Volume 3 Chapter 211

Volume 3 + Chapter 211: The Atmosphere Has Already Reached This Point

“Tia, wake up, we’ve already arrived in heaven!”

Xia Yi placed her hand on her fiancee’s cheek and gave it a squeeze.

This feeling in her hand… It really was so soft.

Touching it was a little addictive.

She couldn’t resist taking out her other hand as well, attacking both of Tia’s cheeks at once, kneading them as if she were rolling dumplings.

Unfortunately, the knight princess still gave no response, her eyes remaining closed as she slept on.

“Forget it. After all, you went through so many battles while alive, you must really be exhausted, wanting a proper rest. In that case, I’ll carry you!”

Xia Yi hoisted the knight princess onto her back.

Since the two of them were only about a head apart in height, even with Xia Yi’s petite loli build, carrying the knight princess wasn’t really a problem.

“How come after arriving in heaven, I don’t see any angels?”

Somewhat puzzled, Xia Yi looked around, then began moving, intending to walk out of this patch of forest first.

“Tia, I’m really sorry.”

“In the end, I couldn’t protect you, letting you die with me together in the purgatory of the subspace.”

“Even when I liberated the Holy Sword, I still wasn’t Samael’s match… But at the very least, I didn’t choose to yield, so I can be worthy of my title as the Human Sword Saint, right?”

On the road, Xia Yi muttered to herself — words that she had originally wanted to say straight to the knight princess’s heart.

“Ugh…”

From her back, the knight princess let out a faint moan.

Xia Yi wanted to seize this chance to wake her fiancee up.

But at that moment, the Holy Sword’s engraving lit up.

“Hiss!”

Xia Yi felt a sudden sting of pain.

She was puzzled. What was the Holy Sword trying to stir up this time? But soon after, she realized something was wrong.

Wait… if I’m dead, why would I feel pain?

And then, even more things felt off.

Tia was pressed tightly against Xia Yi’s back — she could feel her fiancée’s warmth, the beating of her heart.

If they were already dead, how could that be possible?

What’s more, thinking carefully, if she had really been defeated by Samael, then the Beast of Wrath would surely have incinerated her body, even her soul, leaving nothing — let alone allowing her to ascend to heaven.

Putting this all together…

She hadn’t died — she and the knight princess had returned to their original world?!

Realizing this, Xia Yi froze on the spot.

Because she hadn’t taken her conversion potion yet — right now she was still a silver-haired, silver-eyed, big-tailed dragon-loli!!

If the knight princess found out she was a dragon…

Xia Yi didn’t even dare to breathe.

“Xia Yi…?”

From her back came the knight princess’s faint voice.

In that instant, the silver-haired loli’s expression stiffened, as though plunged into an icy abyss — her hands and feet turned cold.

It’s over.

It’s really over!!

I’ve been exposed!!!

She didn’t even dare imagine the consequences. Humans hated dragons this much — if the knight princess woke up, wouldn’t she chop her down on the spot?!

She shut her eyes tight, sweat beading on her forehead, like a prisoner awaiting execution.

But after a long while, aside from calling her name that one time, the knight princess said nothing more.

From her back Xia Yi felt no change in the rhythm of her heartbeat, her breathing still steady.

Swallowing hard, Xia Yi stiffly turned her head — only to see—

The knight princess’s sleeping face.

So it turned out, for the knight princess, the liberation of the Holy Spear had been far too draining. Even when she heard Xia Yi’s voice calling, she only responded instinctively, but exhausted as she was, she still couldn’t wake up.

Thank goodness!!

Xia Yi’s face bloomed into a smile.

The whole thing had felt like riding a roller coaster — unbearable.

Taking advantage of the knight princess still being asleep, she hurriedly set her down against a tree, then slipped aside, took out the conversion potion, pried open the cork with her fingernail, and downed it in one gulp.

“Rua!!!”

Xia Yi stuck out her tiny tongue.

She had to admit, it tasted absolutely horrible. No matter how many times, she just couldn’t stand that flavor. Next time, she’d have to find a way to improve the formula — the conversion potion needed to be sweet.

