Become their wicked yet gentle lord.

Ryuka nodded: "Understood, thank you."

Regardless, my recent performance has been too outstanding. The tallest tree in the forest catches the most wind. Sometimes, playing it safe is actually more reliable; developing steadily and avoiding risks is something I desperately want to achieve, but I can't afford to play it safe right now.

Ryūka gave a wry smile. Perhaps he should consider giving some of the credit to those around him. But if he did that, his influence over the people would be weaker, and the power he gained would be diminished…

Indeed, to gain great power, one must take risks; there is rarely a way to have the best of both worlds.

Hearing Ryuka's thanks, Quaid narrowed his eyes and gave a mysterious smile.

"No, I should be thanking you."

"Thank me?"

Ryuga frowned. What did Quaid mean by that? He hadn't done Quaid any favors whatsoever. In Sochi, he had almost ruined Quaid's plans and even caused Luminova to severely injure him. This time, Quaid had defeated him and the Twelfth Legion with an avalanche. These things had absolutely nothing to do with thanking him.

"Yes, thank you."

Quaid's lips curled into a wide smile, his usually listless and weary face now beaming with joy, as if celebrating the New Year. His heavy eyelids and dark circles relaxed, as if being soothed by a young girl's soft hand.

Thank you for adding fuel to the fire of internal strife in the Otus Empire… Quaid thought to himself silently, no one knowing what he was thinking at that moment.

Although Ryuga didn't know the reason, he knew that something was amiss, and Quaid was far too mysterious. His strangely cheerful reaction at this moment made Ryuga feel that this guy was dangerous.

Seeing Ryūka's gaze harden, as if a wild beast had encountered a wary opponent, Quaid said calmly:

"Don't be so nervous. Our conflicts are all in the past. And I don't understand what you have to be afraid of. After all, I have a feeling that if you want, one person can kill me and the other bigwigs behind me."

That's right, using that demonized form from last time... Quaid squinted at Ryūka. Although the demonized Ryūka struggled against him and Lady Mara's knights back then, the aura this kid exudes now far surpasses that. Not to mention he also defeated Olivia and her Frost Iron Knights. In Quaid's opinion, Ryūka's actual combat strength is probably unmatched below the Heavenly Rank.

After all, they are favored by the gods, so such rapid progress is not surprising.

Ryusha remained silent. Indeed, as Quaid had said, if he went all out and used all his trump cards without regard for the consequences, he could indeed defeat these senior officers of the Twelfth Army Corps and Quaid.

But that would mean using the power of [Witch's Corruption] again, entering the state of [Lord of Cruelty]. And the [Proof of Leadership] would be tainted by the purplish-black demonic energy once more, and one's sanity would be compromised.

If she continues to rely on that power, Ryuka feels that one day she will fall into an abyss of losing control, hurting herself and those around her.

The merciless avalanche buried all the corpses, and the absence of blood and screams allowed Ryūka to remain calm. Compared to the exhilarating feeling of killing before, Ryūka now lamented the enormity of his sins. After all, unlike the nobles who had committed unforgivable crimes, the soldiers before him had not yet committed arson, murder, or looting, and most of them were just ordinary people conscripted under orders.

Even with numerous reasons and excuses, the fact that tens of thousands of lives were so easily taken is still too heavy a burden for a sixteen-year-old boy.

“I don’t want to kill you unless absolutely necessary,” Ryuga shook her head. “So I hope Belloc can bring back some good news…”

“Looks like my life is spared.” Quaid raised an eyebrow. “Based on my understanding of Count Cullen, commander of the Twelfth Legion, he will agree with you. He is a cautious man who is good at protecting himself, or rather, he doesn’t like taking risks… but he wasn’t like this when he was young, well, he’s getting old now.”

As expected, a moment later, Belloc returned to Ryūka. He looked at Ryūka calmly and tossed a stack of letters onto the ground.

"Here is the intelligence on one of the other two legions you requested."

Belloc's face was covered in deep bruises, and there was dark blood at the corner of his mouth, as if he had been severely beaten. However, his tone was very calm, which was completely different from his angry appearance when he was talking to Ryuka earlier.

"The intelligence from the other legion will be delivered to you by someone after we have rescued the survivors and supplies," said Legion Commander Karen. "If you accept, you can leave after taking this intelligence. Of course, you can check its authenticity first."

