The story of the black silk female knight

"It's okay, it's not a big problem. I'll drink some medicine and regulate my breathing afterward, and I'll be fine."

Fortunately, Chiba Rui was perceptive and immediately understood the problem. She first politely declined Valensa's treatment with a smile, then asked with a troubled expression:

"But... that person just now, shouldn't that be your contracted dragon, Miss Duchess? I really don't understand why she was so angry?"

"This is naturally all my fault... Moon Kiss has a special meaning for me and Sister Long, but I took the initiative to give Moon Kiss to others for mind control, so it's normal for Sister Long to be angry."

Valensa first squeezed her legs together shyly, then said seriously:

"However, I have a rough idea of ​​why you were able to obtain that core, Miss Rui. Sister Long was indeed angry with me just now, but the dragon roar spell at the beginning was not her intention to hurt you, Miss Rui, but an instinctive counterattack."

"Instinctive retaliation?"

Chiba Rui frowned:

"But shouldn't that Fairy Dragon Lady be in the Witch's Forest right now? How could I have triggered her instinctive counterattack from such a distance? Just because I imbued that sword with the Sword of the Heart?"

"Yes."

Valensa nodded and replied very seriously:

“I just confirmed with Sister Dragon through the Dragon Knight Contract… At the moment when you used the Heart Sword to attach Moon Kiss to Miss Rui, Sister Dragon’s body was also subjected to some kind of mental attack… At first, she thought that an enemy had come to attack, but after carefully sensing it, she realized that it was something that happened on my side.”

"This……"

The reality was clearly somewhat unexpected for Chiba Rui, leaving her momentarily stunned.

Valensa then went on to offer her speculation:

"Based on my feeling just now, Miss Rui, your Heart Sword attachment is actually a very domineering act of mental power forcibly seizing. You have always attached to unclaimed objects before, so you have never felt anything unusual. But Noble Phantasms are different. There is a mental link between a Noble Phantasm and its master. You can clearly feel the feeling of something important being taken away... Miss Rui, you have probably never attached your Heart Sword to someone else's Noble Phantasm before, right?"

"No."

Chiba Rui nodded firmly:

"In fact, apart from my own sword, I rarely attach anything to the Heart Sword. I only use it when I have no other choice."

"Then it can't be wrong."

Valensa snapped her fingers again:

"It seems that our guesses all along were correct... The core of the Mist Demons is their true form, while their outer shells, whether beast-shaped, bird-shaped, or human-shaped, are actually external weapons controlled by them, similar to Noble Phantasms."

Miss Rui, what appeared to be merely attaching to an enemy's tentacle actually interfered with the enemy's core's control over its outer shell... That ability to manipulate the outer shell using the core is likely extremely important to the Mist Demons, which is why they panicked the first time they encountered such an ability and were willing to eliminate you at all costs. After her failure, the other Mist Demons became incredibly cautious.

If my reasoning is correct, then Miss Rui, you didn't just seize a complete high-level fog demon core, but captured a real high-level fog demon body, and one that likely holds an important position and knows classified information.

Put yourself in their shoes. If, during a war, one of the most knowledgeable core members of your ninja team, Miss Rui, were captured by the enemy, wouldn't you also desperately want to rescue that member, or even silence them?

"Hmm...that makes sense."

Himika quickly agreed with Valensa's deduction, and then jumped up and forcefully patted Chiba Rui on the shoulder twice:

"Don't keep attaching the Heart Sword to your own sword, Rui'er. You can practice using this move to forcibly steal other people's weapons or treasures! If you can snatch Xiao Yu's sword, I'll arrange a long-term mission for your sister and give you special treatment!"

"...With such a tempting reward, I definitely wouldn't live to take it."

Chiba Rui was somewhat amused and exasperated upon hearing this, but quickly made a promise:

"However, I can indeed study the tactic of using the Sword of the Heart to disarm people later... When those bastards from the Central Continent Empire come again, I might be able to give them a surprise!"

. . . . .

Having made inferences and guesses, the next step is naturally to verify them.

Since the core of the Fog Demon is likely to be its true form, even without a humanoid shell, the core itself probably still possesses self-awareness.

Anything with self-awareness can be interrogated.

Himiko readily gave Valensa the high-level Mist Demon Core, saying that Valensa could steam, boil, or grill it as she pleased, or even eat it directly.

Valensa certainly wouldn't consume this rare, complete Mist Demon Core; she wanted to force it to communicate with her in a way she could understand.

Since advanced fog demons can disguise themselves as humans and infiltrate human society, even if only their core remains, they should still be able to use human language.

At first, Valensa tried to use verbal sparring.

She kept the high-level Mist Demon Core by her side at all times, and would mutter to it like an old monk chanting sutras. Her words ranged from well-intentioned advice to sarcastic remarks and insults. As long as the Mist Demon Core reacted, she considered it a victory.

