Strength 99999 but the Holy Sister

"Dorian Levis... Since his last name is 'Levis', he should be a member of the royal family of the Kingdom of Levis... I'll find out later."

Vo Kress nodded and turned Rapp's head towards the man in white. "Who is he?"

"I don't know his name... He is a subordinate of the lord..."

"Hmph, to be honest, you don't look like someone from the kingdom at all." Wo Cress said sharply.

"I am... from the Themia family..."

"Themia..."

Everyone showed a look of slight surprise, and Elsa also felt that the name was familiar.

"Themia was one of the six old noble families. Do you remember the sacred relic, the 'Spear of Dawn', that I told you about? The Themia family was the guardian of the spear. Later, the family split, and some took the spear with them and moved to the Holy Court. The remaining members gradually declined due to the loss of the sacred relic and the breaking of the 'contract'. I don't know much about what happened after that, but as far as I know, there shouldn't be many members of the Themia family now."

Tricia explained softly beside Aisha.

Speaking of the six old nobles, it is not something that can be explained clearly in a short time, especially the Themia family that has been torn apart. The reason why everyone has heard of the Themia family is not because the Themia family is so famous. In fact, due to the contract, the old nobles rarely leave the family territory. They are very low-key and therefore not widely known. The Themia family is known to people precisely because of their bleak past that they are most reluctant to mention.

"I heard that Duke Ryanfort and his 9th Infantry Division encountered obstacles in the southern border. Could it be you?" Wo Kress narrowed his eyes and stared at Rapp. "Has the Themia family... colluded with the Alliance?"

"The family and the alliance are collaborating... to regain... the family's... glory..."

Wo Kress frowned. He could tell that Rapp probably knew very little.

Lap is just a pawn, otherwise he would not be abandoned.

He turned his gaze towards the man in white.

"Sir!" At this moment, the knight on guard quickly ran to Wo Cress's side. "The troops from the south have arrived outside the village, but they don't seem to have any intention of getting any closer..."

Wo Cress turned his head and saw a cavalry unit of several hundred people slowly appearing in his field of vision. Some of them were carrying flags with easily recognizable emblems on them. They were the family troops of the Duke of Ryanfort. Wo Cress observed carefully and found that many of those cavalrymen were injured - the Duke's troops had indeed been attacked as Rapp had said.

W. Cress glanced at Rapp.

"Where are your people lying in ambush?"

"I have no idea……"

As soon as he finished speaking, another knight ran over.

"Sir, this is a force sent by the Duke. They have sent someone here to request an audience with the Mystic Sage and the Saint Sister."

……

At the same time, in the distant southern border of the empire, at the border with the Southwestern Alliance—

This is a huge, uninhabited forest. The forest is so vast that you can't see the end. The thick white fog reflects colorful arcs of light under the gradually rising sun. Looking up, you can see towering mountains, and sometimes the sharp cries of birds echo in the forest.

However, this seemingly quiet forest is not safe. It does not belong to either the Empire or the Federation, so the monsters here are completely out of control. Traces of monsters can be seen everywhere in the deep forest, and occasionally the roars of ferocious beasts can be heard. Even adventurers will not come here to explore, because it is too dangerous.

But at this time, a team of several people appeared in the forest.

The leader was none other than the Empire's current hero, Madeleine Fismard.

However, at this moment, she was struggling to hold on to a piece of hard branch, moving slowly and deep in the woods. Her hair was disheveled, her eyes were firm, but her face looked very bad - the protective gear on her body was covered with scars, and there was a huge gap in the soft armor on her abdomen. Under the bloody lining was a wound that had only been simply bandaged.

The other people following behind her were also covered in injuries.

……

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406. Madeleine's Melancholy (3K3)

Madeleine Fishmand is now facing the biggest dilemma since she became a hero - it's a bit strange. The day before yesterday, she led the first battalion to leave the southern border of the empire to investigate the holy relics. She just received news from the rear that the Duke went to the northern border of the empire to track down another holy relic. She immediately found new clues.

She didn't think much about it at the time, and just sent some people to bring the news back, and asked for intelligence assistance from the Sixth Battalion. However, she didn't expect that as soon as she followed the clues of the holy objects, she was immediately attacked by the enemy - the timing of the enemies' appearance was so clever, without any warning, as if they had been waiting there.

At that moment, Madeleine immediately realized that they might have fallen into a trap.

Unlike Madeleine who came here following clues about the holy relic, the enemy was obviously well prepared. Madeleine only led a few hundred people from the First Battalion. Although the soldiers of the First Battalion were the most elite soldiers of the Ninth Infantry Division, they were faced with ambushes from enemies several times their number, the onslaught of hundreds of monsters and beasts, and traps filled with retreat routes. Madeleine had to order a retreat and seek assistance from the Second and Sixth Battalions.

