Chapter 67: Planting a Flag and Getting On!
“Shelley!”
More than half the city heard the shout in astonishment. They looked up at the sky, wondering what was happening.
“Did you hear a woman shouting something just now?”
“I heard it too!”
“What’s going on?”
“No idea!”
**
Downstairs, Shelley’s footsteps faltered. He let out a sigh of relief, watching the black dot on the horizon rapidly approaching.
“Shelley! Are you alright!?”
Nadia’s hair was a mess, her veil long gone. She landed directly in front of Shelley. The immense wind pressure nearly knocked Wyder over. He stared in terror at this suddenly appeared, noble-looking woman, having no idea what was happening.
Seeing that Shelley was unharmed, Nadia’s tightly furrowed brow relaxed, and she let out a long breath.
“It’s so good that you’re…”
But when she saw Lilith’s tragic state, her words caught in her throat, and her brow furrowed once more.
“Nadia! Lydia has been abducted by an evil legendary mage!”
In his urgency, Shelley didn’t use Nadia’s alias. He quickly analyzed the situation, then looked at Nadia, hoping she had some clues.
“Nadia! Why did you rush here in such a hurry? Do you have a clue?”
“Someone left a note on the table in my study… It told me to go to the forest north of Lunt to save someone important to me.”
After confirming that Shelley was safe, Nadia regained her usual composure. A companion being kidnapped to threaten her was not an unfamiliar situation. It had happened a few times before, only this time the bargaining chip was a half-elf, and her own apprentice at that.
“It’s alright. I’ll bring Lydia back. You just wait for me here.”
“That’s dangerous! It’s a trap!”
Seeing Nadia about to leave, Elena couldn’t help but try to dissuade her. Although she also wanted to save Lydia, walking into someone’s trap was obviously a very dangerous move. It could very well get them both killed.
“I know. I’m well aware that it’s a trap.”
For the first time, Nadia showed Elena a genuine smile. She shook her head and said softly, “But there’s no other way… I can’t just leave her. Lydia is my apprentice…”
“She is also my subject.”
Subject? What subject?
Elena frowned as she listened to their conversation, feeling as if she had grasped something important.
“I absolutely cannot leave her behind, so… I’m going.”
Looking with some regret at Shelley, who was silent and lost in thought, Nadia shook her head and was about to turn and fly toward the northern forest.
I don’t blame you…
It was a biological instinct to seek advantage and avoid harm. She truly didn’t blame Shelley for his choice, but she still felt a faint sense of disappointment.
Elena was also somewhat disappointed by Shelley’s silence, but she understood his choice.
“After all… she’s just a weak maid, isn’t she?”
“But I still hope you…”
Just then, Shelley suddenly shouted, “Take me with you!”
“Nadia, take me with you!”
The two women looked at Shelley’s serious expression, somewhat relieved, somewhat satisfied, but they both shook their heads in unison.
“That’s a trap set specifically for me. It will definitely be a legendary-tier battle. You coming won’t be of any help.”
Although I’m touched, you’ll only be a burden…
“I can’t take you, Shelley. Wait for me to come back.”
“I will definitely come back.”
Without waiting for Shelley to explain, she began to ascend and fly rapidly toward the north.
Helpless, Shelley could only shout after her, “Don’t go! Nadia!”
Don’t plant a flag and then run off! Something bad will happen! You can’t plant that kind of flag! Every single person who said they’d come back and get married after the war ended up dying a violent death!
Watching Nadia’s figure fly further and further away, Shelley could only stop and shout at the top of his lungs, “Half-orcs! You must be careful of half-orcs! Be careful of half-orcs!”
“Mm.”
Powerlessly watching Nadia fly further away, Shelley stomped his foot in anger and ran back toward the Duke’s estate.
“Wyder! Is the horse ready?”
“Where is he!?”
He realized that Wyder was not in the courtyard, and Elena’s carriage had also disappeared. Helpless, Shelley could only run back inside to change into his gear, then run out of the room again. He was just about to run to the stables when he saw a figure on horseback, waiting in front of his small building.
Elena was now in her armor, mounted on a white steed. She looked down at Shelley’s shocked expression and said flatly, “What are you waiting for?”
No time to explain! Get on!
Watching her fiery red hair flutter in the wind, looking even more vibrant under the setting sun, giving her an almost divine aura, Shelley was silent for a moment, then said in a low voice, “You shouldn’t… you don’t need to get involved in this.”
Tossing the whip from the other steed to Shelley, Elena fiercely slapped the horse’s rump and galloped off toward the north. Her calm, yet somewhat awkward voice was mixed in with the clatter of hooves.
“I’m not doing this for you… I’m doing it for Lydia, and to eliminate evil.”
Shelley took a deep breath, said no more, and leaped onto the horse’s back, chasing after Elena’s figure.
Hearing the sound from behind, Elena lowered her helmet, hiding her expression, and thought to herself, “And… I still need you to come back and explain things to me.”
“If you don’t come back, who will I get an explanation from?”
**
Flying rapidly toward the northern forest, Nadia’s heart was filled with doubt.
“I can’t sense any danger at all right now… This is a big problem.”
A legendary-tier Destiny Sorcerer had a faint sense of the future, especially their own destiny, whether it be crisis or opportunity. To be completely unable to sense future fortune or misfortune was extremely rare. Aside from the last time when she had completely failed to notice Shelley’s influence on her, Nadia had never been wrong.
Either there was a destiny-related wondrous item of the same level concealing it, or…
“There are multiple legendary-tier spellcasters working together to block my perception…”
Faced with this crisis, Nadia’s mind was as calm as still water, exceptionally composed.
“Just a pack of stray dogs who don’t dare to face me directly.”
Remembering Shelley’s frantic shouts, Nadia hesitated, not quite understanding his meaning, but she raised her guard.
“Why be careful of half-orcs?”
“What threat could those low-intelligence beasts pose to me?”
Suddenly, Nadia felt as if she had passed through some invisible barrier. She felt an evil power envelop her.
Hm? A weakened version of an evil aura?
The scenery in her vision grew dim, becoming even more sinister under the rapidly darkening sky. She hovered in the air, not acting rashly, and focused her mind, scanning her surroundings.
A hoarse voice echoed in the dark forest. It was a blood-curdling sound, like a wail heard in a graveyard at midnight.
“I never thought! I never thought you would actually come!”
“Should I say, as expected of… Her Majesty the Queen? Hahahahaha!”
⁂
