In a short time, several hundred people had died in battle.
Morning was when the sun rose and all things awakened.
A bird flew across the sky, only to be snatched in an instant by a falcon drawn by the scent of blood, vanishing into the distance.
On the central square, ten thousand corpses lay on the ground, and blood... had almost dyed the entire earth red.
The girl stood at the center of everyone's vision, and at this moment, those powerful words entered everyone's hearts.
'This is my answer'.
Countless people stared blankly at the Saintess’s back, the early morning sun spilling onto the girl’s pure white Saintess's robe.
The sunlight seemed to intentionally highlight her radiance, casting a glow of the morning sun upon her silver white hair.
The morning breeze brushed against the girl’s cheeks, scattering a trace of the bloody scent and lifting a strand of her hair.
At this moment, even the private army of the nobles felt a trace of doubt rise in their hearts.
Was what they were doing... truly right?
The Saintess of a nation, one who held the power of life and death over hundreds of millions of souls.
Yet she could care about the life of a mere woman.
Wouldn't such a person be good as the ruler of a nation?
They were helping the nobles like this, killing such a king who loved the people.
Was it really right?
For a time, it wasn't just the soldiers who hesitated.
Even among the experts raised by the nobles, many faltered.
They knew that everyone who knew about today's events would be silenced.
So they wouldn't have to bear responsibility.
But... did this Saintess really have to be killed?
No one spoke; everyone was watching the girl’s face, as if trying to find any sign of a guilty conscience, pretense, or deception.
Because only then could they harden their hearts to kill her.
However, in those crimson eyes, there wasn't the slightest bit of evasion.
No deception, no pretense, and certainly no guilty conscience.
Only firmness and determination.
“Heh... hehehe, hahaha... Well said!!”
In this incredibly heavy atmosphere, someone suddenly burst out laughing.
Everyone’s gaze instinctively focused on Aubrey.
Among the crowd, only he was laughing loudly, his voice spreading further and further, breaking the heavy silence.
Luo Li looked at Aubrey indifferently; at this moment, she seemed to have no way out.
But she still had one chance in her hands.
Demonization.
This chance, which wasn't really a chance, once activated, left no other option but a massacre.
If she only slaughtered the nobles and spared the soldiers and civilians, the consequence would be that she could no longer be the Saintess, and she would have to flee the continent and go far away.
Even at this moment, she was still conflicted.
Should she die heroically or fight back from the brink?
“Mr. Aubrey, what do you find so funny?”
A noble nearby spoke up to give Aubrey an opening.
Aubrey’s laughter subsided as he looked back at the person, giving a look of approval.
Why was he laughing?
It wasn't that he truly found it funny, but he realized the situation was about to change.
Although it was just a few words, the girl before him had almost succeeded in turning the situation around.
If he hadn't suddenly noticed something was wrong and reacted quickly, breaking the atmosphere with laughter, then next, these soldiers who had suddenly 'found their conscience' would have turned against them.
“What am I laughing at? I'm laughing at her overestimating herself, of course.”
Aubrey racked his brain and found a perfect reason while he was laughing.
“Overestimating herself?”
“Yes, overestimating herself!”
Aubrey nodded, a confident smile that only a winner would have on his face.
“If you truly had the ability to protect her, to protect everyone, then why are you surrounded by me right now?”
Was he attacking her from the perspective of strength and using words to demoralize her?
Luo Li’s brow furrowed slightly.
This was blatant bullying.
I reason with you, and you use your fists against me.
Luo Li didn't argue, and Aubrey didn't continue speaking, instead waving his hand.
“Do it. Let this unfamiliar girl... go comfortably.”
A trace of hesitation appeared on the face of the archer beside Aubrey.
“What are you waiting for? Do it!!”
The archer hesitated; although he held the bow in his hand, he didn't draw the string or notch an arrow.
Vincent floated in the air with an indifferent expression.
At this moment, even he no longer had the ability to save the girl and leave.
Aubrey looked at Vincent coldly.
“President Vincent, I will demand an explanation from the main office of the Mage Association for this matter later.”
“For now, I hope you won't continue to interfere, otherwise... don't blame me for being impolite.”
Vincent knew that he probably wouldn't be able to continue as president.
Once the Kingdom of the Moon was controlled by the nobles, it would be difficult for him to even enter other countries.
