After a grueling journey, the carriage finally reached its destination.
It was a small town located to the south of Brilliant City.
Upon entering the town, the expected cheers from a welcoming crowd were nowhere to be found. Instead, rows of silver-armored knights stood at attention on both sides of the street, reminiscent of a state leader's inspection.
Hilda was the first to step out of the carriage. Sir Adam leaped down from his horse and turned toward the carriage door, bowing respectfully.
The three nuns hurriedly dismounted and laid a thick red carpet at the carriage step.
The moment a slender hand pulled back the curtain, every knight knelt in unison, their eyes burning with an intense, fervent light.
As Luo Li stepped out of the carriage, she immediately felt the weight of those scorching gazes.
She did not step down yet. Since she had no shoes, she couldn't very well step onto the dirt ground. She simply stood at the front of the carriage, surveying the rows of silver-armored knights.
"Hilda, what time is it now?"
Hilda pulled out a pocket watch and took a quick glance.
"Your Highness, it is already eight-thirty."
"How long would it take to get from here to the West Gate?"
"Cavalry at full speed could reach the West Gate within half an hour."
Hilda knew this was part of the Saintess's plan, so she answered with the utmost seriousness.
Luo Li nodded and turned her gaze toward the silver-armored knights lining the street.
It was clear that every one of these knights was a battle-hardened elite, their eyes sharp and their spirits high.
The aura they radiated was enough to give Luo Li a faint sense of confidence.
"My knights, are you willing... to die with me?"
Luo Li chose her words carefully as she looked down at the men in the street.
The knights were stunned. None of them had expected such a sudden question from the Saintess, and they looked at one another in confusion.
Suddenly, a valiant female knight stepped out from the crowd and shouted at the top of her lungs!
"For Your Highness, there is glory in death!"
The other knights immediately snapped to attention and roared in unison!
"For Your Highness—glory in death!"
However, Luo Li shook her head.
Phrases like 'for the Holy Church' were far too empty and lacked real cohesion.
She didn't speak, simply watching the knights. As her gaze swept over them, the shouting warriors gradually fell silent.
Luo Li believed that while there were certainly die-hard fanatics within the Holy Church who would truly find glory in dying for the cause, they were a minority.
Most people, though they believed in a god, did not equate their faith with their lives.
"No, you are afraid of death. I am afraid of death as well. In this world, no one truly wants to die."
At those words, Hilda froze. Even Sir Adam, who usually had little presence, was stunned.
It wasn't just those two; every single knight there was dumbfounded.
The Three-La trio stared at their Saintess with wide eyes and open mouths.
What was wrong with Her Highness? How could she say such a thing?
Was... was the Saintess planning to defect from the Holy Church?
Wasn't she inciting a rebellion against herself?
The Saintess was the Holy Church. By saying this, wasn't she negating her own existence?
What was she trying to do?
Wild thoughts raced through the minds of everyone present. No one could fathom the meaning behind the Saintess's sudden declaration.
For a moment, there was dead silence.
The knights traded bewildered glances.
Hilda's expression turned grim.
Sir Adam's brow furrowed deeply.
The Three-La trio covered their small mouths in shock, unsure of how to react to a Saintess who seemed to be revolting against her own identity.
Seeing that the atmosphere was just right, Luo Li took a deep breath and raised her soft, delicate voice.
"That is why I hope every single one of you can return alive! Live... so you can win this war! Live... so you can bask in the glory by my side!!"
Such soft, adorable words coming from those pink lips were unexpectedly soul-stirring!
Excitement and curiosity began to wash over the faces of the crowd. Someone from the ranks called out.
"Your Highness, what exactly is going to happen tonight?"
"Tonight... I foresee that the demon army will likely attack Brilliant City. If we cannot hold the city, then by tomorrow, we will all be nothing more than food and slaves for the demons."
At those words, the knights were paralyzed with shock.
Everyone knew what the demons were like.
They understood perfectly well what would happen to the people of Brilliant City if it fell.
Knights who had families in the city could no longer suppress the rising tide of anxiety in their hearts.
"Your Highness, if you know the demons will attack tonight, why are we leaving the city under the cover of night? Doesn't that just weaken our strength? What will happen to Brilliant City while we are here?"
"Exactly! Our families are all inside the city!"
"Your Highness, are you planning to take us and flee?"
"Please, don't! Your Highness, my sister and my mother are both in Brilliant City! If they fall into the hands of the demons, they'll suffer a fate worse than death! Your Highness!!"
Even well-trained knights would think of their families first in such a moment.
However, there were also those among them who wanted to flee with Luo Li. These were mostly the fanatical loyalists of the Holy Church, but their numbers were few and their voices were small.
Amidst the shouts of the other knights, they were like a single drop of water falling into a great river, unable to cause even a ripple.
"Silence, all of you!"
Seeing that the knights were on the verge of mutiny while the Saintess remained perfectly calm, Hilda could no longer sit still.
It was a disgrace for a Guardian Knight known as the Light of the Flowing Moon to have subordinates with such little discipline.
At Hilda's command, the knights fell silent, but the emotions erupting in their eyes made Hilda feel that the situation was spiraling out of control.
If the Saintess added any more fuel to the fire, Hilda feared that even she wouldn't be able to suppress their desire to return home.
If that happened, the Saintess's plan would go up in smoke!
Luo Li watched the knights. Their reaction was exactly as she had anticipated.
She had to admit... knights were a bit simple-minded.
Luo Li nodded inwardly.
It seemed she would need to work on the psychological fortitude of her knights in the future.
She filed that thought away for later. For now, she needed to stabilize the situation.
If she actually triggered a real mutiny, things would get messy.
"My knights, I know how anxious you are. However, please rest assured. As long as I am here, Brilliant City will remain an impregnable fortress!"
"Your Highness... after saying all this, you surely must have a plan. Please, enlighten us!"
Someone in the crowd was kind enough to ask the perfect follow-up question.
Well asked!
Luo Li gave a silent thumbs-up in her heart.
"Please, enlighten us, Your Highness!"
The knights knelt down in unison.
Looking at the sea of kneeling knights, Luo Li nodded.
"Knights, now is the time for you to speak. For the sake of the hundred thousand citizens of Brilliant City, we will coordinate with the forces inside the city tonight to crush the demon offensive in one fell swoop. This time, there is a chance none of you will return. I ask you... are you afraid to die?"
As soon as the words left her mouth, a thunderous roar erupted from the crowd!
"For the Holy Church! For Brilliant City! Glory in death!!"
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