“Your Highness, it is already seven-thirty. It is time to get up.”
Ugh... damn it!
Nara was truly cruel!
“Ugh... let me sleep for a bit longer~”
The young girl reached out, grabbed the corner of the quilt, and flipped it over.
She buried herself completely under the covers.
“Your Highness, time is up.”
From outside the covers came Nara's helpless yet slightly doting voice.
“I don't care. I'm going to sleep. Unless the sky falls or the earth cracks, nothing shall disturb my slumber.”
From within the covers, the girl's lazy yet determined words made the nuns outside stifle their laughter.
Nara looked helpless and turned back to glance at Lola.
Her gaze was deep with meaning.
'It still has to be you.'
Lola closed her eyes slightly, her thoughts transmitted.
'Leave it to me.'
Lola picked up today's memo and counted down to the third item.
She then closed the book and cleared her throat.
“Winter has arrived. This year's winter bonuses should have been distributed, but due to various reasons, they haven't been. Cases of frostbite have already appeared in the barracks. Please make a decision, Your Highness.”
The nuns and Nara fell silent.
The entire room was deathly quiet.
In the next instant!
The covers were thrown back, and the silver-haired girl's eyes flew open as she sat up with a roll.
“Frostbite? Someone, prepare the bath and clothes. We're heading to the army camp. Send breakfast to the Saint's Carriage.”
Seeing the silver-haired girl's performance, Nara secretly gave Lola a thumbs-up.
Lola nodded slightly, her right index finger pushing up her glasses frame in a silent response.
Setting aside Lola, Nara quickly stepped forward and took a large bath towel to drape over Her Highness.
“Your Highness, winter is cold. Be careful not to catch a chill.”
The silver-haired girl nodded, naturally pinching the towel on her shoulder as she looked at Lola.
“Lola, give me the report.”
With that, she walked toward the baptismal chamber.
To prevent the Holy Water from being contaminated, no one else was allowed to enter the baptismal chamber.
Even when collecting Holy Water, only nuns who had undergone baptism would enter to clean.
As soon as the door opened, a spacious bathroom was revealed.
A semi-circular bathtub extended from the wall, paved with snow-white tiles.
On either side of the pool stood a Statue of the Angel, each holding a treasure vase.
Warm water cascaded from the vases, splashing onto the surface and creating ripples.
Lola followed closely behind Luo Li and stopped at the door of the baptismal chamber.
Raising her voice, she reported on today's situation.
“According to the report from Sir Klo, who is acting as the temporary lord, after a month of statistics, the total remaining population of the various villages and towns in the northeast region is approximately one hundred and ten thousand. Among them, over one hundred thousand are male, and fewer than ten thousand are female.”
“According to the joint investigation by Stargaze City and Brilliant City, the total number of people who migrated from the northeast region is approximately three million. Among them, one million died due to the hardships of the journey. Of the remainder, one million one hundred thousand arrived at Brilliant City, and one million and fifty thousand arrived at Stargaze City.”
“The original population of the northeast region was approximately nine million. After this single campaign, the total population of the northeast region has dropped by seventy percent, with approximately two million two hundred and sixty thousand remaining.”
A campaign that lasted less than a month, with only ten thousand demon elites, was enough to cause the population of a large province of nine million to plummet by over seventy percent!
Actually, this made sense. Given the appetite of the demon race, at least five million of them had become their rations.
The demon race did not care about being full.
Especially those half-demons, who were born with a voracious appetite.
They would consume whatever was available without refusal.
It wasn't unusual for a single demon to eat dozens of people within ten days.
Moreover, some of them weren't just eating; there were also slaughters and captures.
Calculated this way, the civilian casualties caused by a single demon could reach as high as a hundred people.
An army of one hundred thousand people could easily wipe out millions.
Furthermore, there were those who were intercepted and killed by others during the famine.
The number of people who died of illness or starvation on the road was even more countless.
The most distressing part was that the army at the Great Wall could have actually reinforced the northeast region.
But they couldn't do it.
Because once they abandoned the Great Wall, it would likely allow the demon race to take advantage of the opening.
It had to be said that the demon race's timing was incredibly precise.
Ten thousand demon elites... putting aside how they entered this enclosed northeast region.
This nail had been driven into the flesh. To pull it out, a large army had to be sent for a mop-up operation.
The strongest forces were the Great Wall army and the Brilliant City army.
If the Brilliant City army were mobilized, it would inevitably leave Brilliant City vulnerable.
