Chapter 56
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Chapter 56: Made in Desperation (1)
"What?"
"It can’t be… In a war, how could there be none left?"
"Night Demon… Isn’t Night Demon after the territory of North Land?"
"…"
Soldiers kept raising their heads, staring in disbelief.
Leo quietly listened until their voices nearly drowned out, then suddenly raised his voice, "Who told you that Night Demon only wants land?"
"Eight years ago, the Duke of Tersk chased them for nearly a thousand miles, executing all the male Night Demons on the spot and capturing the females to sell as prostitutes."
"No prisoners and no mercy."
"Now, this group of terrible Night Demons has returned, filled with hatred for humans. Do you think they will let us go?"
"This huge fireball is the best evidence! The Night Demons will not leave us any way out!"
"They want to make sure that everyone inside this Winter Fortress dies, not one will be spared!"
"We cannot run away, none of us can escape!"
Leo’s voice rang out strong, like a sword piercing the hearts of the soldiers, shattering all their hopes.
Eddie fell to the ground with a thud, clutching his head and staring wide-eyed, mumbling, "It’s over, it’s all over, everything has ended!"
Luke was the same, standing lost in thought, his body swaying.
"Thud, thud, thud."
The sound of heartbeats echoed through the crowd.
The soldiers thought about their families and loved ones, praying desperately on the ground.
Eddie was right; it was all over.
The entire Winter Fortress was filled with a feeling of panic.
Just then, Leo shouted again, "Silence!"
"Over? Who says we are over? That is what the Night Demon says, not what we should say!"
"Sticking your neck out means death, hiding means death too. Are you cowards even afraid of the moment of death?"
"Lift your heads, you cowards! Lift your heads and look at me, look at this lady beside me! The Sword of Order has not left! The nobles of North Land have not left!"
The crowd was on the brink of collapse, but, listening to Leo’s words, they slowly lifted their heads.
Their eyes were fixed on Leo and Kalian, hoping to find a glimmer of hope from their words.
The mercenaries called by the summons were just the most ordinary soldiers of the Dawn Empire.
They did not have Spiritual Vision, and even if they believed in the church, they could not gain the power of the gods.
They were foolish, they were ignorant, they were timid, but they also longed to change their fate.
So, when they heard the Marquis of Logan tell them that if they held Winter Fortress, they could gain wealth and status, they came.
They never thought that every gift from fate already had a hidden price.
They regretted it, they were in despair.
It was only because they discovered that the nobles they trusted did not see them as the people of North Land at all.
They were just cannon fodder, just bait.
The nobles they trusted had long since disappeared without a trace.
They had no idea who they were fighting for.
Miss Kalian, who had been watching them, certainly felt their despair.
She did not speak.
She only made a gesture.
She took off the mask covering her face.
The glow of the setting sun was gradually swallowed by the rising silver moon, but her youthful yet stunning face made the moon seem dim in that moment.
All sounds suddenly stopped.
No arguments, no cries, no roars.
Everyone held their breath.
Kalian’s figure almost seemed to blend with the God of Order they envisioned, even though this shy girl did not believe in that deity at all.
But before these soldiers could pray to her earnestly, Kalian opened her mouth.
Her voice, strong yet gentle, almost drowned out the roar of Winter River crashing against the shore.
"My name is Kalian, Kalian Tersk. I am the sister of Marquis of Logan, Logan Tersk, and the daughter of Duke of Tersk, the ruler of North Land!"
"I am Kalian Tersk, the second heir of Tersk Territory!"
That youthful voice stirred up a wave among the crowd.
The soldiers, who had just been in despair, suddenly stood up, instinctively gripping their weapons.
The daughter of the King of North Land, the next candidate for the ruler of North Land, was right here, standing with them.
What does this mean?
This shows that the nobles of Tersk Territory have never given up on them.
They are not pawns; they are the people of North Land!
They are excited, they breathe quickly, and they have a strong leader.
And Kalian has not let their trust down.
She took a deep breath, looked at Leo, and then turned to her people:
"I know you are very afraid, very anxious, very uneasy, and very wronged."
"You came to this city by accident, and in a daze you found yourselves on the battlefield, with no noble willing to fight alongside you."
"To be honest, if I were you, I would also feel hopeless."
"That is why I am here."
"Warriors, I am here, and I will always be here!"
"The land of North Land belongs to the Tersk family, it belongs to the Order Sect, and above all, it is your home."
"As the daughter of the Duke of Tersk, I once vowed to protect forever."
"The people of North Land and to guard the land of North Land, so that those cruel and heartless outsiders do not step one foot over Mary Ann’s Great Wall."
"But now, my brother, my father, and I have broken our promise."
"We couldn’t stop this disaster and let the Night Demon Army invade our home."
"But I promise, I, Kalian Tersk, am not a coward, and I will not leave this Winter Fortress even a single step!"
"If the city falls, I will die together with all of you!"
"Please lend me your strength once more, lend it to the Tersk family one last time!"
The soldiers under the city wall looked at each other, and then, one soldier raised his right hand.
That was Eddie, who had planned to escape.
"For Miss Kalian! Fight to the death!"
"For Miss Kalian!"
"For Tersk!"
"Damn it! Night Demon isn’t letting us live anyway! Kill!"
"Damn it, we are fighting anyway, we can’t escape, kill!"
The battle cries rang out like a drumbeat in the crowd, at that moment, the soldiers’ spirits reached their highest point.
They had not been abandoned.
The king they supported was willing to die with them.
This is enough!
A smile appeared on Leo’s lips as he grasped his sword, pulled it swiftly, and pointed the tip at the northern city wall:
"The sun, moon, and rivers will always endure; the glory of North Land will last forever. My friends, follow me to defend the city!"
"Noble titles and lands are at stake in this battle!"
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