He would likely only be able to live a peaceful life by going to the Holy See or returning to the main office of the Mage Guild.
Aubrey turned back again, looking at the archer beside him.
“Why haven't you done it yet!!”
The archer lowered his head and remained silent; he looked at the girl standing in the center, the same question echoing in his heart.
Is this... right?
Seeing the archer not moving, Aubrey’s expression changed drastically, thinking to himself 'not good'.
He suddenly turned back to look at the soldiers in front.
“Soldiers, listen to my order: kill her! Whoever kills her, I will grant them the position of a retainer!!”
The soldiers looked at each other.
But no one moved.
No one wanted to take action.
Seeing that the soldiers were all starting to hesitate, Aubrey knew that if he waited any longer, things would change!
With a shring, he drew the longsword from his waist and strode forward.
Looking at the girl who was less than a few meters away from him, Aubrey could already imagine her falling under his sword.
Dull eyes, a twitching delicate body, and that silver hair dyed red with blood.
He could even imagine it now.
In the future, the Borgia family would inevitably become the mainstream nobility of the Kingdom of the Moon.
They might even be chosen as the royal family.
Just as he was less than three meters away from the girl, a cry of alarm suddenly came from behind him!
“Lord, watch out!!”
In the next second, Aubrey felt his collar suddenly being grabbed, and his figure suddenly flew backward.
Looking up at the girl who was getting further and further away, he suddenly realized that this might have been his only chance to slay her.
It was just a pity, only a few steps away.
“Flame Burst!!”
Boom!!
At a position less than three meters in front of the girl, a surge of heat broke through the constraints of the earth and soared into the sky!
A pillar of fire, at least five meters in diameter, roared as it burned in front of the girl.
The scorching breath beat against Luo Li’s cheeks.
She could even faintly smell a trace of scorched hair.
But there was no fear in Luo Li’s eyes; instead, she was overjoyed beyond measure.
She was all too familiar with this voice.
Wasn't this that lewd elf who was always lusting after her body?!
“Camilla!”
“Present.”
In the sky, that familiar voice echoed as a fiery red figure descended from above.
The familiar figure made Luo Li suddenly breathe a sigh of relief.
“Is Her Highness injured?”
Another familiar voice came to her ears.
Luo Li instinctively looked toward the source of the voice.
Emerald green long hair, green eyes, and that familiar face.
Seeing them, she couldn't help but relax completely.
Only after relaxing did she realize that her nerves had been wound too tight just now, so much so that she felt like her toes were about to cramp.
“Ligeia, you came too?”
“Your Highness, I have arrived late.”
Luo Li shook her head and said nothing, her expression showing no change.
On the side, Izzy and Byron both revealed a trace of a relieved smile.
Hubert, who had been sitting on the ground without getting up, was also filled with relief.
As for Aiya and April, the two girls involved, they were weeping with joy.
Glancing at these soldiers who were filled with fear, Luo Li casually pulled out the banner.
“Where is the Dragon Knight Corps?”
“Reporting to Your Highness, they are five minutes away.”
Faster than expected?
From the beginning, Luo Li had guessed that the Dragon Knight Corps might not travel at their slowest speed.
In a headwind, the Dragon Knight Corps had a speed of at least one hundred and twenty kilometers per hour.
But... what if there was no headwind?
As long as there was half an hour of no headwind during the journey, the arrival of the Dragon Knight Corps would inevitably be ahead of schedule.
However, Luo Li didn't pin her hopes on this.
After all, it was the rainy season now, right before the arrival of a heavy storm.
Perhaps because of this, there was no headwind on the road from the Holy Mountain of Brilliance to Moonrise City.
Today's weather was clear, but a heavy rain was coming; that was a certainty.
Now, it was just the calm before the storm.
She looked up at Aubrey, who showed a trace of despair in his eyes.
“Camilla, amplify my voice.”
“Of course, Your Highness.”
Camilla waved her hand casually and cast a spell.
Luo Li’s voice instantly spread across the entire square.
“I am the Saintess of the Moon. Everyone, drop your weapons and kneel in surrender.”
“In consideration of the fact that you were following orders, you will not be held responsible. If you still refuse to come to your senses, you will be executed without mercy!”
