Chapter 95: The Free City of Romern

 “It might not be entirely appropriate for me to say this, as I have no right to lecture you, but you must remember one thing—”

I paused for a moment, then added weight to my words.

“The Holy Light… the power passed down to you from the Saintess… once it is used, it is like water poured onto the ground; it can never be retrieved.

When the day comes that it is completely exhausted… there will be no room for regret. Do you understand?

Are you listening? Hello? I’m asking if you are even listening to me.”

I felt a dull throb in my temples.

I wasn’t sure if it was my head that ached or if it was Kritiya’s, but a flicker of unease rose within me.

The mental link between us opened and closed at Kritiya’s whim, making it impossible for me to be certain if she was actually receiving my messages at this moment.

Just as I was about to give up, her voice—tinged with a hint of displeasure—finally echoed in my mind, sounding as if it were coming from a great distance.

‘Everything I do is intentional.’

“But that was in front of a massive crowd…” I couldn’t help but sigh. “So many eyes were watching you… Fine, since you believe it was worth it, then do as you please.”

The scenes from yesterday couldn’t help but float before my eyes.

When that sacred radiance erupted from Kritiya’s body, her will seemed to manifest into a physical force.

As that command swept through the entire camp, in that single moment, she was no longer merely the naive noble lady the soldiers perceived her to be.

***

Thus, when the morning sun of the second day fully crested the horizon, draping the mountain ridges and winding roads of the Airandil border in golden light, the caravan that had been delayed for so long was finally reorganized.

The carriage wheels began to turn slowly, emitting a creaking sound as they resumed the long journey toward the distant royal capital in the south.

However, I knew deep down that the troubles before us were far from over.

After a moment of silence, I watched the scenery outside the window retreat and spoke cautiously.

“So… what do you intend to do with that captured elven elder?”

Kritiya was leaning against a corner of the carriage cushioned with velvet, her face showing obvious signs of fatigue.

She reached out and pulled the deep green curtains open a bit further, allowing a wider beam of sunlight to slant into the carriage, casting a bright patch of light upon the soft carpet.

The girl stared silently at the passing wilderness and scattered trees outside, her gaze vacant as if she had lost focus.

After a long while, just as I thought she wouldn’t answer, clear words finally drifted from her lips.

“A person capable of commanding such an elite squad of magic archers would not have a low status among the highland elves.

But it won’t be too high either—isn’t that right?”

“Right. Besides, hasn’t Viscount Arendel already taken him along on the road?” I picked up the thread.

Images of that specially modified prison carriage came to mind; it was currently surrounded by layers of fully armed soldiers, silently following at the tail end of the caravan.

That elven elder seemed delirious and on the verge of death.

Carrying him was indeed a significant burden, but if they didn’t take him and simply abandoned him in the wilderness, it would likely bring even greater trouble in the future.

“To be honest, I don’t know how to handle him either.”

Kritiya’s eyelashes fluttered slightly.

I could clearly feel her lips pressing tightly together, her fine white teeth almost sinking into the flesh of her lip.

This subtle movement betrayed the struggle within her heart.

“Since that’s the case, why should we be the ones to worry about it?” I said thoughtfully, trying to make my tone sound more relaxed. “I actually have an idea.”

I explained my plan to Kritiya in detail, clarifying every step.

After listening, a visible trace of resistance appeared on her face, and her brow furrowed slightly.

But after a period of silent contemplation, she eventually whispered, “Fine, we’ll do as you say.”

With that, she took a deep breath, reached out, and pushed open the side door of the carriage.

Sally was sitting upright on the front bench, clutching that sacred relic she cherished so dearly, seemingly engaged in idle chatter with the driver.

Upon seeing Kritiya suddenly lean out, Sally immediately turned her head, her face blooming with undisguised joy.

“Ah! My Lady! Do you have any orders?”

There was a skip in her voice; it seemed this was the first time she had heard the young lady she served proactively call for her.

Under the sunlight, even the small freckles on Sally’s cheeks seemed to come alive.

Kritiya merely beckoned her, signaling for her to enter the carriage.

This simple gesture made Sally stand up instantly, nearly losing her balance due to the swaying of the carriage.

“Do we need to stop?” the driver asked, pulling the reins tight to slow the horses slightly.

“No need to trouble yourself.”

