The morning light spread over Yufeng Valley, and the mountain fires around showed signs of spreading.
Willis ordered people to extinguish the flames, with water and earth-type Mages being the most useful.
“It looks like it will still take some time.”
Willis estimated, then instructed the remaining people to continue cleaning up the battlefield.
In this battle, she not only annihilated over two thousand Rebels, but also beheaded their leader.
Although Willis understood that this Rebel force was only one of those within Storm Valley and that the revolutionary army within the Empire had not yet been completely eliminated…
Still, a loss of over two thousand was enough to deal them a significant blow.
Gather the corpses, burn and bury them.
Inventory the supplies and equipment.
Aside from iron swords and arrows, Willis’s greatest gain this time was the Giant Ballista!
There were 12 on the side of the stronghold, and another 18 captured in Yufeng Valley!
A total of 30 Giant Ballista.
Willis had witnessed their power with her own eyes.
“So, royal sister, can we make this thing ourselves?”
Willis patted the Ballista beside her.
Hill Yu was cleaning the bloodstains off herself.
Hearing the question, Hill Yu glanced over.
“It can be manufactured within the Empire, but you and I… probably don’t have that ability.”
“To produce such Ballista, you need specialized talent, blueprints, and a Weapon Workshop capable of manufacturing them.”
And right now, they had none of these.
Hill Yu could be considered solitary, as she had not received any territory, and thus only held the title of Imperial Princess.
Usually, Hill Yu only focused on honing her own skills and cared nothing for such matters.
As for Willis, though she had Ushi City in her hands, she was basically an unqualified Lord.
Let alone gathering talent to produce Ballista, she’d be lucky if her people didn’t rebel under her rule.
“I see. So it seems I can’t replicate it in a short time.”
Willis sighed.
At that moment, the System prompt finally arrived.
[Ding! Task complete! Obtained one Mana Blueprint. Personally killed the Rebel Leader, killed two Rebel heads, reward: 300 Magic Power! Personally killed 25 Rebels, reward: 25 Spirit Power!]
With the System rewards, Willis instantly felt a change in her body.
The increase in Magic Power caused the magic energy within her to surge.
A powerful, invincible feeling welled up from within.
But Willis knew this was an illusion brought on by the boost in Magic Power.
The rise in Spirit Power, on the other hand, made her vision brighter and clearer.
Her mind felt open and transparent, as if she could see through the fog of the universe.
With this advancement, her System attribute panel also changed.
[Name: Willis Egbert]
[Gender: Female]
[Race: Human]
[Identity: Second Princess of the Okam Empire, Second-in-line Heir, Lord of Ushi City]
[Strength: Apprentice Mage]
[Skills: Fire Phoenix (Basic), Flame Armor (Basic, Modified), Fiery Whip (Basic, Modified), Air Blade (Proficient)]
[Talent: Real Eye LV1]
[Magic Power: 895/2000]
[Spirit Power: 60/125]
[Equipment:]
[Ying Shayu LV1 (Upgradeable)—A powerful Magic weapon, highly defensive and lethal, with concealment capabilities, but difficult to operate. [More detailed attributes available]
[Reputation: Notorious, makes children cry at night, Famed in the Royal Academy]
All in all, Willis was quite satisfied with her progress over the past few days.
“Willis!”
At that moment, an enraged voice drew close, interrupting Willis’s thoughts.
She turned to see Ofilia storming over.
“Willis! You—”
Ofilia was about to question her—why did she assign such a dangerous bait mission to her?
Did she not realize that if she’d arrived half an hour later, she might have died?
The Rebels led by the Rebel Leader were all elites; with just a glance, they had slaughtered nearly a hundred city defenders!
With such terrifying strength, Ofilia doubted she could have lasted long.
But the moment her gaze met Willis’s bright ruby eyes, her anger immediately wilted…
“What did you call me?”
Willis narrowed her eyes.
Ofilia hesitated like a timid bird.
“M-Master…”
“What do you want to say?”
“I… I… just thought, maybe next time, could someone else be the bait?”
A moment earlier, Ofilia looked ready to denounce her.
Now, she was like a wronged little wife, meek and submissive, not daring to speak up.
Even Ofilia herself was surprised by the pleading tone that left her lips.
Her lowered head was almost buried in her chest, looking utterly pitiful.
“Hmm, if you perform well, it’s not impossible.”
Willis replied.
Hill Yu stood beside the two, watching the scene with a strange expression.
“Your Highness.”
At this moment, Annie Donald finished cleaning up and stood elegantly before Willis.
Unlike Ofilia, whose anger turned to obedience, Annie always possessed a graceful and sacred beauty.
Amidst the blood and corpses of the battlefield, Annie Donald remained spotless, as ethereal as a fairy.
Willis’s eyes sparkled, and she subconsciously wanted to lean in and lift the other’s chin for a kiss…
But reason triumphed over desire.
After all, she was no longer the Willis she once was.
And besides, doing so carelessly might turn this into paid content…
“So, are you unhurt?”
“Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. I’m fine…”
Annie asked, “Your Highness, what should we do about those Elves?”
“What do you mean, what should we do? They tried to assassinate me, and now they’re my captives… From now on, they’re all my slaves!”
At her words, all three—Hill Yu, Ofilia, and Annie Donald—cried out in protest.
“Little sister, neither Father nor the Empire wishes to be at odds with the Elven Race. Isn’t this too much?”
Faced with Hill Yu’s persuasion, Willis countered.
“Then what does Royal Sister suggest?”
“Since they didn’t directly participate in the rebellion, just find an excuse to make the Elven Race offer compensation.”
“If you enslave them, it could spark conflict between the Empire and the Elven Race.”
Annie Donald also nodded.
“That’s right, Your Highness. It would be best to send these Elves away.”
Of course, she wasn’t jealous.
Yes, she based her suggestion on Willis’s identity and the Empire’s interests…
Mm, she wasn’t jealous.
Really!
“Why? Just let them go?”
Willis clearly had no intention of listening.
“If I say they participated in the rebellion, then they did! Who dares disagree!?”
In that instant, Willis’s domineering aura was undeniable.
The three women were instantly subdued.
Next came Hill Yu’s exasperated sigh, Ofilia muttering ‘licentious woman’ inwardly, and Annie Donald snorting angrily before storming off.
Seeing this, Willis rubbed her nose.
But her decision would not change.
“No need to say more. I’ve already decided!”
“These Elves are vile, colluding with the Rebels, so they are Rebels!”
“And Rebels must be punished!”
Now, only two male Elves remained alive, while the other 24, including Winnie Kanasha, were female.
Even the soldiers cleaning up the battlefield understood Willis’s intentions.
But at this moment, who dared defy her?
After all, the Elven Race had indeed become involved and sided with the Rebels.
Though internal strife had broken out among them, that did not alter the established facts.