After that, she endured the side effects of the potion. With experience, she was already used to it, and quickly suppressed the bloodline of the Silver Dragon royal clan, returning to her human appearance.

“Hoo!”

Xia Yi let out a sigh of relief. This time, she’d escaped danger by a hair’s breadth.

Luckily the Holy Sword had warned her in time. Otherwise, if she’d kept carrying the knight princess like that and been seen by others, she really would’ve been done for.

This time, the Holy Sword had performed great service!

“Thank you, my partner, Gram!!”

Xia Yi smiled at the Holy Sword’s engraving.

Though she really wanted to chat with the Holy Sword some more, for now it was more important to bring the knight princess back.

After all, during the battle, the knight princess had consumed far too much energy.

Unlike dragons, humans lacked powerful regenerative ability.

She picked the knight princess up on her back again, and relying on her wilderness survival skills, searched for a path through the forest.

It wasn’t long before she emerged from the woods — and right before her eyes was Laurel City.

So the place they’d been was just the forest on Laurel City’s outskirts.

This really shocked Xia Yi.

To think she had survived escaping the subspace purgatory — it was unbelievable.

Back then, she should’ve lost to Samael.

Shouldn’t the other side have killed her?

Would a legendary beast really just… spare the very life it was meant to annihilate?

Knowing the history of the Old World, Xia Yi understood well — legendary beasts were creations of the gods, punishments sent down upon any life that dared challenge divinity, bringing them calamity.

When the Old World ended and gave way to the current one, that wouldn’t have changed.

Just as humans need air to live, the legendary beasts’ instinct to exist was to slaughter life.

“I don’t get it… just what is Samael playing at?”

Xia Yi couldn’t figure it out. Perhaps, unless she confronted Samael directly, this question would remain forever unanswered.

……

After returning to Laurel City, Xia Yi was startled to find knights present?

Because of the Calamity Legion’s invasion, Laurel City was in ruins, most of its districts destroyed.

Near the rubble, countless knights were performing rites of prayer and baptism, seemingly purifying the lingering miasma of calamity.

From their armor and insignia, it was clear at a glance — these knights were from the Templar Order.

And indeed, the Templar Order specialized in such work — in the past, they had hunted witches and destroyed calamity beasts.

Xia Yi recalled that she’d been dragged into the subspace, fought Samael in a final duel, and then, even upon returning to this world, had lain unconscious for quite some time…

All told, several days must have passed.

If Laurel Academy had called for reinforcements from the Templar Order, then it made sense the reinforcements would have arrived by now, cleaning up the aftermath of battle.

“Little one, what are you doing here?”

A Templar knight noticed the black-haired loli carrying a small blonde girl, and, finding it strange, approached on his own initiative.

“This place is dangerous. Did you get separated from your family?”

“L-Little one!?”

Xia Yi’s cheek twitched.

She felt utterly provoked. Was this mockery?

Furious!

Furious!

FURIOUS!!

Just because she was short, she was a little kid?!

She was nearly thirty already — older than all of them put together!!

“Are you two alright? Are you injured, do you need treatment?” the knight asked with concern.

“I’m not little, I’m already an ADULT!!”

Xia Yi rose on tiptoe, trying to make herself look less short.

“I’m a student of Laurel Academy!!”

“Oh, my apologies, young lady. I was impolite just now. Please forgive me.” The Templar knight saluted.

Seeing such courtesy, Xia Yi didn’t press the matter.

But she did notice something.

Even though she was carrying the knight princess, the Templar knights hadn’t recognized her at first glance.

Sure enough, the knight princess rarely showed her true face, always clad in golden armor. Most Templar knights probably didn’t know her real appearance.

Xia Yi could understand — if the knight princess really revealed such a soft and cute look, it’d be hard to establish authority in the Templar Order.

“Young lady, do you require any assistance?” the knight explained. “I’m very sorry, but we are short on hands right now, purifying the calamity’s lingering aura. If you need help, you may go to Laurel Academy.”

