I’m Really Not Trying to Be Chased by the Heroine as the Villainous Playboy! – Chapter 821

Chapter 34: Help from All Sides

Aside from the allies, Xue Nuo and the others really put in a lot of effort.

Xue Nuo returned from the Kingdom of Gold Sands to the imperial border, deciding to dispatch reinforcements from the north. Nia wrote to her mother, requesting the Emerald Council to send troops for support.

“Is it really okay to have the empire send troops for us? And aren’t the descendants of elves known for not getting involved in foreign affairs?”

At first, Charlotte was a bit at a loss.

“You’re overthinking it. In the face of otherworldly threats, aiding neighboring countries is simply our duty. Besides, your knight and my apprentice have shed blood for the imperial border—now is the time to repay that.”

“Oh come on, we’re practically family now! How can this even be considered foreign affairs? I was looking forward to vacationing with Roy, and we can’t just let a dragon ruin that!”

In the face of danger, the girls showed a rare sisterly bond that even moved Roy a little.

Alright, alright, understanding mutual assistance—that’s my wings! I hope you all keep it up!

However, the supposed obedient wing, the Destined Saintess, was throwing a tantrum this time.

The blonde girl had a face full of disbelief: “Master, why can’t Alice go too?”

“Right now, Alice is already Sequence 5; she won’t hold you back, and being the maid of the Ainbrad family, it’s my duty for her to serve the Lionheart Kingdom!”

Faced with the increasingly persistent little maid, Roy could only raise his hands in surrender: “I know you’re anxious, but please don’t rush.”

“Alice is strong, but one Sequence 5 isn’t going to tip the scales in a war. Also, the goddess’s power inside you hasn’t fully settled yet; using too much energy is dangerous for you.”

“But…”

“That doesn’t mean I don’t need your strength.”

Roy softened his voice, cupping her lovely face and looking directly into her eyes: “I need you to help me as the Saintess.”

“Rally the followers of the Holy Light and gather the White Harbor Army—it’s more effective than you fighting on the front lines.”

“Can I count on you, Milady Saintess?”

With that, the girl’s expression instantly softened, her eyes sparkling.

Not being able to personally lend a hand was a bit disappointing, but at least contributing to her master gave Alice enough comfort.

After a brief moment of silence, Alice finally sighed in relief and perked up again: “In that case, Alice will listen to her master and help out as the Saintess.”

“That’s more like it.”

Roy smiled, reaching out to ruffle her fluffy blonde head, leaving Nia speechless.

Previously viewing them as master and servant was reasonable, but thinking about the countless followers who believed in her, the originally pristine Destined Saintess now nuzzled like a little puppy in Roy’s hand—it made Nia sigh in exasperation.

“So being a Saintess is also your task, Master? If the Holy Light followers found out, they would probably weep…”

“Well, the goddess isn’t exactly a good person. Is there a problem with Alice believing in her master?”

Alice’s quirky logic once again left Nia dumbfounded.

Considering the church’s indifference and the goddess’s absence of miracles, she really had no way to argue that!

And with a sense of duty, Alice felt she had not betrayed Roy’s trust in her.

In fact, she might have gone a bit overboard.

The Destined Saintess gave a speech at the Academy City, calling on all Holy Light followers throughout the Western Continent to aid the Lionheart Kingdom in battling the dragons.

It was just the most ordinary of speeches, but knowing she couldn’t protect her master in person and needed to support the kingdom, Alice couldn’t help but tear up, bowing her head and letting out a few quiet sobs.

She understood what she was supposed to do, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t worried about Roy.

It didn’t feel great watching someone precious head into danger. Especially after expressing her feelings to Roy, it became increasingly difficult for Alice to suppress her emotions, and she couldn’t hold back the tears anymore.

For other speakers, those few tears would come off as insincere, merely the result of eye drops.

But coming from a Saintess who usually had a poker face, it was quite something. It was pure kindness at its peak.

“Lady Saintess is crying!”

“Is it any wonder? That’s the homeland of the Lady Saintess!”

“What a kind-hearted soul, filled with compassion!”

“Exactly! Our fellow countrymen are in crisis; how can we stand by idly as compatriots?!”

The followers of the Holy Light were deeply moved, and in no time, a surge of support for the kingdom emerged. People contributed money and strength, even declaring that if you didn’t help, you weren’t worthy of being a follower, resulting in an explosive promotional effect.

Before Alice’s request to gather the White Harbor Army had even been sent out, a good number of volunteers had already arrived at the Academy City as reinforcements.

In just a week, Roy gathered hundreds of mages, hundreds of clergy, and thousands of ordinary infantry along with a large amount of logistical supplies.

Though it didn’t seem like many, each faction’s extraordinary army in the Western Continent only numbered around a thousand.

Two hundred extraordinary troops on the battlefield would undoubtedly outperform hundreds of regular soldiers.

Moreover, the true backbone of the reinforcements was the more than three hundred Lionheart students.

Not to mention they all bore extraordinary blood, half of them were Griffin Knights who had passed the Griffin Trial.

Most importantly, many of them were nobles with combat experience against dragons and military command; they were the most valuable core of this reinforcements.

A week later, the reinforcements had gathered.

Accompanied by the cheers and encouragement from the people of Academy City, the reinforcements slowly made their way down the streets.

After receiving the blonde Saintess’s personal blessing and bidding farewell to the elven girl amidst the crowd, Roy turned back, mounted on his Golden-Winged Griffin, and closely followed behind the princess riding the golden-red Griffin.

Stepping out of the city gates, they ventured into the unknown.

——————————

In the Lionheart Kingdom, southern fortress.

Surrounded by mountains and densely forested, deep within the mountains lay an ancient fortress long forgotten.

Time had left deep scars on the old fortifications, with moss and even thriving vegetation clinging to the walls. At first glance, it resembled an ancient beast curled up in place, lacking its former majesty and vitality.

However, the walls and barriers had not succumbed to decay over time.

The knights retreating here held the last line of defense, bringing down dragons rampant across the skies under their fireballs and crossbows, creating a no-fly zone.

For the refugees and defeated troops that poured in, this was their last hope.

With the gates wide open, people fleeing here surged in, some kneeling and unable to rise, others collapsing from exhaustion, and some streaming tears as they fervently praised the noble knights of the kingdom.

Yet, looking at the scene beneath the city gates, every noble of the kingdom wore a grim expression.

What seemed like a beautiful picture was merely a glimmer of light in the darkness, while inside the fortress, it was already overcrowded, with every soldier’s face written with fatigue.

Even if this last hope was real, the southern fortress was indeed on the verge of collapse, teetering on the brink.