Thar led several believers to guide the way. The group walked out of the forest and stepped onto the hills. In the distance the human camp could already be glimpsed.
Selesthin walked in the middle of the group alone, while Will was guarded by two horned beastmen on his left and right at the very front. He kept secretly glancing at Al riding on the centaur's back, silently plotting.
The centaur girl noticed but didn't care.
A patrol of riders was passing along the flat road from the camp. They spotted Al's group from afar, reined in their horses to stare, and split off several knights who turned their mounts and galloped back to the camp to report.
"About time."
Thar reminded them. The two horned beastmen began untying the ropes on Will.
Selesthin also stepped out from the beast herd. When she passed by Al, the boy turned his face away and didn't look at her.
The Grail Knight paused for a step, then continued downward. No further exchange occurred between them.
The centaur girl stroked Al's head. No trace of the joy in her heart showed on her face. Now the boy's "mother" was only her.
A horned beast pushed Will down the earthen slope. The young man rolled straight down, then climbed up from the ground looking disheveled. He didn't even dare wait for Selesthin and ran straight toward the knights.
The beastmen burst into mocking laughter, making Will's escape look even more pathetic. The tribe held deep contempt for this coward who abandoned the female and young to run away.
Only now did Al dare look at the Grail Knight's departing back. He watched silently from behind the centaur girl as the female knight gradually moved away until two cavalrymen came to meet them and escorted the pair back into formation.
In the distant camp, the sound of horns rang out. Vague figures could be seen as the army began assembling.
The patrol split off several more riders to escort Selesthin and Will toward the camp. Al sighed inwardly—both relieved and carrying a tiny bit of regret.
"Let's go."
The centaur girl seemed to know he was in a bad mood. Instead of traveling slowly with Thar and the others, she carried Al and galloped wildly into the wilderness.
The departing Selesthin suddenly stopped, turned back, and gazed toward the hill. There was already no one there.
Will rubbed the injury on his face, letting out pained groans while gritting his teeth and plotting how to strike at Rhine.
"You can't bear to let her go?"
The centaur girl placed the youth under a tree, took a longbow from a branch, nocked an arrow while looking into the distance as if searching for prey, and asked casually.
"I do feel a little."
Al told the truth. His feelings were quite complicated.
The centaur girl had her back to him. Al couldn't see the playful smile that appeared on Alina's face as she drew the bow. He poured out the thoughts in his heart to her:
"After all, she is my… biological mother. It's just that the situation is so complicated there was no chance for motherly love and filial piety."
Al leaned against the tree, sighed, and looked up at the sky.
It was as if he could see the reflection of his own eyes in the azure mirror. The Bloodmother sitting on the skull throne was looking at the mortal world's scenery through his eyes.
"But ending it like this is also good. At least I don't have to worry about being forced to become a medieval filial son in the future… Ah, it seems I have no chance at motherly love or family affection."
Al vented self-deprecatingly.
Then the centaur girl got angry.
With a whoosh, her arrow pierced straight through an unlucky wild deer. It fell straight down, twitched a few times, and stopped moving.
The centaur girl put away the bow, turned around, and looked down at the still-confused Al.
"Huh?"
Al was completely puzzled.
Black aura seemed to emanate from the centaur girl. She looked even more sinister.
She gently yet firmly grabbed the back of Al's neck and lifted the boy up.
A slightly sick,狂狂 smile was on her face.
"Isn't Mommy loving you enough?"
"Uh, it's not that."
Before Al could finish his explanation, the mare roughly pressed his head into her chest.
"Drink. Mommy will feed you."
"No, you clearly don't have any!"
If Al had submitted or called her "mom" to please her, things might have ended there. However, his first reaction was to raise a reasonable but unwelcome objection.
The smile on Alina's face became even brighter, her expression slightly exaggerated, making it look like she was forcing a smile.
"You were so engrossed before… What a bad child."
She whispered, leaning down close to Al's face.
"Mommy is really going to get angry…"
A knight dismounted and walked, courteously offering his horse to Selesthin. He originally planned to lead the horse for the lady, but the Grail Knight who had been lost for half a year did not disappoint her status at all.
She handled the completely unfamiliar mount as nimbly as if it were part of her own body.
The knight chased a few steps, saw that the woman showed no sign of panic or falling, and silently mounted behind his comrade.
Inside the camp.
A servant was helping Rhine put on his armor. Old Hart stood dejectedly by the door.
A bombshell report came from the patrol.
Rhine's hand holding the sword trembled and froze in mid-air. The court-bestowed sword fell to the ground with no one picking it up.
The little griffon (Emperor's words) showed none of his usual rationality and grace. Instead he looked more like the impulsive and willful Will Julius he had never liked much.
"What did you say?"
His incredulous gaze turned to the messenger.
Rhine strode forward. A white horse came toward him. Riding on it was the figure he had imagined in countless possibilities.
Rhine stopped, covered his brow with one hand, took a deep breath, his eyes turning red as he held back the tears that refused to fall.
"Welcome."
His voice suddenly became extremely hoarse, but anyone could hear the joy and excitement within it.
"Welcome home, cousin."
The Grail Knight opened her arms and hugged him.
"Still the same as when you were little, Rhine."
The familiar voice sounded beside his ear. Rhine's tears finally flowed.
"Don't cry in front of your subordinates. Don't show weakness, son of Julius."
Rhine laughed through his tears, separated from Selesthin, and gently punched her shoulder. In a steady voice he said: "You're still the same as before, always making a racket!"
Rhine swept the letters, orders, and candlesticks off the table, pushed aside Old Hart who tried to stop him, and slammed his sword hard into the sand table.
"How could it come to this!"
"Shame! Defilement!"
His beard and hair bristled as he roared at Old Hart without reason. Will sat on the ground against the wall with his legs crossed.
The staff officers gathered outside the tent, not daring to enter.
"What now, my lord?"
Will's expression was mocking, his movements leisurely.
"The woman you spent so much effort rescuing gave birth to a bastard cub for Chaos-worshipping beast scum, my lord."
He ignored Old Hart's warning and furious glare and continued to provoke: "Just imagine what will happen when this gets back to Altdorf. How the imperial court and nobles will view the Julius family. Think about how they will treat our cousin."
"The Sigmar Church will definitely burn her alive: a cub that grew to that size in half a year and can even ride on the Beastlord's back. That is definitely a daemon's child."
"Enough!"
Rhine roared angrily.
Will smiled slightly and continued mockingly: "If you ask me, it would have been better not to rescue her. I see she was living quite well in the tribe, neither thin nor sick. Maybe the Beastlord really liked her very much…" The rest of the words were blocked in Will's mouth as Rhine drew his long sword and pressed it against his cousin's neck.
"If you say one more word I will cut off your head. I swear. I'll just say you died in the forests of Estalia. I will report this directly to His Majesty the Emperor."
Rhine's gaze was fierce and resolute, leaving no room for doubt.
Will was startled, but most of the anger accumulated in his heart dissipated. He simply closed his mouth, stopped speaking, stood up, and limped toward his own tent.
"About Selesthin's matter…" Old Hart stepped forward and spoke softly.
Rhine decisively cut him off.
"Enough!"
He covered his face and softened his tone. "Sorry… I have a plan."
Old Hart sighed, pushed open the tent flap, and walked out. The staff officers outside looked at each other.