Returning to the previous discussion, thanks to the strategic interventions of the Shadow Guards, and with the support of the soldiers valiantly defending the city walls, the invading Beastmen forces, although powerful individually, were unable to make significant headway without additional reinforcements.

While the formidable lion-folk and tiger-folk, unarmored, could easily rival the strength of human mithril or even adamantine, the context here refers to their fighting abilities without equipment.

The rest of the details require no further explanation.

As the strong Beastman warriors fell in their siege attempts, the accomplished lady known as “Scarlet Flame” returned to Princess Lilya’s side.

First, she cast an astonished glance at the colossal golden curtain covering the city walls. Though she had noticed it from a distance earlier, getting up close revealed an aura far more dense and formidable than any legendary defense magic she had encountered before, sending shivers down the spine of the formidable adventurer.

Thankfully, it appeared to be a defensive spell. If it were an offensive one…

Flora could hardly bear to imagine the consequences.

However, having spent some time around Violet, she had learned not to dwell on it. She shrugged off her momentary surprise.

“Princess Lilya, we’ve finished clearing them out.”

“Yes, you did a great job, Flora. Did you notice anything unusual?” Lilya asked, turning her attention to the chaos of battle while her eyes conveyed concern and curiosity towards the red-haired archer.

Flora pondered for a moment, gently straightening her snug ranger attire, which had yet to bear a single drop of blood, just a few wrinkles. “It’s a bit strange,” she began. 

“Among those Beastmen, there weren’t any high-level warriors. The strongest of them was at best an Obsidian Steel-level fighter. This doesn’t seem right. In the Beastman Kingdom, the proportion of powerful individuals should be even higher than in our human society.”

Lilya nodded, acknowledging Flora’s observations. 

“Indeed, that’s exactly it. It’s still unclear who’s leading this war for the Beastman Kingdom, but they’re quite intelligent. What they’re doing is trying to probe our capabilities and see if we have the strength to challenge them.”

“This individual obviously doesn’t want a life-or-death showdown with our kingdom. If they notice a disadvantage or signs of difficulty in this initial confrontation, they’ll commit their full army to overrun us and take the fortress.”

Violet had an epiphany. “So Lilya just threw out the Shadow Guards right away to intentionally intimidate them, right? A show of force.”

Lilya chuckled. “Exactly. The main force of our military here is only a little over ten thousand strong. If a full-fledged battle were to break out, we’d be at a significant disadvantage. By revealing our hidden strength early on, we aim to deter them. We just need to buy time for the reinforcements from within the country to arrive, and then we’ll be in the clear.”

In truth, it wasn’t as straightforward as Lilya described. Given the personalities of her royal siblings, they might prioritize removing her as a formidable contender for the throne and, regardless of the larger picture, make every effort to obstruct and delay the support’s arrival. The likelihood of reinforcement was still uncertain.

Lilya, Violet, and Flora all understood this behind-the-scenes intricacy, but for now, they needed to present a positive outlook and stabilize the current situation.

“Your Highness, the Beastmen are retreating.”

“Hmm? So soon? I thought we’d have to clash for a few more waves…”

Lilya’s swift response had been effective. After witnessing the first wave of beastman troops being obliterated so quickly, the Beastman Kingdom forces were uncertain about what had happened and didn’t launch a hasty attack.

While they did attempt to send more warriors through the portals, most beastmen were hit by spells like fireballs and chain lightning, or collided with various smaller barriers, falling back to the ground. Only a small fraction of the beastmen managed to reach the city walls.

After countless years of conflict, both sides had developed effective strategies to counter each other.

“Well, it’s for the best. Let’s go. The beastmen probably won’t resume their attack in the short term. General Leyton, please proceed with the previous arrangements. Have the First, Second, and Third Legions take turns guarding the city walls. Make sure the warriors are in good condition. This will likely be a long-drawn-out battle.”

“You can rest assured, Marshal. This old man understands.”

Lilya only brought Violet and Flora with her, and the three women walked together down from the city walls to a secluded corner.

“Oh… ugh!”

Once they were in a spot where nobody could observe them, Princess Lilya suddenly turned pale and leaned against the wall, vomiting a vivid display of colors.

“Heh… as expected,” she muttered.

Violet and Flora exchanged an exasperated glance before Flora stepped forward to support the princess’s arm. Violet, the priestess, lightly patted Lilya’s smooth back and cast a low-level calming spell on her.

During their visit to the ailing General Leyton, Violet had noticed something.

The seemingly intelligent and decisive princess had a weaker tolerance for harsh environments. The scent of medicine and the odor of decay could leave her pale, let alone the immense pressure brought by tens of thousands of people or the intense bloodstained air during battle.

It was likely that this was Lilya’s first time on the battlefield. Although Violet wasn’t sure how she had managed to endure during the previous crisis with the Imperial Guard, she knew that she had to help the young princess. This was why she had purposefully created a wide protective shield that filtered out the oppressive feeling of iron and blood that was prevalent on the battlefield.

However, when it came to the messengers and commanders coming and going, their bloody scent was unavoidable. Some had returned with missing limbs, or wounds that had been bandaged. Lilya had to adapt to this on her own. It was a necessary part of her growth if she wanted to become a capable queen.

As the spell took effect, Lilya’s complexion improved significantly. She forced a wry smile and shook her head.

“I’m sorry to have made a fool of myself.”

“It’s nothing to be ashamed of. When I killed someone for the first time, I wasn’t any better than you,” Flora reassured her with an unusually gentle expression. Violet nodded in understanding.

After all, she was just a 16-year-old girl, and being a princess didn’t make Lilya immune to fear. Furthermore, judging by her appearance, Lilya seemed to be around level 2 or 3 at most. Being able to stand strong in such a situation was already quite commendable.

“But, Miss Violet’s abilities are truly amazing. I’ve received treatments from priests before, but I’ve never seen such immediate results. It’s like… Well, it’s impressive.”

As she spoke, Lilya suddenly stopped herself, as if she was about to say something she shouldn’t. She didn’t mention anything about the ongoing battle but instead lifted her head and gazed at Violet with a look of longing and hope.

“I know this might sound presumptuous, but… could Miss Violet grant me… no, could you exchange some of your power with me? I… I’ve been tested and found to have no magical talent from a young age. I’m completely inept at martial skills. Except for my intelligence, I can’t do anything else. I’ve always had to rely on others for protection.”

“I’ve heard that the Faith magic in the Holy Empire can grant strong powers to those who are devout in their hearts, even if they have no innate talent. As a princess of the Human United Kingdom, I can’t turn to the gods of the Holy Empire for help. But if… if…”

Lilya trailed off, her voice filled with hope and hesitation. Violet didn’t seem to fully understand what Lilya was getting at.

“Oh… Ah?”