Ryuga understood Belloc's meaning. They were worried that he would go back on his word after obtaining the information and attack them again, so they used this method. If he didn't trust them, they would rather fight him to the death than be completely passive.

"A very fair suggestion." Ryuga flipped his hand, and a force carrying the intelligence from the ground flew into his hand. Inside were letters from Legion Commander Karen and the other two Legion Commanders, as well as maps and battle plans.

The information was extremely detailed and reliable; it couldn't have been forged in a short time. Ryuka tucked the intelligence report into his pocket, a satisfied smile spreading across his face.

“Very good. If you are willing to believe, there is a town after you pass through the pass. Although the wooden houses have all been burned down, most of the stone buildings have been preserved, which can provide you with shelter from the wind and snow and a place to rest temporarily.”

Seeing Bellok's skeptical look, Ryusha added, "Of course, you can also back down, and I'd prefer that outcome. However, it will probably take several days to get out of the Mithril Mountains, which will be very difficult for you right now."

"Don't worry about it, the legion commander has his own plans."

Bellok said coldly that Ryūsha had destroyed their legion but still wanted to act like a good person, which infuriated him.

"Seeing you again next time won't be so simple."

Bellok murmured to himself, this was a blood feud between an entire legion and a boy. All the surviving officers gritted their teeth after learning the truth. Their subordinates were all their confidants, including many of their nephews and nieces, and even the conscripts and laborers were experienced militiamen with many service records.

This sudden and devastating blow nearly drove them all to madness; some even risked their lives, believing it was all due to his dereliction of duty as the vanguard battalion commander. Belloc silently endured the pain, even wishing they would just kill him. However, at the crucial moment, Legion Commander Karen stepped forward, calmly controlling the situation and making a decision after listening to Belloc's report.

As long as the green hills remain, there's no fear of running out of firewood. Besides, even without this avalanche, as long as they advance, they're destined to be the Third Prince Clovis's expendable resources. After they've finished off the Ryukyu army, let the noble legions reap the rewards.

Today, Ryūka made them realize that if a man who is so terrifying when he goes to a meeting alone is terrifying when he leads his soldiers, he will be even more terrifying.

Perhaps compared to the present day, where many knights and mages can still survive under the snow thanks to their own strength, a direct confrontation with Ryūka and his army would be a far worse outcome.

After all, if that were the case, the hopes of these elite troops would be slim. But now, at least these high-ranking officials have not perished; they are not only the core of a legion but also important figures in several noble families.

Now, even if they betrayed their allies' intelligence, they had to ensure they weren't destroyed by this terrifying youth. Moreover, they could quickly notify the other legions to halt their advance and abandon their previous plans. They could then cautiously plot against Sochi after reuniting with Clovis's two core legions.

As for whether there's enough time, that's not something the Twelfth Legion should worry about. After all, they're paid by the Imperial Military Department, not by Clovis personally, and there's no need for them to risk everything for a prince's ambition. Rather, they've already done more than enough by paving the way for him and the Payne family's army. Otherwise, it would be Clovis's vassal nobles' army buried in the snow today. (The last sentence is a nonsensical string of characters and doesn't translate directly.)

Ryuka wasn't bothered by Belloc's rejection of her kindness and his arrogant threats. Because no matter what, Belloc posed no threat to her anymore.

"Do as you please, but I advise you to be more discerning in future battles. Do you want to protect yourselves or become scapegoats for others? If you're smart enough, I won't attack you for no reason."

Ryuu grinned, then glanced one last time at Quaid beside him. Suddenly, the snow at his feet swirled into a whirlwind, completely obscuring his figure. As the snowflakes fell, the boy had vanished from Quaid and Belloc's sight.

Chapter 13 Intelligence in the Capital (Part 1)

Surprise attacks and ambushes are tactics that cannot always succeed. Although Ryūka defeated the Twelfth Legion, which served as the vanguard, he knew that the battle had only just begun.

This operation might slow down Clovis's progress, but the key issue lies within the court of Otus. As long as the emperor doesn't issue the order, Sochi remains unsafe. Even if Ryūsha is confident in defeating Clovis, it's useless. If he openly defeats the empire's third prince, what will he look like? He can't very well expect to go against the entire Otus right now, can he?

Right now, Ryūka only hopes to buy some time for Tipalotura and the other princes and princesses who dislike Clovis, so that they can exert their full strength and properly curb the Third Prince's expansion of power.

