### Chapter 9: Southern Line (2)
The Empire is vast, and if you were to look down from above, you’d see its territory sprawled out in a horizontal oval shape.
Wider east to west, but short from north to south.
To the east lies an endless desert, where the territory of the Demon Race intersects with that of the Monster Race.
To the west is an ocean so vast that no one knows if there’s land at its end.
Meanwhile, the south is a tangled mess of marshlands and forests, a downright inhospitable zone that’s perfect for breeding all sorts of beasts!
Thus, the southern border turned into a battlefield for the Empire’s troops and hordes of wild beasts, lovingly dubbed the Southern Line.
In the north, things are a bit too chill—literally. The north border meets an expansive ice field where a slew of cold-resistant beasts reside. The good news? These ice field creatures don’t come to mess with the Empire too often.
Still, they’ve got plenty of defenses up there, because one can never be too careful!
This setup has resulted in the Empire being embroiled in an ongoing war between the Northern and Southern Lines ever since its founding.
Outside the southern city gate of the Imperial Capital,
A young man clad in half armor—because who wears a full suit while riding?—held the reins of his horse while lugging around a ridiculously large heavy sword, nearly five feet long. He leisurely stopped near a bustling highway and took a glance back at the Empire’s most prosperous city.
The Imperial Capital isn’t far from the Southern Line battlefield; with all the determination in the world, one could reach the front lines in three days and nights of non-stop galloping.
Konglif decided it was time to return to the Southern Line. After nearly a year of living like a couch potato in the capital, he felt more rusty than a forgotten bicycle in a shed—it just didn’t sit right.
But let’s not go into all that…
Konglif flicked his whip, and his horse galloped southward down the road.
However, he didn’t notice that shortly after he left the city gate, a petite figure had also sprouted up and was closely following him.
As night fell, Konglif found a dry cave, lit a campfire, and prepared to rest for a few hours.
But just as he closed his eyes, soaking in the warmth from the fire, his battlefield-honed instincts kicked in. He rolled over with a fluid motion, drawing his heavy sword and pointing it menacingly at a shadow that suddenly appeared at the cave entrance.
“Who’s there?!”
Konglif growled softly.
“It’s me…”
Recognizing that familiar voice, Konglif froze.
The shadow stepped closer before plopping itself down beside the fire, extending its hands to enjoy the warmth of the flames.
“What are you thinking?! You snuck out! Do you have any idea how worried your family is?!”
The figure pushed back its hood, revealing long, light-yellow hair cascading down its shoulders.
Edith said coolly, “What’s wrong? Don’t you miss me at all? Just going to throw me out when you see me?”
Konglif was quick to respond, “No! That’s not it! It’s just… since our families called off the engagement, and I heard the Crown Prince has an interest in you… coming with me could ruin your reputation!”
Silence hung in the air as Edith paused.
Her eyes sparkled in the flickering firelight, like a light shining from within.
Konglif sat cross-legged across from her and pulled out a piece of frozen dried meat from his pocket.
“You must be starving after running for so long. Eat something, rest for the night, and I’ll take you back to the city in the morning before we wander too far.”
“Konglif! You j*rk! j*rk!”
Suddenly, Edith lunged at Konglif, burying herself in his arms.
He stiffened, but once he felt her soft and lively body against him, he couldn’t help but wrap his arms around her waist. The mingling scent of sweat was intoxicating, like a fine wine aged for a hundred years.
Under the flickering flames, their silhouettes clung tighter, rolling around on the ground, breathing heavily, and squealing with delight.
Repressed emotions burst free like a fountain at that moment.
Who was thinking about tomorrow? Right now, this moment was their true haven.
Every collision was a meeting of body and soul.
Edith’s delicate fingers seemed to embed into Konglif’s broad shoulders; in any position, she wanted to merge completely with him, never to part again.
A night rolled by.
The campfire had turned to ash, and the cave was strewn with the remnants of their little nighttime adventure.
Konglif woke up.
He leaned against the cold rock wall, while in his arms lay a boiling hot body.
Kissing Edith’s long, graceful neck, he realized that Trissa’s previous spot had been completely usurped by Edith.
He was aware that though they were childhood friends with a touch of innocent love, their families had declared the union off, causing their bond to fracture.
Many times, Konglif regretted not having the courage to chase after Trissa.
Maybe they would have had a chance together.
But being with Edith had taught him what true love really meant.
That burning determination ignited a spark of love for Edith within him.
Sorry, Trissa. It seems that what I thought was a forced situation was actually my true love all along.
Once Edith was honored as an S-Class Harpist, she became the talk of the town, capturing the attention of not just numerous nobles but even the Crown Prince himself.
Of course, Edith’s family wasted no time in tearing up the engagement, tossing Konglif aside like yesterday’s news. Seriously, marrying the Crown Prince could lead to becoming Queen one day—how could Konglif compete with that level of glory?
Feeling utterly downtrodden, Konglif decided to return to the Southern Line, thinking maybe some fighting could wash away his shame and lighten his heavy heart.
Yet he never expected Edith to chase after him, disregarding everything!
That bravery and determination hit him like a ton of bricks. From then on, he was ensnared and unable to break free.
Yes, since Edith had made her choice,
As a man, he had to step up and ensure she would never cry for him again.
“Let’s go, we’ll head to the Southern Line together.”
Konglif gazed into her eyes, “Only there can we find our freedom.”
Edith buried herself in his embrace, feeling the first pangs of pain in some sensitive areas, preventing her from moving easily.
“I’ll follow your lead.”
…
At the Southern Line, atop the fortress built by the Empire’s troops over many years, patrolling soldiers widened their eyes, bracing for an unexpected beast ambush.
Their battles against the beasts had never ceased.
But for a whole week, they hadn’t spotted any of the pesky monsters in the marshlands, leaving everyone puzzled.
However, deep in the thickets they couldn’t patrol,
A massive gathering of beasts formed, and among them stood a tall, blonde-haired, blue-eyed demoness.
