“But Your Highness, this...”
“There are no ‘buts.’ This is an order. If you refuse to follow it, I will simply have someone else deliver the command.”
Luo Li expected these words to make Dominica yield, but in the next instant, Dominica dropped to her knees.
“Please forgive me, Your Highness. Even if you truly punish me, I will still defy this order!”
Luo Li froze, turning back to look closely at Dominica.
Determination was written all over the girl's face; it was a physical manifestation of her will.
Her emerald-green eyes stared intently at Luo Li.
A hint of finality flickered within that gaze.
She was down on one knee, maintaining a perfectly standard knightly posture.
Luo Li sighed helplessly.
“Dominica, get up first.”
“No! Unless Your Highness rescinds the order, I will not rise!”
Luo Li’s voice suddenly grew sharp as she glared at Dominica.
“I am not joking!”
“Your Highness, I am not joking either.”
It seemed the hard approach wasn't going to work.
Luo Li felt both helpless and a sense of warmth in her heart.
She had to admit that Dominica’s behavior truly moved her.
“Dominica, I know what you’re thinking, and I understand why you’re doing this. I won’t punish you.”
Luo Li stepped forward, reaching out to support Dominica’s arms.
“Rise first. Listen to me finish, and then you can decide whether or not to do this.”
“Your Highness...”
Dominica clearly hesitated. With Luo Li’s support, she rose somewhat reluctantly, though her gaze remained firm.
“Your Highness, no matter what you say, I will not change my mind.”
“I already deeply regretted allowing you to leave last time. This time, no matter what, I will not allow you to take another risk!”
“But Dominica...”
Luo Li wore a gentle smile as she reached out to softly stroke Dominica’s cheek.
A faint trace of a tear still lingered there.
'Hmm... this girl’s skin feels surprisingly nice?'
A slightly mischievous thought crossed Luo Li’s mind, but she immediately suppressed it.
Now was not the time to be a creep... bah!
Now was not the time to be thinking about such nonsense.
“Dominica, you should be very clear about the current situation.”
Dominica furrowed her brow slightly but remained silent, her expression still resolute.
Luo Li did not back down, her eyes locked onto Dominica’s.
“The demon army has at least two hundred thousand troops, and this time they’ve coordinated with an air force.”
“The strait has been blockaded. There is no possibility of breaking through to return.”
“The knights are exhausted both physically and mentally. Once the battle begins, they are very likely to collapse immediately.”
“The lives of tens of thousands of knights, thousands of beastmen, and even the life of the Beast Sovereign are in my hands.”
“This plan is something I have considered in great detail. It is the most advantageous and the most executable plan at this stage.”
“If this plan cannot be carried out, all of us will die here, including you and me.”
After saying so much in one breath, Luo Li felt herself becoming slightly winded.
Dealing with the stubborn Dominica really required wasting quite a bit of breath.
“Do you understand what I’m saying?”
Dominica lowered her gaze slightly, seemingly contemplating the current state of affairs.
“But Your Highness, there should still be...”
“There isn’t.”
Luo Li shook her head with a helpless smile.
“You understand. I have already considered every possibility I can think of and simulated what might happen as much as possible.”
“This plan has the highest feasibility and is the one that can best preserve everyone.”
Hearing this, Dominica immediately countered.
“But Your Highness, you’ve preserved the lives of everyone else, but what about yours? Did you include yourself in those calculations?”
“If anything happens to you, I will be the greatest sinner in the Kingdom of the Moon!”
“The Kingdom of the Moon can exist without Dominica, but it can never exist without you!”
Luo Li nodded solemnly.
“I understand. That’s why I included myself in the plan. As long as the plan can be implemented smoothly, I can...”
“And if there is an accident in the plan?!”
Dominica’s single sentence cut off the rest of Luo Li’s words.
Facing such a rigid Dominica, Luo Li also felt quite a headache.
She paused for a moment. The current situation no longer allowed for further delay.
“Dominica, if an accident occurs, I still have the Beast Sovereign and the Dragon King by my side.”
“Even if the Beast Sovereign lacks the ability to fly, the Dragon King’s flight can still carry me away.”
