"Here! The calamity that threatened the world for four hundred years! The Mist Beast! Has been vanquished by Wilhelm van Astrea!"
Crusch's clear voice echoed across the plains for a long time. Her raised longsword reflected the rising sun, and the still-wet bloodstains on her silver armor gleamed a dark red in the sunlight.
"This battle! Is our victory!"
With their lord's declaration, the entire plain instantly erupted. Soldiers tossed their helmets, and weapons clanged out a symphony of victory. Some knelt and wept, some embraced and cried, and many more let out beast-like howls at the sky, releasing years of suppressed emotions. The mist completely dissipated, and the golden sunlight gently caressed every blood-stained but joyful face.
Carlisle stood among the cheering crowd, a smile unconsciously curving his lips. The morning light gilded his blue hair, and his blood-stained knight's uniform swayed gently in the wind. Suddenly, he felt a burning gaze-
"What is it, Subaru? Is there something on my face?" He touched his cheek in confusion.
Subaru did not answer immediately. She just gazed quietly at the intact figure before her, devoid of the shocking wounds from her memories, not eroded by the gray mist, and certainly not the tragic sight of him burning away before the Beast of the End. Carlisle, in the sunlight, was so vibrant, even the tiny dust motes on his eyelashes were clearly visible.
I succeeded… I really changed that ending… A rush of warmth suddenly welled up in her eyes. Subaru suddenly burst into a brilliant smile. "N-o-t-h-i-n-g" She deliberately drew out the syllables, "Just looking at my boyfriend."
Carlisle instantly froze. From his neck to the tips of his ears, he turned visibly red, and even his words became a stutter: "W-wait! That title is too…"
"Too what?" Subaru grinned mischievously and leaned closer, enjoying the knight's rare fluster, "Did I say something wrong? Someone personally accepted my confession, you know."
"No, that's not the problem…" Carlisle's flustered demeanor made Subaru burst into laughter.
After her hearty laugh, the girl suddenly showed an extremely gentle smile, a smile of relief, a tranquility of finally reaching the other shore after countless hardships.
"That's wonderful… Carlisle…"
This smile made Carlisle momentarily stunned. Sunlight pierced through Subaru's eyelashes, casting delicate shadows on her face. He involuntarily reached out, wanting to touch this fleeting beauty.
"Subaru!" Rem's huffy voice suddenly interjected, "No more running off!" The blue-haired maid pulled Subaru away. "We agreed to do it together, the three of us…"
"Waaah! Rem, when did you learn to ambush people!"
Amidst the playful shouts, the morning light completely dispelled the last trace of gloom. In the hearts of the three, something warm was taking root and sprouting.
— — — — — —
The breeze carried the scent of gunpowder across the battlefield. As the three were frolicking, a steady footsteps approached from a distance.
"As expected of the man hailed as the 'Perfect Knight,' this strength is truly admirable."
The three turned their heads at the sound, only to see Crusch Karsten standing a few steps away. Her long green hair swayed slightly in the morning breeze, and her silver armor still bore traces of battle, yet it did not diminish her majesty in the slightest.
Carlisle performed a proper knight's bow. "Lady Crusch."
Crusch returned the bow solemnly, her amber eyes gleaming with genuine admiration. "Sir Carlisle, Subaru, please allow me, on behalf of all our soldiers, to extend our highest respect to both of you."
Subaru waved her hand with a cheerful smile: "You're too kind! This was a mutually beneficial cooperation for us. After all, when we go to defeat the Witch Cult next, we'll still need Lady Crusch's strong support!"
"You flatter me," Carlisle responded gently, "I merely did my duty."
Crusch, however, shook her head firmly, her gaze sweeping over the White Whale's corpse in the distance. "Please don't be modest, Sir, that praise is well-deserved."
Crusch began to enumerate. "The White Whale's magic resistance was enough to nullify most of our magical attacks, its flying ability rendered ground troops helpless, not to mention the mist that could erase existence…" At this point, she took a deep breath,
"And you, Sir, struck it down from high in the sky three times, dispersed the mist with wind magic, and that final sword strike directly dealt a critical blow to its core."
