Chapter 127: Parting Ways

"Killed them all?" The lady’s expression froze. She instinctively twisted her body, but the sudden movement caused a sharp, piercing pain in her chest, turning her already pale face deathly white.

Fresh blood seeped from her wound once again.

Suppressing the agony, she lay flat on the bed again and asked in a weak voice, "Did Princess Olina really kill all the nobles?"

The fact that the monster-like princess had executed Count Lev without hesitation had already shocked her. After all, there was an unspoken rule among the nobility that nobles were not to be killed in wars; unless it was a massive, uncontrollable battlefield, captured nobles were usually held for ransom. There was even less reason to kill Count Lev, who had surrendered outright.

After all, no one could guarantee they wouldn't be captured by others in the future; it was common practice to leave a way out for others so that one might be treated with similar leniency later.

This was the default rule among the nobility, tacitly accepted even by the kings on their thrones: never execute a surrendered noble during wartime.

Could Princess Olina guarantee she would be invincible forever?

If not, the moment she fell into the hands of other nobles, her only fate would be death.

"Yes, Her Highness Princess Olina beheaded all the nobles who survived the battle at the city gate," Harvey replied.

"Executing all the nobles and leaving only the knights..." The lady’s expression shifted rapidly. She racked her brain but could not fathom what this princess was trying to achieve.

Without nobles, how could she manage the territory? Was she going to rely solely on knights?

One had to understand that pure legionnaire knights lacked administrative and organizational experience; they were more like high-ranking soldiers. They might be capable of fighting and defending, but they were woefully inadequate when it came to managing the populace.

Harvey remembered something and added, "Yesterday, I heard from my uncle that the surviving knights have all sworn allegiance to Princess Olina. My uncle even asked the Princess if killing all the nobles would cause chaos in the territory's management."

"Her Highness Princess Olina said she doesn't need nobles, and that the knights are no longer nobles either."

"Doesn't need nobles..." The lady’s thoughts raced, and she immediately grasped the crux of the matter.

She didn't need nobles. This princess intended to abandon the feudal system of lordly rule. She wanted... centralized power!

Was she insane? If word of this reached the ears of other nobles, it would certainly invite a frantic, collective backlash. At the same time, the King would surely consider the kingdom's stability and revoke her right of succession, leaving her with nothing.

Wait, no—perhaps this princess had the capability. Such terrifying power, coupled with that sword, could surely allow her to stand against an entire nation!

The lady trembled involuntarily at the memory of that monstrous power displayed that day.

It was a kind of pure strength, devoid of any impurities, requiring no spell-casting corridors. A single movement alone possessed the power to slay a Tier 3 transcendent.

Possessing such terrifying power, that princess had clearly reached that realm, becoming a true transcendent.

"We were far too lax; to think we didn't even know such a princess existed," the lady sighed softly.

A seventeen-year-old Tier 4—even in the prosperous Empire, that would be called a genius.

For the past ten years, she had been busy running her factories and hadn't paid much attention to outside news, retaining only a vague impression.

This had led to the current situation: she had provoked such a powerful enemy without even realizing it, resulting in her being severely wounded. If she hadn't shifted her body at the last split second to avoid her heart, she would already be dead.

Thinking of this, the lady wished she could annihilate Count Lev’s entire lineage. Was this the "clown" he had spoken of—the Grand Duke who only climbed the ladder through sycophancy?

The lady didn't know if the Grand Duke of the East flattered the King, but she knew that she had nearly been slapped to death by him.

Lying on the wooden bed, not daring to move an inch, the lady felt a towering rage ignite in her eyes.

It wasn't directed at the Grand Duke of the East, but at Count Lev.

The most hateful thing wasn't a powerful enemy, but a teammate as stupid as a pig. If the enemy was strong and they lost, the lady would accept it; after all, those who live by the sword must expect to pay the price. Who could she blame for her own lack of strength?

Yet, in a situation where they could have cut their losses and escaped, Lev had dragged them into this abyss. He was a complete pig! She had urged him twice to leave while they could, or at least to hold his ground.

That stupid dog, Count Lev—the enemy was so powerful, yet he still tried to intimidate them and ignored their summons. Who gave him the nerve?! He really didn't know his place!

These nobles who did nothing but play with women all day! How did these pieces of trash even become counts?

The lady was so furious she felt physical pain. If she had the strength, she would have resurrected Count Lev just to tear him apart limb by limb.

Her ten-plus years of hard work, the carefully managed lamb processing plant, all ruined. How was she supposed to report this to the organization?

At this moment, Harvey spoke up: "My Lady, when are we leaving here to seek help from the other nobles?"

Seek help from other nobles?

The lady glanced at the boy sitting on the bed. Seeing the look of hatred in his eyes, she smiled disdainfully inside.

This silly kid, still dreaming of revenge. He should be grateful he’s still alive.