If the Great Wall army were mobilized, it would inevitably leave the gateway to the northeast region wide open.
And this coincided with the low tide of the Demon Island Strait.
Once the gateway of the Great Wall was wide open.
The three Great Walls would surely fall, and the Great Wall army would be caught in a pincer attack from inside and out.
Additionally, the northeast region was an enclosed area.
That portion of the Great Wall army would surely perish.
In other words, this massacre was intentional on the part of Butcher Zuka.
Presumably, when the Demon Emperor sent him, he favored Butcher Zuka's butcher-like killing style.
With over nine million people, the population had now plummeted to this level.
The remaining population of this province was almost gone.
Luo Li stood under the water vase, letting the warm water wash over her long hair.
“Lola, tell Locke to lead fifty thousand infantry and five thousand knights. Conscript fifty thousand able-bodied men. While it is still winter, collect as many of the corpses as possible to burn them. Collect the ashes so they can be buried underground when spring arrives and the flowers bloom next year.”
This was a good time to boost her public reputation, and Luo Li intended to personally visit and pay her respects.
However... her initial motivation was the attachment to the land she felt as a person of Huaxia.
As the old saying goes, one should be laid to rest in the earth.
Whether it was cremation or direct burial, that deep-seated attachment to home and soil from her roots in Huaxia had not diminished even after her reincarnation.
She hadn't fully avenged these people yet, but at least she had somewhat succeeded.
The perpetrator of all this, Butcher Zuka, along with his more than one hundred thousand demon elites.
They were all buried on the continent.
Demon Island had also been campaigned against.
Including those hundreds of thousands of demons at sea, over seventy percent had been wiped out.
“Issue my Saint's Decree. Order Stargaze City to safely transport the one million and fifty thousand refugees to Seaview City.”
“Notify the Great Wall army. Have Kariel lead ten thousand knights back to Brilliant City. Order Sir Klo and Sir Robert to continue holding the northeast region. Klo will act as the temporary lord of the northeast region.”
“Lola, prepare the documents and give them to Tristan. Once Sir Kariel returns, order the two of them to head south to Seaview City and temporarily take over as lords.”
There were really not many people she could use right now.
Aside from the knights, almost all other civil officials were under the control of the nobility.
Thus, she had to use a military-led administration to temporarily take over the northeast region and the Seaview City region.
Now, the demon race had acquired the ability to cross the sea.
From now on, the strait was no longer the only battlefield.
But things could not be relaxed here either.
Currently, the coastline from the northeast region to Seaview City was considered the eastern coast.
This part of the coast was almost entirely under control.
As for Moonrise City... there was a way.
Now, Brilliant City had four Guardian Knights as a minimum guarantee.
Everyone else who could be used had to be used.
The Guardian Knights were ultimately people of the Holy Church. Although they held noble titles, they still had to prioritize the Holy Church.
Otherwise, once they were branded with apostasy, these knights and their families would suffer.
To some extent, these knights also had leverage held against them.
In the short term, controlling them wasn't a big problem.
And among them, the most crucial person was Kevin.
This man held a high position and was powerful, backed by the Cromwell family, one of the three major families.
He couldn't be trusted too much, but he couldn't be mistrusted either.
If he were stationed too far away, he would be beyond reach; if he were too close, it would be a problem if something really happened.
She would discuss it with Kevin later and have him go to Moonrise City to take charge.
She had already found a reason.
She would deal with that later.
Outside, the sound of Lola's pen scratching across the paper was constant.
After a moment, once it was quiet outside.
Luo Li continued her questions.
And Lola continued to report back.
“The epidemic has basically stabilized. Only about a thousand people remain in the camp. Mr. Scott has suggested burning the camp after the epidemic subsides.”
“With the arrival of the heavy winter snow, the winter bonuses for the army have been delayed, leading to cases of frostbite. I have drafted the distribution amounts. Please make a decision, Your Highness.”
“The snow has blocked the mountains. According to the news sent back by Sir Klo, this year's snow in the northeast region is heavier than in previous years, and there is no more winter food. Sir Klo requests permission to temporarily open the military granaries to supply the people.”
Lola reported each matter, and Luo Li listened to them one by one. For a moment, even her hand scrubbing her body stopped involuntarily.
Lola's memory was incredibly powerful.
Luo Li had to focus entirely to keep up with Lola's report.
“Grant Mr. Scott's request. Have Sir Cain lead five hundred cavalry, with Mr. Scott's opinion as the priority.”
