sonovelo Chapter 328 - 57: Alexia 2
Chapter 328 - 57: Alexia 2
At the same time, they had also gained a considerable understanding of the Silver-haired Princess’s "characteristics."
She was a hopeless romantic, through and through. Everything she did was for Westheid. After all, the moment Duke Qinghui asked, she immediately jumped in to help, asking for nothing in return.
Although it wasn’t impossible to understand the reasons for Her Imperial Highness Princess’s deep affection, its sheer purity—completely devoid of the political sense a member of the Royal Family should possess—was somewhat of a pity.
’She hardly looks fit to be a monarch!’
"Even with Her Highness Reiya’s endorsement giving them a just cause, we of the [Wall of Immortality] will absolutely not allow the Yonglan People to swagger through our garrison!"
"Speaking of which, where is the Legion Commander? This decision should be left to her."
"The Legion Commander has already requested instructions from Her Royal Highness Regent King. We should receive a reply soon."
"..."
"CLACK, CLACK, CLACK—"
Just as the discussions in the conference hall grew louder, the crisp sound of metal-clad shins tapping against the floor echoed through the room. All the officers immediately fell silent.
They were all too familiar with the rhythm of those footsteps. A few breaths later, a tall, elegant figure entered the conference hall.
"Everyone, my apologies for the wait. Are you discussing the incident with the Country of Yonglan?"
The newcomer had waist-length, flaxen hair. A pure black inner shirt clung tightly to her fine figure, covered by a double-breasted daily military uniform. Only the gold-embroidered cape draped over her shoulders signified her status as Legion Commander.
Her feet and major joints were covered in platinum-colored Light Armor, which complemented her sharp attire, making her appear stern and valiant.
Although she was the leader of the entire [Wall of Immortality], Alexia’s expression was not so grim and cold. On the contrary, her delicate and gentle face held a faint, almost imperceptible smile. Her purple eyes were slightly narrowed, one hand resting behind her straight back, the other touching her chin.
Her naturally imposing aura was softened by this gesture, even adding a touch of approachability out of thin air.
"Legion Commander!"
"Lady Alexia!"
The officer presiding over the meeting immediately stepped forward and saluted.
"Yes, as you’ve surmised, we were just discussing the matter of the Country of Yonglan. Duke Qinghui is leading the Yonglan People to run wild on Imperial soil!"
"We are unanimous in our belief that this is an act of utter contempt. We must fulfill the duty of the [Wall of Immortality] and prevent a foreign army from setting foot on Imperial land!"
"I know you’re eager to act, but let’s not be hasty. This matter is too important for us to decide."
Alexia nodded lightly, then waved her hand and said:
"I have already received a reply from Her Royal Highness Regent King."
Upon hearing this, the high-ranking officers of the legion in the conference hall tensed up, falling deathly silent.
The [Wall of Immortality] was not Alexia’s private army. It had been reorganized from a unit directly under the Imperial Capital’s command and contained a large number of royalists.
Alexia, who held the title of Martial God, had risen through the ranks of the Imperial Legions. She did not come from any noble house, and for that very reason, she was courted by the Royal Family after her promotion to the Legendary Tier.
She had originally been loyal to the late emperor. After he took his own life, she pledged her allegiance to the Eldest Princess Sylvia, becoming a noble unit directly under the Royal Family’s command.
Alexia repeatedly rubbed her index finger and thumb together and raised an eyebrow, her purple eyes unfocused.
"This news has already caused an uproar in the Imperial Capital. Many of the elders are denouncing Duke Qinghui for treason, which has Her Royal Highness Regent King quite perplexed as well. However, she believes that both Her Highness Reiya and Duke Qinghui are pillars of the Imperial court, their loyalty beyond question. Still, to quell the anger of those in the Imperial Capital, there must be an explanation."
"Therefore, make preparations. I’m taking a trip to the Dusk Lamp Territory."
...
In the Dusk Lamp Territory, upon this borderland perpetually shrouded by a silver-gray sky and thick, dark clouds, a Knight Army once again set foot.
The Elite Knight Order from the Yonglan Capital, clad in full armor and brandishing their weapons, were a heroic and extraordinary sight. They brought with them a multitude of war machines that left the original inhabitants of the Dusk Lamp Territory clicking their tongues in amazement: towering Riding God Giant Statues that touched the heavens; Autonomous Knight Puppets forged from steel and Runes that moved like specters; and exquisitely crafted Blade Crossbow War Carriages enhanced with keen-edged enchantments...