Crusch's gaze turned to Subaru, "Even more admirable is Subaru's feat of using herself as bait to lure the White Whale down from a thousand meters in the sky." Her voice deepened slightly, "To be honest, when the White Whale remained high in the sky and refused to descend, I was completely at a loss for any countermeasure…"
After a brief silence, Crusch revealed a rare smile. "Most gratifying is the casualty report; besides the severe self-inflicted injuries caused by mental attacks, not a single person was lost." She looked at Subaru with a hint of confusion, "Just now, I specifically double-checked with Subaru, and indeed, no one is missing…"
"That just means the White Whale didn't get a chance to release that special mist!" Subaru quickly changed the subject, "All's well that ends well! Now it's time to prepare to deal with those lunatics from the Witch Cult!"
Crusch nodded understandingly. She straightened her back, her expression becoming serious. "Actually… I came to discuss an important matter with the three of you."
Seeing their focused expressions, she continued. "As per our alliance, half of the expeditionary force will accompany Wilhelm and Felix to Roswaal's border to assist Emilia against the Witch Cult."
Subaru's eyes immediately lit up. Wilhelm's swordsmanship and Felix's healing magic ,this was practically the strongest combination from Crusch's faction! This sincerity far exceeded her expectations.
"And I will lead the wounded and the remaining troops, returning to the capital with the White Whale's head." Crusch's gaze swept over the three of them, "My suggestion is… I hope Sir Carlisle can return to the capital with me."
This unexpected request stunned all three. Crusch explained. "Sir Carlisle's contribution in this battle is evident to all. If not for your intentional restraint on that final blow, Sir, the White Whale would probably have been utterly annihilated." Her voice carried respect, "You are fully deserving of being honored as a hero of the White Whale subjugation battle in the capital."
Only then did the three understand Crusch's deeper meaning. Although the alliance stipulated that the glory of the subjugation belonged to Crusch's faction, she was willing to share this honor as a gesture of gratitude.
Subaru's Fingers rubbed her chin, her golden eyes slightly narrowed, reflecting the thoughts swirling within them.
The current combat setup… the Iron Fang mercenary group, half of the elite expeditionary force, plus the Sword Demon Wilhelm and Felix… Memories flashed like a revolving lantern, those fierce clashes with the Sloth Archbishop in previous loops. The dull thud of black giant hands tearing flesh, the mad laughter of that green-haired lunatic… But this time it's different… She looked down at her palms, recalling the Sloth Archbishop's distorted expression when he saw that she could perceive those pitch-black giant hands. This special ability was the key to breaking the deadlock.
"Carlisle managed to slay him twice without even seeing the black hands…" Subaru murmured softly, "Rem also killed him once on her own…"
Her mind raced, connecting fragmented pieces of information.
1. The invisible black giant hands can be severed.
2. Sloth's resurrection mechanism seems to be body possession.
3. We now have me, who can see the black hands.
4. And…
"Subaru, you needn't worry."
Crusch's voice pulled Subaru back to reality. Subaru looked up and saw the valiant Royal Selection Candidate smiling confidently. "Actually, Anastasia's other reinforcements are also on their way. He will join you in confronting the Witch Cult."
A flicker of understanding passed through Carlisle's eyes. "Other reinforcements… Could it be Julius?"
"Precisely." Crusch nodded.
Subaru's eyes instantly brightened. She remembered Carlisle's assessment of this "Perfect Knight," the third seat of the Royal Knights Order, a powerful individual second only to the Sword Saint Reinhard and Carlisle himself. The image of that elegant purple-haired knight from her memories surfaced in her mind.
The Sword Demon, the Spirit Knight , the Perfect Knight… plus the entire Iron Fang… Her gaze drifted to Carlisle. Although the knight still stood ramrod straight, Subaru keenly noticed his slightly pale complexion. A whole night of continuously casting large-scale magic would exhaust even him.
And… Subaru's Fingers lightly touched her chest. The Flame Sword still hadn't responded to her call, which made her subtly uneasy. Would that witch who called herself Pandora… again… Don't even think about it. She snorted inwardly, this time it's my turn to protect Carlisle.
Having made up her mind, Subaru took a step forward, much to Carlisle's surprise, and a brilliant smile bloomed on her face. "Then it's settled, Lady Crusch." She winked playfully, "I'll entrust my Perfect Knight to your care~"
...
Re@d adv@nce ch@pters on p@t
guilt_free_daoist
Jo!n d!sc0rd I!nk in synops!s.
GIVE ME YOU POWER STONES.