"Welcome back, Your Highness!"
Luo Li slowly descended on her skysoar dragon.
She looked up to see that everyone had gathered.
Even that old man, Audis, had followed them out.
The young girl scanned the crowd, her gaze lingering on Lola at the very front.
Lola had regained some color in her cheeks, but her expression remained strained.
Compared to when Luo Li had left, she clearly looked worse for wear.
"You may all rise. Lola, you have worked hard during this time."
"I only did what was expected of me."
Lola suppressed the excitement in her heart, keeping her expression calm.
However, the feverish flush appearing on her cheeks proved that she was anything but composed.
"Mhm. Let us head inside to talk."
Luo Li looked up at the sky. For now, it was clear.
Yet this bright daylight gave off a chilling sensation.
The continuous heavy rains had increased the humidity in Brilliant City to a visible degree.
Having just returned from Moonrise City, Luo Li found it difficult to adjust for a moment.
She led the group back to the main hall, looking at the familiar scenery.
Even though she had only been gone for a little over a month, it felt like an eternity had passed.
Walking toward the sacred bed, Luo Li took a deep breath, feeling her spirits lift slightly.
As expected, there was no place like home.
She glanced back at the young girl among the crowd who had never once lowered her head.
Luo Li beckoned to her.
"Lina, come up and sit with me."
"You are finally back. If you had stayed away any longer, I wouldn't have known what to do."
Lina stepped onto the divine platform but did not sit down immediately. Instead, she looked Luo Li up and down carefully.
Then, she nodded seriously.
"Not bad. You're all in one piece, at least."
"Could you wish me some good luck for once?"
Hearing Lina's words, Luo Li couldn't help but roll her eyes.
"Hehe~"
Lina suddenly relaxed, plopping down beside Luo Li and leaning in to whisper.
"Tell me later, how exactly did you get back?"
"No need to wait for later. An official statement will be released in a few days."
Luo Li gave the mysterious Lina a sidelong glance, wondering what wild ideas were running through her head.
"You have worked hard these days as well."
"I've been eating and drinking well here, so it wasn't exactly hard work. If you want to talk about hard work, look at Augus and Lola."
At this, Lina clicked her tongue in admiration.
"Tsk tsk~ Why haven't I met such good subordinates? How about we make a deal? You give them to me, and I will give you five thousand Black Armored Knights."
"No deal."
Luo Li rolled her eyes at Lina. This girl was as outspoken as ever.
She didn't even care that Lola and Augus were standing right there listening.
Sure enough, before I could say anything else, Lola suddenly interjected from below.
"Lady Lina, I am a devoted subordinate of Her Highness. Even if she agreed, I would never leave the Kingdom of the Moon. Please give up on that idea."
Lola's voice was as calm as ever, but her eyes were exceptionally stern.
Lina chuckled and dropped the subject.
She had personally witnessed Lola's capabilities over the past few days.
She certainly wanted to recruit her, but if Lola was unwilling, Lina would not force it.
Luo Li glanced at Lina beside her.
From what she had learned, Lina preferred to use her personal charisma to win people's loyalty.
If Lola had met Lina before meeting her, she likely would have been won over by Lina's charm.
That was only natural.
To become a Saintess, one's inherent qualities had to be top notch.
According to her knowledge, the selection criteria for a Saintess were extremely strict. Once chosen, there was always a reason for it.
They were either incredibly intelligent and capable, or their personal charisma was off the charts.
The original owner of this body had possessed the latter.
The original Luo Li was a girl with maximum charisma, someone who could be called a 'Holy One' level individual.
And the current her, though she had inherited some of those 'Holy One' memories which slightly influenced her personality, knew the truth.
The one who could save the Kingdom of the Moon was not a saint, but a king.
She looked down at the people below.
She only had three to five people in her direct lineage. The only ones she could name were Lola and Augus.
Audis represented the surrendering nobles.
In the future, there would surely be other nobles who would turn to her and follow her path of reform.
Those people would naturally be grouped under Audis.
"Thank you all for your hard work while I was away."
As a large number of skysoar dragons landed in the central square outside, Ligeia, Camilla, and Lancelot entered the hall.
"That Your Highness could return safely is the greatest joy of all."
A smile played on the corners of Augus's mouth.
It seemed the contingency plan he had prepared could be discarded.
The return of the Saintess was not just the salvation of the Kingdom of the Moon, but the light of hope for all living beings on the continent as he envisioned it.
"Mhm. Let us skip the pleasantries. Report what has happened during the month I was gone using the most concise terms."
She wanted to rest after just returning to Brilliant City, but the thought of what was happening outside made her relax heart suddenly tighten.
