Her Highness the Princess began to replay, in careful detail, everything she had experienced alongside the knight.
From the very beginning, when he stepped forward to defend innocent villagers and became entangled in trouble, to the way he resolved the aftermath and left without hesitation…
Every moment was etched clearly in her mind.
After long reflection, she was certain of one thing. This knight was qualified through and through.
But now the Dark Moon Knight was returning to the Haligtree to serve as a Golden Needle Knight…
Miquella had left him in Liurnia of the Lakes. Perhaps it had only been a lapse in judgment at the time. But what if, seeing the man he had become, Miquella regretted it?
The thought brought a sudden wave of urgency. Ranni could not help recalling the frightening charm of that younger brother.
Nolan's strength was impressive now, but even so, could he truly resist that kind of allure?
If Miquella merely crooked a finger, this loyal knight might very well lose his soul.
Ranni let out a soft, helpless sigh. For the moment, she had no better solution. All she could do was trust in the knight's resolve.
"Princess Ranni, we've arrived."
Nolan's voice broke the silence.
The heavy camp gates slowly creaked open. Sunlight poured through the widening gap and fell across their faces. Two tall Cleanrot Knights stood straight as spears on either side of the entrance.
He spotted his direct superior among them and could not help showing a hint of surprise at the familiar face.
Haligtree banners fluttered in the breeze. The steady clatter of armor from patrolling soldiers blended into a continuous metallic rhythm.
Archers stood atop the watchtowers, faces stern, eyes sharp and vigilant.
At regular intervals, fully armed Haligtree Knights stood guard, their presence imposing.
Further inside the camp, dozens of massive Golems lay dormant.
Their enormous bodies loomed like mountains, radiating a crushing sense of weight.
Anyone foolish enough to attempt a rear assault would be reduced to pulp beneath those terrifying constructs.
This army was disciplined, well-trained, and superbly equipped. Compared to the Cuckoo Legion, the difference was night and day.
And with tens of thousands under its banner, it was unquestionably a formidable force.
Across the Lands Between, only the Royal Capital's army in Leyndell and the Redmanes of Caelid could stand against it. No other power could truly contend.
Only those who had witnessed the Haligtree Army in person could understand why its advance was considered unstoppable.
Its fearsome reputation had been earned blade by blade, forged in brutal, bloody campaigns.
In the distance, the Limgrave troops reined in their horses and glared at the endless stretch of enemy tents before them.
They had already gathered information and sent envoys to demand the man's return.
Malenia's reply had been simple.
"Get lost."
The words were blunt and utterly without courtesy, almost like open mockery.
But when the Valkyrie spoke, the weak had no standing to question her.
They simply were not qualified.
The commander sat still in the saddle. After staring into the distance for a long time, he let out a quiet sigh, his voice heavy with resignation.
"Enough. We're going back. Prepare to return to Limgrave. The Valkyrie didn't give the fallen lords a second thought, so she certainly won't care what the likes of us think."
This middle-aged man should have been enjoying the height of his success, his career rising by the day. Who would have thought he'd run into someone ruthless enough to treat even nobles as nothing? Now, just keeping his post would be a blessing.
Even if he brought an army of thousands, they still wouldn't stand a chance against that Valkyrie, let alone against the entire Haligtree Army, infamous across the land.
Compared to that, finding a way to soothe the major families' fury seemed almost simple.
"Are we really letting it end like this?"
Beside him, a burly knight with a shiny bald head glared, his fists clenched so hard his knuckles blanched. His teeth ground audibly with rage.
"So many nobles are dead. Even if they don't expel us, they'll skin us alive. And we're just supposed to watch that bastard walk away?"
The commander frowned and answered in a low voice, "Then what do you suggest? He's already said the ones he killed were nothing but bandits posing as soldiers. Are you really planning to make our raids on villages public?"
The bald knight froze.
A dead lord could be replaced. But if word of that got out, it would smear the entire family's name.
And setting pride aside, by the letter of the law there was no provision that allowed open plunder, not even for nobles.
Worse still, the great lord who actually had the standing to speak with a Demigod had been taken. Now they didn't have a single person who could get a word in with Malenia.
The situation only grew uglier, and with it, the dread in their chests. Where were they supposed to find the courage to go to war with the Haligtree?
If the Valkyrie decided to wipe them out here in a fit of anger, the lords of Godrick's line might even clap and cheer.
And yet… it still left a bitter taste.
Soldiers, knights, Flying Dragons, even heroes, dying could be written off.
But nobles dying? That was the kind of disaster that blew a hole in the sky.
"Are we really out of options?" someone asked, the words edged with despair.
"The Haligtree Army already made themselves clear," the commander said coldly. "They said anyone not afraid to die is welcome to try. So which is it? You going, or am I?"
He stared hard at the man beside him.
The other man went rigid on the spot, clearly shaken into silence.
It was domineering, yes—but that was the world they lived in. If they chose to grant you courtesy, they spoke of the law of the realm. If not, they let their fists deliver the lesson.
...
"They've left."
The tent flap was lifted, and Leda stepped into the finely decorated tent with heavy, deliberate strides.
Nolan, already changed into a fresh set of armor, sat quietly on the camp cot, lost in thought.
"Expected," he said. "I didn't cause you trouble, did I?"
He set the doll on his broad shoulder, the corner of his mouth lifting into a light, easy smile. Sunlight fell across his face, outlining him in a bright sheen.
"No," came the answer, steady and assured, as if everything were firmly under control. "They wouldn't dare make trouble."
"So damn cool. That's Captain Leda for you!" Nolan said, full of admiration, grinning as he gave a thumbs-up.
Leda pressed her lips together. "That's my line. Dragon-slaying, breaking a camp, killing nobles."
"If you'd fought like this earlier, His Highness wouldn't have sent you away."
There was a note of satisfaction in her voice, as though the lords' deaths were simply another entry on the knight's list of achievements.