Chapter 69

Wenli, who serves as the head maid of Ratestwood, was making her way down the corridor of the small castle.

She had been summoned by Queen Reifa.

Exchanging greetings with the maids she passed, she hurried to her destination.

Eventually, she arrived at a room, the entrance to the Queen's office. Wenli stopped, composed herself, and then knocked on the wooden door.

"Reifa-sama, this is Head Maid Wenli. I have come as summoned."

From inside the door came a response granting her entry. It was the voice of Reifa, her sovereign. Wenli said, "Excuse me," and then pushed open the door.

"Thank you for your hard work, Wenli."

From the other side of a pile of documents, Reifa, seated in her office chair, greeted her with these words.

Despite the tumultuous days and the considerable amount of work, there was no sign of fatigue on her face. Reifa, who sometimes showed her true self in front of Wenli, her former instructor, now seemed to be exercising self-discipline as the queen. This meant that she had been summoned for a matter of considerable importance.

Wenli bowed in response to the words of encouragement and waited for further instructions from her sovereign.

"The reason I called you is this. I just received word that Lady Kamila has returned from the homeland. It is likely that she has news about the incident."

"By 'the incident,' do you mean the one concerning Noblewood?"

Noblewood had been receiving manipulated information from Alkymaira's forces, who reported that the vanguard was proceeding smoothly with the operation. However, Alkymaira's forces, following orders from the homeland, had partially disclosed the information they had been withholding and were now monitoring Noblewood's movements. The results of this were about to be revealed.

"Yes. I have also summoned Robin and Lilifa. They should be here shortly."

"Understood, Reifa-sama. Then, I will wait for them and Lady Kamila to arrive before we discuss the details—"

"—I am already here, Warrior Chief."

A voice suddenly sounded from behind, making Wenli jump.

She placed a hand on her rapidly beating heart and turned around to see a woman with purple hair standing there.

"L-Lady Kamila..."

"Yes. It has been a while since the last time we met, Warrior Chief. Or should I call you Head Maid now?"

The alluring woman, Kamila, said this with a mysterious smile.

What would have been a seductive expression to a man now seemed to Wenli like a cat toying with a mouse.

Struggling to calm her racing heart, Wenli responded.

"Y-Yes. It has been a long time, Lady Kamila. ...When did you arrive?"

"Just now. I knocked, but unfortunately, you didn't hear it. Did I startle you?"

Wenli thought, "How ridiculous." Despite the construction noise and other sounds around them, she found it hard to believe that she hadn't heard the knock, especially since she, being a half-elf, had excellent hearing. She was certain she hadn't missed it, and a strong suspicion arose in her mind.

"No, I heard it clearly, Lady Kamila. Thank you for coming all the way from the homeland."

However, Reifa, seemingly unfazed by Wenli's confusion, responded calmly. Despite the fact that there had been no knock, her expression showed no sign of disturbance.

Impressed by her quick response, Kamila met Reifa's gaze and inwardly murmured, "Hmm."

"I see. However, if my knock didn't reach you, it might have been my mistake. I did enter without explicit permission."

"Under normal circumstances, that would be a concern, but in urgent situations, swift action is sometimes more important than perfect etiquette. There are times when quick action is valued over formalities, and this is one of them."

"Hmm... I appreciate your understanding, Your Majesty."

"You are too kind."

Publicly, the relationship between Queen Reifa and the commander of Alkymaira's army is considered almost equal.

Moreover, since Helian recognizes Reifa, Kamila also respects her to a certain extent.

The way she spoke, maintaining her position while saying what needed to be said, was satisfactory as a leader of an allied nation.

(Indeed, she has talent, though still immature. That's why my lord recognized her. To discern that in just two days, a few hours of conversation, is truly remarkable.)

Praising her lord's discernment, Kamila decided to raise her evaluation of Reifa.

"Sister, I'm here. ...Ah, Lady Kamila!"

"Ah, it's you, Princess. How have you been?"

Lilifa, Reifa's younger sister, appeared with a knock. When Kamila spoke to her affectionately, Lilifa responded with a beaming smile.

"Yes! Thanks to the people of Alkymaira, we have delicious food, so everyone is doing well."

"That's good to hear. If you have any problems, come to me. I will do my best to help you within my authority."

Kamila smiled warmly and took out a small bag from her pocket. It contained a selection of pastries brought from the homeland, tailored to Lilifa's known preferences, which included fruit-filled baked goods.

