I’m Really Not Trying to Be Chased by the Heroine as the Villainous Playboy! – Chapter 555

Chapter 102: The Hidden Danger of a Bad Ending

“That water’s off!”

“Don’t let him touch you!”

Indeed, the Demon Race influenced by mind magic isn’t as easily scared as humans, but as long as there’s wisdom, there will always be some hesitation.

The Purifying Blade is a total one-sided attack against low-level undead creatures. Thousands of undead are helpless against only Roy, resorting to merely shooting arrows to harass him, too afraid to swarm him completely.

Just a mere rain of arrows is easily dodged by the Golden-Winged Griffin’s speed.

“Lady Britney! Now’s our chance!”

At the boy’s shout, Britney jolted awake.

“Retreat!”

Most of the Winter Iron Guards are bear cavalry, and when they really run, four legs are definitely faster than two.

Seeing the situation go south, the undead wanted to pursue, but every time they got close, they were blocked by the sweeping Purifying Whip.

Roy didn’t linger in battle, keeping a distance that didn’t allow close combat. After fending off the pursuers, he rode Cheese into the sky. Whenever the enemy got too close, he’d swoop down, crack a whip, and fly away.

The undead might have the advantage in numbers but couldn’t withstand the Purifying Whip and couldn’t hit the griffin soaring above. After chasing for a while, they lost hundreds of soldiers for nothing, just watching Britney and the others retreat safely, left on the spot in impotent rage.

Once they reached a safe zone at the center of Snowwind Fortress, the boy riding the griffin landed and learned the detailed battle situation from Britney.

Roy couldn’t help but frown upon hearing one thing: “Is Teacher Xue Nuo planning to abandon Snowwind Fortress?”

From the moment he saw the Demon Race, Roy had a bad feeling, but the situation was even worse than he had feared.

“It’s just a temporary retreat,” Britney said, looking equally bitter but not losing her fighting spirit. “These demons are numerous and well-prepared. Sticking it out in the city would only lead to meaningless sacrifices.”

“Let’s retreat to the southern Quiet Wind City, mobilize reinforcements, and then retake Snowwind Fortress when the time is right!”

Coming from a noble knight family, Roy understood a bit about military strategy. Hearing her words, he quickly grasped the current situation.

Snowwind Fortress, being the closest stronghold to the Desperate Defense Line, was indeed important.

But with a sudden attack from the Demon Race plunging everything into chaos, it would not only fail to hold Snowwind Fortress, but also waste valuable forces. It would be better to retreat, regroup, and then call for reinforcements to retake the fortress—if they moved quickly enough, the recently occupying undead might not hold their ground.

A strategic retreat, a reasonable judgment.

“Moreover, there’s that scumbag Winter Ross. Partnering with demons and cultists, he’s truly a disgrace to us imperial folk!” Saying this, Britney angrily vented her frustrations and disdain.

Upon hearing this, Roy was taken aback: “Winter?”

“Exactly! It’s him! Even if the cultists used some sort of teleportation sorcery, how could our Snowwind Fortress defenders have been caught off guard if it weren’t for Winter’s guards acting as insiders setting up the messenger ambush?!”

“Damn it, we really underestimated the royal family’s bottom line!”

While Britney’s curses rang in his ears, Roy was lost in thought, feeling something was off.

Something’s not right.

Abandoning Snowwind Fortress to retreat to Quiet Wind City might seem like a perfect option.

Especially exposing Winter’s crimes to brand him as colluding with enemies of humanity, which would severely undermine the royal family’s prestige and bolster the nobility’s righteous standing on the borders.

But in the original story’s bad ending, Xue Nuo still faced defeat and never mentioned collusion between the prince and enemies of humanity!

“Did he never think about the consequences of such evil acts being made public? At that point, let alone border nobility, even those inland would disdain to ally with the royal family…”

Britney’s words stunned Roy, changing his expression.

“What if he’s already anticipated it?”

“What?” Britney chuckled, “If he anticipated it, why would he risk allying with cultists and demons…!”

Seeing the boy’s grim expression, Britney couldn’t laugh any longer.

Exactly, considering how deeply he’s plotted, how could he not think about this point?

Unless Winter was already prepared, confident that the news wouldn’t get out! Ensuring Xue Nuo would undoubtedly fail in the upcoming conflict!

And Roy knew clearly that Winter had succeeded.

In a bad ending, whether retreating to Quiet Wind City to regroup or exposing Winter’s misdeeds to claim the moral high ground, none of it would likely materialize, leaving hidden dangers for Xue Nuo’s defeat to follow.

Unless someone could turn it all around.

Just then, two terrifying waves of extraordinary power erupted from the south. There was Xue Nuo’s aura, and another even more sinister one—exactly the undead powerhouse Roy had been wary of before the chaos began.

“I’ll go ahead! Stay safe!”

The boy pulled the reins, riding his griffin southward in a hurry.

——————————

After the initial chaos, thousands of troops finally managed to retreat outside the city, beginning a systematic withdrawal southward.

To the south of Snowwind Fortress lay a massive ice lake formed from the snow mountains, completely frozen at this time, providing the most reliable footing. Taking this route to Quiet Wind City is much closer than going through the snow forest.

On the vast icy plain, the Silver-Haired Girl rode her silver wolf, looking back at the billowing smoke of Snowwind Fortress, feeling somewhat melancholic.

Next to her, the old earl on the brown bear said with concern: “Miss Xue Nuo, this is the only way.”

“We will take it back.”

Her moment of weakness was fleeting; when she regained her gaze, Xue Nuo had already returned to the cold arrogance a lord should have: “I know.”

She looked at the representatives from various border nobility gathered around, solemnly saying: “You all must have seen Winter’s crimes.”

“To ally with demons and cultists to seize power on the borders, he has completely betrayed the former emperor’s oath; he is the enemy of my borders!”

The nobles nodded in agreement, all united in their sentiment against a common enemy.

“Rest assured, I will definitely inform my father about this!”

“The royal family is unjust; we can’t be blamed for being merciless!”

“If Miss Xue Nuo raises an army to take down the thief, we will all do our utmost to defend the borders and the peace of the empire!”

If before, Xue Nuo had merely held prestige and the borders were a scattered mess, now the imperial evils had instead pushed them all onto the same boat, prompting a resolute alliance with Xue Nuo for self-preservation.

After all, if they dared to ally with the cannibalistic demons and the morally bankrupt cultists, what else wouldn’t the royal family dare to do?

Even the nobles, who feared death and shied away from disputes, now had no choice but to team up with Xue Nuo for self-protection.

Watching the silver-haired girl surrounded by the nobility, the old earl momentarily saw echoes of the former archduke, feeling a mix of emotions.

The little girl from back then could now stand alone and command the borders.

If the former archduke were to know, he would surely be proud of Xue Nuo. However, this road would undoubtedly be filled with blood and thorns, and it was far from what he would have wanted to see.

So too for Barry.

All along, he had been striving for peace, for the borders, for the empire, and for Xue Nuo.

Unfortunately, the imperial royalty, blinded by power, ultimately didn’t give them that opportunity…

But partnering with humanity’s enemies and making such a huge commotion was hardly good for the royal family’s own reputation…

Just as the old earl was puzzled, an unexpected twist arose.

From beneath the snow, pale hands suddenly emerged, grasping at the soldiers’ feet.

Skeletons and rotting corpses surged from below, completely disrupting the army’s march.

At the same time, from the opposite snow forest, a horde of cavalry riding skeletal horses thundered out, like a sharp sword, plunging fiercely into the ranks, brandishing their swords and charging towards Xue Nuo and the others!