However, several days passed... Valensa even tried to seduce the Fog Demon Core by taking a bath with it and by sleeping with her legs wrapped in black stockings around it, but it was all to no avail... It seemed that the core was just a piece of material without consciousness, much like the magic crystals left behind after a monster dies.

But Valensa still felt she was right, so after her verbal attacks failed, she began to subject the Fog Demon's core to various forms of torture.

Burning, freezing, scraping with a knife, soaking in acid.

Considering that the Fog Demon Core was likely some kind of high-tech entity, Valensa tried detonating EMP bombs and placing strong electromagnetic environments around it, but none of them worked.

Half a month passed in the blink of an eye. Valensa's research on the core of the Mist Demon was at a standstill, but the formation of the Allied Forces was progressing rapidly.

The elite forces of the three human nations on the continent of Frenoia have been selected and are currently assembling on the new inland sea coast; many advance troops have already arrived.

Considering that, regardless of who the supreme commander of the coalition forces is, it is likely that Tia will be the one who formulates operational plans and issues orders most of the time, many officers in the coalition forces have expressed their desire to receive training from Tia on new concepts of military strategy.

Of course, that's just a nicer way of putting it... In reality, there are many excellent officers who aren't entirely convinced of Tia's abilities.

After all, Tia is so young and a beautiful woman... it's hard not to wonder whether her boss is a capable person or just an idol.

Tia also needs to rely on her own abilities to gain the officers' approval... This is something that neither Valensa nor her family can help her with.

After all, the great war to come will determine the fate of the entire continent.

Valensa was a little worried about this, but Tia was very confident.

According to Tia, if someone who has been exposed to so many advanced weapons and concepts of warfare can't even control a group of old-fashioned officers whose tactical thinking is still stuck on cavalry charges and mages with shields, then she shouldn't be a commander leading troops in battle anymore; she might as well just stay home and take care of her children.

Chapter 22 So you two know each other?

happy New Year to all!

. . . . .

. . . . .

Tia went to the Allied Forces' base to strive to become the Allied Forces' commander, and Valensa no longer stayed on Jade Island.

We've been researching that advanced mist demon core for almost half a month, but there's been no progress. It's time to consult a certain learned great witch sister.

Actually, we should have gone earlier, but I've been very busy lately. Jade Island is a comfortable and beautiful place, perfect for a vacation, so Valensa wanted to stay there with Tia for a few more days to rest before trying to crack the secrets of the advanced fog demon core.

Now that Tia has gone to work, Valensa has to admit that she doesn't really have much talent for research, so it's time for her to leave.

With Thousand Leaf Grass and the Phantom Thief Sister behind her, and a little girl doll with dangling feet sitting on her shoulder, Valensa first walked the sacred path from the cathedral of Chuyun City back to the capital of Fran, and then directly from the fixed teleportation array in her home in the capital of Fran to the underground ruins of the Wasteland.

It's been almost three years since I met Friggia in this underground ruin. Many of the facilities and devices that were originally broken have been restored to normal operation thanks to Friggia and Suzuran's efforts over the past three years.

The discovery of the nuclear fuel vein in North Blade Bay on Sword Island solved the energy crisis. As a result, Friedeja used her imaginary alchemy to create several replicas of the nuclear reactor that Vi had given her, so that the underground ruins could have more energy to power the equipment left behind by the previous civilization.

Valensa, who hadn't been back here for quite some time, almost didn't recognize this place, which was practically her secret base, when she stepped out of the teleportation array.

In an instant, it felt as if I had stepped into the secret base of a large organization in a science fiction work. The passages in the ruins were all covered with soft, silvery-white metal, and the bright lights were everywhere. There were also directional signs that lit up on the walls from time to time.

Chiba's mouth was agape in shock, and even the experienced thief sister, who had caused trouble in many places, had her eyes shining and excitedly hooked her arm around Valensa's neck, saying:

"Junior sister, you actually have such an interesting place? It makes me want to make a comeback... If I were to find a place here to hide your very important treasure... hehe, just thinking about it is hilarious!"

"...Please, senior sister, don't bully me!"

Valensa was both amused and exasperated. She immediately feigned pitifulness towards her senior sister, while inwardly ranting and raving.

I wonder what this senior sister went through when she was a child. She's old enough to be a grandmother, but she still acts like a little girl and loves to play pranks.

Of the group, only Yi Qiuyue, sitting on Valensa's shoulders, seemed remarkably calm. She merely offered a casual comment on the futuristic interior of the underground ruins:

"It has a bit of the feel of our Star Altar Cloud Ship, but it's still not grand enough."

"The Cloud Ship?"

Valensa was a little curious, and at the same time reached out and flicked Yi Qiuya's foot:

"What is that? Is it your Star Altar's spaceship?"