The most crucial support among them was undoubtedly from the fourth prince, Elias, who had the closest relationship with Tipalotura.

Meanwhile, Joe Harvey, a vassal of Elias from the neighboring territory, was a blond chatterbox. After Ryūsha agreed to cooperate, he brazenly moved into Sochi City under the pretext of facilitating communication. He bought a house in the city, moved in with a few guards, and frequently went to the castle, always claiming he had important matters to discuss with Ryūsha. He was often quite disappointed when he learned that Ryūsha was not there.

"Alright, then when he gets back, be sure to tell him to come find me. After all, we're good allies now. By the way, I see the rooms here are quite simple. Does Liu Xia usually work here? Why not add more decorations? Should I send him a few things? They're all in the popular style in the capital..."

After returning to Sochi, Ryūka listened to Hetia mimicking Joe's way of speaking, and finally, with a slight upturn of her lips, she looked at Ryūka with a wry smile:

"I heard that all the guards who live with him are handsome young men."

Ryuu couldn't help but twitch his eye. After meeting Joe Harvey for the first time, he sensed that the man was unusually enthusiastic towards him, and an intuition told him that his purpose for him was definitely not so simple.

While one's preferences and orientations are free, and even if someone likes a roadside stone pillar, Ryuka finds it understandable. However, if she were to be viewed that way, she would absolutely not want to go into Joe's house. Even though she was much stronger than Joe, the thought of possibly entering some strange magic house sent chills down Ryuka's spine.

"Well, I know you're not exactly happy about it, so I finally got him to write down what he wanted to say. But if he comes knocking on your door again after you get back, I won't be able to help you."

Hetia handed over a stack of letters with a smile. She was always the one being humiliated and toyed with by Ryūka in bed. It was rare to see Ryūka with such a tormented little girl expression, and she felt extremely happy inside.

Among the nobility, many are homosexual, and some noblewomen enjoy wearing certain devices to experience what it's like to be a man, playing role-reversal games with their male lovers. This is especially common in the capital; even when Hetia was studying at the Imperial Military Academy, many 'delicate' young noblemen were particularly fond of strong, masculine ladies. But whether it's between men or the latter, none of the popular handsome young men Hetia has ever seen are as good-looking as Ryuxia.

This kid, despite his terrible temper, is truly like a painting when he's silent, especially since he once disguised himself as a girl to deceive her. Even though Hetia recalled her past conflict with Ryuka, his cold yet beautiful demeanor still amazed her. Ryuka's cross-dressing became a hot topic among her group of girls, including Kania and Melanie. Those who hadn't seen him before were all curious. Melanie and Hefren, two girls with strong personalities, were naturally curious, and even someone like Kira couldn't help but let her imagination run wild when she heard that Ryuka was incredibly cute in women's clothing.

Well, if only it could stay like this forever… Hetia thought about Ryukatsu's changes over the past year. At sixteen, he wasn't much different from fifteen, but his round face was gradually turning into that of a man. In another year or two, he'd catch up to her in height, and his shoulders and arms would become more muscular. What would a robust Ryukatsu be like then? Would he become more assertive in certain ways? And what tricks would he pull after his physique had changed?

Hetia couldn't help but let her imagination run wild, even secretly fantasizing that if she hadn't experienced making Ryuxia act like a girl while he was still the handsome and adorable boy he is now, it would have been a loss for a lifetime...

However, she knew that was just wishful thinking. Even if Ryūka's favorite Kania dared to suggest such an idea, she would probably get a good 'lesson' for days. If that little devil found out she had such a bold idea, the consequences would be worse than death in another sense...

Although Hetia deeply concealed her wicked fantasies, the doting smile on her face still made Ryuka frown, keenly sensing a hint of unease.

"What's wrong? Why are you laughing so disgustingly?"

"It's nothing~ You should hurry up and read the letter Joe left for you." Hetia grinned, unable to suppress the joy she was imagining, and laughed heartily.

Ryusha took the letter with suspicion, but when she thought that Hetia had at least helped her get out of seeing Joe, she breathed a sigh of relief and thanked her.

Then Ryūka lay back in the chair and began to read the letters. Although she hadn't fought much, she was still exhausted from rushing back from the Mithril Mountains, especially since Hefren was like a cripple after the effects of the K18 potion wore off, and she had to carry her all the way. After all, Ryūka was now much faster than a warhorse if she traveled at full speed.

