Become their wicked yet gentle lord.

In other words, if they don't surrender and swear an oath, the likely 'outcome' coming soon will be that Hafren dies in the battle...

Hetia's words caused many knights to exchange bewildered glances, seemingly finding them acceptable. After all, most were still young, not even forty years old in ten years, and compared to bearing the stigma of dereliction of duty and disloyalty, they could not entirely disregard them.

"You...you can't do this! We can offer something else! Money! Name your price!"

The captain of the knights was drenched in sweat. He sensed that his men were wavering. But if he, as the captain of the knights, did nothing in exchange for Miss Hafley's life, his loyalty and reputation would be ruined.

Others can switch allegiances, but he can't! He's a collateral branch of the Alvarez family! Both his family and status remain within the main family! Coming to Linhu Territory, he'd be nothing more than a border cavalry captain at best!

Ten years! I am the eldest of them all! If I agree to Tartu's conditions, even if I gain a reputation for loyalty, I'm afraid I will have to spend the rest of my life in a poor and remote place like Linhu Territory!

"It's a pity you're not fit to be the captain of the royal guard..."

Hetia lowered her eyes, looking as if she had lost interest in them:

"Forget it, a bunch of selfish knights are no match for me. I will save your young lady. After all, Luca has already sacrificed himself. Compared to you worthless people, it's not a loss to let Luca, who is most likely to be promoted to Grand Knight, serve alone for all the years."

Hetia's words relieved the knight captain. In any case, it was good that Heflian's life was saved. As for the reasons behind it, he could explain it back to her however he wanted.

Perhaps seeing the captain's relieved expression and guessing what he would do next, the knights behind him showed indignant expressions.

“If Luca can give up his freedom for the lady…” a knight rode forward, “Although I don’t have his talent, I am willing to take on half of his service years.”

“Ruhr, you…” Luca’s expression shifted slightly. Ruhr, who was usually the one he didn’t get along with the most, was the first person to come out.

“Half of two hundred years is a full hundred years. Neither of you two will live that long,” Hetia teased the solemn-faced knight, but still managed a smile. “Welcome to the team, soldier.”

"Fifty years, I think. If I try hard, I can live to see that time."

Two knights with similar features exchanged a glance, a slight smile playing on their lips, and stepped forward side by side:

“Luca, my brother and I promised to attend your wedding, but it seems the bride might not be Mary after all…”

The two made a bittersweet joke at Luca, who stared in disbelief, clutching the amulet at his chest. Indeed, if he stayed in Linhu Territory from then on, he might never see Mary again.

“William, West…” Luca’s lips moved, “Thank you…”

“Uh… count me in too. What’s the current age limit? I’m not very good at math…” A slightly chubby knight with a kind face also rode forward.

"Forty years, you stupid pig Dart, but now it's thirty-three years and four months for each person." A gloomy-faced knight with a cold and unpleasant expression pushed up his monocle and bowed to Hetia.

"Atticus Regan, serving in the Linhu Territory from the 23rd of October in the autumn of Otus calendar 326."

"Count me in too..."

"Count me in..."

"Damn it, it's only ten years, brothers, let's all join!"

"Well, Dell, you have a family in the capital, so let's not force you..."

Seeing his subordinates express their opinions one after another, the knight captain's face turned ashen, and he trembled all over, not knowing what to do.

Chapter 42: The Epilogue to the Sochi Incident

"You...you all..." The knight captain's face turned ashen as he watched more and more of his men stand against him. Several knights remained behind him, but their families were still in the capital, preventing them from easily taking sides. However, they also looked at Luca and his group with apologetic eyes, indicating that they had no choice...

Just as the knight captain was about to lash out, a voice that delighted all the knights interrupted him.

"enough."

The long-awaited Heflian appeared behind Hetia, accompanied by two high-ranking officials from the Linhu Territory.

"Miss Heflene..."

Heflin looked at the knight captain with pity. If he hadn't fulfilled his duty to dissuade her before, Heflin could have taken the blame. But his current actions had undeniably disappointed her…

"Miss! Come back to the capital with me! There's nothing more to say to these people!"

"That's so stupid..."

"W-what did you say?"

"I mean, I was so foolish to have believed you... It would have been even more foolish to go back with you."

Heflian said coldly, just as Ryusha had said, even if she went back like this, all that awaited her in the capital was endless humiliation. But for the knight captain, bringing Heflian back would at most result in reprimand; if put nicely, it could even be considered a success.

Heflian had already made up her mind whether he was acting out of loyalty or for his own benefit. She said to Luca and his group:

"Thank you for sacrificing yourselves for my freedom. Therefore, I will remain in Linhu Territory to fulfill your promised service. As for you..."

Heflian glanced at the ashamed knights behind the captain and smiled understandingly. "You Lin Zaimei, you Lin Kong, you Lin Zaizai, are you not here..."

"Why are you all looking so dejected? I'm back healthy and well!"

"Miss, we..."

“I know.” Heflian interrupted their self-narration, feigning nonchalance, and waved her hand casually. “You are not only my personal guards, but also my husband and father… Go back and tell my father that I am sorry. This is both my atonement and my chance to prove myself again.”

