The meeting hall fell into a brief silence because of Saixiliya’s words. Everyone’s eyes were fixed on Saixiliya, waiting for her further explanation.
Lita keenly noticed that not all of those gazes were friendly. Many people, albeit briefly, revealed their displeasure at Saixiliya’s interjection.
In their eyes, Saixiliya was just a princess who had come to the Northlands with her personal knight. Her understanding of the Northlands was far less than theirs, who had been risking their lives there every day. Even if they didn’t mind her identity as the “Cursed Princess,” suddenly voicing a dissenting opinion in such a serious occasion would inevitably cause offense.
Lita believed Saixiliya must have noticed this. She could feel Saixiliya’s body stiffen for a moment as she received those suspicious and even unfriendly stares. Despite this, Saixiliya raised her head, looked around at everyone present, and finally fixed her gaze on Brandon and Rosalia, the two who had shown keen interest in her words.
“Since Her Royal Highness the Fourth Princess has a unique insight, let’s hear it.”
Brandon sat up straight, looking as if he were all ears.
Saixiliya nodded slightly and expressed her opinion.
“As a leader, during a large-scale attack, instead of commanding the entire army, to blend in with the crowd and carry out an assassination—that’s illogical.”
Someone immediately raised an objection: “Didn’t she also order Skull Mountain to retreat? Isn’t it too hasty to conclude she’s not the leader?”
“Indeed, that’s not the only reason. Let me start from the beginning.”
Saixiliya stood up and walked to the map of the Northlands behind the meeting hall, which had been revised countless times. She pointed to a spot. Those familiar with the Northlands immediately recognized that the place she indicated was Windrest Valley.
“Currently, the strongest combat forces nearby are the Rangers led by you, Lord of the City, and my sister’s troops. Coincidentally, one Alien Ghost unit revealed its trail, and another Alien Ghost unit launched a fierce attack.”
Then Saixiliya pointed to the east side of the Great Wall where the Alien Ghosts were attacking. With Saixiliya’s finger, the marching routes of Brandon and Rosalia were gradually drawn out.
“The departure of the two main forces left the fortress’s defense relatively weak. The three Alien Ghosts and their troops launched a general attack on the Great Wall precisely when the main forces were engaged in fierce battle on the outskirts and were not at full strength. This is by no means a coincidence, but a deliberately created perfect opportunity to strike a heavy blow when the defenders’ command and strength were most scattered and exhausted.”
Shirley raised her hand and waved it left and right, then asked: “But the Northlands Great Wall isn’t that easy to breach. Even if we hadn’t arrived, though the losses might be severe, it could still hold out until reinforcements arrive, right? Or even if we didn’t counterattack, the wall wouldn’t be so easily broken.”
“Correct, but their goal was never to capture the Great Wall from the beginning, was it?” Saixiliya countered.
A middle-aged man furrowed his brow: “Not to capture the Great Wall? Such a big operation, diverting our main forces—if not to assault the city, then what?”
Saixiliya turned back to Brandon: “Lita just mentioned that the Alien Ghost named Ke Xia Er is indeed very strong, able to approach you, Lord Brandon, right under everyone’s noses. I’m afraid even on the battlefield, that wouldn’t be easy, would it?”
“Correct.”
Brandon replied in a deep voice.
“I wouldn’t dare to boast about my strength in front of two Crest Knights, but I do have some confidence in myself. I won’t deny my oversight on the battlefield, but I’m not so foolish as to be completely unaware when someone puts a blade to my neck.”
Brandon’s words completely admitted that the Death Knight of considerable strength had indeed acted like an assassin. Everyone present drew in a cold breath.
Brandon’s strength on the battlefield was outstanding, but his greatest value lay not in how powerful he was. With Brandon around, the Northlands had a strong cohesion, and he himself was synonymous with morale, always charging ahead. If something happened to Brandon, then the Northlands might really face a considerable upheaval.
Someone trying to assassinate Brandon on the battlefield, and someone orchestrating such a large affair with the sole purpose of killing Brandon—these were two completely different matters. It was only because Brandon was still alive that no one had considered what would happen if he fell.
The onlookers began to waver: “But, how could she guarantee… breaching the Great Wall?”
“Just now, Miss Shirley also said that the Great Wall isn’t so easily breached, but if the Great Wall is attacked, the two armies would certainly turn back to aid—or rather, even if they didn’t want to, the troops intercepted outside and unable to return would inevitably have to fight the Alien Ghosts.”
The discussion grew louder, then gradually died down. In the end, the gazes directed at Saixiliya carried a lot of respect. It was only then that Rosalia slowly spoke: “Saixiliya, what you’ve said are just the goals of the Alien Ghosts. How did you determine that the Death Knight was not the leader of the Alien Ghosts?”
“Because she has consistently shown only tactical excellence, not strategic excellence. Also, her objective was too clear, with no sign of adapting to the situation.”
Saixiliya explained.
“After she failed, she attempted to attack Lita, and after failing twice, she immediately chose to retreat. Coupled with what she said to Skull Mountain before retreating, it all proves she is an executor, not a commander.”
Saixiliya’s explanation eventually convinced everyone. After officially counting the casualties, reporting the battle situation, and discussing future strategies, the meeting finally came to an end. Rosalia, who remained in the meeting room, looked up at the nearly empty seats around her, then stood up and faced Brandon.
“Brandon, I was right, wasn’t I?”
Brandon also showed a hint of admiration.
“Indeed, her analysis is almost entirely consistent with ours, aside from some minor details… That’s right, the behind-the-scenes commander didn’t pay a heavy price to kill us, but used us to help her eliminate several disobedient pawns. If we hadn’t actually fought them, we really wouldn’t have noticed this.”
“But after this incident, everyone’s impression of Her Royal Highness the Fourth Princess has greatly improved. You can rest assured now, can’t you?”
“I can’t rest assured.”
Rosalia sighed. The pride she had felt earlier about Saixiliya’s excellent performance in front of everyone was completely gone.
“Yes, wanting to go to the Everfrost Wasteland—if it were Shirley, I would also be worried.”
Brandon followed with a sigh.
“It’s not that I’m worried about. Brownie said that the Holy Knight she chose is not weak—you can see that too, right?”
Rosalia countered, then sighed.
“If she could still be as indifferent as before, I might be a bit more at ease. But after her trip to the Southern Lands, she has changed too much, as if she has found some goal.”
“Are you worried she’ll contend with you for the throne?”
Brandon was obviously joking, but Rosalia’s answer was very serious.
“Saixiliya has no interest in the throne, and no one supports her. As for the others: Lilia is stubborn and self-opinionated, completely unsuitable to inherit the throne; I don’t know what Eliya is thinking, so I wouldn’t feel safe with her succeeding; Amelia only knows how to mingle with other ministers—if she took over, the whole kingdom might rot. No choice, it has to be me.”
“Then what are you worried about?”
“I don’t know either, just a kind of premonition.”
Rosalia shook her head.
“For her, change doesn’t mean good things.”
“If you ask me, you’ve been infected by your personal knight.”
Brandon laughed, ending the conversation that was heading in a wrong direction with a joke.