Tia’s fingers tightened slightly.
She had instinctively thought the grudge he spoke of was the trap that had led to his downfall, but Earl Harris’s next words overturned that guess.
“Child, I have something to entrust to you.”
His voice suddenly grew heavy, with an indescribable solemnity.
Tia gripped his hand.
“Tell me.”
“If you can, please kill that king.”
Tia frowned in confusion, and he slowly explained:
“He has long since become a demon. In order to destroy humanity, he constantly conducts various experiments. My daughter Tia was captured by his men during one of her outings and became a research subject.”
He closed his eyes, as if unwilling to recall that scene.
“In the end… she died a miserable death.”
Tia’s breath caught.
She suddenly understood why Earl Harris had chosen to rebel.
“It was from that moment that I decided to rise up, regardless of my own life. Before, when I forced you to attend that arranged marriage meeting, I only hoped you wouldn’t get involved in this matter.”
As he spoke, a hint of guilt appeared, and Tia tightened her grip on his hand, softly promising:
“I promise you, I will definitely kill him.”
Now she had another reason to kill the Emperor of the Empire.
“Then I can rest assured.”
Earl Harris grew calmer at her words.
His voice weakened, then suddenly, as if remembering something, the light in his eyes gathered again.
“Also, that Imperial Grand General is actually the commander of Snake Eye. You must be careful… The reason we were ambushed this time is all his scheme…”
His voice came intermittently, and he coughed violently, a trace of blood seeping from the corner of his mouth.
Tia panicked.
“Father! Father, don’t say anymore, please don’t say anymore…”
Earl Harris gently shook his head.
He coughed twice more, then slowly calmed down.
Turning to look at Tia, his eyes now held only tenderness.
“After I die, whether you inherit the Harris Family or not is up to you. I have no right to force you to bear a responsibility that doesn’t belong to you.”
Tia bit her lip.
“Father…”
Earl Harris smiled and reached out to stroke Tia’s cheek.
“The five years you have given me are enough.”
He spoke word by word, using up his last strength.
“Go the rest of your own way…”
Tia lowered her head, pressing her cheek against his ever-cooling hand.
“Father… Father…”
She called out again and again, as if that could hold back his fading life.
But it was all in vain.
He opened his mouth but could no longer speak, yet Tia could clearly tell what he was trying to say, until his eyes slowly closed.
“Thank you for letting me have a daughter in my final days.”
His cold hand fell limply from the bedside.
Tia stared at him blankly, as if unable to accept the truth.
The candlelight in the tent still flickered gently, but her shadow on the tent wall grew longer and longer, swinging wildly as if with the light.
—
The next day, Earl Harris’s remains were cremated and placed into a small box.
There was no grand ceremony, no lengthy eulogy, not even many people who knew.
Tia stared at the box on the table, silent.
This box was to be taken back to the Harris Territory and buried in the Harris Family Cemetery.
Behind her stood several injured but resolute men.
At the head was Commander Parker.
He stood half a step behind her, his resolute face expressionless, only his eyes slightly red.
His wounds had not fully healed, and bloodstains were faintly visible under the bandages, but he stood straight as a spear.
The wind blew in from outside the tent, carrying a chill that stirred Tia’s hem and hair.
“Miss, please accept my condolences.”
Parker spoke.
Though he was comforting Tia, she knew that Earl Harris’s sacrifice hurt most the ones who had followed him all along.
But as a soldier, Parker would not show his emotions on his face.
“Mm.”
Tia nodded.
Soon, a rustling sound came from behind her.
She turned to find Parker kneeling.
Not only him, but all the generals behind him lowered their heads and knelt on one knee.
Parker looked up at her.
Those eyes that had experienced countless battles finally showed some grief, but more than that, loyalty.
“Miss, from now on, we will all obey your orders without hesitation.”
Tia did not speak.
Her gaze passed over Parker to the generals behind him.
These were originally Earl Harris’s trusted subordinates.
Now, due to his death, they would become an indispensable force under her command.
Not only that, but she, Celestia, would become the head of the Harris Family.
In the silence, a young general beside Parker couldn’t help but look up, his voice hoarse and urgent:
“Miss! The Earl was killed by the Imperial Grand General Buloke! We must avenge this!”
His eyes were red, and his lips trembled slightly.
Parker turned his head sharply and glared at him.
“Shut up!”
