"So that's how it happened. I've finished off all the stragglers. Not a single one escaped!"
Luo Li breathed a sigh of relief after hearing Lina's explanation.
At this stage, the entire army was still in the process of crossing the sea.
While more than half of the central command had already made it across, the flanks and the rear guard had yet to arrive.
If they were to be ambushed at a time like this, with no way forward and no path of retreat, the consequences would be disastrous.
Fortunately, it was just a group of ordinary stragglers.
Actually, based on the accounts from both of them, it could be inferred that these demons weren't even organized enough to be called stragglers.
They were likely just simple local denizens of the island.
A squad of two hundred men had faced five or six hundred demons and managed to hold out for a while despite being caught in an ambush and their commander failing to react in time.
Clearly, these demons lacked any unified command.
Furthermore, from the descriptions, it was apparent that the vast majority of these demons hadn't even reached level thirty.
This indicated that these demons weren't humans who had been corrupted by demonic energy, but were natural-born demons.
The concept of demonic corruption versus being natural-born were two completely different things.
Among all the races on the continent, it was common knowledge that these two types of existences were strictly categorized.
First was demonic corruption. Any adult from any race on the continent would immediately transform into a demon if they were exposed to demonic energy and lacked the willpower to resist.
Such transformed demons started at level thirty by default.
Even someone like Martha, who had absolutely no combat ability, instantly reached level thirty upon her transformation.
On the other hand, natural-born demons were entirely different.
While they grew rapidly, their strength varied wildly.
Some would never even reach the level thirty threshold even after reaching adulthood.
Moreover, this process often resulted in individuals with low intelligence, much like the demons they had just encountered.
None of those demons had used any skills from beginning to end, which meant they lacked the mental capacity to even manifest them.
"Luo Li, why were those demons so weak? I honestly felt like their resistance was even lower than that of the dwarven army."
The dwarves?
Dwarves were born with immense strength. According to autopsies performed by physicians, their muscle density was more than three times that of an average human.
Even at the same level, a dwarf's strength far exceeded that of a human.
"I'll discuss that with you later. Where is Amir?"
"He's outside. He doesn't dare to come in."
By now, the Saint's Carriage had come to a halt.
Its wheels were secured, and the horses had been released to rest and graze.
The vanguard of nine thousand men had dispersed to begin setting up camp.
Stepping out of the Saint's Carriage, the first thing Luo Li saw was Amir kneeling on the ground.
One of his arms hung limply from his right shoulder while the other supported his weight against the earth.
He was a complete mess, his blonde hair matted with dark red blood, and his face was deathly pale.
Beside him stood another knight, Kiran, who was also a Guardian Knight from the Kingdom of Flame.
Was he here to share the burden of responsibility with his companion?
It seemed Kiran possessed a decent sense of duty and camaraderie.
"Your servant, Kiran."
"This criminal... Amir."
"Greets Your Highness the Saintess. We pray for your eternal well-being."
"Kiran... what are you doing here?"
Ignoring Amir, Luo Li turned her gaze toward Kiran.
Kiran remained on one knee with his head bowed as he answered.
"Reporting to Your Highness, Amir has suffered a crushing defeat, and I am also at fault. If I had thought to dissuade him at the time, perhaps this wouldn't have happened. Your servant has come to beg for your forgiveness. Please punish me, and do not place all the blame on Amir."
"This matter has nothing to do with you. Stand up."
"No, Your Highness, please forgive him. Amir did his best. He knows he was wrong. Please..."
Luo Li gave him a cold, sidelong glance upon hearing this.
"Kiran, stand up."
Kiran's brow furrowed, and he hesitated for a moment before finally standing.
"Your Highness..."
"Kiran, do not forget your duties. Your responsibility is not to come here and beg for forgiveness, but to command the vanguard, scout the terrain, and locate the demon base. By standing here and pleading, are you neglecting your other duties?"
"Your servant... acknowledges his mistake."
"Since you know, then leave!"
Kiran grit his teeth and glanced at Amir. After a moment of silent hesitation, he helplessly bowed his head and withdrew.
Luo Li watched Kiran's retreating back until he was gone before looking down at Amir, who remained kneeling.
"Amir."