“If I want to escape alone, there are many ways. But for so many people, this is the only hope.”
At this point, Luo Li took a deep breath, a hint of resolve appearing in her eyes.
“Dominica, whether you agree or not, this plan must be executed. Even if you disagree, I will have someone knock you unconscious and send you away, replacing you with someone else to continue the plan.”
Dominica’s eyes trembled instantly upon hearing this.
“Your Highness!”
“More words are useless. Go and execute it... Actually, I still quite hope you can stay by my side.”
Luo Li smiled and patted Dominica’s shoulder.
The girl froze for a moment, lowering her head and remaining silent for a long time before slowly looking up.
“I understand. Since Your Highness wishes to take this risk, I will face it with you. If we truly cannot escape...”
“If it comes to that, I hope you can use the sword in your hand to help me find peace.”
Luo Li smiled helplessly. Although the plan was sound, plans could never keep up with reality.
Zhuge Liang was wise to the point of being demonic, yet he still failed due to the lack of favorable timing, terrain, and unity.
Before her reincarnation, Luo Li had been nothing more than an ordinary worker.
How could she compare to Zhuge Liang, one of the ten great strategists?
In truth, Luo Li did want Dominica to stay by her side.
Dominica understood the cruelty of the demons, so she naturally understood what she should do when the critical moment arrived.
In history, who could truly claim that none of their plans ever failed?
Such a being would likely no longer be human, but rather the universal will capable of observing the movement of every molecule in the world at any time.
Dominica’s eyes were fixed on Luo Li, as if conveying her resolve.
“Yes, Your Highness.”
...
“Your Highness, the knights of the Kingdom of the Sea have begun to evacuate one after another. They have left their armor behind to serve as decoys.”
Sitting in the carriage and listening to Dominica’s report, Luo Li calculated the time.
It was now one in the morning. The movements of the Kingdom of the Sea knights were a bit slower than expected.
“Urge them. Tell them to pick up the pace. Tell them they will be safe once they reach the sea, as there are already ships waiting to pick them up.”
“Your Highness? Are there really ships?”
“Where would ships come from? Those are just icebergs floating on the sea, but at least they can guarantee their safety.”
“Go. Tell the knights exactly that. They will speed up.”
“I understand.”
This highness was only sixteen years old, even younger than herself, yet her mind was so multifaceted.
Her control over the human heart was nothing short of terrifying.
Dominica still didn't understand.
How did her own highness manage to possess a mind so brilliant it was almost inhuman?
Could it be just as the rumors said—that she had heard the words of God?
However, after so many days of contact, Dominica was certain.
None of her highness’s plans or ideas had anything to do with that so-called God.
All of it was her own doing.
If that God truly existed, why not lend a hand to this favored Saintess now?
Why not use those rumored divine miracles to show a sign?
Dominica was royalty; she knew one thing clearly.
【Even if there truly is a God in this world, it is only an evil God.】
She had heard these words with her own ears from her father, the former king of the Kingdom of Flame.
At first, she hadn't understood why her father would say such a thing.
It wasn't until after the coup, as she traveled to various places and saw countless people and events, that she understood the meaning behind those words.
【There is no God in this world. Even if there is, it is an evil God.】
Therefore, despite the various rumors about the Saintess of the Moon circulating among others, she had hardly believed any of them.
She understood that these were likely ideas from some advisor by the Saintess’s side, schemes specifically used to stabilize people's hearts.
But when she saw her highness in person, her view changed instantly.
Because she was certain that her highness didn't have any such advisors by her side at the start.
In other words, these rumors were intentionally guided by her highness.
A sixteen-year-old girl who could utilize rumors to such an extent—this could no longer be explained by the word 'talent' alone.
And now, the longer she spent with her highness, the more she felt her highness’s mind was terrifyingly profound.
Every plan and reaction was almost perfect.
If not for the fact that a Saintess naturally possessed a ‘possession immunity’ buff, she might have even suspected the Saintess of the Moon before her was some old monster using dark magic to constantly change bodies.
Perhaps this was what a true Saintess was like.
Dominica thought as much to herself.
She turned and went out to deliver the order.
Sure enough, half an hour later, news came from the rear.
