It is impossible.
The absolute rule for knights on the battlefield is not to assist comrades.
If you can’t trust your allies and rely on them, no matter how good your strategy is, you will lose that war.
Thus, the knight on the battlefield does not help comrades. They focus only on defeating the opponent right in front of them.
There were no exceptions for Empress Astria.
How many moments of death had she faced until now?
Being stabbed with a sword didn’t matter to her.
So Astria couldn’t understand Sena.
What power does he think he has to do such things?
Does this furball even realize how foolish his actions are?
But…
“You must not lose consciousness.”
Astria could think of nothing at the moment.
Except for pressing down on the wound that Sena was losing blood from.
“Ah… Thank goodness. The numbers, they’ve returned.”
“Don’t talk. Just focus on recovering.”
“You’ll live a long time, Your Majesty. Cough.”
His condition was not good. Even Astria, with no medical knowledge, could tell that.
He had been weak from the start. This wound would be hard to recover from even for a healthy knight.
‘A method. A way…’
“Cruyff Birkender!”
“…”
“Save Sena at once! If you do, I will forgive your previous rudeness!”
Cruyff’s pupils trembled like reeds in the wind.
The moment he took a step forward, a sound like air escaping from a balloon could be heard.
“Is it really so easy for you to forgive?”
Duke Granz removed his helmet, letting his long black hair fall.
“How unbecoming of you, Your Majesty.”
“Shut up. Before I tear that mouth of yours apart.”
Astria’s deadly gaze turned towards Granz.
Meanwhile, Granz looked at Sena with a relaxed demeanor.
“I never imagined this physician would become Your Majesty’s weakness. Indeed, the world is unpredictable.”
Swish!
Granz lightly swung his sword. Astria moved back significantly while holding Sena.
Astria’s blonde hair brushed against Sena’s pale cheek. Her long bangs obscured her expression.
“Is this how you betray me, Duke Granz?”
“Betrayal? You’re mistaken. Wasn’t it you, Your Majesty, who tried to strike me down every minute and second?”
“If you were going to kill me, you could have killed me a long time ago. Keeping you alive was my last act of kindness.”
“Well, I suppose this will be the end of that kindness. I regret it deeply.”
Despite his words, Granz was dry and almost seemed to be smiling.
Astria looked directly at Granz, coldly stating.
“Regret, you say? It seems you truly regret it. You should have been buried with my mother on the day of the revolution.”
For the first time, cracks appeared in Granz’s expression.
“…You must be precise with your words. That was not a revolution; it was treason and betrayal.”
As if no further words were needed, he lowered his posture.
“Don’t blame me too much. This was all your doing from the start.”
Astria raised the corners of her mouth.
“It seems you still have feelings for my mother. But what shall we do about that?”
She raised her head. Seeing Granz’s face, anger surged within her.
However, she managed to suppress her rage and sneered at Granz as best as she could.
“My mother is not a woman who can love someone.”
“Your Majesty!”
Sylvia shouted loudly. Astria seemed to know, reaching out her hand.
In that moment, Sylvia, riding her horse quickly, grabbed Astria.
“Don’t let her go!”
Astria lightly deflected Granz’s aura as he approached. The panicked holy knights attempted to pursue, but the horse, now accelerated, quickly distanced itself.
“Are you okay?!”
“You did well, Dame Sylvia. Your efforts will be acknowledged later.”
Astria, barely securing herself on the horse, held Sena tightly.
Swearing she would never let him go again.
**
In a haze, Sena opened his eyes.
“Where am I…?”
The sound of hooves echoed as the air rushed past, revealing they were on horseback.
The figure in front of him was likely Sylvia.
“I think we’re going to get caught.”
Sylvia’s voice trembled as she pulled the reins.
Though they had created some distance, they were three on the horse.
It was only a matter of time before they were caught.
Sena managed a faint smile.
“Thank goodness. Everyone is safe. Cough.”
Sena coughed and held his abdomen, which felt extremely hot.
“Don’t speak. Your wound will open.”
Astria, who had quietly spoken to Sena, lifted her head.
“Dame Sylvia, head towards the Ashford territory by any means necessary. I can trust the Marquis.”
Sylvia bit her lip slightly.
It was a dangerous action to take while riding a galloping horse, but the situation was equally frustrating.
“They’re already within sight.”
Even without looking back, she could feel the unpleasant aura of the holy knights behind them.
‘At this rate…’
It was impossible to maneuver a horse faster with three riders than with one.
Moreover, the Holy Knights likely had two horses each.
They needed rest, whereas the journey to Ashford territory would still take three days, no matter how fast they went.
Being caught was soon to become a reality.
‘Should we hide instead?’
Sylvia shook her head.
The enemies were holy knights. It was their job to find fugitives and traitors.
That would be too reckless a decision. And besides, there was an injured person.
‘Then…’
Sylvia exhaled sharply.
She had to come up with something.
They couldn’t all die here.
“Dame Sylvia.”
“…Yes.”