In order to ensure the safe evacuation of the wounded, Madeleine took the initiative to assume the task of covering the retreat, but was besieged by the enemy and then lost in the unfamiliar mountains. At this time, there were only a dozen wounded soldiers around her, and those enemies of unknown origin obviously did not intend to let them go easily, and kept chasing them in the forest, which forced them to run around for their lives.

"call……"

Madeleine gasped and looked behind her, but there was no sound of enemies chasing her.

This made her feel a little relieved.

She looked at the soldiers behind her again. All of them looked extremely tired. One of the female mages was so pale that no blood could be seen. However, she was still holding the staff tightly in her hand. Madeleine knew that her hand was probably stiff and cramped.

"Your Highness, there's something wrong with this forest..."

Someone said at this time.

"Yeah, I felt it when I came in yesterday."

In terms of strength alone, even without the Holy Sword, Madeleine was stronger than anyone present, and with the Holy Sword in hand, she was even stronger than everyone else. She had actually long noticed that this forest was unusual - even with her powerful perception, she was still completely unable to determine the direction.

They had been running in the forest all night, but there was no sign of getting out. Instead, it seemed as if they were getting closer and closer to the center of the forest.

This forest is full of towering trees that are several or even more than ten people tall, and towering mountains that are as high as the horizon. The dense fog has enveloped the forest since dark night, blocking the moon and stars, making them lose their direction. Madeleine thought that the white fog would disappear after dawn, but now it seems to be getting thicker.

"Your Highness, the Brave One! Please leave us alone and leave here as soon as possible... As long as you are alive, we still have hope!"

One soldier said this, and immediately other soldiers echoed him.

"Don't say anything about giving up. We'll all get out of here."

Madeleine refused without hesitation. These soldiers had been her companions in training, their companions in her growth. How could she possibly abandon them and leave? This forest was too strange, and leaving these wounded here would be tantamount to leaving them to die.

Madeleine would never give up no matter what.

She gritted her teeth, turned her head to observe the terrain ahead, and then said, "Stop moving forward, let's rest here."

They had to rest now, as no one knew when the enemy would appear again. After a night of fleeing, Madeleine and the soldiers had to keep an eye out for the incredibly powerful monsters in the depths of the forest, while also staying alert to deal with enemies that might attack at any time. In addition, everyone was injured, which made Madeleine feel that her nerves were becoming more and more overwhelmed. Although the other soldiers did not say anything, they had already been overdrawn.

I finally managed to get rid of the enemy under the cover of night. It would be very dangerous if I don’t take this time to recover my strength immediately.

Madeleine sat down in front of a tall tree, and the soldiers gathered around her consciously. The tree was very big, and they couldn't even see how high the treetop was in the thick white fog. The dense and thick leaves were dark in the fog, making people feel extremely depressed.

"How much food and water do we have left?"

Madeleine asked in a low voice.

Not surprisingly, they got separated from the quartermaster in the melee, which meant they couldn't get supplies. However, the soldiers of the first battalion, the elite counterfeiters, all had a small space device in their hands that was large enough to hold a dozen books. In the army, distributing expensive space equipment to every soldier was already a luxury. They couldn't expect the space equipment to hold much. It was only enough to hold a small amount of spare dry food, water, and some medicine to prevent this from happening.

However, there weren't many spare items.

"There's still enough food, but we don't have much clean water."

A soldier replied.

There was no way around it. Their medicines were gradually used up during the pursuit, and cleaning and bandaging wounds required clean water. Moreover, after a long period of escape, water itself could easily become the most consumed item.

Although they all have many skills for surviving in the wild, they now dare not stay in one place and patiently collect water.

"Timmer, do you have any ideas?"

a soldier asked.

"It's a pity I don't have a Water Purification Stone..." The female soldier named Timmer was a magician. Her staff was broken in half, and she held the remaining half tightly in her hand. "If I had known earlier, I would have gone to the Chamber of Commerce to buy one. I remember they happened to be selling it a while ago. Tsk, that thing is really expensive."

She said this with some regret, coughed twice, and her face turned pale, but there was a hint of sarcasm in her words, which made others smile slightly.

Water directly generated by magic or water condensed by magic contains excessive magic elements, which are poisonous to the human body and cannot be drunk. However, by soaking in water purification stones, the magic elements in the water can be eliminated, making it drinkable.

"Timmer, your magic is the most precious ability among us. Don't waste it in a place like this."

Madeleine said, dispelling Timmer's little thought.

On the battlefield, an excellent magician is indeed very important, especially the various magical methods she masters are a surprise weapon in the battle. If used properly, it will be a powerful force that cannot be ignored.

So Madeleine would not let Timmer use magic to get water unless she had no other choice.

"Anyway, let's store this water first. If you're thirsty, please be patient. I saw a tree that grows in the north near the camp yesterday. I don't know why it grows here, but I know that if you cut its new branches diagonally, the sap that flows out is drinkable. I'm sure that tree can still be found in this forest, and we can quench our thirst with it."

Madeleine said.