"Miss Hafulen! You must have been coerced by them, right?! Or did that demon drug you with some kind of spell?!" The knight captain was completely distraught by the unfolding events. He roared, trying to salvage the situation. "That's right! Where's the demon's corpse?! Where is it?! Could all of this be a conspiracy by the Linhu Territory?!"

Although the excuse he desperately tried to come up with was close to the truth, it didn't matter anymore; no one present was on his side. Hetia, in particular, was the first to draw her longsword:

"I can't pretend I didn't hear that. Are you accusing a nobleman?"

“Miss Tartu, leave this to me.”

Luca interrupted Hetia's conversation, and just as Ryusha had expected, he slowly walked toward the knight captain, while all his comrades tacitly stepped back.

"Captain, is there still any unresolved grudge between us...?"

The longsword was slowly drawn, and Luca calmly looked at his former superior. He had spared his life before to avoid disrupting the search for Hefren, and also to gain his forgiveness and return to the Royal Guard after Hefren was rescued.

But there's no need for that now. Luca can imagine how badly he would slander his group within the Alvarez family if he were allowed to go back like this.

"You, you all... Miss..."

The knight captain's gaze swept back and forth between Luca and his other subordinates, finally turning his pleading eyes to Heflian, but he was met with indifference in return.

"If you still have any honor as a knight, prove it with your sword. As long as you defeat Luca, no one else will make things difficult for you..."

Heflian sighed, then silently turned around and disappeared from everyone's sight.

She didn't want to see her subordinates killing each other.

Even though Luca is in much worse shape than the Knights captain, their determination is completely different at this moment, and the outcome of this battle is obvious without even watching.

Heflian bit her lip and walked through the village to the other end. There, the soldiers of Linhu Territory were cooking, while large numbers of freed slaves were gathered there blankly, queuing to receive food and clothing.

Ryūka was there too. He and Kania changed into aprons and, with normal expressions, distributed food and maintained order with the soldiers. After everyone had eaten and had enough energy, they would take them to Linhu Territory.

"One bowl of porridge per person, two pieces of bread for men, and one piece for women and children. Don't give them too much; they've been hungry for so long they don't know when they're full, and eating too much at once will cause them problems..."

Like a nanny, Ryusha gave instructions to his soldiers. After seeing Haifulian walk over looking lost and dejected, he and Kania exchanged a glance.

Who's going?

Go ahead and go~

Kania gave a wink; it was Ryukatsu's idea to provoke Luca into a duel with the captain, after all, he didn't want the knight captain to return alive. And he also needed to resolve Hafren's inner conflict...

Liuxia shrugged, wiped her hands on her apron, then picked up two bowls of porridge and walked towards Haifulian.

"Here."

Hafulen didn't open her eyes to look at Ryūsha, but silently accepted the porridge he offered. She surveyed the entire village of slaves gathered together, gorging themselves ravenously, and, suppressing her complex emotions, said softly:

"You... will make it all worthwhile, won't you? The blood of my men, and the blood of those people in the village..."

Ryuka stood side by side with Hafulen, looking at the same scenery as her, showing no trace of the evil manner that had bullied her before.

He had expected Hafulyn to get angry at him, vent her emotions, or beg him to go out and stop the ongoing duel, but he didn't expect Hafulyn to say this.

Ryusha looked at Sasha in the crowd. Sasha was with the slaves she knew. An older woman was holding her and crying. She didn't know if she was her aunt or something else. There were other slave children of similar age beside her.

No, that's not right, they are no longer slaves.

Ryūka smiled and waved at Sasha, who was looking at her, then said to Hafren:

"I think it was worth it."

……

In the end, Luca emerged victorious from the duel, but the young knight now had a scar on his face. His comrades joked that it made him look more manly, though Mary might feel sorry for him.

Heflian's two maids, along with the remaining knights who wanted to join them, arrived in Linhu Territory from Sochi City. Linhu Territory then handed over the remains of some resentment aggregates that Ryūsha had defeated to the arriving Papal Expeditionary Force, claiming that the demon had been annihilated.

Given that the Vatican had seen many such random incidents of heresy, the matter was dropped.

The Third Prince's faction completely withdrew from Sochi, and even Lady Mara returned to her maternal family, the Payne family. Although Ryūsha didn't understand the reason for Lady Mara's departure, Sochi returned to Count Duke's rule. And he kept his promise, agreeing to grant Ryūsha half of Lady Mara's vassal nobles' territories, though he would have to 'claim' them himself…

And so, Linhu Territory was about to welcome the end of the year amidst wind and snow, but Liuxia felt as if she had forgotten something...

……

"I already told you! I really am a nun who graduated from the Holy City 'Diganhal'! Look! This is the purest holy magical energy!!!"

"Very well, very well... But your name isn't on any of the clergy transfer records, Sister Luminova. Can anyone prove your clergy status?"

In the dimly lit room, behind the glass that had been enchanted with protective magic, an elderly woman adjusted her glasses and mumbled indistinctly as she wrote a confession on a document.