His voice was harsh, but with a barely concealed tremor.
“Miss has her own plans!”
The young general lowered his head and said no more, but his fists were clenched white at the knuckles.
Tia watched all this.
She was silent for a moment, then murmured softly:
“Buloke… and Callum? Where is he now?”
Callum was the representative who had joined the Rebel Army on behalf of the Snake Eye organization.
He had previously pretended to be loyal, but now had finally shown his true colors.
The Snake Eye organization’s purpose was never to overthrow the Empire’s rule, but to destroy the Rebel Army and protect the current Emperor of the Empire.
That Buloke was the commander of Snake Eye made sense.
The current state of the Emperor was ideal for him.
After all, as the Imperial Grand General, no matter how outrageous his actions, no one dared to hold him accountable.
It could be said that in this Empire now, he was the true king.
Parker looked up and replied:
“He is probably hiding beside Grand General Buloke. From the beginning, the Earl opposed Snake Eye’s joining, but Duke Vennar insisted…”
He didn’t finish.
But Tia knew what he wanted to say.
If Duke Vennar hadn’t insisted on trusting Snake Eye, if it hadn’t been that damned mountain path, if it hadn’t been that damned trap…
Her father would not have died.
But there are no ifs in this world.
She took a deep breath, suppressing the surging emotions.
“My father’s revenge will definitely be taken, but not now.”
She looked at Parker, at the generals kneeling on the ground.
“Return to your posts for now. Let me be alone for a while.”
She couldn’t let Buloke off, nor Callum, but with their current strength, dealing with them would require careful planning.
After all, the Rebel Army had suffered such a heavy blow; whether it could continue to exist was a problem.
Parker frowned, complex emotions flickering across his face.
Then he stood up, gave her a deep look, and led the other generals out of the tent.
Soon, only Tia remained in the tent.
She stood motionless in front of the box.
After a long time.
She finally spoke, her voice very soft, like a sigh: “Come out.”
From a shadow in the corner of the tent came a soft “tch.”
A figure slowly emerged from the shadow.
Deep purple robes, a pitch-black mirror on her chest, and a face with an unreadable smile.
It was the Witch Council member, Magic Mirror.
She walked to a spot three steps behind Tia, stopped, and then a meaningful smile curled at her lips.
“Tsk tsk tsk, who would have thought that the famous Count’s daughter Tia is actually the Witch Nightingale.”
She chuckled.
“I’m quite surprised.”
Tia said softly, “Was it the other night?”
Magic Mirror raised an eyebrow.
“Exactly.”
She took a step forward.
“Last night, I sensed the power of the Empress Wand, so I came to take a look, and then I saw you transform into the Count’s daughter.”
That night, people were coming and going, and to maintain the Rebel Army’s defenses, Tia couldn’t pay too much attention to her transformation.
Even though she chose a secluded spot as best she could, she couldn’t escape the Magic Mirror hidden in the shadows.
Hearing this, Tia tensed her body, ready for battle.
She hadn’t forgotten that the Witch Council’s Empress Wand was still in her hands.
“So, why have you come to see me? To take back the Empress Wand?”
Magic Mirror covered her mouth with a smile, and for some reason, a strong anticipation appeared in her eyes.
She shook her head and said:
“No, no, no. Compared to that, I’m more curious to confirm—can you really use the Empress Wand?”
What did that mean?
Tia narrowed her eyes, unsure why Magic Mirror was so interested in this matter, but out of caution, she didn’t answer. Instead, she asked back:
“What is it?”
“I just want to see it, may I?”
Magic Mirror put her hands behind her back and said with a smile.
Although she tried to conceal it, the excitement in her voice was still evident.
Tia was silent for a second.
Then she raised her hand.
A silver-white light surged from within her.
The legendary wand silently materialized in her hand—slender and long, with a crystal at its tip where countless stars slowly turned.
Magic power surged.
The light grew stronger and brighter, illuminating the tent and also revealing Magic Mirror’s face, now full of shock and excitement.
Then the light slowly dissipated.
Celeste, now transformed into a witch, held the wand and stared at her warily, ready to fight at any moment.
But what she never expected was…
Facing the Empress Wand with its flowing crystal, Magic Mirror slowly knelt on one knee.
She lowered her head, shedding her previous playfulness, and spoke with unusual solemnity:
“Councilor Mirror pays respects to the Empress.”