"I have already sent out the message. Someone will come to pick us up in a few days."

Since she couldn't move, she still needed to make use of this fool.

As for the so-called promise to help him get revenge, the lady had forgotten it the moment it left her lips; it was as meaningless as a fart.

...

The next morning, armored vehicles were parked outside the city gate, ready to return to base.

All weapons and equipment had been checked, and the soldiers had mostly boarded the vehicles. The engines were already humming, yet the convoy remained stationary.

Outside the central armored vehicle, the atmosphere was heavy.

Olina looked at her friend apologetically. "I’m sorry, Ameya, but I need to stay here for a long time."

Ameya’s good mood vanished instantly. She turned to look into the armored vehicle, her beautiful eyes glaring at the black-haired man inside.

Is this your doing?!

Qin Le, sitting in the back row, noticed the elf's gaze and shrugged with an innocent expression.

*Nothing to do with me.*

Olina noticed their interaction and explained, "This is my own decision. I want to stay and participate in the infrastructure transformation of the Lev territory. By engaging in practical work, I can accumulate experience and prepare for the future."

"The future?" Ameya asked, puzzled.

Olina said, "I have no experience in governing a nation, and even less confidence in building a country without nobles. So, I want to stay here and use practice to figure out how to adapt and create a management system that doesn't rely on nobility."

"In other words, I want to use this opportunity to cultivate a group of commoners with managerial skills. They will be the hope for the kingdom's future."

To build a country without nobles, she couldn't do it alone. It was impossible to rely solely on herself to liberate the bottom-tier populace.

They looked at her as a savior, and while Olina was moved, she wasn't blinded by the adoration. She didn't have the power to save them; only they could save themselves.

What the people needed was never a hero or a savior; they needed to break the shackles the nobles had placed upon them and stand up for themselves.

"So you aren't coming back with me?" Ameya didn't care about these lofty ideals.

"I’m sorry," Olina smiled apologetically.

"Hmph!" Ameya turned, climbed into the armored vehicle, and slammed the door shut.

"If you want to move bricks with those mud-legged peasants, suit yourself! I don't care anymore!"

Qin Le smiled helplessly, opened the window, and said, "Olina, if you run into problems you can't solve, remember to contact me."

Olina had found her goal and set out on her own path; parting was inevitable.

"I will. Take care." Olina nodded slightly.

The engines roared, the wheels turned, and the convoy slowly pulled away from the city gate.

Olina stood at the gate, watching the convoy until the last vehicle disappeared over the horizon.

She unclenched her fists, exhaled slowly, and reached up to pat her face to clear her head.

She had more important things to do; she had no time to dwell on other matters.

*I’m sorry, Ameya.*

Olina turned and walked back into the city, her ice-blue eyes filled with determination, her gait carrying a sense of unstoppable momentum.

Unlike her brothers and sisters, she had no support within the kingdom. Apart from her title as a princess, she had nothing. She had to work a thousand times harder to cultivate her own foundation.

Her father had been cured, but his lifespan hadn't been extended, and there wasn't much time left for her.

She had to inherit the throne and become the Queen, for only then could she command the Sword of Dawn and have the power to crush this disgusting nation to pieces!

For that, she would push forward, no matter the cost!

Whether it was liberation or revenge.

The golden-haired girl's heart was colder and deeper than anyone could imagine.

By now, Lev City had entered a period of massive construction, with countless citizens throwing themselves into the work.

The first goal was to build roads, connecting the previously broken routes to link them directly to Lev City.

...

Two days later, Xuanlv Base.

After two days and a night of travel, the armored convoy successfully returned to base.

Qin Le couldn't help but marvel at the necessity of building roads; not only did it strengthen control over other regions, but it also significantly increased his own comfort.

At least this time, there hadn't been the constant shaking; it felt like riding a roller coaster before.

He opened the door and stepped out of the vehicle.

The world suddenly opened up. The base, as he remembered it, had undergone a massive transformation: wide concrete roads, long heavy-duty railway tracks, rows of neat houses, and, in the distance, dense throngs of people wearing worker uniforms.

The citizens were gathered in the plaza in the distance, where a makeshift stage had been set up, and a cultural troupe was performing.

The people’s faces were radiant, full of smiles, and they looked healthy and strong, showing no trace of the frail, numb state they had been in before.

They had come back to life.

Seeing this scene, Qin Le felt a deep sense of accomplishment.

Even though he hadn't participated in the actual work, he had at least played a small part in it.

At that moment, a group of people approached from afar: two-meter-tall, muscle-bound giants.

The scouts marched in a precise formation, stopped in front of Qin Le, stood at attention, and saluted, their movements uniform and sharp.

Iron Fist, who stood at the front, took two steps forward and said with a solemn expression, "Commander, that guy Fireworks has gone mad; he refuses to listen to your orders to re-appeal."