Sally nimbly lifted her skirt, revealing a pair of sturdy leather short boots, and skillfully grabbed the carriage frame to step across.

However, just as she was about to step from the driver’s seat into the carriage, the wheels rolled over a stone, causing a violent jolt.

“My Lady—sorry, please give me a hand!”

Sally’s body shook violently, and she nearly fell off the carriage.

Kritiya reached out quickly, grabbing her arm and pulling the maid into the carriage.

She then swiftly pulled the door shut.

With the closing of the door, the clamor outside was instantly cut off, and the interior returned to a relative silence, save for the monotonous rolling of the wheels.

“My Lady—so, is there something you need me to do?”

Sally blinked uneasily in the suddenly darkened carriage, trying to adapt to the change in light.

She looked toward Kritiya, who stood silently in the corner, and asked in a cautious whisper while her hands unconsciously toyed with her skirt.

Though the carriage prepared for the Duke’s daughter wasn’t exceptionally spacious, it was designed with extreme precision.

It was essentially a fully equipped mobile bedroom.

A small desk was fixed by the window, beside a soft bed, and there was even a miniature bookshelf.

Kritiya walked to the desk, opened a drawer, rummaged through it for a moment, and pulled out a stack of high-quality parchment and a quill.

“My Lady—what is this for?”

Sally’s voice carried confusion.

“You should have a special channel to contact my father—Duke Airandil—shouldn’t you?”

Kritiya didn’t look up; she practicedly picked up the quill, dipped it into a small ink bottle, and began writing rapidly at the desk.

The tip of the pen made a soft scratching sound against the paper.

“I have a very important letter that I need you to deliver on my behalf.”

“You… you want to write to the Duke?”

Sally’s voice carried a hint of hesitation. “For this sort of thing… we could actually ask a messenger or a scout from the caravan to do it. They would be much faster.”

“I believe your channel is more reliable.”

Kritiya’s tone brooked no argument.

The content of the letter wasn’t long; she finished writing in just a few lines.

Kritiya carefully folded the parchment and took a piece of deep red sealing wax from a small box.

After heating it slightly over a candle flame, she solemnly dripped it onto the envelope’s seal and pressed down firmly with a signet ring engraved with the family crest.

When she turned to hand the letter to Sally, the pattern of the soaring lion on the wax remained clearly visible even in the dim light.

“Take it—be fast, the faster the better,” she whispered, gazing at the girl before her—the eyes and ears her father had specifically placed by her side.

Sally lowered her head and hesitated for a moment before finally reaching out to take the letter, which still held a lingering warmth.

She carefully tucked it into her bosom. “Yes… I understand. Please rest easy, My Lady.”

***

Sally’s channel was indeed reliable.

When the journey reached its eleventh day, a team of fast riders who had traveled day and night from the north finally caught up with Kritiya’s southbound caravan in the afternoon.

I recognized those travel-worn riders—they were the Duke’s most trusted confidants and warriors.

They had come escorting Duke Airandil’s personal advisor, Archmage Melra.

These people did not stay long, as if everything had been prearranged.

They directly took away the specially modified prison carriage containing the elven elder.

The entire process was crisp and efficient, like a mission that had been rehearsed many times over.

I guessed this must have been the Duke’s own order.

Even though Viscount Arendel seemed to have received word through other channels, he stood at a distance watching coldly, his face filled with an undisguised sense of indignation.

That’s right, this was my suggestion.

Since Duke Airandil still technically held the title of “Ally of the Highland Elves,” such a headache-inducing matter should naturally be left for him to handle.

I believed that the learned advisors and scholars in the Duke’s manor could surely come up with a more comprehensive solution than we could.

However, Kritiya seemed entirely disinterested in all of this.

She allowed others to handle the affairs, maintaining her usual indifference toward the rumors swirling among the soldiers regarding her and the Holy Light, as if none of it had anything to do with her.

I mostly understood the reason why…

Knock, knock, knock!

Just then, a few crisp knocks on the door broke the silence within the carriage.

Sally’s brisk and slightly excited voice drifted in from outside.

“My Lady, the Free City of Romern is just ahead! I heard the caravan will be stopping there for a few days to rest and resupply. Everyone says it’s the greatest capital of the north and incredibly lively! Would you… like to go down and take a look?”

I felt the girl’s heart give a sudden, heavy thud.