44. The Princess Desires a Peaceful Life
At the same time, on the other side.
Izalis’s perspective.
The “duel” between Lord O’Keefe and the Silver Knight is perhaps more about the “order” of the entire kingdom of Rodland, concerning the white-haired elves, than it is about her own future. After all, this is a duel predicated on one’s “position.”
Hah—both princesses, clearly, she is merely fulfilling her duty, maintaining the kingdom of Rodland; upholding the white-haired elves; preserving the “order” of this era. The stability of order naturally comes with its own turbulence, so why… must this position of the saintess be seen as a dangerous “witch” that brings calamity to the nation?
The answer to this question that the elven saintess Izalis is pondering will likely only emerge once the results of the duel are revealed. However, even though Izalis wishes to witness this “duel” with her own eyes, she can only remain in her quarters, waiting alone. After all, she has been asked to stay here; the duel must be fraught with the clash of blades, and as the saintess of the kingdom, it is not inappropriate for her to wait for the outcome in her residence.
As for the result of this duel, although Izalis has mentally prepared herself for any outcome, she still… truly hopes that Lord O’Keefe can win beautifully and perfectly. Because he is a “miracle” that has emerged under “order,” a genuine chosen one, someone she must…
In the next moment, the commotion from outside forces Izalis to retract her thoughts and straighten her posture.
Then, she faces the figure that has entered, completely ignoring the group of knight guards temporarily assigned to protect her today—Princess Urasilu, the elven grand princess. If it is this high-ranking princess, she indeed possesses the authority to meet anyone at any time.
“Princess Urasilu, your appearance here is quite unexpected.”
As her gaze lands, unfortunately… the other party’s eyes reveal no emotion whatsoever, prompting Urasilu to respond in kind. After all, Grand Princess Urasilu is certainly not a robot devoid of feelings; it’s just that her management of her demeanor is exceptionally “perfect,” much like herself.
“No need to be surprised, Saintess, for I have come to find you.”
With no intention of exchanging pleasantries, the grand princess has already stepped aside to clear the way the moment she enters the room. “The ‘duel’ has concluded, and I believe you may now witness the results. I have come to guide you there.”
“Really!?”
The result of the duel is the news Izalis most wishes to know today!
Immediately rising to inquire, Izalis suddenly realizes that her behavior is somewhat inappropriate, and she strives to appear more composed. Even so, the tension and anticipation she feels cannot be suppressed, revealing themselves before the grand princess.
“Then… who, who won!?”
The grand princess shakes her head: “I do not know either, for I only received the news through a servant and came to find you immediately.”
Then, her gaze turns to Izalis: “Please follow me, and you will know the answer in due time.”
“……”
Although waiting in the room might not yield no results, at this point, Izalis would certainly not continue to linger here in vain. After accepting the invitation from the princess, she left the room alone alongside her.
On the road.
Unknowingly, it had come down to just Izalis and the princess alone. For Izalis, although her floating manner of movement was not exhausting, her mood was growing increasingly anxious and tense with each nearly silent step the princess took, her boots echoing softly against the ground.
After all, no one is a fool, and as the Holy Maiden of the Elves, her intuition regarding “danger” was far sharper than that of an ordinary person!
“Princess Urasilu, how much longer until we reach the dueling grounds?”
“Very soon, Holy Maiden, we are almost at the ‘dueling’ grounds.”
The princess did not turn back, merely voicing what could almost be considered a soliloquy, “Holy Maiden, I have always had a question: why do you wish to engage with our Rodland Kingdom?”
“Engage with what, Princess? What are you talking about?”
Izalis blinked, “From the very beginning, I have been the Holy Maiden of the Kingdom, maintaining the ‘order’ of this realm. Without order, how can there be a foundation for the kingdom?”
“Order and faith are indeed the foundation of the kingdom, but… Holy Maiden, these two are also a form of power. And now, this power provided by the kingdom’s elves is solely in your hands, and you are unwilling to relinquish it…”
The content of the princess’s words sounded devoid of emotion, yet for Izalis, she had already keenly sensed a hint of “hostility,” which was gradually spreading as the conversation continued.
“Thus, your demeanor resembles that of the ‘witches’ found in children’s storybooks, Holy Maiden.”
Suddenly, there was a halt!
For Izalis had unknowingly stopped in her tracks, her expression shifting to one of surprise as she watched the elven princess Urasilu, who had been leading the way without turning around, slowly pivot to face her.
At this moment, the surroundings were so quiet that even if something were to happen, it was impossible for any elves to appear in the short term! And this was all a result of the white-haired elf before her guiding the way!
So…
“Holy Maiden, I genuinely hoped you would accept the request of Sir Silver Knight earlier, as it would have been the best outcome for you, and it was my way of compensating for your cooperation. But… given the current situation, for the sake of Rodland, for the elves, and for the power you hold, I must erase your existence.”
In the next moment, Izalis clearly saw: the princess before her spread her arms, drawing forth… the hilt of a sword from her long sleeves, but things were far from over!
“Otherwise, I fear I shall find no peace tonight.”
A glimmer of light extended along the hilt, forming a radiant crossblade before her eyes.
A trap is hardly sufficient to describe the current situation, for this is clearly a conspiracy long prepared by the eldest princess!
Izalis took a step back, but… the princess before her, unlike the martial-minded Second Princess Edrel, had never displayed any “external power.” Yet, she emanated a threat far greater than what Izalis had felt that night when facing Princess Edrel.
“Holy Maiden, is there… anything else you need to explain to me?”
——
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