In just over half a day, he carried Haifulian back to Sochi City from the northernmost part of Sochi Territory. This would normally take more than a week to march, but the physical exertion would be enormous. However, there were too many things to worry about right now, and not enough time for Ryusha to enjoy himself.

But in another sense, he still had his share of good fortune. As Ryūka flipped through the letters, Hetia couldn't help but lick her lips. The fantasies she'd just had had her mouth watering; her legs, constricted by the knight's stockings, were already hot and wet. Although those fantasies couldn't come true, the current method was already enough to make her addicted.

She looked around. After all, this used to be the Duke family's territory; who knew where there might be secret passages or surveillance magic hidden? After confirming it was safe, Hetia quietly locked the door, then removed her gauntlets and leg armor. Skillfully, she crawled on all fours, supporting herself on her arms and knees, and twisted her waist between Ryūka's legs.

Ryūka naturally noticed it. He looked at Hetia between his legs, meeting her upturned gaze, and raised an eyebrow at the overflowing desire within her. It was quite a surprise that the female knight, who was usually so proud and liked to play the victim, was being so proactive today.

He was naturally unaware that some strange fantasy had aroused Hetia's desire, while Hetia, without any hesitation, responded to the boy with her beautiful eyes from below, and said, with a hint of vanity:

"It's just to relieve your stress. Kania usually does this on her own initiative, but she's not here right now, so..."

At this point, Hetia buried her pretty face between the boy's legs, rubbing and pressing her soft cheek against them. When she felt the time was right, she used only her lips and teeth to undo the boy's belt, and then her flushed face was slapped loudly...

Sensing the scent of Ryūka after a long day's journey, Hetia licked her lips and then looked at Ryūka respectfully, asking, "Is it alright?"

"Whatever you like."

Ryūka's gaze remained fixed on the letter, extracting useful information from the pile of nonsense, without even glancing at Hetia. But he had already smirked and deliberately patted Hetia's soft, hot cheek forcefully between his legs.

"Hmm~"

Her lips parted, and the wet, slippery sounds gradually grew from faint to unrestrained. The female knight's head, which had initially swayed slightly, finally began to rock wildly back and forth. Her heroic and dashing face contracted into a different form to give the young man the ultimate pleasure. As her slender neck swelled and swelled, the pleasure brought by suffocation and humiliation made Hetia reach one hand between her legs, imitating Ryuka, and use her fighting spirit to vigorously and unrestrainedly ravage her tender, moist place.

Although she couldn't control her strength as precisely as Ryūka, this wild, self-destructive method still ignited Hetia's mind. Her fair, firm buttocks and legs trembled violently, as if being ravaged by lightning. But despite this, Hetia didn't allow her upper body to be affected in any way, as if her upper and lower body were divided into two parts…

Just then, a 'click' sound came from the door Hetia had closed. After the first unsuccessful attempt to open the door, the person on the other side even pushed it twice, which startled Hetia.

Her breathing became tense, but after a moment of pause, the female knight's head began to sway back and forth even more wildly. In this tense atmosphere, she became even more excited, and her astonishing momentum seemed to be about to pierce her throat with each thrust...

The female knight's delicate nose slammed mercilessly into the boy's lower abdomen. If it weren't for her great knightly physique, she wouldn't have dared to be so reckless before; otherwise, her teeth and nose would likely have been broken, and her throat would have been torn apart by the boy's astonishing size. But now, amidst her frenzy and tension, she grew increasingly excited, even the hand that had been rubbing her firm thighs now gripping and squeezing fiercely!

Almost there... Just a little longer, it'll feel better soon... Are you here, Yongyong, Meikong, or Linzai...?

Hetia rolled her eyes, listening to the increasingly loud thumping of the door. After the door was finally opened with a bang, she couldn't help but let out a loud, muffled groan, which then added a burst of intense sweetness to the floor...

Outside the door, Melanie sighed with a smile, rubbing her forehead.

"I knew it. Locking the door meant they were up to something like this."

Beneath the doorknob was a key formed of ice crystals. She watched as Ryusha read the letter to himself inside the room, while Hetia collapsed into a ball, her legs falling down, but she still held it tightly in her mouth. Although she no longer shook her fiery red hair, she was still using her throat to contract and contract, bringing comfort to the boy.

Melanie raised an eyebrow. Although she had come to say something, right now...

Those things can wait a while.