“Winter bonuses used to be for one quarter. Since wars have been frequent this year, issue double bonuses to soothe the army's morale.”
“Grant Sir Klo's request. Additionally, dispatch six magic airships to Moonrise City and Stargaze City to purchase food and transport it to the Great Wall pass.”
They discussed some other trifles for ten minutes.
By the time Luo Li realized it, she found that she was almost shriveled from the soak.
If she had a phone now, she probably wouldn't even be able to use her fingerprint.
She quickly got up, wiped her body, and walked out of the baptismal chamber.
“Dress me.”
The little nuns stepped forward quickly, picking up clean towels to gently wipe away the water droplets still clinging to her skin.
Then they brought over the Saintess's robe and dressed Luo Li.
One of the nuns brought a stool and placed it behind Luo Li.
“Please sit, Your Highness.”
Luo Li sat down obediently. Immediately after, two nuns walked over from both sides.
Each held a bundle of white cloth.
When she saw those two things, the corners of the girl's eyes twitched.
“Can... can we skip this? Actually—it's not that cold.”
What was this?
She didn't even need to ask. She had already been wearing them these past few days.
But every time she put them on, there would be a primal resistance.
It was the last bit of male dignity remaining in her heart acting up.
“Your Highness, you have a precious personage. If you catch a cold, it would be no small matter.”
Seeing her Highness's face full of distaste, Nara hurriedly advised.
“Moreover, if you don't take the lead in wearing winter clothes, you won't be able to set an example for others, will you?”
Luo Li's lips twitched as she turned to look at Nara.
“I have to wear them?”
Nara nodded, her expression firm.
“You must!”
Looking down at the two bundles of white cloth, Luo Li closed her eyes in resignation.
She was going to have to do it eventually anyway.
Come on then!
Beside her, Nara saw her Highness pursing her thin lips with the expression of someone going to her execution.
She chuckled inwardly but didn't dare show it.
She quickly waved her hand, signaling the nuns.
Rustle, rustle~
As a smooth sensation spread from her toes to her upper thighs.
Luo Li felt her dignity shatter like glass.
However, this feeling was unexpectedly... a bit good?
Tight and smooth.
Narrowing her eyes slightly, she looked down at her toes.
Her originally smooth and rounded insteps were now covered by white silk stockings.
The snow-white stockings were nearly translucent, allowing the color of her skin to be clearly seen.
The white color traced the shape of her slender legs perfectly, clinging tightly to her skin.
A strange feeling made Luo Li unsure if it was good or bad.
Regardless, it was quite comfortable.
It was just her heart that felt awkward. Forget it, forget it, ignore it!
She stood up and looked at herself in the mirror. She was still flawless. Luo Li nodded in satisfaction.
As expected, a beautiful girl is a sight for sore eyes~
Even if it was herself.
“Lola, let's go to the army camp.”
“Yes.”
Lola did not refuse. Even though she had been busy all morning, this was normal for her.
Now, almost all matters, big and small, in Brilliant City and its surrounding subsidiary cities would be reported to her.
Being busy all day and not fully resolving everything until bedtime happened often.
She had gradually become accustomed to it.
But just as she turned to leave, her Highness's voice suddenly came from behind her.
“Lola, wait a moment.”
Just as Lola turned around.
Luo Li clearly saw that hint of darkness at the corner of her eyes.
“Your Highness?”
Lola was startled and turned back, her expression puzzled.
The young girl looked her capable subordinate up and down.
The exhaustion on her face was visible to the naked eye.
A ripple of emotion rose in her heart.
How difficult was it to manage a city?
How difficult was a province?
And now, it was three provinces combined, all resting on Lola's shoulders.
She wasn't some superhuman; how could she not be exhausted?
“Don't speak.”
The young girl's slender fingers lightly touched Lola's cheek.
Healing.
As energy flowed through her fingertips, a glimmer of holy light surged from her palm into Lola's brain.
As expected, Lola's state today seemed much worse than before.
The information returned by the holy energy told Luo Li.
Lola's brain activity today had dropped significantly compared to usual.
Her physical activity had also decreased to some extent.
As the holy light poured in, Lola's expression went from slightly pained to peaceful.
She couldn't help but close her eyes, enjoying the pleasant and refreshing sensation that washed over her body and mind.
A moment later, Lola, her exhaustion swept away, revealed a long-awaited smile.
“Thank you, Your Highness.”
“Mhm!”
Rate on N.U.
