Chapter 113: His Highness's "Holy Blessing"

Now, it was time to deal with the trouble standing right in front of her.

Kill him?

His crimes, foolish as they were, didn’t warrant death. Besides, no matter how much of an idiot Alex was, he was still the Prince of the Human Kingdom. If he died here, regardless of the justification, it would become the perfect excuse for the humans to declare war—playing right into the hands of the undead.

Release him?

That was even less of an option. If she simply let him walk away after such an egregious offense, what would become of the elves’ dignity? Where would Her Majesty the Queen’s authority be?

Eldara’s gaze slowly swept across Alex’s face, which was twisted in a mask of pure fear. Her eyes, cold and sharp, finally settled on his chaotic, hollow pupils.

Then, the corners of her elegantly lined lips twitched upward by a few imperceptible degrees.

A brilliant plan, elegant in its cruelty, bloomed in her mind. It would serve as a fitting punishment, resolve the immediate political crisis, and ensure he would never, ever forget this day for the rest of his life.

“Get up.”

Eldara’s voice was once again an icy whisper, devoid of all warmth.

Alex jolted as if struck by lightning. He scrambled up from the ground on all fours, a pathetic sight, and practically fell back into his chair. He kept his head hung low, his shoulders trembling, his very breathing shallow and cautious.

“Your… your crimes do not warrant death.”

Those few words were like a ray of divine light piercing the deepest abyss.

Alex’s head snapped up, a wild, desperate joy erupting in his dead eyes. He was going to live.

“However,” Eldara’s next words were like an invisible giant hand, shoving him right back into the frozen cellar of his despair, “while you are spared the death penalty, you cannot escape punishment.”

Her voice hardened. “The foolishness of you and your sister nearly triggered a war between two races, threatening to plunge countless lives into misery and chaos.”

“You must take responsibility for this.”

“I… I’m willing! I’m willing to take responsibility!” Alex promised hurriedly, clutching at her words like a drowning man grabbing a piece of driftwood. “I’ll accept any punishment!”

Anything, as long as he could live!

“Very well.”

The curve at the corner of Eldara’s mouth became a fraction more pronounced.

She extended her fair right hand, palm facing upward. A soft, holy white orb of light slowly materialized, expanding in her palm. The sphere radiated a warm, peaceful aura, as if it possessed the power to purify all the filth and evil in the world.

“This is…” Alex watched, dazed by the sudden shift.

‘Whoa, hold up,’Celeste thought, her internal monologue kicking into high gear.’Isn’t the Commander a Death Knight? How the hell is she slinging Holy Light spells? Is this game’s class system that broken?!’She stared, completely stunned.’Wait a second… this aura… it feels weird,’she analyzed, narrowing her eyes.’It’s like there’s something else hidden inside the Holy Light…’She could feel it now—a trace of extremely restrained, chilling death energy coiled deep within the sacred radiance.’Oh my god. It’s not real Holy Light at all! She’s faking it with death energy! Commander, you’re playing a very dangerous game, you absolute madlass!’

“Given that the root of your mistakes lies in your uncontrollable, base desires,” Eldara’s voice was solemn and dignified, connecting with the gravitas of a deity reading a divine oracle.

“I shall bestow upon you a ‘Sacred Blessing’.”

“This blessing will help you purify the distracting thoughts in your heart, allowing you to discard worldly desires and become a ‘Saint’ of noble spirit, free from want.”

Alex listened, utterly bewildered.

A saint free from want?

It sounded… rather high-end?

But Celeste understood completely.

‘Pfft—! A ‘Sacred Blessing’?! Oh, I get it! This is just forced celibacy! She’s about to nuke his libido from orbit and put him in a permanent state of post-nut clarity!”Genius! Absolutely diabolical! Damn, Commander, you don’t just go for the kill, you go for the soul-crushing spiritual takedown. You’re a true professional at this.’

Celeste had to physically fight back her laughter, her shoulders shaking uncontrollably.

“You…” Alex finally pieced it together, his eyes widening in abject horror as he pointed a trembling finger at Eldara.

“You can’t do this to me! I am a prince! I still have to inherit the throne, to continue the royal lineage…”

“Whether I can or not is not for you to decide,” Eldara stated flatly, flicking her finger.

“Besides, this won’t stop you from fulfilling your duties.” A cruel smirk played on her lips. “It’s just that you will no longer have any interest in it.”

The orb of “Sacred Blessing” shot forward, a streak of white light that sank accurately into the center of Alex’s brow.

Alex’s entire body jolted violently, as if hit by a thunderbolt. Then, he went completely still.

That face, once distorted by fear and rage, was smoothed out as if by an invisible hand. The sweat vanished, the panic faded, and in its place was an indescribable calm and deep peace.

He blinked slowly. In those azure eyes, all desire, fear, and calculation had vanished, leaving only a clear, placid tranquility, like the surface of a mountain lake untouched by the wind.

He subconsciously recalled the image of the Elf Queen from that magic picture book, the one that had once made his blood boil with lust.

Oh, the Elf Queen in her youth was very beautiful.

Tall, very well-developed. The overall composition was harmonious and natural.

Her clothes were a bit sparse.

The light and shadow on the waterfall were handled well, and the dynamic capture of the water droplets was quite skillful.

That was all.

His heart felt no ripples; he even felt a strange urge to analyze the lighting angle used at the time.

