The Cornflower Witch Chapter 197

The outpost at the foot of the Dark Mist Mountains was being constructed with fervent activity.

After giving instructions to Hylial, Reginson, the team leader, led the rest of the personnel and supplies further forward. They were headed towards the most dangerous front lines of the Dark Mist Mountains, to resupply those outposts.

After this group left, only a little over sixty people remained at the new outpost. During this period, regardless of their profession, all students participated in the construction of the outpost. Some helped move rocks, others assisted with laying bricks, and some were responsible for preparing food, scouting the surrounding environment, and so on.

Hylial stood by the temporarily built pool, her eyes closed in concentration. A faint moonlit halo appeared around her, followed by a blurry figure outlined in pale silver threads emerging behind her.

This ethereal figure was almost identical to the silver-haired maiden, but appeared more mature than her current self. ‘She’ lowered her gaze, lightly raised a water bottle with both hands, and drew the pool water into it, which continuously flowed in.

Afterwards, the bottle sparkled with light, and the water inside swirled continuously. After several minutes, it flowed out again, rejoining the purified pool water.

With that, the day’s water supply was purified. Hylial breathed a sigh of relief, wiping the slight beads of sweat from her forehead.

Even for her, purifying such a large amount of pool water in a short time was an exhausting task. Usually, the purification of water within the association was handled by Tier 3 Spring Water Priests, who were specialized professionals in purification, and their numbers were scarce.

“Thank you for your hard work, Senior Lia,” two girls approached, wiping Hylial’s sweat and covering her with a white gauze that insulated against corrosion, then helping the girl to a nearby seat to rest.

“I’m not that delicate,” Hylial protested softly, though she was indeed quite tired at the moment.

After a short nap leaning back in her chair, Hylial regained some energy and stood up.

“Let’s go take a walk around the camp and see how the construction is progressing.”

“Yes,” the two followed. They were both Knight Attendants from the Holy White Knight Hall, now responsible for protecting Hylial and attending to her daily needs.

…

While Hylial was pioneering in the depths of the Shadow World, the surface continent was also undergoing various disputes and changes.

Regas Duchy, Whitecliff City.

About 100,000 troops surrounded this Royal Capital. Tents stretched endlessly across the wilderness, an uncountable sight. The silhouettes of giant eagles occasionally soared through the clouds in the sky, monitoring the city below.

Inside the Royal Capital, Grand Duke Regas, Regard Bouvilly, sat on his throne, his face grim.

He had dark brown hair similar to his ancestors. The silver crown on his head was dim and lusterless, and the sapphire embedded in its center appeared murky, with only a faint imprint of fir tree branches visible.

“Eagle-Scorpion, Anti…” he muttered these two names through gritted teeth, his thick fingers clenching the armrest.

Below the throne, generals and nobles stood, their expressions varied. Some looked worried and unsettled, others closed their eyes in silence, while some trembled.

Everyone realized that the Regas Duchy was in mortal danger. This time, Anti and Eagle-Scorpion had allied and already negotiated how to divide the Regas Duchy, otherwise, they wouldn’t have acted with such tacit understanding.

Contrary to what some expected, when two strong nations contended, it was not one of them that fell first, but rather the smaller, weaker states and forces surrounding them.

The high-ranking officials of Anti and Eagle-Scorpion were not fools. They certainly knew they were each other’s biggest rivals, but they also clearly understood that if they fought with all their might, the smaller surrounding nations would ultimately benefit. Given this, why not first devour these smaller nations, as they were powerless to resist anyway?

Thus, with this mindset and tacit agreement, the high-ranking officials of both sides united and launched this large-scale conquest. Their purpose was to annihilate the Regas Duchy and divide it, accumulating strength for the upcoming struggle for dominance in the southern states.

“How much resistance is left in the city?” After his initial anger subsided, Regard’s imposing presence deflated, replaced by a sense of despondency.

“Currently, three legions are ready for battle, totaling 30,000 men. In addition, there are 50,000 conscripted militiamen.”