"Your servant is here."
"Did you have a chance to escape back then?"
Amir's entire body trembled as he squeezed a single word through his teeth.
"Yes!"
"Then why didn't you retreat?"
"Your servant... I was momentarily confused."
"Confused? Ha! What a convenient excuse."
A cold sneer curled the corners of Luo Li's mouth as she faced him.
"As a vanguard officer, you failed to stay behind to stabilize the troops and instead rushed to the front lines. I could overlook that, since you at least had a deputy. But when faced with a few hundred demons whose average strength didn't even reach level thirty, you actually fired a signal flare. You misjudged the battlefield and, in a moment of heat-headedness, allowed two hundred knights to die on this demon island."
As Luo Li spoke, Amir's head bowed lower and lower until he was eventually prostrate on the ground.
"Your servant... I..."
Amir choked up, unable to form a coherent sentence.
Hearing his voice, Luo Li felt a slight softening in her heart.
Although Amir was a Guardian Knight of the Kingdom of Flame, his environment meant he had never been exposed to large-scale warfare.
The southern part of the continent was divided into several regions, including the southern border of the Kingdom of the Moon.
There was also the long, narrow territory of the Kingdom of the Sun, followed by a cluster of about thirty small nations to the west, before reaching the Kingdom of Flame.
To the west of the Kingdom of Flame lay three more countries, and finally, the Kingdom of the Sea.
Nearly half of the Kingdom of the Sea's border consisted of coastline and island chains.
The northern side of the Kingdom of Flame was bordered by the Holy See, while its flanks were bordered by an alliance of thirty small nations and three minor kingdoms locked in constant internal strife.
Its front faced the ocean.
Because of this, the Kingdom of Flame almost never experienced war.
The southern regions had abundant rainfall and highly developed agriculture. Even if seeds were scattered randomly, they would grow into lush rice paddies by the following year.
In a place where everyone's basic needs were met, few people harbored any grand ambitions.
Consequently, the Kingdom of Flame remained untouched by war for years. While minor conflicts occurred among the smaller nations, the Kingdom of Flame could settle them with a mere gesture.
Most of those small countries were its vassals.
"Fine... I don't entirely blame you. After all, the Kingdom of Flame is that kind of environment. You're surrounded by weak little nations that spend all their time scheming. The three minor kingdoms have some strength, but they are always competing to be the Kingdom of Flame's lapdogs, fighting each other constantly. The result is that you knights have lost your combat edge. You've become nothing more than bullies who pick on the weak, forgetting even the basics of battlefield command."
Amir trembled uncontrollably under this barrage of criticism.
Luo Li didn't know if it was out of shame or guilt, but her words had clearly struck a nerve.
That was enough.
"The Kingdom of the Sea, as a commercial nation, has always maintained neutrality and never bothered with the affairs of those small countries. Your Kingdom of Flame suddenly became the big brother of the south with many followers. It must have felt quite empowering, didn't it?"
Amir remained silent, his body shaking as he stayed pressed against the ground.
"Amir!!!"
Luo Li suddenly raised her voice, shouting his name with fury.
"Where do you think you are! What do you think your duty is right now! This is the demon island that even the Pope dared not set foot on a thousand years ago! This is the demon race that required the combined forces of every race on the continent to face!"
Amir looked up, his eyes bloodshot and his jaw tightly clenched.
"Your servant... acknowledges his mistake."
"Acknowledges your mistake? Can a simple apology bring back those two hundred knights? They entrusted their lives to you, only for you to throw them away to feed the demons in a moment of reckless impulse?"
"They had families, friends, children, and parents. Now that they're dead, what will happen to their loved ones? Did you think you could gamble with their lives just because you lost your head?!"
"Your servant... I..."
Amir's entire body was wracked with tremors, and veins bulged on his forehead.
Suddenly, he looked up to face Luo Li. His eyes were filled with agonizing regret and boundless guilt.
"Your servant... is guilty. I am willing to die to atone for my crimes!!"
As he spoke, he raised his hand and pressed the thin rapier at his waist against his own neck.
But in that instant, Lina suddenly stepped forward and struck the weapon, sending it flying.
