angry and fearful. Even if there is only a one percent chance of losing the other person, you will not take the risk because you cannot afford to lose.

In the dimly lit room of Esgard, Aaron's words spoken in the sunset reached Joan of Arc's ears clearly.

Even though she already knew the answer, hearing her teacher say it to her own ears, hearing her teacher's words that were almost like a confession to "herself," still brought a happy smile to Joan of Arc's face.

After hearing the entire statement, Joan of Arc gently placed the Stone of Omniscience on the table, tiptoed back to bed, buried her face in the blankets, and wriggled happily, trembling with excitement. After a while, Joan of Arc took a deep breath, her face flushed, and lifted her head again, regaining her composure.

When she looked up, besides the overflowing happiness on her face, a faint smile of victory graced her lips.

It's not her fault. Carol has many people besides her teacher, but she only has her teacher left. Her teacher is the most precious person to her, and she can't possibly give her teacher to someone else.

But actually, it doesn't matter if we don't talk about these things, because this is love, and love is inherently selfish. No one willingly shares their lover, and Joan of Arc was no exception. Besides, behind her teacher's back, she was quite the jealous person...

During this period, the vinegar jar had actually been secretly overturned many times, but Aaron just didn't notice. And when the vinegar jar was overturned, this kind of situation seemed to occur.

At that moment, Joan of Arc heard a new voice coming from the other side of the All-Knowing Stone, which had been silent for a long time.

"That's so nice... That's the person you truly like... I wish I could be liked like that too..."

As the sun set, the girl spoke these words without tears. Her pupils were beautiful and serene, and she seemed to be immersed in happiness. Although there were still tear stains on her face, she still felt that happiness when she spoke these words, just like finally reaching the climax of a chivalric romance novel, seeing the knight finally express his love for his beloved princess. At this moment, even those outside the book could feel that happiness.

However, she is not the main character of this book; she is just a supporting character who likes the main character.

Carol smiled in the sunset, tears still streaming down her cheeks. Although the sunset reflected in her pupils, making her breathtakingly beautiful, and although she radiated light, if one ignored the two tear streaks on her face, it was an unparalleled scene of happiness.

But the sun eventually set, the light disappeared, and the world was once again covered in darkness. The cold night enveloped them again, just like the end of the climax of the story, when the characters had to leave the stage, leaving behind only endless loneliness, making people feel empty inside, as if a piece was missing.

"I...I'm a little cold...Could...could I borrow a piece of my clothing?"

In the darkness, Aaron heard the girl's trembling voice.

Aaron clutched the black robe he was wearing, hesitated for a moment, then took it off and draped it over Carol's shoulders. He felt that even if they didn't consider the engagement, as a friend and as a knight, he should lend the girl his clothes.

But when Aaron draped the black robe over the girl, he suddenly froze. Looking at Carol's trembling, thin shoulders, he suddenly remembered that three years ago, he had also draped a black robe over that girl, whose shoulders were just as thin. In an instant, their figures seemed to overlap, and Aaron's hand holding the robe hesitated.

Chapter 48: Still three updates today, still asking for monthly votes and investment.

If the update schedule remains the same, Chapter 3 should be available tomorrow...

So, for the sake of seeing the lack of breaks in the story, I'm asking for your monthly votes and investment...

Chapter 49 Joan of Arc's SOS Signal

In that brief moment of stunned silence, something astonishing happened: Carol swept past the black robe, opened her arms, and embraced him.

Aaron's hand was already lightly placed on Carol's shoulder, but he couldn't push the girl away no matter what he did, because he remembered the girl from three years ago who was wrapped in black cloth and looked like a delicate, cat-like creature.

Carol held that pose for a long time. Only when her body stopped trembling did she raise her head, look at Aaron, and say, "So this is what Joan of Arc felt like. How wonderful..."

Aaron didn't answer. He couldn't answer. Damn it, he should have pushed her away...

Carol withdrew her arm, wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, and said to Aaron, "Thank you, it was so heartwarming..."

"It may sound greedy to say this, but I seem to be the kind of person who, once I receive a little warmth, forgets the coldness of the past and wants more people..."

"What's the meaning……"

“I won’t give up,” Carol said with a smile.