Julius bowed his head with pious devotion under the bewildered gaze of the silver-haired girl.
"In that case, Your Highness, I look forward to our next meeting. I believe... we shall certainly meet again."
Before Luo Li could say anything, the Hilda standing before her suddenly closed her eyes.
When she opened them again, the golden brilliance had vanished from her blue eyes, and the flowing golden light that had enveloped her body dissipated into the wind.
"Your Highness... I am back."
Hilda had not yet fully recovered her bearings, but even so, she did not forget to greet Luo Li first to prove she was herself again.
"It is good to have you back, Hilda. How are you feeling? Can you return to the battlefield immediately?"
Luo Li looked out at the battlefield, where the tide had turned completely in their favor.
Countless demonized orcs were trampling over each other in the darkness, fleeing frantically toward the northwest.
The heavy cavalry unit led by Luo Li constantly cut through them, tearing the demonized orc legion apart and inflicting wave after wave of agony.
"Your Highness, you should head back now!"
Luo Li was well aware of Julius's previous order, but she deliberately pretended not to hear Yuna's voice behind her, keeping her eyes fixed on Hilda ahead.
However, Hilda also looked up at that moment. The loyal Guardian Knight’s azure eyes were filled with gravity and resolve.
"Your Highness, according to the laws of the Holy Church, the orders of a sacred knight take precedence on the battlefield. You... should return to rest."
"..."
Luo Li blinked. Seeing that both of her Guardian Knights, Hilda and Yuna, were in agreement, she knew she had no other choice.
She pursed her lips and turned around reluctantly with a slight nod, but in that moment, her small hand stealthily reached for the carriage's reins.
Just as her hand touched the leather, another hand suddenly clamped down on her wrist.
Startled, Luo Li whipped her head around to see the stern face of Knight Yuna.
"Your Highness, please stop being so willful. This is a battlefield. Even we cannot prevent every sudden emergency. Since Sacred Knight Julius gave the order, regardless of whether he is a spirit or not, at that moment... it was his true intent."
Seeing the incredibly serious expression on Yuna's face, Luo Li knew her little trick had been exposed.
"Fine."
With both of her Guardian Knights insisting and the battle drawing to a close, she relented.
All that remained was for the heavy cavalry unit to pursue and mop up the fleeing demonized orc legion.
These tasks did not require her personal supervision as the Saintess.
The races of the continent generally harbored a deep hatred for the demon race, and humans were no exception.
Furthermore, those pursuing the demon army were the knights of the Holy Church, who stood in total opposition to the demons.
They would show absolutely no mercy when facing their sworn enemies.
Originally, Luo Li had no intention of chasing them very far; she simply wanted to ride with the wind and completely relax her mind, which had been tense ever since her transmigration.
Seeing the Saintess finally nod, Hilda and Yuna shared a silent, knowing look of relief.
The presence of the Saintess on the battlefield had indeed been a massive morale booster for the Temple knights.
Tonight, countless Temple knights had exerted strength far beyond their normal limits. Even when facing an enemy ten times their number, they had not faltered, eventually crushing them entirely.
It was not merely due to various buffs.
More importantly, the hearts of all the Temple knights were connected to the Saintess at that moment.
However, this also carried immense risk.
The Saintess was too low in level and possessed no combat ability herself. This was why Hilda and Yuna had never left the carriage after the units merged.
On the battlefield, situations changed in the blink of an eye, and no one could fully predict what might happen next.
Perhaps a lucky demon might break through the blockade and reach the Saintess.
Or perhaps a stray blade might come flying toward her from out of nowhere.
As Temple knights, they could not stand by and watch the Saintess remain in such a dangerous place.
As for why they had agreed to the Saintess's plan in the first place, the reason was actually quite simple.
Yuna and Hilda had already discussed it after Luo Li issued her orders.
Watching the carriage depart, Yuna finally felt the heart she had been carrying in her throat all day settle back into her chest.
She turned to look at Hilda, who was riding alongside her.
"Phew... To think the Saintess actually predicted everything correctly. It is fortunate you did not retreat with her earlier. Otherwise, I fear Brilliant City... would have become history today."
Hilda nodded. Since her spiral lance had been thrown by Julius as a javelin, only her silver cross greatsword remained, which she now raised high toward the sky.
"Temple knights, hear my command! Form squads of ten and pursue the demon army! The pursuit limit is the Moonlight River!"
"Yes!!"
The hundreds of heavy cavalry organized themselves into squads of ten, which was enough to ensure no major accidents would occur.
With the generally low intelligence of the demon race, they were incapable of organizing an effective resistance in such a chaotic state.
The heavy cavalrymen grabbed nearby comrades, whether they knew them or not, forming teams of nine to over a dozen men.
The unit, which had been like a sharp sword, now dispersed like a flood, slaughtering every demon soldier in its path.
Seeing this, Hilda also breathed a sigh of relief. She looked back at Yuna, a refreshing smile of survival finally touching the corners of her mouth.
"Actually, when I saw the demon army, I truly did consider taking the Saintess and leaving Brilliant City immediately."
Hilda's voice was calm as she turned her horse, her gaze fixed on the faintly brightening eastern horizon.
In that direction, she could still just barely see the Saintess's carriage slowly entering the West Gate.
The Temple knights and countless soldiers lining the path were all respectfully welcoming the Saintess.
The sounds of cheering were clearly audible even from miles away.
"Long live the Saintess! Long live the Saintess!!"
The thunderous roar of the crowd even made the ground tremble slightly.
Those were the citizens of Brilliant City, celebrating the fact that they had such a courageous and wise leader!
Yuna pulled on her reins to stay level with Hilda, her eyes fixed on the direction of Brilliant City.
"Then why didn't you leave? We agreed before that if things became impossible, you would take the Saintess to the Holy Kingdom for reinforcements while Cain, Nar, and I did our best to stall the demon army and ensure her safety."
"Haha... Would you believe me if I said I was possessed by a sudden whim, wanting to see exactly how far the Saintess could go?"
Hilda turned her head, and her calm gaze convinced Yuna that she wasn't lying.
"Hilda, have you ever considered that if anything had gone wrong tonight, you would have become an unpardonable sinner?"
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