“It’s fine. That’s exactly where I’m headed.” Xia Yi paused. “You’re the Templar Order’s reinforcements, right?”

“Yes,” the knight nodded. “After receiving Laurel Academy’s call for aid, we came. But by the time we arrived, the battle was already over. We are now handling the post-battle dangers.”

“Got it, I understand.”

After speaking with Xia Yi, the Templar knight returned to work.

Just as Xia Yi was about to leave, she overheard a troubling conversation.

“Will Lady Knight Princess… not come back?”

“Don’t say such ominous things! Lady Knight Princess is a hero!!”

“It’s been days with no word. Even the human Archmage says there’s no more hope. Laurel Academy is already preparing a memorial service…”

A memorial service?!

Xia Yi shivered all over.

No way… could it be…

A bad feeling gripped her heart. She quickly quickened her pace toward Laurel Academy.

……

……

Laurel Academy.

Biden stood in solemn attire before everyone.

At this moment, many students, teachers, and residents of Laurel City had gathered.

On every face was sorrow and regret.

“This invasion of calamity was the greatest crisis in the history of Laurel Academy.”

“But I am also proud, for in the face of calamity, our Academy did not surrender, but fought to the end, proving that we would never sit and wait for death in the face of disaster!”

“Under the leadership of Lord Sword Saint and Lady Knight Princess, we humans defeated the calamity! This day will surely be inscribed not only in the history of Laurel Academy, but in the annals of humanity itself!”

Biden’s speech, amplified through magic, reached every ear.

Hill bowed her head, silent.

“But sacrifice must not be forgotten. In this battle, we also lost many! For example, our outstanding student of Laurel Academy, Xia Yi · Lawrence. She fell at the very brink of dawn’s arrival — such a pity!”

Biden lifted his staff, tapped it.

A projected image appeared in the air — Xia Yi’s portrait. Her radiant smile in the black-and-white photo struck everyone with piercing contrast.

“Sigh…”

Biden let out a sigh.

Xia Yi and the knight princess had fallen into a spatial rift. It was basically certain they couldn’t return.

Who would’ve thought that after defeating the witch, when the battle should have been over, such a thing would happen — Xia Yi falling into the rift, dragging the knight princess along as well.

Because of this, the Templar Order even considered holding Laurel Academy accountable, claiming the student had caused the knight princess’s fate to become uncertain.

Laurel Academy was furious at this, especially Biden, who thought such thinking insulted the knight princess’s heroism. That was why he insisted on holding this memorial service. But under pressure from the Templar Order, he couldn’t include the knight princess in the mourning.

Staring at Xia Yi’s smiling face in the black-and-white photo, the Archmage of humanity felt deeply conflicted.

He didn’t even want to criticize this poor student’s usual misdeeds at the Academy — he only wanted her to depart with dignity.

“Student Xia Yi was one of Laurel Academy’s outstanding pupils, with remarkable talent and a future full of promise!”

“Not only Xia Yi — in this battle, we lost so many like her…”

“From now on, we will carry the burden of those who’ve gone, never forgetting that day, and continue forward for humanity’s sake!”

At this point, Biden’s old eyes overflowed with tears. He had never imagined that one day he would weep for this problem student.

Other classmates also showed grief on their faces, all filled with regret.

Her voice and smile seemed still present!

“Farewell!!” Biden’s voice even choked with sobs.

*DONG, DONG, DONG!*

Laurel Academy’s bells tolled, echoing over the campus.

“Ah, this…?”

Blended into the crowd, Xia Yi froze stiff at the sight.

She had a strange, subtle feeling — as if, since the atmosphere had already built up to this point, if she didn’t actually die, it would feel… impolite.

She didn’t know how she could possibly open her mouth now.

Just then, Biden wiped away his tears, glanced absentmindedly into the crowd — and spotted a familiar black-haired loli.

In an instant, his expression changed drastically. His heart nearly stopped, his staff almost flew from his hands.

“G-Ghost!!”