"A gift from the homeland. I also brought some tea leaves that my lord likes, as I heard he brought them as a gift during a previous meeting."

"Wow, really!? Thank you, Lady Kamila!"

Lilifa thanked her with a bright smile, and Kamila responded with a gentle smile, patting her head.

These two had a good relationship. Among the residents of Ratestwood, Lilifa was the one closest to Kamila. Each time they met, their relationship seemed to grow closer, to the point where Lilifa, who initially responded with "Yes," now used a more casual "Yeah." Kamila not only allowed this but seemed to approve of it.

Considering their positions—Lilifa as the princess of Ratestwood and Kamila as the commander of Alkymaira's army—their close relationship was a welcome development for Ratestwood. However, Wenli, watching from the side, couldn't help but feel a sense of unease.

This was because Wenli knew that the woman petting the child was capable of killing with a smile.

She had been made aware of this a few days after the alliance, when they captured a messenger from Noblewood sent to contact the vanguard, whose communication had been cut off.

"I didn't expect to catch them so quickly. I can give my lord a good report."

The messenger, restrained by an invisible force, was struggling and cursing. Kamila asked Wenli, "Do you recognize him?" but Wenli, who had been summoned, shook her head.

Ratestwood had been isolated, not recognized as a nation and largely ignored by other countries. Apart from her own people and the occasional adventurer, she knew very few faces, especially not those of the elves from Noblewood, who despised and avoided half-elves.

"I see. Then, I'll extract the information in my own way."

Without warning, Kamila thrust her left hand into the elf's chest and began to grope it. Strangely, no blood spurted out; the contact point only rippled like a stone thrown into water. The elf, however, froze for a moment before shuddering with a fatal chill upon seeing it.

What followed was too terrible to recall.

The messenger, with the elf's typically handsome features twisted in agony, began to scream inhumanly. His eyes were bloodshot, foam dripped from his mouth, and he thrashed wildly. The image was seared into Wenli's memory.

Eventually, Kamila pulled her arm out of the elf's chest and wiped her hand with a cloth, as if she had touched something dirty. She then burned the cloth with a black flame, likely a magic spell, and said to the pale-faced Wenli:

"It's faster to ask the soul than the body. The body can break easily, but it provides honest information until it does. I'm skilled in this kind of soul magic."

A crescent-shaped, ominous smile. The messenger's death throes had already ceased. Kamila touched the messenger's lifeless body and began to chant a spell. The messenger twitched for a while but then stood up as if nothing had happened.

One of her subordinates wiped the messenger's face, which was covered in blood, sweat, and saliva, and applied a healing spell. The puppet, now restored to its original handsome appearance, was surrounded by over a dozen demons—[Stealth Demons], a species specialized in stealth.

"The rest is as we discussed. Needless to say, this is a royal order, a direct command from my lord. Failure is not an option. If they suspect anything, know that I will take your life."

The demons, in unison, chanted their acknowledgment and vanished like phantoms.

The messenger, walking with a confident stride, followed them into the forest.

Afterward, Kamila, boasting of the interesting information she had obtained, invited Wenli to have a meal. Wenli, however, declined with all her might. She couldn't bear the thought of eating after witnessing that, let alone being alone with the demon.

Returning to her room in the small castle, she couldn't sleep that night.

Having witnessed such a scene, Wenli's fear of Kamila remained strong. She had tried to overcome her prejudice against Alkymaira's monsters, but it was too much to ask after seeing that. Naturally, she felt anxious about Kamila's friendly interactions with Lilifa.

"Hey! I'm here! Good morning, everyone, Queen!"

The last participant, Robin, burst into the room, opening the door without knocking.

Kamila, who had been stroking Lilifa's head, released her hand and frowned.

"Robin... Even as a commander, can't you at least knock? Besides, it's not morning. It's already past noon."

"Really? Oh, I was so engrossed in making equipment for Reive's request that I stayed up all night."

"Reive? ...But he has been directly granted equipment by my lord."

"No, it's not that. He wants specialized disguise armor for expeditions. It looks like regular clothing but can reveal its true form and function when needed. It was a unique request, so I got really into it."

He wiped his nonexistent sweat, as if to say, "I did a good job."

Indeed, Reive, who had barely won after damaging his armor in the previous incident, had felt a sense of crisis about future foreign activities and had placed an order with Robin, the foremost craftsman.