“Can you move the horse while holding Sena?”
Sylvia instantly understood Astria’s intention.
She was buying time, even if it meant sacrificing her own life.
“There’s no time. If I’m going to jump off, now is the moment.”
As she spoke, an advantageous terrain for fighting was just ahead.
A bridge. The lake looked deep at first glance.
“Ah, no!”
Sena shouted with all his strength.
“Just leave me behind!”
“Trust me, Sena. I will not die in a place like this.”
“Sylvia! This is an order. Do not stop the horse!”
Sylvia raised the corners of her mouth.
It was so obvious that she hadn’t even thought about it.
“Your Majesty, you said last time that you couldn’t ride a horse.”
“…That’s true.”
“Please, just make it work. If you don’t, Senior will die.”
“What?”
Astria’s eyes widened.
“Are you serious?”
“Please take care of Senior.”
That was the end of it.
Without hesitation, Sylvia jumped off the galloping horse.
“Sylvia!”
Sena hurriedly looked back.
‘Senior.’
Sylvia stood up, drawing her sword with a smile on her face.
‘Maybe I should have died a long time ago. Perhaps I survived then for this moment now.’
The Holy Knights were chasing them with murderous intent.
In the middle of the bridge, Sylvia raised her sword high.
“Hmph.”
Lowering her stance, she gathered her magic as much as she could.
There was only one thing she needed to do.
Buy as much time as possible with her life.
To do that, she had to succeed.
A wall she must overcome to become a Master.
A technique she had never succeeded with before.
‘If it’s now, I can do it.’
No, failing was not an option.
Without this technique, she wouldn’t be able to stop the monstrous Granz’s advance.
Taking a deep breath, Sylvia steadied her mind.
And she remembered Sena’s face.
Though she had never succeeded with this technique, she felt that now might be the time to use it.
– The reason you still can’t use Aura is not due to your lack of training.
Just a month ago.
When she resolved to improve her skills for Sena’s sake.
Sylvia had sought advice from Chris.
– Sylvia. You lacked a desperate reason to use your Aura.
Chris smiled as he patted Sylvia’s head.
– But now, things are different. You’ll be able to use it soon.
Sylvia opened her eyes and calmly spoke.
“Aurora—.”
Light burst forth from Sylvia’s sword.
Colors exploded and spread across the sky, transforming into a brilliant display.
The radiant light seemed to vow never to leave this place, illuminating it beautifully.
It was the aurora.
An aurora that could only be seen in places covered in ice appeared in the Rockefeller territory.
Sylvia had finally completed it at this last moment.
The perfect and unique aura she had always dreamed of.
Neigh!
The horse reared in surprise, kicking its legs high into the air.
A place where dirt and magic were mixed together and turned into a mess.
Sylvia aimed her sword with a fierce glare.
“Sylvia Clifton of the Teutonic Knights.”
“None shall pass beyond this point.”
**
The aurora lit up the dark night.
If one were to follow this aurora to its source, a single figure would emerge.
A knight holding a radiant sword that glimmered with that beautiful light.
The holy knights dared not approach the female knight.
The primary reason was fear.
The moment they took even a single step closer, they felt as if their very existence would be erased by that blinding light.
However, the Holy Knights were not individuals easily ruled by fear.
There was one fundamental reason keeping them from moving.
Awe.
A miraculous phenomenon achieved by a small girl.
A minimum of admiration shone upon someone who had reached what was deemed the highest achievement possible for a human.
“That’s truly remarkable.”
Granz looked at Sylvia with intrigue.
“From such a small territory, a new Master has been born.”
“Uh, what should we do? Your Holiness.”
At that moment, the commander of the holy knights hurried over and knelt.
Cruyff had maintained a stiff expression, showing no signs of change.
Suddenly, the Knight Commander’s gaze shifted to Granz.
“If I step in, it would be easily resolved.”
“Then…”
“But I won’t intervene.”
Granz smiled faintly.
“You’ve provided a good show; at the very least, some minimal praise should be given, like your dazed subordinates.”
The commander’s face flushed with embarrassment.
As Granz had said, most of the Holy Knights were slightly agape, staring at the aurora that Sylvia had created.
“And… it doesn’t seem very easy.”
“…She has just barely reached the level of master. I know she can’t compare to Your Grace, who has been a Master for ten years.”
“Those soaked in conviction often wield a greater power than they possess.”
Granz said this matter-of-factly as he sheathed his sword.
Unlike the horse, he wasn’t lost in trivial sentiments.
Killing Sylvia would not be difficult. However, even if she had just attained that level, a Master was still a Master.
He would drain quite a bit of energy. If that happened, he wouldn’t be able to kill Astria.
“She won’t be able to stay in that state for long. Once her strength wanes, that’s when we can advance.”
“Hah, but that will create quite a distance.”
“I don’t mind.”
Granz said with a smirk.
“After all, the destination is obvious.”
Then he turned his gaze to the stern-faced Cruyff.
“Isn’t that right, Cruyff?”
