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Chapter 88

Erika Blanche wasn’t royalty. The prince of Voltania had called her a noble, but he was mostly just trying to flatter her at the time. There were hundreds of families in every province. There were first the subsidiary families, which mostly contained knights and were located in a single city. Then, there were the branch families, who came from larger families but were distant descendants sent to manage assets. There were the great families, which collectively controlled the various regions, and then there were the major families, who directly supported the lord and his control of the province.

Although she belonged to one of the great families, although not one of the major families. She had come from a distant branch that was all but forgotten. Had she and her brother not exhibited a mutation upon birth, they never would have taken a second look at her, and she would have lived and died within her small village.

At the time, she had just enough status that she probably would have been married to the village chief’s son. He was a wretched boy who used to like to torture animals and had even cut her hair. When she reached her testing day and was discovered to have a mutation in her mana, it was perhaps the happiest day of her life. Finding out her brother also had a mutation and they’d be able to stay together made her even more excited.

However, that feeling quickly turned cold. Her father was only eager for the status that his children would give him, and her mother’s feelings weren’t taken into account at all. She remembered the last time she saw her mother. The family had decided to take them away for proper raising in Stormberg, but she wanted her mother with her. Her mother rejected her. She told Erika she wanted nothing to do with her, and she wouldn’t even look at her as the carriage pulled away.

It was only later that her brother told her what she was too young and naïve to understand. Her mother was being coerced by her father and the family. They didn’t want her mother involved in their raising. They worried it would make the siblings too soft. So, they threatened her mother to say those harsh words. Her mother never looked back because she didn’t want her daughter to see her tears.

Even that wasn’t enough to completely disillusion Erika with the distastefulness of her family. It was only three years later when her mother died under mysterious circumstances. When she received the letter, a brief message from her father, it also included the invitation to the wedding of his new bride. He was marrying someone in Stormberg to create an alliance between the Blanche family and another.

It didn’t take much for Erika to realize that her mother had been killed on purpose. Her status was too low. It was only then that Erika realized the horrible truth. Her mother had been married into the family because she had exhibited a mutation, and they wanted her children to do the same. After having Erika, she was unable to have any more children, or perhaps her heart wouldn’t allow it once we were taken away from her. Either way, they decided she was useless, and so she was killed and their father was given a wife of sufficient standing.

This was the horrible truth of the so-called families. All they cared about was power. They would use anyone and everyone to obtain the power they wanted, including their own family. After that, the siblings hatched a plan. He joined the knighthood and she managed to get into the Academy. She’d like to say their actions made the family furious, but such positions gave the family power too. It was only fairly recently that she realized the horrible truth. The only reason they reached the positions they did was because the family allowed it. To this day, they are still under the control of their family.

It was for that reason that they had to go to Stormberg in the first place. They were called by the family, and so they took a mission that would bring them close to Stormberg and then returned they’re on their way back. Of course, now, she suspected her brother was running straight to her father and the family to beg them for help to get her out of the Schrödinger box. That would be one more string they’d attach to her and her brother, and regretfully she dragged Spirit along with her.

If they realized his true strength, they would undoubtedly try to tie him into the Blanch family. She wouldn’t even be surprised if they married him into the family. Given his strength at such a young age, and given he had no attachments in this region, it would be foolish for any family who got him to real him in. Then, he’d be trapped in the same political intrigue that she had to deal with her whole life. She had to protect him from that much, at least.

They might even try to marry him to me! That wouldn’t be so bad, would it?

When she had that thought, she couldn’t help but feel her face warming up. Why did she have such strange thoughts? Mara was her friend and had deep feelings for Spirit. It would be improper for her to pursue the man her first friend loved. However, were their feelings romantic? When she saw Spirit talk of Mara, it seemed more like he saw her as a younger sister.

She shook her head. None of that was important at the moment. They had to pass these trials and survive Lord Maxwell before they could even consider these future things. At the moment, she was in the lead of an army. Her heart beat quickly and she felt both exhilaration and fear. Spirit had asked her to remain at the castle, but shortly after he left, the attendant had approached her.

“My lady, here are the estimations.” The attendant had handed her a report.

“Estimations?”

“These are all of the villages and farms that the Wildman army will pass on the way to the castle. This is an estimate of the death toll and damages expected my remaining behind.” He spoke solemnly.

As soon as he said those words, she felt her heart shaking. She couldn’t help but look over the report thoroughly, and when she saw the death toll, her eyes grew a bit wet. She knew that it would be better if she stayed behind and created barriers over the castle, but perhaps if the army moved fast enough, they could select the battlefield and she could erect some barriers there.

“Is there any better option?” She couldn’t help but ask.

“If my lady wishes for my recommendation…” The attendant bowed. “The army is ready to march. If they are forced to stay put as they watch their villages burn, they will surely lose all of their morale. By the time the Wildman arrive, they likely will be easily overrun. Putting the people they protect behind them will bring out the true strength of our nation. Let our nation’s pride march forth! By going on the offensive, we won’t need to worry about defense.”

Erika’s eyes glowed at his words. She didn’t know much about strategy or war, but she knew enough that his words made sense to her. Although she felt a bit strange going against Spirit’s words, he ultimately left her in charge and she had to make the call. So, before the sun began to wane, any army marched forth, only leaving a small defense force behind in the castle.

“We will ride to the border and keep our country secure!” She declared. “No one will be able to hurt those that we love.”

Her speech was simple, but it resulted in great cheers among the soldiers. She didn’t know why, but she couldn’t help but think of Spirit when she heard that last part. He was out fighting the battle he needed to fight, and she had her battle.

That was what this trial is all about, right? A man and woman fighting together to achieve their goals? A l-lover’s trial.

The army moved as quickly as possible, but it still took three days to reach the border. She had originally just wanted to get ahead of the farthest village so that she could protect the maximum number of citizens, but the population was too dispersed, and there were villages up to the border. By the time she passed the last of her citizenry, she found them already facing the Wildman army. Ultimately, she wasn’t able to get there on time to set up a defense. Furthermore, the terrain seemed to favor the Wildman army, which was up on a hill and part of wide plains that seemed to favor their style.

“Perhaps, we can negotiate?” Erika offered.

At the least, they could buy time for the last village to evacuate. If they fell back to that town, her army might be in a better position.

“It’s best to give the first strike!” The attendant spoke with a fervent look. “I’ve already sent horseback riders.”

Erika could only look on in horror as a group of armored men on horseback rode out to attack the Wildman. She wanted to call them back, but it was too late. The Wildman also sent pikemen to meet them. Just as the armies were about to collide, there was suddenly a wave of hot air, while a dark shadow flew overhead.

She looked up, and couldn’t help but gasp. The armies split in terror as a red dragon slammed into the middle of the battlefield. Riding on top of that dragon was a man. He stood up, the wind whipping through his hair as he looked down disdainfully across the entire battlefield. He spoke, and his voice boomed across the battlefield.

“The battle ends right here!”