The evacuation speed of the Kingdom of the Sea knights had increased by more than threefold.
“Hmph, a bunch of cowards who fear death.”
Dominica cursed harshly, her lips curled in utter disdain.
The Kingdom of the Sea was a maritime commercial nation, and most of the knights in that country had been corrupted by money.
That nation hadn't produced a Sacred Knight in nearly eight hundred years.
Their military was even more weak and pathetic.
If not for the seven Saintesses of the Eight Nations of the Holy Church supporting each other, the Kingdom of the Sea would have been destroyed many years ago.
“No, I can't let my thoughts wander. Military orders are absolute. I must report the news to Her Highness immediately.”
With that, Dominica turned quickly. But before she could board the carriage, a dragon's roar suddenly echoed from the sky.
Following that, a golden dragon descended from the heavens. Amidst a burst of golden light, it transformed into a human form covered in shimmering gold.
Asfield looked up at the stunned Dominica and spoke slowly.
“Where is your highness?”
“Greetings, Your Majesty the Dragon King. My highness is resting inside the carriage. Shall I announce you?”
Dominica quickly regained her senses. After responding, she couldn't help but steal a glance at this emperor of the dragon tribe.
She had to admit, the dragon tribe was truly wealthy!
This set of shimmering golden armor was made of pure gold!
This wasn't an emperor; this was a total upstart.
“Mhm. Go in and announce me.”
Asfield’s expression was indifferent, seemingly unmoved by external things, but from that shimmering golden armor and the way he intentionally puffed out his chest, one could tell... this guy was showing off his wealth at every moment.
“Please wait a moment, Your Majesty. I will go and announce you.”
“No need. Please come in, Your Majesty.”
Before Dominica could say anything, her highness’s voice came from inside the carriage.
The Dragon King wasn't polite either; he did whatever Luo Li said.
“Then I’m coming in.”
“Please.”
Luo Li said ‘please’ casually, but the moment she said it, her perverted side instantly dragged her thoughts into an indescribable little room.
There, a woman lay on a bed with a strange man before her.
The man wore a wicked smile.
The woman was feigning refusal while actually welcoming him.
And then that conversation was dubbed into the scene.
'Bah, bah... what the hell is this perverted brain of mine thinking about?!'
Luo Li couldn't help but curse herself silently.
“What are you doing?”
Dragon King Asfield stepped into the Saint's Carriage and looked at the human Saintess.
Seeing a hint of anger within her slightly flushed expression, he couldn't help but ask out of confusion.
“Er~ nothing. Please take a seat, Your Majesty.”
She quickly regained her focus, first deleting those messy virtual scenarios from her brain.
She put on a professional smile and looked at the Dragon King.
The Dragon King looked at Luo Li, his brow furrowing slightly.
“Do not use that fake smile on me. I do not like it.”
'Uh... fine.'
Luo Li withdrew her professional smile and replaced it with a more normal expression.
She had to admit, the dragon tribe truly had a strong perception of emotional changes.
“Why are you doing this?”
“Huh?”
Stunned by the question, Luo Li was somewhat surprised by this sudden, contextless remark.
The Dragon King looked at Luo Li with a solemn expression.
“You understand what I mean. Why take such a risk? Are those humans truly worth such a sacrifice from you?”
“Of course.”
Luo Li’s answer was crisp and clean, leaving the Dragon King unsure of what to say for a moment.
“Forget it. Since you are willing, I will say no more. However, in a moment of crisis, I will take you away directly and abandon these humans.”
“Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty.”
Luo Li smiled slightly, not at all surprised.
What this Dragon King valued... was not just her identity as Luo Li, but her ability to contract the original contract document tablet.
Therefore, until the absolute final moment, the Dragon King would never easily give up on Luo Li.
Luo Li understood this very well.
“Mhm. It’s good that you know. By the way, those airships have already headed for the evacuation point, and the ice dragons traveling with the army have also set out.”
“If nothing goes wrong, the plan should proceed smoothly.”
Just as the Dragon King finished speaking, a sudden flurry of urgent hoofbeats came from outside.
“Report! There is unusual movement from the demon army. They have begun marching toward our position!”
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