Robin, despite being a problem child, possessed exceptional skills, and many of the top-ranking members of the various armies wore his creations.

For commanders who had reached the level of mythic threats, their armaments were usually relics obtained from ruins, but if not, Robin's works were considered the pinnacle of armaments. This fact alone demonstrated the remarkable nature of his skills.

However, Robin was whimsical and only made what he wanted. Fortunately, this time, the request had struck a chord with him.

As a result, he had worked enthusiastically, forgetting the time, and arrived later than the other participants.

"Truly, you are... Ah, never mind. We can't afford to waste time on this."

Kamila sighed and turned to Reifa.

Reifa had already stood up and moved to face Kamila, with Wenli standing behind her.

Lilifa, who had been chatting with Kamila, also shifted her mindset and stood quietly beside her sister, Reifa.

"Since everyone is here, let's get to the main topic. This is a message from my lord."

"I will listen."

Reifa knelt, and Wenli and Lilifa followed suit. This was to show that they understood the words Kamila was about to speak as those of the king's representative.

Acknowledging their proper etiquette, Kamila nodded and continued.

"We are to maintain maximum vigilance against the neighboring country, Noblewood, and propose sending an envoy as a final warning. —That is all."

Looking up at Reifa, Kamila spoke calmly.

"My lord is kind. Even though the outcome is clear, he wishes to send an envoy. Of course, I will secretly accompany the envoy with soldiers from my army and promise to bring them back unharmed if the other side acts unlawfully. I swear this on the title of 'Alkymaira's Ear.'"

"I understand the intentions of Lord Helian. We have no objections. We will select an envoy from our vassals and prepare them immediately."

"Good. However, if negotiations with Noblewood fail, there is only one possible outcome. Are you prepared for that, Queen Reifa Lim Ratestwood?"

Thinking of the inevitable outcome, Kamila fixed a piercing gaze on Reifa.

The young queen met her gaze with a resolute attitude.

"Of course. Though I am unworthy, I have been preparing for the inevitable. I am fully prepared."

"An excellent response. My lord will be pleased."

Kamila nodded in satisfaction and was about to move on to the details.

However, Wenli, who had been observing from behind Reifa, felt a lingering unease.

The cause was one person: the young dwarf standing idly next to Kamila.

According to the plan she had been briefed on, he was to play a crucial role in this matter. His presence in Ratestwood was in anticipation of the battle with Noblewood.

However, the dwarf, who had been sent, spent his days playing silly pranks and lacked any semblance of dignity. While he was likely skilled, as evidenced by his position as the leader of a group of craftsmen, it was hard to see how his skills would be useful in a conflict.

In fact, he had been easily captured by his subordinate, Merzal, and couldn't even lift the building materials he had been carrying. Wenli even wondered if she could defeat him.

The thought that this prankster had been entrusted with an important role in the matter filled her with worry.

"What's the matter, Head Maid?"

Caught in her thoughts, Wenli was suddenly addressed. She looked up, startled, to see the source of the voice.

"You look quite troubled. ...Could it be that you have some dissatisfaction with the plan my lord has laid out?"

A sharp, icy tone pierced her.

Feeling an indescribable fear, Wenli responded to Kamila.

"N-No. I have no such thoughts..."

She managed to form the words, but Kamila's piercing gaze showed no sign of satisfaction.

On the contrary, her red eyes glinted with a menacing light.

"Ah, that's right. You have spoken out against my lord before. You drew your bow against him when he sought dialogue, and I remember well how you continued to provoke him, even when your queen tried to stop you. —Go on, speak your mind. Here and now, in front of me."

Asked in a mocking tone, Wenli froze in terror, unable to speak. Her trembling body, visible to all, was that of a prey animal in fear, but Kamila did not relent.

Kamila remembered the insolent person who had fired an arrow at her lord when he revisited the village. She also remembered the woman who, despite being reprimanded by her queen, had tried to fire a third arrow at the lord who sought dialogue. This memory was deeply etched in her mind.

She had been told to forgive past grievances for the sake of the alliance. She had also been strictly forbidden to punish anyone who acted unlawfully against the new neighbors, regardless of who they were. Given these orders, she could not harm Wenli, a citizen of Ratestwood.

However, if she could prove that the person was a threat to Alkymaira, it would be a different matter. They could then be treated as a rebel, not a friendly neighbor.

If she could elicit words of rebellion from the woman in front of her, she would not hesitate