These were things not even seen in other Knight Territories; many were unique creations of Gale Heart. Under Westheid’s command, everything that could be brought out was hauled from the warehouses of the great city.
This time, however, they had not come aggressively to cleanse the filth. Instead, they followed in the Knight King’s footsteps, establishing the Dusk Lamp Territory as the initial base for their expedition.
Camps, watchtowers, and even fortresses sprang up from the ground. On the vast, barren, and withered lands of the Dusk Lamp Territory, the Knights toiled away.
Westheid had begun his tour from the Dusk Lamp Territory and now had finally returned. Compared to the grandeur of Gale Heart, he found Mivana’s homeland more welcoming. The main reason was the beast-eared maidens... ahem. Westheid was still quite fixated on the Beastmen’s innate Talents.
’They’re all a potential source of troops worth developing,’ he thought. ’Natural-born anti-Chaos Warriors.’
’The Dusk Lamp Territory seems a bit too backward.’
And so, upon his arrival, His Majesty the Knight King immediately began to direct the local construction efforts:
"As the starting point of our expedition and its most critical transit hub, I believe we should invest heavily in construction here. Not only do we need a basic logistics base to receive the expeditionary forces that will arrive later, but we can also establish comprehensive training institutions in the Dusk Lamp Territory to develop the Beastmen into Warriors."
"Within our ranks, there are certainly many Knights who are prejudiced against Beastmen. They tend to think of Mivana achieving the rank of Grand Knight as a special exception."
Mephit nodded repeatedly. "In fact, my lord, you’re being somewhat conservative."
’Many? It’s nearly all of them!’
If their loyalty to their Monarch didn’t restrain them, a bloody conflict would have broken out on the very first day they entered the Dusk Lamp Territory.
The reason they could now coexist peacefully was purely because they had forced themselves to ignore these non-human oddities, classifying them as demi-humans.
"Prejudice is a mountain... No matter. Let’s start the training. Mivana should be more than happy to help her kin. She’s busy boasting to her brothers and sisters right now; I’ll just go have a word with her later."
Westheid didn’t see it as much of a problem. He had no intention of eliminating the Knights’ prejudice anyway. Once the Beastmen were trained into Warriors, he would certainly use them for himself. It would be the perfect opportunity to give Mivana her own Direct Lineage unit. Reiya had her own Royal Guard, after all, while the Wolf-eared Maiden was still just wandering around like a Ranger.
’It’s a bit shabby for someone I’ve designated as my future Apostle.’
"Your Majesty, an Imperial warship has arrived."
Just as Westheid was speaking eloquently about the future development of the Dusk Lamp Territory, a Yonglan Knight rushed forward, beating a Qinghui Guard to it, and reported:
"It’s... It’s the Legion Commander of the Imperial [Wall of Immortality], Alexia."
"Alexia..."
Reiya heard the name and reacted very quickly, looking to Westheid and saying:
"I remember that name. She’s one of my Imperial Sister’s Direct Lineage."
"Mm, I know."
Of course Westheid knew of this Imperial Legendary Powerhouse. She was no generic Legend.
After the Age of Strife, the trials of a chaotic era caused the value of the Legendary Tier to plummet. Many people could scrape together enough achievements to qualify, and the number of Legendary Powerhouses grew.
But even among Legends, there were clear distinctions. The departure of the Celestial Gods removed the constraints on their paths, allowing Legendary Powerhouses to continue expanding their realms and power. Although the Extraordinary System didn’t explicitly define these realms, those Powerhouses who were clearly a cut above ordinary Legends were known as "Transcenders."
And [Valkyrie] Alexia was one of the very few Legends who would one day ascend to the rank of Transcender. She would make immense contributions to the survival of the Empire, right up until she was killed fighting a True Dragon during the battle for the Holy Root System in the future calamity known as the [Return of the Dragons].
Westheid stroked his chin and smiled.
"It seems the Imperial Capital has finally reacted. An event like this was bound to cause an uproar, and the two of us don’t have enough influence to suppress it... No matter. Let’s go meet her."