"if not?"

Yi Qiuyue quickly pulled her small foot back, dodging Valensa's fingers, and at the same time raised her face:

"You don't think that the Church of the Sun is the only one on this planet that can travel to outer space, do you? Our Star Altar's Cloud Ship can too! It's a super-large ship that can enter the real starry sky to observe and study celestial phenomena. It's the culmination of generations of hard work from our Star Altar, and it was also our former headquarters!"

"A magical version of a spaceship... Your Star Alliance is indeed quite impressive."

Valensa sighed, then, a thought struck her, and she asked:

"And then what happened? Now that your Star Altar has been destroyed by the Central Continent Empire, will the Cloud Ship fall into the hands of the Dragon Emperor?"

If that's the case, then we must also be prepared for how to deal with enemy attacks from space when the Central Continent Empire invades a few years later.

"This...it's hard to say."

Yi Qiuya immediately understood Valensa's meaning, frowned and thought for a moment, then said:

"The Cloud Ship of the Star Altar is definitely gone. I am the daughter of the Star Altar Master, and I was once soul-bound to the control center of the Cloud Ship. If the Cloud Ship was really taken over by the Dragon Emperor, no matter how he modified and overridden my authority, I should have sensed it to some extent."

But ever since you awakened me, I have been unable to sense the existence of the Cloud Ship... This is also the main reason why I am certain that the Star Altar has been destroyed. The Cloud Ship was probably completely destroyed while resisting the Dragon Emperor.

However, the Dragon Emperor has many skilled craftsmen under his command, and they might be able to build a new Cloud Ship based on its wreckage... Therefore, you should indeed have made some preparations for extraterrestrial attacks in preparation for the war four years later.

"understood."

Valensa nodded, keeping these words firmly in mind.

As long as we prepare in advance, attacks from space are not so scary. The Church of the Sun will definitely have countermeasures, and Wei's side will most likely have them as well.

The group chatted as they walked, quickly passing through a silver, futuristic-style metal tunnel several hundred meters long, and then through a large circular gate.

Then the style of the scene completely changed... from science fiction to fantasy.

The size of the passageway remained the same, but the silver-white walls had been changed to sandalwood red, and the soft metal covering had been replaced with a high-end wood that exuded a pleasant fragrance, giving people the illusion of instantly traveling from a secret base of a science fiction organization to a classical palace.

"Who?"

A wary, soft shout came from the other side of the classical corridor.

It was a girl dressed as a maid in the French royal palace, with blood-red eyes and pale skin, exuding a chilling aura; she was clearly not human.

She was holding two short swords in a fighting stance, while at her feet was a broom, a rag, and a bucket of water.

Clearly, the undead maid was cleaning in the passageway when she entered combat mode after discovering Valensa and the others.

Is this a new undead beauty created by Princess Yu?

Valensa roughly guessed the identity of the undead maid, and smiled as she took a step forward:

"It's me...you don't not recognize me, do you?"

"you are……?"

The undead maid paused for a moment, then her red eyes flashed with green light, much like a robot scanning Valensa and comparing data through the cameras in her eyes.

Soon after, the undead maid sheathed her twin swords, bowed while lifting the hem of her skirt, and her cold, questioning expression transformed into a docile smile:

"So it's Lady Valensa, welcome home... I'm so sorry, my lady, I was just born last month and haven't met you yet. Please forgive me for any offense!"

Then, the undead maid actually raised her skirt a little higher, and the hooks connecting her stockings to her panties were clearly visible.

And on that face that should have been cold and lifeless, a blush and shyness appeared, only the bloodshot eyes remained terrifyingly red:

"If you really can't forgive me, you can punish me severely... Now or anytime tonight is fine... Don't worry, when I was created by my master, I was implanted with many techniques and memories on how to please you, which will definitely satisfy you... Want to try?"

"Oh wow? It's that good?"

Valensa raised an eyebrow in surprise, and without any hesitation, walked directly to the undead maid, reached out and examined her hands a few times, then commented:

"Hmm... It's a very soft body. It doesn't have the stiffness of an undead at all, nor does it smell of decay. Instead, it has a pleasant fragrance... The only pity is that it's too cold. It would be very refreshing to hold it in your arms in the summer... But it could also extinguish all your inner fire."

The undead maid did not resist at all, but tried her best to act shy and demure. After hearing the evaluation, she lowered her head in shame.

"I'm sorry I didn't meet your expectations. I will continue to improve and evolve myself."

"It's okay, you're already great as you are, goodnight..."

Valensa had originally intended to come to my room that evening so I could try it out, but considering she was going to consult that great witch and would most likely have to pay a 'consultation fee' that night, she changed her mind and said:

"If I have time in the next few days, I will try out your performance."

"Yes, my lord."

The undead maid obediently responded.

"Okay, then you can continue cleaning."