Numa Seika's brow furrowed tightly, his hands clenched into fists. He knew he lost everything.
The moment the castle gates opened, the state of the distant battlefield entered his sight. The hundred-thousand-strong army that should rightfully belong to him was currently cheering for Cerydra's subordinate.
This was nothing short of a humiliation for Numa Seika, yet he found himself without any means to reclaim what was originally his. He could only watch as it all drifted further away.
Strength, methods, public sentiment...
Everything about Cerydra stood above him!
Numa Seika was intelligent. He immediately judged the situation as extremely unfavorable, so he made the correct choice right away.
He would agree to all of Cerydra's demands.
Of course, this was merely a superficial compromise. Numa Seika believed in his own talent; there would surely be an opportunity in the future to take back everything!
'Is she not just a little girl? She isn't as tall as me, nor as old as me. Sooner or later, she will bow at my feet!'
Numa Seika chose to endure. He believed that one day in the future, Cerydra would certainly show a weakness.
When that time comes, Numa Seika will forcefully reclaim all that belongs to him and tell the kneeling Cerydra: "Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river—do not spurn a youth for being poor!"
However, there was one thing Numa Seika did not know... the enemy he was about to face was no simple character, but a transmigrator from another world who possessed total knowledge of this world's information.
How could a local native defeat a transmigrator so easily?
Do you think you are the Child of Destiny?
"Soldiers!"
Numa Seika's gaze swept across the officers and soldiers present, finally resting on Hysilens...
Was it this woman who repelled the nobles' army?
If there is an opportunity, I must find a way to win her over!
But for now, Numa Seika buried all these thoughts deep in his heart, his face wearing the expression befitting a prince.
Currently, he still held considerable utility for Cerydra, so she was unlikely to kill him—at least until she squeezed him dry.
Numa Seika must perform even more diligently; only then could he make Cerydra lower her guard toward him.
"The King of the North, my father Nusneck Seika, was assassinated last night... those treacherous nobles allied with the Empire to the south to murder my father."
"However, their target was not just my father, but me as well. That is why they dispatched sixty thousand troops to attack us, intending to leave us without a place for burial!"
With just two sentences, Numa Seika allowed the soldiers to understand why they faced an attack from the nobles tonight, while simultaneously causing expressions of indignation to appear on every soldier's face.
Those trash nobles who only know how to collect taxes actually dared to commit such an irreverent act? They even wanted to take their lives?
How could they be allowed to have their way!
Seeing the atmosphere being stirred up, Numa Seika did not linger. Instead, he looked beside him, for a blue-and-white young girl was already approaching everyone with elegant steps.
Not just this girl—accompanying Numa Seika were also a girl as cold as unyielding ice and another woman like the ocean.
In a place no one noticed, the corner of Numa Seika's eye twitched slightly. He discovered that he, a grown man, actually fell short of three girls who appeared younger than him...
This was a total disgrace!
Nevertheless, his mindset adjusted quickly. He used a loud voice to mask his agitated emotions.
"If we relied solely on ourselves, it would be difficult to defeat the elite of the nobles, yet in the end, we achieved victory... why is that?"
"Because our allies arrived to support us!"
The petite, blue girl Cerydra came before all the soldiers. Her face showed no hint of fear; instead, it was filled with intense confidence.
It was precisely this confidence that allowed the soldiers—some of whom still harbored lingering panic—to set aside their internal fears and begin to look at this girl seriously.
"The noble Cerydra, leading her Dux Gladiorium and Dux Alptraum, successfully thwarted the schemes of those nobles and saved us from fire and water. As the Prince of this nation, I cannot remain indifferent toward loyal subjects who have performed such deeds..."
Numa Seika turned, looking down at Cerydra. A flash of complexity crossed his eyes, but it ultimately transformed into words of gratitude.
"I thank you for your support!"
As the Prince's voice fell, the surrounding soldiers also took up their weapons, raising them high above their heads.
"Gratitude to Cerydra! Gratitude to the Dux Gladiorium! Gratitude to the Dux Alptraum!" xN
Before the soldiers could even revel in their joy, Numa Seika's voice rang out once more from the front, causing the surrounding air to turn tense.
"Brave soldiers! I wished to join you in crusading against those nobles to restore the dignity of the Northern Kingdom, but my body sustained unprecedented injuries during the battle. I fear I may never be able to take the battlefield again... but that does not mean I will give up!"
"Cerydra is a wise and loyal noble; otherwise, powerhouses like the Dux Gladiorium and the Dux Alptraum would not follow her. Therefore, I have made a final decision—"
Numa Seika swept his gaze over the soldiers, his eyes revealing a hint of pride and a sense of "not to be refused."
"My soldiers! Let Cerydra lead you onto the battlefield to crusade against those irreverent nobles!"
"Let those pieces of trash witness the dignity of the Northern Kingdom!"
Numa Seika's meaning was already clear. Since he no longer had the means to go to the battlefield, he would hand over his military authority to the person he trusted most.
This choice was naturally Cerydra, who had just come to his rescue. Every soldier saw this scene; not a single person stood up in opposition.
After all, if not for Cerydra, they would have already died on the battlefield. What was there to oppose?
Numa Seika clenched his fist and shouted loudly: "Cerydra!"
And responding to him, naturally, was the proud battle roar of the soldiers: "Cerydra!"
Facing this regular army of over a hundred thousand, Cerydra could not even stop her smile.
"I thank the Prince for his trust. I will continue to serve the Northern Kingdom with loyalty in my own way!"
Last night, Cerydra told all her subordinates that when the morning light returned, she would possess an army of over a hundred thousand.
At that time, almost no one believed her.
But now, Cerydra truly possessed an army of over a hundred thousand. What did this prove?
Cerydra was an extremely capable leader!
Following such a leader, would there be any lack of opportunities to win battles in the future?
Excitement showed on every soldier's face, yet only their Prince, Numa Seika—who had just granted Cerydra military power—held a look of resolve in his eyes...
'So what if you are strong now?'
'I said I will reclaim everything sooner or later...'
'Do not spurn a youth for being poor!'