"Lola, shall you go first or should I?" Augus asked.
Lola pondered for a moment.
"I will go first, then you can follow."
Augus nodded and stepped back, allowing Lola to speak first.
"Your Highness."
Lola adjusted her gold-rimmed glasses, and an air of efficiency instantly radiated from her.
The sickly aura from a moment ago vanished, replaced by a surge of energy.
"Seaview City has fallen. The population of one million has been wiped out. The other families are demanding the return of the land in Seaview City, and they urgently need Your Highness's decision."
"Sir Kevin is leading Guardian Knights Cain and Nar back from the Seaview City campaign. They have been stalled on the road for half a month due to the heavy rain and are awaiting Your Highness's instructions."
"The foundations for the Refugee City have been completed, but food supplies within the city are starting to run low. I took the liberty of reallocating a portion of tax revenue to purchase grain. I ask for Your Highness's approval."
As each piece of information was reported, Lola pushed up her glasses and stepped back.
Augus was the next to step forward.
"According to my calculations, the grain we collected this year is not enough to cover the consumption of the Refugee City. It is expected to be exhausted by late winter. Please make a decision, Your Highness."
"An epidemic has broken out in the Refugee City. The symptoms for everyone are vomiting, diarrhea, and fever, with some cases of other underlying conditions worsening."
"I have ordered the army to build quarantine camps outside the city. The death toll has already reached over ten thousand, and more than thirty thousand people are infected."
"The epidemic has already spread to the North Gate of Brilliant City. Some residents there have been completely isolated. Please make a decision."
"There have been reports of escapees from the Refugee City, though they were blocked by the infantry. The Refugee City is gradually falling into a state of panic."
"According to the latest news, the forces of the Kingdom of Flame have suddenly gathered at the border of the Kingdom of the Sun, less than a hundred kilometers from our own border."
The flurry of reports from the two of them instantly filled Luo Li's mind with information.
The two of them had tacitly agreed to temporarily hide the matter of Augus's attempted assassination.
There was no need for Her Highness to know about that for the time being, as there were many more pressing matters awaiting her decision.
They had not discussed whether to tell her beforehand.
But such was their unspoken understanding, for they both knew that the truly important issues were the ones they were reporting now.
Not an assassination attempt that was already in the past.
Having finished their reports, the two of them looked up at the figure sitting on the sacred bed.
The young girl's hand naturally rested on the armrest.
Her fingers went 'tap, tap' as she lightly drummed on the wooden surface.
"Lola, first, notify all the nobles. Seaview City has been seized by the demon army and is suspected to be tainted by demonic corruption. It cannot be opened to the public for the time being and is temporarily nationalized."
"Your Highness, I am afraid the nobles will not accept this quietly," Lola said slowly after a moment of thought.
To her surprise, Luo Li simply smiled.
"It does not matter. They will agree."
Luo Li paused and looked at Lola, a deep meaning in her eyes.
"Tell them that if they are unwilling to give up these lands, they can wait for an audience with His Holiness the Pope."
The incident in Moonrise City had nearly cost her her life. In exchange, she had to seize enough resources from the nobles. Otherwise... this matter would be left for the Pope to personally investigate!
The current Luo Li might not have enough authority to suppress these nobles who had been entrenched in the Kingdom of the Moon for a thousand years.
But the Pope was different.
The surrounding and attempted killing of a Saintess was a blatant act of apostasy against the Holy Church.
The only question was whether she would report it.
She believed the Pope had already received news of her safe return to Brilliant City.
The reason he had not sent a message immediately was that he was waiting.
Of course, this was a dangerous method.
Doing so carried a high risk of giving the Pope an opening to invade.
However, for Luo Li, that would be a mere sting at most.
For those nobles, it would be a total catastrophe.
Once the Pope intervened, every noble involved would suffer.
Lola frowned slightly but said nothing more.
"Notify Sir Kevin. A carriage from Moonrise City will arrive soon to help transport armor and supplies. Ensure the knight regiment is well supplied and let him decide when to return to the city based on the current situation."
"Yes."
"The available funds may not be enough. Prepare to contact the Snow Country and the Beastmen Empire later. Import grain from the Beastmen Empire and draw from the national treasury."
"Yes."
Having said that, Luo Li looked at Augus.
"Augus."
"I am here."
"Continue to expand the Refugee City. I will personally go to inspect it later."
"Immediately purchase lime from all regions. Use the lime to clean the ground."
"All deceased must be cremated."
"All tools used must be boiled at high temperatures. All water must be boiled before drinking."
"The city is to be under total martial law. No one is allowed out, and all work is to be suspended. Select influential people from among the refugees to help coordinate. Any new infections must be reported immediately."
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