Ling Yue said to pretend it never happened, so I guess I’ll pretend it never happened, then.
I had to admit, that punk Philes was somewhat useful. A bouquet of flowers really did cheer up Ling Yue. She cheerfully placed it into a flower vase and looked at the flower petals with joy. She finally returned to living in my tent after fighting with me for a few days. I was relieved, because I wasn’t willing to be distracted with looking after her when we need to march.
“Your Majesty, this is the Galadriel’s reply.”
‘That’s an express delivery for you.’
I received a reply by the second day. I opened the letter and could virtually smell the smell of metal being cut. I guessed Lorana wrote me a reply.
‘Ah, this reply is as simple as I thought it’d be.’
She probably grabbed a pen nearby, and wrote a few letters without even using a new sheet of paper. She just flipped the letter I wrote over and wrote in large letters: “Soon.”
Yes, just one word.
I placed the letter down, hopelessly and looked at Philes, who was awaiting my order. I cleared my throat then gave my command, “Make the preparations; tell everyone that we will prepare to attack the North in three days. We must gain control of an area in the shortest time possible, and set up a small camp to stop the enemy’s charge!”
“Roger!”
Philes left the tent with excitement. Ling Yue heard our conversation. She walked up behind me and tugged my cape. She looked at me and asked, “Are we finally setting out? Can… we finally go to the North now? I have… waited too long already…”
I looked back at her and nodded, “Yeah. Sorry for making you wait for so long, Ling Yue. But, I won’t make you wait anymore. Ling Yue, if we discover that we have to face four tribes each after their own personal goals and a powerless Queen, just as you and Leah said, we will achieve an easy victory.”
She looked at me without any suspicion in her gaze this time. She had no trust in me when I said that I could avenge her and defeat the enemies outside Troy City back then, but she completely trusted me when I said it again.
“I’m not that optimistic. I think that it will still take some time even if that is the case.”
Ling Yue looked at me and revealed a small view of her fangs.
I nodded with a smile, “But that’s good, too. I wouldn’t be able to establish my credibility through this battle if it was too easy. One of my moms was able to establish the great Rosvenor Empire when it was in ruins, while my other mom got the people to submit to her with her Galadriel rule. As their child, I want to achieve equally great merits.”
Ling Yue rolled her eyes, “So the North is your test?”
“You can say that. Of course, it’s for your revenge, as well.”
“You don’t need to go out of your way to add it in. It makes it sound totally insincere!”
Ling Yue let out a heavy sigh and massaged her face. She should’ve been excited, but for some reason, she appeared as though she was worried about something. I didn’t ask her; instead, I waited for her to adjust her emotions.
I’ve come to understand her. Saying any more would only earn me a slap.
“Troy, I need to discuss something with you.”
She then bit down on her lip and looked up as if she was in a dilemma. She looked at me with an unsettled gaze. Her noble and strong tone suddenly turned timid. I looked at her and said, “Just speak your mind. After all, we’ve already done…”
That was the first time addressing me by my name. In the past, she always called me “you,” or “pervert, bully, bastard”, and then proceeded to give me a consecutive string of slaps.
*Slap!!*
“I told you not to mention that!!!”
I covered my face as I wobbled backwards. She looked at me with rage. Her tail stood up due to her rage. That said, seconds later, her tail meekly came back down similarly to its owner’s dignity at that moment. Ling Yue’s anger didn’t last for long. She sighed hopelessly, and then spoke in her timid voice again, “Troy, I want to discuss something with you again. If possible, I hope that you can spare the innocent anthropoids.”
“Innocent anthropoids?”
I looked at her solemnly. I couldn’t stop myself from revealing a ridiculing grin, “Ling Yue, tell me, what sort of anthropoid is an ‘innocent anthropoid’?”
“The ones that you used as target practice!”
My grin seemed to rile her up. She took in a deep breath. Her eyes contained a tinge of rage. She looked at me and exclaimed, “They don’t know about the war nor are they enthusiastic supporters of war. They don’t even know who’s destroying their continent. They don’t want war, either. They just want a peaceful life. They didn’t invade anybody or kill anybody! They shouldn’t be victims of this war! We’ve been reproducing in the North before you came here! They shouldn’t be blamed!”
I looked at Ling Yue, “All right. In that case, tell me, will they fight back when we attack? If they participated in a war, they’re not innocent.”
“I don’t mind you killing them on the battlefield, as I know it’s normal to kill in war, but can you not impose your bloodlust and cruelty on them? They’re not toys for you to hunt and to entertain yourselves with! You said that you hate the anthropoids that killed humans. Yes, I hate it, too, and I hate them, but aren’t you the same as those anthropoids now?! They killed purely out of a desire to kill, while you are aware of what killing fairly and justly versus killing indiscriminately is so that makes you the cruellest demon! You’re more contemptible than anthropoids!”
“What am I going to protect you with if I don’t have power?!!”
“You don’t attain power by killing indiscriminately! Killing earns fear, not respect!”
“It’s enough for them to be scared! Nobody will question me if they fear me! If nobody questions me, then nobody will hurt those around me! They’ll retreat if I show the rows of corpses! Do you know what I’ve been through?! Do you know the feeling of seeing the incomplete corpse of the person you love? I’m cruel? Do you know how many people will be cruel to me if I’m not cruel?!!”
*Slap!!*
The air quietened down.
Ling Yue swung her hand. She looked at me and erupted, “Do I know? How would I not know? My father, mother and siblings were all killed in front of me. You think I don’t know when I had to step over my father’s corpse to escape? But despite that, I still know that killing indiscriminately is pointless! People will fear you now when you’re young and strong, but what about when you’re old? What about when you’ve lost your strength? Who’s going to fear you once you’re no longer as dominant? You want to protect your wives, but have you thought about who would protect them once you lose power?!”
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