“How many knights of the elite Fir Knights are still awaiting orders?” Regard closed his eyes and leaned back on the throne.

“Sixty-seven knights are still awaiting orders,” a general replied, hand on his shoulder.

“Only sixty-seven left?” Previously, the Fir Knights had 138 official members, all knights of Tier 3 or above, and they were the most solid pillar of strength for this nation. It was disheartening that only half of them remained in just a few months.

While some members died in battle, more nobles had recalled their knights from the Fir Knights, refusing to participate in a war surely doomed to fail. A vassal’s vassal is not my vassal.

Although the Fir Knights numbered many at their peak, only about forty knights directly pledged allegiance to the royal family. The rest were knights serving various nobles in the country.

In the past, this wouldn’t have been an issue; a single command from the Grand Duke Regas could rally these knights for a combined effort.

But now, many nobles saw that the Regas Duchy’s power was waning and held their own ambitions. They recalled their family knights, leaving only 67 in Whitecliff City, of which 42 were direct royal knights, and the remaining 25 belonged to other nobles.

Sixty-seven knights charging in formation would undoubtedly be an unstoppable steel torrent in this era. However, they faced an equally formidable steel torrent. The Anti Kingdom alone had over 130 royal knights, and with the family knights of various nobles and the support of the Eagle-Scorpion Tent Country, the allied forces outside the city numbered around 300 knights, several times Whitecliff City’s count.

“Your Majesty, perhaps we should abandon the city…” Before the words were fully out, a general cut him off directly.

“Nonsense! Whitecliff City is the strongest stronghold in the country, and its food reserves are ample. To leave here would be like wild dogs, chased and scattered by all!”

These words indeed held weight, causing those who had been swayed to sink into despair. Yet, if they continued to hold out, they also saw no hope of victory; they would eventually fall anyway.

“Perhaps we should just directly…” a sharp-tongued, opportunistic noble whispered, observing the reactions of others.

What he wished to suggest, without a doubt, was surrender. After all, if they couldn’t win, surrendering directly might save their lives. However, surrender was too humiliating, and no one could be sure that the other side would truly spare them. If they surrendered only to suffer a humiliating death, wouldn’t they be ridiculed, and their family’s honor utterly destroyed?

No matter the country or region, those who surrendered were always looked down upon.

“We will discuss this again,” Regard waved his hand, dismissing everyone for the time being.

Seeing no solution or result discussed that day, some ministers and nobles left in disappointment, unable to wait any longer.

What if tomorrow, or the day after, the Anti Kingdom’s army outside truly broke through? At that point, it would be too late for them to surrender or flee.

On the night after the meeting, Regard went deep into the palace’s underground, where a hidden passage was said to lead outside the city.

“Jabos, Morceau, you two take people and escape through here.” He pointed to the third prince Jabos and the second princess Morceau.

The current Grand Duke Regas had three sons and two daughters: the eldest prince Leon, the second prince Siegl, the third prince Jabos, the eldest princess Matilda, and the second princess Morceau.

Princess Matilda was married off to another country and not in the city. The second prince died on the battlefield last month, leaving only three children by his side now.

“Leon and I will continue to defend the city. You two take the others and leave first,” he instructed again.

“Pass through the tunnel, leave Whitecliff City, and then head south, to the Dark Forest. There are witches living in seclusion there; they will recognize you and escort you to the Hidden Grove for refuge.”

“Even Anti and Eagle-Scorpion cannot interfere with the rules of the Hidden Grove. That is a vast alliance organization far superior in strength to them.”

“Once there, it would be best if you don’t emerge for ten years. Just study and live well there.”

“Do you understand?” Regard’s voice was stern, making sure they remembered.

“Yes, Father King,” they both bowed in salute, tears in their eyes as they looked at their aging father. After a moment of silence, the old man waved his hand.

“Go.”

He then turned and left.

Third Prince Jabos and Princess Morceau no longer lingered. Escorted by their attendants and loyal knights, they entered the dark tunnel and vanished deep into the earth.