She shattered the ice crystal key in the keyhole, locked the door again, and didn't forget to cast a powerful magical seal. Then she walked over confidently, slowly knelt down beside Hetia, grabbed Hetia's braid, and lifted her head up, making a wet, tight sound like opening a wine bottle.

"Ugh~ So much saliva, Red-haired Girl, you're really going all out today~ Disgusting~"

"Mind your own business... You're late, so you can eat my saliva!"

Hetia caught her breath slightly and glared at her former arch-rival from the academy. Now, the two of them were cheek to cheek, squeezing between the boy's legs, competing in a different way.

"Dream on." Melanie smiled slightly, and with a surge of magic, the saliva left on her hand instantly froze into a thin layer of ice. Then, with a flick of her jade finger, the ice film vanished like snowflakes, and the fiery thing immediately became clean and dry again.

Throughout the entire process, the magic was controlled with unparalleled precision, without the slightest discomfort felt by any nerve. Even Ryuka had to praise Melanie's even more exquisite control over magic.

Melanie held the boy's implement in her hand, looking at Hetia with a provocative gaze. At the same time, she extended her pink and moist tongue and licked it deeply from root to tip. Her elegant and seductive posture seemed to be showing off to Hetia that mages were still nobler than knights, whether in combat or in other aspects...

The female knight felt a surge of anger and, in a fit of pique, lay down and buried her head even deeper beneath Liu Xia, refusing to look at the icy woman's face.

Melanie, however, had no intention of letting her go. With a flick of her finger, an ice sculpture identical to the one in Ryukyu's hand materialized in her palm. Then, taking advantage of Hetia's inattention, she thrust it deep into her defenseless depths...

"Ugh! You! Ryuka! Look at her!"

Ryūsha glanced at Hetia's indignant expression, seeing her acting like a submissive woman demanding his intervention, a far cry from her fierce and imposing presence on the battlefield. He couldn't help but raise an eyebrow, then turned to Melanie, who was pretending nothing had happened, and said:

"It looks so realistic, this probably isn't the first time, is it?"

Melanie gave him a resentful look, naturally understanding what he meant. She then conjured a second one from the ground, parted her skirt, and slowly sat down on it…

"Hiss~ Is this okay? It's just like that red-haired woman now."

"That's different!" Hetia glared at Melanie, this ice block girl was immune to the cold! But seeing her slowly swaying her hips on the ground, looking extremely comfortable, Hetia remained silent.

Although it's a bit cold, every bit of it is exactly the same as Ryuka's. This lewd ice block woman probably hasn't done this before! Hmph~ So she's pretty much like me, even though I secretly carved one out of wood for my own use, and it doesn't look much like her at all...

However, this coldness is easily resisted by channeling one's fighting spirit. Although it is still far inferior to the real thing, it has its own unique charm...

So Hetia gave up arguing with Melanie, instead gently shaking the ice sculpture with one hand, and then shifted their struggle to a different kind of verbal exchange...

Chapter 14 Intelligence in the Capital (Part 2)

In a comfortable and relaxed state, Ryuka finally figured out the current situation in the capital city after a lot of nonsense.

Firstly, a faction led by Tipalotula and Elias argued that since the Duke family had already been eliminated, there was no need for further large-scale warfare. Clovis's campaign against Sochi should end there, and Ryukia and others from Linhu Territory should be rewarded.

The ministers and nobles who supported Clovis insisted that this was a conspiracy, and that the claim that Linhu Territory acted in self-defense after being threatened by Sochi Territory was unfounded. Furthermore, they argued that the failure to deliver Earl Duke's head, and the excuse that the body could not be found during the war, were merely pretexts. They asserted that Linhu Territory and Sochi Territory had a close relationship, and that this was an act of deception against the Empire.

Moreover, although Ryūsha was the commander appointed by Hetia during this turmoil, he was merely a commoner. Yet, during the campaign, he persecuted nobles on a large scale, and his first targets were the Sochi nobles who did not stand with Count Duke. Furthermore, before receiving his official appointment from the Empire, he treated the Sochi territory as his own, forcibly relocating people, seizing power from other nobles, and conscripting soldiers and requisitioning supplies—actions that are utterly unacceptable!

According to them, even if Linhu Territory were to capture Sochi, they should wait for the arrival of the Third Prince Clovis's army before dealing with the other territories and nobles. Furthermore, everything should be done according to the orders of Clovis, the commander appointed by the emperor; otherwise, it would be considered treason!