"Luo Li, that's enough. He's still a Guardian Knight. You can't actually drive him to suicide, can you?"
Lina spoke up on his behalf, while simultaneously shooting Luo Li a meaningful look from an angle Amir couldn't see.
'Perfect. Everything is going according to plan.'
Unless an arrogant knight like him was broken down to this extent, no one would truly fear her.
A commander often needed authority more than raw strength.
This was Luo Li's way of establishing her own prestige.
But the act wasn't over yet; she had to keep playing the part.
"Hmph!"
She let out a cold snort and stared down at Amir with disdain.
"Ready to end it all after a few words? Do you have even a shred of accountability? Do you think this is how you honor the knights who died in the maws of those demons?"
"Your servant... I..."
Amir's voice was thick with sobs. His teeth ground together with a sickening creak, and his fists were clenched so tightly his knuckles were white. He was on the verge of a total breakdown.
'The timing is just right.'
"Amir."
Luo Li's voice shifted, becoming slightly softer, though not enough for Amir to notice anything suspicious.
After all, this performance was for his benefit, and she couldn't let him see through the facade.
He slowly looked up, his gaze beginning to lose focus as his spirit neared its breaking point.
In truth, almost anyone would have been crushed by such a public reprimand.
Luo Li stepped down from the Saint's Carriage, and Dominica quickly hurried over to support her.
As she descended the steps, she spoke calmly.
"As a Guardian Knight, you were supposed to protect the Temple, the weak, and those who followed you. You failed in that duty."
"Your Highness..."
Amir's tears could no longer be contained. The sudden shift to a gentle tone drew them out, and two clear tracks formed through the grime on his face.
"But if you die now, how will you face God? How will you face those fallen knights and their families?"
Luo Li reached Amir and placed a hand gently on his cheek.
She looked down into his eyes.
"Amir, you were wrong. You were gravely mistaken. Death is not a solution to your problems; it is merely a display of incompetence. By dying, you would be utterly abandoning those knights."
"What... what should I do?"
Amir stared at her blankly.
'It's time.'
She activated her healing art.
In an instant, holy energy flowed from her palm into his body. It had a profound effect on his battered frame. Sacred light shimmered around her hand.
"Atone for your crimes through merit. Avenge them. Apologize to their families. Do what you can to make up for this mistake. Only then... can you truly find redemption."
Her gentle voice echoed in his ears.
Amir felt a sudden warmth envelop him, as if a divine hand had reached out to him in the depths of an abyss.
It was a light in his world of absolute darkness.
Life gradually returned to Amir's eyes, and his physical pain vanished along with the warmth.
"Amir, do you understand?"
As the gentle voice spoke again, Amir's gaze finally refocused. Looking at the girl before him, he felt as if a god had descended from the heavens to show him the way forward.
The holy light framed her, making her appear celestial, beautiful, and soft.
His own wretched reflection was mirrored in those crimson eyes.
His resolve slowly began to harden.
"Your servant... understands."
"Go then. Get some rest and clean yourself up. Those two hundred men will be watching you from above, waiting for you to avenge them."
"Yes!!"
Amir nodded vigorously. In this moment, he felt that the girl before him was far more like the Saintess of legends than any of the others.
He suddenly felt a desire to protect this Saintess for the rest of his life. Only a girl like her was worthy of the title!!
"Thank you for your guidance, Your Highness. I understand."
After a brief moment of daze, Amir suddenly realized he shouldn't be feeling this way. He was, after all, a Guardian Knight of the Kingdom of Flame. This was practically a betrayal.
Even though the main religious canons of the Kingdom of Flame and the Kingdom of the Moon were the same, their secondary scriptures were completely different.
"Someone, take him to rest. Amir, think carefully about what I've said. You may leave."
"Your servant... takes his leave."
Amir's gaze lingered on Luo Li for a long time before he finally bowed and withdrew.
"Phew."
Luo Li turned around, only to find Lina staring at her with an expression that said, 'I'm seeing you in a whole new light.'
"Why are you looking at me like that? Is there something on my face?"
That girl's weird look was enough to make anyone's skin crawl. Luo Li reached up to touch her cheek, but before she could, Dominica brought over a basin of water.
"Your Highness, please wash your hands."
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