Before the girl’s voice had even faded, the sound of metal hitting the ground echoed in everyone's ears.
Luo Li looked in the direction of the sound; it was a private soldier of a noble.
He had dropped his weapon, knelt on the ground, placed his hands behind his head, and lowered his head in surrender.
Clang.
Once there was one, there were two.
As the first one knelt, the entire army was like falling dominoes.
One after another, weapons hit the ground, and one after another, they knelt in surrender. In an instant, they were all down.
The nobles saw this scene.
Some still wanted to struggle to the end, while others... sat on the ground blankly after falling from their horses.
At such a critical moment, a person's courage could be seen at a glance.
Luo Li didn't move, just standing quietly in place. Those nobles who wanted to struggle for survival and still wanted to charge forward were directly dealt with by Camilla with a large scale magic spell.
Aubrey stood blankly in place, looking at the three people beside Luo Li.
Ligeia, Camilla, Vincent.
Three powerhouses above level fifty were protecting the girl.
Wanting her life now was already more difficult than reaching the heavens.
Furthermore, the Dragon Knight Corps would arrive in five minutes. Everything... was settled.
There was no more chance.
“Father, Father! Let's go! Quickly!!”
Casma had watched the entire battle from beginning to end and knew they no longer had a chance.
As long as there's life, there's hope.
The first thing Casma thought of was to save their lives and flee Moonrise City.
As long as they left the Kingdom of the Moon, there would naturally be nobles from other countries to take them in.
“It's too late... it's all too late.”
Aubrey sighed deeply, looking as if he had aged a dozen years in an instant.
He turned his head to look at his son and gently pulled him into his embrace.
“Father, what are you doing?”
Casma was stunned; in his memory, his father hadn't embraced him since he was five years old.
Before he could even fully experience his father's embrace, a chill suddenly pierced through his chest.
Squeltch!
“Fa... ther?!”
Casma’s eyes widened in disbelief.
He looked at the cold longsword in his chest.
He endured the pain and looked up at his father.
That aged face still had the same familiar kindness.
“It's better than being scorched by flames on the burning stake. Go in peace, for your father will follow you shortly.”
Casma felt the strength in his body rapidly draining, his legs giving way as he fell to the ground.
Thinking about it, his father was right; being stabbed to death by a sword was better than being burned to death.
“Fa... watch out behind you!”
Casma looked up, just as he was about to say something, he saw the figure appearing behind Aubrey.
As soon as the words left his mouth, he was lifted up.
After a bout of dizziness, when he opened his eyes again, the girl in the sacred white robe appeared before him.
The girl surrounded by holy light now reached out her demon like delicate hand toward him.
“The Borgia family must accept trial. I won't allow such a death. Healing!”
The sword was pulled from his chest, and Casma touched his chest in a daze.
The wound was gone; if not for the blood on his clothes, he would have thought what had just happened was a hallucination.
Looking at the stunned Casma, Luo Li felt a sense of revenge in her heart.
Trying to die in front of her? That was a highly difficult technical problem, okay?
Unless you blow yourself into pieces in an instant so she couldn't find a single whole piece, otherwise, wait to be healed and then sent to the burning stake!
She had suffered so much, and Moonrise City had paid such a huge price.
And they wanted a quick death?
Dream on!
It was already an act of mercy that she wasn't burning them while healing them simultaneously, or subjecting them to living sashimi.
“Commander of the Dragon Knight Corps, Lancelot! Greetings to the Saintess!”
Roar!!
Boom!
With a flap of giant wings, a familiar voice came from the sky.
A huge cross fell from the sky, smashing into the ground.
Accompanying it was that over two meter tall robust body.
Facing Luo Li, he knelt on one knee.
“Are you well, Your Highness?”
“I am. Rise.”
“Thank you, Your Highness.”
While speaking, Lancelot stood up and scanned the surroundings.
In an instant, he understood what had happened, his eyes narrowing slightly, which made people instinctively feel a trace of a threat.
The girl called out.
“Lancelot.”
“Your servant is here.”
The girl looked at those nobles, her voice soft and sweet:
“Seize the estates of all nobles present. Any noble of Moonrise City who participated in this rebellion will be charged with apostasy; none shall be spared. After the Borgia father and son are tried, burn them at the stake.”
“As you command!”
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