"I already said it at the beginning, right? Sister Lindsay in Linhu Territory, and the local governor can both... I also serve as the 'Dean of Studies' at a church school!!! You can ask them!"

Luminova argued nervously and frantically, while the old woman pulled down her glasses and looked at Luminova across from her with a suspicious gaze.

Although she didn't know what kind of teacher a 'dean of students' was, she seriously doubted whether this emotionally agitated and intellectually questionable nun could work at a church school.

"Please don't get agitated. We've already sent people to the Holy City and Linhu Town to investigate, but there will definitely be some delays on the way..."

The old woman comforted Luminova, giving her a sympathetic look. Her holy aura was genuine, but when it came to cases involving heresy, the Inquisition had to investigate carefully.

She just doesn't seem very bright. Forget lying, even convincing believers—cough!—her ability to preach and spread the word is questionable... Sigh, are the standards for young nuns these days really this low?

"Could you tell me what kind of mission you, as the head of the department, was given to go to Linhu Town...?"

"Um... this, this I can't tell you..."

“Alright, alright, um… I can’t say…” The old woman wrote in her notebook, “Hmm… why did you, who should have been in Linhu Town a hundred miles away, suddenly appear in Sochi City right when the heretical demons appeared…”

"I already said it! I heard it! It's a power bestowed upon me by the goddess!"

"Alright, alright, no need to be so loud..." The old woman picked at her ear. "By the goddess above, everything we have is of course a gift from her, including life... uh? Where were we?"

On the other side of the glass, Luminova, though not bound, would never act recklessly within the church. Looking up at the single beam of light shining from the ceiling, she shouted…

"Lindsay! Little Liuxia! Come and take me away!!!"

"Lindsay! Little Liuxia! Come and take me away!!!"

Chapter 1 Dark Elves, Witches, Bathhouses, and Nuns

"What about the territory that Earl Duke ceded? Aren't you going to take it back?"

Ryuka sat in the room, with Kania nestled against her, her soft cherry lips licking her earlobe as she inquired about the territory of Sochi.

"It's going to be difficult. Legally, territorial transfers are not allowed; the emperor's permission is required. Moreover, the original lords won't accept the count's punishment and obediently hand over their lands. Count Duke's talk of 'giving up' is merely tacit approval for our occupation..."

Feeling the embrace she hadn't been in for many days, Ryuka looked at the letter from Count Duke while toying with Kania's pale purple hair. Her hair, shimmering like starlight, exuded a bewitching fragrance. A witch is indeed a walking embodiment of desire, but only Ryuka could experience this captivating allure.

"Besides, winter is just around the corner, and it's not a good time to wage war. The newly recruited population also needs to be assimilated, and food needs to be redistributed... hiss..."

Ryuka was muttering to herself when she was interrupted by a strong stimulation. Kania's soft fingers seemed to have a magical power, roaming over her body and teasing her...

"Attending to government affairs again! You must have something important to do when you come back~"

Kania grinned mischievously and reached down. At the top of the object she was playing with, the brown-skinned dark elf assassin was sucking on her soft, delicate face until it was concave, and wet saliva dripped from the bottom. Kania kneaded it with her fingers, and two different sticky, wet sounds echoed throughout the room.

The 'important matter' that Kania mentioned was resolving the 'problem' of Zona's bloodline talent.

Twenty-year-old Zona, still inexperienced in matters of the heart, awkwardly followed Kania's instructions, diligently serving her master with her mouth and tongue. Before being pampered, she had to arouse her master to the highest level of pleasure—it was truly baffling how Kania had instilled these things into her mind…

Accompanied by the hissing sound of water, Zona's specially applied purple lipstick became stained with the thing that was about to take her purity. The astonishing heat stirred the natural desires of her dark elf bloodline, causing the ecstatic Zona to offer up the depths of her throat again and again…

Almost there~ Kania felt her little lover getting hotter and whispered seductively in Ryusha's ear.

"Is this how it is?" Ryuga gave her a disdainful look, a look that Kania found irresistible. She pleaded in a cloying tone and finally got her consent.

The loyal servant with pointed ears, who had diligently served Ryusha for a long time, finally received her master's approval and eagerly crawled out from under the table. Her damp clothes had long been removed, and her glossy brown skin shone brightly in the fireplace fire. However, what awaited her was her master's teasing command.

"You seem to really like the corner of the table, show me."

W-what? Zona bit her lip. She had thought she would finally receive the 'affection' she both craved and feared, experiencing that intimate embrace for the first time, awakening her long-suppressed dark elf nature. She never imagined that merely serving like a pet wouldn't be enough; she would also have to display the shameful state of self-pleasure in front of her master…

"Zona-neechan~ You'd better get used to it soon~ But you look so strong~ You should be fine, right~"

Kania chuckled wickedly as she caressed Zona's taut body. The well-trained assassin's beautiful curves began to tremble under the witch's caresses, but the wicked little witch soon faced her 'punishment'.

"You'll be in charge of lubricating the table corners for Zona, okay?"