Chapter 91

Varianne's eyes blinked, and her legs stepped out madly, seeking the front lines of the battlefield. The savage cries of the enemy intertwined, and a line reminiscent of silver light and purple lightning was drawn. The clash of their weapons, resonating with a thunderous sound, pressed heavily on her arms.

Facing her, the hero in green, who called himself Lugis, was not someone she met for the first time. However, this was the first time they crossed swords. To Varianne, he had become a person whose emotions were difficult to read.

He had somehow won the heart of the princess and abducted her, evoking hatred. He had opened the princess's heart and given her courage, evoking gratitude. It was all so hard to express. Reflecting on it, they might have hardly exchanged any formal words.

Reestablishing her distance, the silver sword she swung with both hands to gouge out Lugis's side was blocked by a purple light. She quickly turned her wrist and swung her sword to cut his knee, shoulder, and wrist, but each was blocked by the purple sword, preventing her from gouging out his body. But it was only a matter of time.

The tremor in his shoulders and the wobble in his knees revealed that he no longer had the strength to cut her down. At most, he could only make minimal movements with his sword.

A few more exchanges. In a few more exchanges, this temporary battle would end. Varianne's intuition as a warrior sensed this.

Each time their swords clashed, she could see Lugis's eyes piercing through her. They were human eyes, filled with intense emotion.

One rarely understands one's own changes from within. Often, it is through the gaze of others that one realizes these changes. Sometimes it is affection, sometimes contempt, and sometimes hatred. The gaze of the person in front of her was the same—eyes that saw a traitor.

Indeed, she deserved to be called a traitor. Let them curse her with frothing mouths, let them write her down in history as they please. It didn't matter at all; she pursed her lips.

One more exchange. As the iron of her sword slightly gouged Lugis's shoulder, he forcefully deflected her weapon with a sweeping motion. His knees wobbled, and his eyes widened.

Varianne's unit had been ordered to stand by in case of an emergency. However, even from a distance, she understood the situation on the battlefield through the information gathered by her subordinates and the messages from the surroundings.

The princess's flag had lost its color and was on the verge of falling. The result would not only be the stain of defeat but also the loss of her life.

Varianne was not particularly adept at the battlefield. She understood that her knowledge was limited. Therefore, she began to realize what she could do in this situation.

Even if she and her unit betrayed and stabbed the enemy in the back, how much effect would it have? She didn't know. In such a disadvantageous situation, it might be meaningless. That was the worst scenario, the worst possible situation she could imagine.

If so, then. If that was the case, she had to grasp a better option. Her own life was of no concern. Everything was for the sake of saving the princess. As a loyal servant, she had to take whatever action she could, even if it meant wearing out her limbs.

Just then, a voice that seemed to come from heaven reached Varianne's ears, which had lost their balance.

It was the voice of the old elf, the one who had cornered the princess, hoarse and raspy.

"Varianne... I know that deep in your heart, you still hold the loyalty of the past."

Those words were naturally piled up in front of Varianne.

Indeed, she understood everything. She had been manipulated by Largias. A bitter taste slid over her tongue. How refreshing it would be to decapitate him, Fin, right here.

But no, she couldn't. The swords of the guards behind and in front of her made a slight sound, which her ears caught. If she moved now, her head would be separated from her body and her cheek would touch the floor.

"Honor and loyalty, that's all well and good. But the path to honor is indeed narrow."

At first, Varianne couldn't grasp the meaning of the old elf's words. What was he trying to convey? If he was going to execute her as a traitor, he would have done so already.

The wrinkles on his face, etched with lines, trembled.

"I have a high regard for your abilities, Varianne. How about selling your soul to me?"

Words that suggested betrayal. In a worse light, words that belittled Varianne's loyalty.

But even in the face of those words, Varianne's heart was calm. Without hesitation, her lips spoke.

"Fin Largias. Your words are too kind for someone of my meager abilities. However, my loyalty to the princess remains unchanged, even before the spirits. If you want my life, you may have it. But I cannot give you my soul."

She said this, looking him in the eye, without kneeling. It was as if she was prepared for these to be her last words. Loyalty, fidelity.

Varianne could not imagine losing these. She had lived with them in her heart since childhood. They were all she had. She knew no other way to live her life.

Largias's reaction to her words was quite different from what Varianne had expected. He neither became enraged nor disappointed. Instead, he accepted it calmly, as if trying to soothe her.

"Very well, I understand. But isn't loyalty about saving the life of the lord in front of you?"

Varianne heard her heart leap. She understood what the old elf was trying to impose on her.

"As I said, the path to honor is narrow and perilous. Sometimes, it involves getting dirty to protect your lord. Go ahead, Varianne. If you excel on the front lines, I will save the princess's life."

Those words clung to Varianne's ears, binding her soul. They were like thorns, piercing her and hurting her.

One more exchange. Where did he still have strength? Lugis's body wobbled as if the hoop had come off, but the purple light in his hand flickered, trying to protect his body.

But this was the end.

This was not a strike to confuse the enemy. It was a clear and decisive blow to bisect his body and end his life. The silver light cut through the air in a straight line.

Let them curse her as a traitor. Let them call her a sinner. But this was the only way she could show her loyalty. Varianne's eyes flickered for a moment.

—Kiiin!

The purple light that had been blocking her sword, unable to withstand the repeated impacts, was finally deflected. Now, there was nothing left to protect him.

If her unit launched a full-scale assault, no force in the country could resist. If she cut through the front-line forces like silk, the battle would end.

What would the princess say about her actions? That was the only thing Varianne had in her heart. Therefore, she was momentarily slow to react to the words that reached her ears.

"Fire!"

She heard the voice, which tore through the sky, just as her sword gleamed in the sky.