"Then what brings you here?"
Nolan's lips curved slightly, a faint smile on his face as he asked the Lunar Princess before him in a calm, gentle tone.
Ranni froze for a moment, then steadied herself, forcing her scattered thoughts back into order after her brief lapse. It took quite some time before she fully recovered the dignity befitting a princess.
When she finally looked up at Nolan again, she realized he was watching her with an expression of keen interest that seemed to be growing more intense by the second. In those eyes, there was even a trace of indulgence she couldn't quite ignore.
Damn it! I'm not a child!
Ranni fumed inwardly and shot Nolan a sharp glare. She quickly realized that might be inappropriate, however, and immediately reined in her emotions. Clearing her throat, she said,
"I merely heard from Latenna that this mission would be extremely dangerous, so I came to see whether my knight was safe."
"Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. To be remembered by you in such a way is truly an honor," Nolan said, lowering his head in a courteous bow.
The smile in his eyes didn't fade in the slightest. If anything, it carried an even stronger hint of teasing.
"Ahem… don't misunderstand. This is simply my duty as a sovereign," Ranni replied, maintaining a composed front.
"I bear responsibility for every loyal and fearless warrior under my command."
As she spoke, she stole a glance at Nolan. His expression looked increasingly strange, as though he had already seen through all her little thoughts.
Fine. The truth was simply that the freedom-loving princess found staying cooped up in the Sorcerer's tower unbearably dull, so she sent a projection to check on the troops and sneak out for a bit of fun. But that was obviously not something she could admit to her knight. Her authority would be in shambles.
A wave of embarrassment washed over her. She instinctively lowered her head, using the wide brim of her hat to hide her face.
For a brief moment, the tent fell into an awkward silence.
Nolan didn't say anything further. Latenna had likely already told her everything he wanted to convey.
Given the current situation, after taking Testu's Island, the next objectives should be the Cuckoo faction's main forces and Gatefront Town. As long as one of the remaining two obstacles was removed, the Raya Lucaria Academy would most likely shut its gates and withdraw from the conflict altogether.
Once that happened, all of Liurnia of the Lakes would be easy to bring under control.
Gatefront Town sat at the very heart of the lake region and was a critical strategic hub. In terms of importance, it could practically be considered the Academy's second main city.
Yet now, Her Highness seemed to have fallen into some strange state. She sat there quietly, having not spoken for quite a while.
"Forget what happened earlier," Ranni finally said. "I've already heard your thoughts from Latenna. Gatefront Town is indeed a crucial strategic location."
"But make no mistake, this won't be easy. Do you know who is currently in charge of defending Gatefront Town?"
"Who?" Nolan asked, intrigued.
"The Preceptor of Karolos, Seluvis."
At the sound of that name, realization dawned on Nolan at once.
That man was infamous for being disliked. Sending him off to guard a town was hardly surprising.
A Preceptor defending a city meant that even if the Academy had few dedicated combatants, it would be nearly impossible for a conventional army to take Gatefront Town by force.
Though Seluvis was best known for his mastery of puppet magic, that didn't mean his other spells were lacking.
Preceptors were devastating weapons on the battlefield. With just a few high-tier spells, even the most elite formations could be wiped out in the blink of an eye.
He lifted his head, a trace of gravity settling into his gaze, and said,
"Given the current situation, relying on taking Gatefront Town to solve everything doesn't seem realistic. Should we consider dealing with the Cuckoo first?"
"No. There's actually something important I haven't mentioned yet," Ranni replied. "Yesterday, a secret letter arrived from Gatefront Town. It was sent by Seluvis."
Seluvis?
At the sound of that name, Nolan frowned.
The conversation seemed to loop right back to what they had just been discussing, and it only deepened his confusion. If everyone already knew there was a Preceptor stationed there, then simply ordering the assault to be abandoned would have sufficed. Why bring up Seluvis specifically?
He wasn't anyone particularly important. His only notable trait was that obnoxious, unrestrained mouth of his.
Unwilling to waste time, Nolan turned his gaze toward Ranni and asked bluntly,
"Are you saying he wants to defect to Caria?"
Ranni nodded lightly.
"Yes. He claims he has always served the royal family as a Preceptor, and now wishes to turn over a new leaf and join us."
"Hmph. Interesting…" Nolan muttered, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Looks like that bastard still hasn't let go of his old schemes."
"Schemes? What do you mean?" Ranni tilted her head, genuinely puzzled. She clearly didn't know much about these Preceptors.
"That man enjoys turning people into puppets," Nolan explained. "And when he takes an interest in someone, it turns into an extremely twisted, obsessive fixation."
"How do you know that?" Ranni's curiosity was immediately piqued.
"My teacher once worked with him. He harbored disgusting desires toward my teacher. And I've also heard that he feels the same way about you…"
Ranni's brows drew together slightly, a flicker of displeasure flashing through her clear eyes. With her sharp mind, she easily understood the implication behind the unfinished sentence.
After a brief silence, she spoke slowly,
"So you're saying he harbors the same vile desires toward me, and that coming to Caria is part of some ulterior motive?"
"Exactly," Nolan said with a nod. "Otherwise, why would he come here now, when Caria's chances of victory aren't even settled?"
"If he truly wanted to serve the royal family, he should have joined us for 'further study' long ago. Why choose this moment of all times?"
As he spoke, Nolan shook his head, making no effort to hide his suspicion of Seluvis's intentions.
It had taken countless battles to create this three-way standoff. The towering tree had already grown tall, and now that wretch wanted to come over and enjoy the shade? Safe, and closer to his target at the same time. He certainly knew how to pick his moment.
A flash of anger crossed Ranni's delicate face.
She had never paid much attention to the Academy's internal affairs before, assuming Seluvis was merely disliked for his foul mouth. She had never imagined he harbored such filthy intentions.
Being reduced to a puppet under someone else's control wasn't just unrelated to what she sought. It ran completely counter to it.
In that brief instant, her revulsion toward Seluvis surged to its peak, leaving no room for reconciliation.
...
If you'd like to support my work and unlock advanced chapters, you can follow me on p-@-treon.
[email protected]/PinkSnake (50 Chapters Ahead).
You can also follow as a free member to read a few advanced chapters.