That tree grew in her hometown. She had tasted the juice when she was hunting with her father when she was a child. It was a bit bitter, but it could quench thirst.

When she thought of her father, Madeleine's eyes darkened.

Her father and her village were both killed by the remnants of the Demon King's army. She was determined to find those guys and avenge her hatred with blood.

"Timmer, your injury is quite serious. Drink this potion."

Madeleine took out a bottle of medicine and threw it to Timmer.

Timmer was stunned for a moment, looking at the injuries on Madeleine's body: "But your injury, Your Highness the Brave One..."

"Drink it quickly. I'm fine now, but I'll be in a lot of trouble if you die. Besides, if a battle breaks out, we'll need your strength to help us escape. Even if there's no battle, we'll need your familiar to lead the way for us."

Madeleine ordered, and at this moment her tone sounded very much like Duke Ryanfort. Timmer hesitated for a moment, then tilted his head back and poured the potion down his throat.

……

Everyone sat in a circle with Madeleine as the center, guarding her like loyal guards.

During the short break, they each took out their food and divided it equally. The dry rations made them very hungry and thirsty, but no one complained.

"I'm sorry for getting you into this trouble," Madeleine said suddenly, chewing on the dried fish in her hand. An apologetic look appeared on her tired face, but there was also a reassuring smile. "If I were stronger, we wouldn't be in this situation."

It seems that when the remnants of the Demon King's army attacked, she had no power and could only watch everything, hiding in a corner and trembling with fear.

"Your Highness, please don't say that..." the soldier retorted, "If it weren't for your efforts, we wouldn't have been able to break out of that encirclement. If it weren't for you staying behind to cover the rear, the others wouldn't have been able to evacuate successfully."

Madeleine sighed and smiled freely.

"Don't worry, we will leave here, and then we will regroup and avenge our fallen warriors. Before that, let us work together to get out of here."

Gradually, the sky grew brighter and brighter, and they finally filled their stomachs and set off immediately.

"Your Majesty, what should we do next?"

"If I were the enemy, they would definitely set up an ambush and surround us. We would then either have to find a weak spot to break out, or wait for reinforcements from the second and third battalions. But first and foremost, we have to survive and find a way out."

Madeleine said, sighing inwardly.

As a brave woman, she has fallen to the point where she needs to be rescued. Wouldn't it be ridiculous to tell others about it?

However, the Duke is now far away in the North, and it will take some time for him to return. Can they really hold out in this dangerous forest until help arrives?

Furthermore, the enemy is quite strong, and the Ninth Infantry Division certainly cannot be deployed in full force, otherwise it will definitely provoke the nerves of the Southwest Alliance. Then, apart from the Sixth Battalion of the Duke's Guards, how can we find a force strong enough to fight against those enemies of unknown origin?

Speaking of which, who exactly are those enemies? This is also very worrying. To be able to appear in such a place, could they be members of the Alliance? If that is the case, then why did the Alliance suddenly attack them?

Is it because of the holy object?

Madeleine's heart was filled with melancholy, but she had to hide all these worries. She couldn't let the soldiers behind her lose confidence.

It would be nice if there was a powerful force.

Madeleine thought.

……

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407. Can I buy this? (4K)

After Duke Ryanford met Tricia and Aisha, the misunderstanding between him and the Knights was quickly resolved.

Elsa, Tricia and Duke Ryanford sat at a negotiation table. The table was created directly by Tricia using the magic of manipulating stones. Unlike the crude clay modeling of others, Tricia's creation looked no different from the furnishings in a luxurious aristocratic home, and even had a natural beauty.

Ryan Fort sat across from Elsa and Tricia openly, observing Elsa intentionally or unintentionally - this was his second meeting with Elsa. Unlike the impression given by most strong people, Elsa did not have that aggressive and oppressive feeling.

Different from Tricia's calmness and elegance, Elsa not only looks stunningly beautiful but also has a clean and holy temperament, giving people a sacred feeling that makes people want to get close to her but cannot.

"People from the Themia family and the Alliance of Nations?... I have to say, this is a despicable and crude deception. I'm truly sorry that you two have to endure this in the Empire."

As he spoke, the Duke withdrew his gaze, revealing a thoughtful expression.

In fact, as long as both parties are not blinded by anger and are willing to sit down and talk calmly, this level of misunderstanding itself is not so easy to evolve into a conflict.

“Sometimes dirty laundry can get you great results,” Tricia said.

"Yes, sometimes things don't always go the way we expect," said Linefort. "This is inevitable. The more sensitive and uneasy we are, the harder it is to remain calm. Even if there's no conflict, resentment and prejudice will gradually accumulate. I sincerely hope that the misunderstandings between us and you won't become a rift between us."

Wo Kress was not impressed by Ryanfort's friendliness because he knew that Ryanfort was just being polite - if Aisha and Tricia were not here, Ryanfort would never be polite to them.

Aisha and Tricia seemed much more natural and honest.