Healing

The carriage came to a halt.

The guards flanking the carriage stopped as well, spreading out their formation to push the nearby citizens back.

Once the crowd was pushed back, the knight following them placed a wooden mounting step beside the Saint's Carriage.

"Your Highness... I do not recommend that you step out."

Though the step was in place, the knight beside her still offered his advice with a look of concern.

Luo Li opened the carriage door and glanced at the knight.

"What is your name?"

"Rhodes—Brave Knight, Rhodes Alvin."

"Alvin... You are of the Alvin family?"

"Yes, Your Highness. I am from a branch of the Alvin family."

"I see... From now on, you shall follow me."

Although she had the Three-La trio by her side, they were primarily responsible for managing the internal court. For external affairs, especially within the knights' ranks, she needed someone to act as a spokesperson.

The Guardian Knights had their own duties; she couldn't have them following her around constantly.

Though she truly wished she could keep all eight Guardian Knights and the Heavenly Punishment Knights by her side—so that she wouldn't even fear a demon general—she knew she couldn't do that.

She wasn't the only person in this Brilliant City who needed protection.

"Thank you, Your Highness. It is an immense honor to serve you."

Rhodes Alvin appeared to be in his thirties with quite an average face, the kind of person who would vanish into a crowd.

However, appearances could be deceiving, and one cannot truly know another's heart; she would have to investigate him thoroughly later.

If he proved useful, she would keep him close; if not, she could simply send him away.

After all, she was the queen now; such things were decided by her word alone.

Luo Li stepped out of the carriage and was about to walk forward when she saw Rhodes suddenly block her path.

"Your Highness, the West City is still in chaos. Please do not leave our protective circle. If any accident were to occur, even if we were to die ten thousand deaths, we could not atone for such a failure."

Rhodes dropped to one knee, refusing to budge.

It seemed he truly intended to prevent her from leaving the carriage's side.

"Very well. Then, Sir Rhodes, please bring that child here. A child with severed legs surely won't be the death of me, will he?"

"This..."

Rhodes still hesitated, but Luo Li had no patience for further delays.

"If he does not come to me, then I shall go to him myself."

"Fine... Since Your Highness insists, please wait a moment."

Rhodes stood up and approached the mother kneeling on the ground.

Her body was covered in dark red stains, and her hands were slick with thick blood.

However, she ignored all of it, her focus entirely on the child in her arms.

The child's legs were gone, and his face was deathly pale; he had clearly fallen into shock from excessive blood loss.

If this continued, he likely wouldn't survive.

"Please, give the child to me."

Rhodes reached out to take the child, but the mother suddenly let out a scream.

"What are you doing!?"

She clutched her unconscious child tightly, staring at Rhodes with suspicion as if he were some kind of monster.

"Rhodes, bring both her and the child over."

Luo Li's command left Rhodes with no choice but to obey. He glanced at the mother and hesitated for a long time before finally nodding.

"Hold your child and follow me. The Saintess summons you."

"..."

The mother looked toward the Saint's Carriage. When she saw the Saintess standing there in her gold-trimmed white Saintess's robe, a fervent light erupted in her eyes.

"Your Highness! Your Highness! I beg of you, save my child! Please, save him!"

As she spoke, she actually rushed forward while holding the child.

The surrounding guards instinctively moved to block her.

"Who dares to stop her!?"

That sharp cry caused all the knights to freeze mid-motion, their heads turning toward the Saintess.

The usually fragile Saintess was now radiating an overwhelming presence.

It was an aura... that only a true ruler could possess!

The mother, holding her child, rushed through the knights' line without further hindrance and threw herself onto her knees.

"Saintess, I beg of you! Please save my child!!"

People nearby began to whisper.

"Isn't that the wife from next door? Wasn't her husband just found?"

"Yeah, they say he died a horrific death. His body was torn to pieces; they only found a part of him. The rest was probably eaten by demonized beasts."

Hearing these words, Luo Li looked down at the woman.

A compassionate smile appeared on her face.

"Do not worry. Everything will be alright."

Luo Li's voice seemed to whisper directly into the woman's ear, allowing a sliver of reason to return to her eyes.

"Saintess..."

"Let me see the child."

Luo Li knelt down, ignoring the filth covering the boy, and lightly touched his neck.

The pulse was weak, but his heart was still beating.

There was still time.

"Healing."

Luo Li raised her hand and cast a healing spell immediately.

Silver light erupted from her palms and flowed into the child's body.

In an instant, the light concentrated on the child's severed legs, rapidly repairing the amputation as fresh flesh began to sprout from the wounds.

Clearly, if Luo Li continued to use her skill, she could completely restore the child's legs to normal.

She wouldn't even need to reattach the old limbs; new ones would grow in their place.

However, the priority now was the child's life.

Once the wounds were sealed, Luo Li cast the healing art again.

"Healing! Healing! Healing!"

She cast it three times in rapid succession. Before their eyes, the child's pale face gradually regained its color, and his breathing became steady.

Seeing this, the mother holding the child was overcome with joy.

"Thank you, Your Highness! Thank you, Your Highness!"

She thanked her repeatedly, though her eyes never left her child.

Luo Li smiled and cast Healing once more, this time focusing specifically on the severed limbs.

With every cast of her healing art, a section of the child's missing legs regrew.

After a short while, Luo Li's mana was completely depleted.

Where the stumps had been, a pair of pale, tender new legs had grown.

"There, he should be fine now."

Mana seemed to be linked to one's vitality; once it was exhausted, it left a person feeling profoundly weary.

Luo Li stood up, but her legs felt unsteady.

Nara quickly reached out to support her.

"Your Highness, are you alright?"

"I'm fine."

She shook her head.

"Are there any others who are seriously injured?"