He then tried to recall the beauties in the royal city, the ones with whom he had “exchanged artistic techniques” all night long.

Hmm, several human women.

Their expression management needed improvement, and their poses were a bit forced, sacrificing natural beauty merely to highlight the curves of their bodies.

Shallow.

Truly shallow.

His heart was as still as water, like an ancient well that had not seen a ripple in a thousand years.

Alex sat upright in his chair, his gaze distant, his expression peaceful. A trace of a compassionate smile—the kind one sees on a sage who has seen through the mortal world—hung on his lips.

He had attained enlightenment.

The flesh was but a shackle for the soul. And desire was the most boring rust on those shackles.

“This ‘blessing’ is not permanent.” Eldara’s cold voice shattered his “enlightenment.”

“Have your father, the Human King, send all the stolen magic books back to Dawn Harbor and return them to us, intact.”

“At that time, I will personally lift it for you.”

Eldara paused, then added another chilling sentence. “Remember, I must be the one to lift it. No other mage or priest can break this. You had better not entertain any foolish ideas.”

“Otherwise, you can simply remain a peaceful ‘Saint’ for the rest of your life.”

After speaking, Eldara turned and walked to the door, giving a slight nod to the old City Lord, Carlos.

“For the safety of the Prince, and to ensure my words reach the King’s ears exactly as spoken, I will trouble the City Lord to send a team of trusted men to ‘escort’ him back to the capital.”

“No problem, Commander!” The old City Lord immediately grasped the deep meaning behind the word “escort” and respectfully agreed.

Soon, several guards walked in, preparing to forcibly drag the Prince away.

But when they touched Alex, they froze, stunned.

Instead of resisting, the Prince stood up on his own and gave them a compassionate, gentle smile.

“There is no need for this, my brothers.”

He spoke softly, his voice warm and peaceful. “This path of atonement, I shall walk it myself.”

The guards looked at each other, completely bewildered.

With unhurried, graceful movements, Alex straightened his luxurious robes. He then folded his hands over his chest and bowed slightly to Eldara.

“Thank you for your guidance, which has allowed me to see the vanity of desire.”

Then, with steady, repentant steps, he walked out of the council chamber himself, leaving the guards staring after him in stunned silence.

As he crossed the threshold, he was still muttering to himself, “Vanity, all is vanity… the skin shall return to dust, only the soul is sublimated through suffering… I shall wash away my sins…”

Selene, startled by his bizarre transformation, whispered, “Is it really okay for him to go back looking like that?”

Celeste explained in a low voice, “He has to look like this. It’s the only way to make the King realize the seriousness of the problem.”

The room finally returned to silence.

The figure of City Lord Carlos appeared again. He dismissed the servants who wanted to clean the mess, personally serving steaming new cups of tea for everyone.

His back seemed much older now, his shoulders slumped as if the scene just now had drained most of his energy.

“Commander, thank you for your mercy in giving the Human Kingdom a chance to redeem its mistake.” Carlos stepped forward and gave Eldara a deep, formal bow, his voice hoarse with lingering fear.

‘Mercy? Does this old man have some kind of misunderstanding about the word mercy? This is clearly a devil’s contract!’Celeste complained wildly in her head.’Still, I like it.’

“It wasn’t your fault, City Lord,” Eldara’s voice softened slightly. She held a measure of respect for this responsible human elder.

Carlos gave a bitter smile and shook his head, putting down his teacup with a solemn expression. “Regardless, everyone in Stoneshold City owes you all a tremendous debt.”

“If you hadn’t arrived in time, Stoneshold City would have already become a paradise for the undead. I, Carlos de Ramon, along with the tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians in this city, have no way to repay you.”

He stood up and performed a solemn hand-to-chest salute to Eldara, Celeste, and the others.

“The city’s supplies are adequate, but high-level equipment and valuables are something I truly cannot offer right now. However, as long as it is within my power, if you have any needs, please do not hesitate to speak.”

‘Here it comes,’Celeste’s spirits instantly lifted.’Time to collect the reward after finishing the quest.’Her brain began to work rapidly.’What should I ask for? Gold coins? Equipment? Rare materials? Nah, I don’t really need any of those! It’s obviously better to get stuff from the elves’ side. The most critical thing is still finding that secret realm core!’

Eldara had clearly reached the same conclusion. She spoke calmly and decisively.

“City Lord, we don’t need anything else. We only require intelligence.”

“Intelligence?” Carlos was stunned for a moment.

“Intelligence regarding the undead.” In Eldara’s crimson eyes, killing intent gathered once more. “We pursued the undead here precisely to investigate the reason for their recent abnormal activity. Their offensive on Stoneshold City is just one part of a much larger plan.”

“I understand.” Carlos immediately caught on, his expression turning grim.

He walked to the wall, took out a thick roll of parchment from an inconspicuous hidden compartment, and spread it out on the large council table.

It was an incredibly detailed military map. The terrain, strongholds, and resource distribution of the Silent Forest and its surrounding areas were marked in different colored inks.

“Ever since the undead began showing unusual movements at the border, I have been sending scouts to track their actions.” Carlos’s finger moved across the map, his cloudy old eyes flashing with the sharp light of a veteran general.

“The undead’s actions seem disorganized, attacking everywhere, but in reality, every one of their raids points toward a clear goal—cutting off Stoneshold City’s connection with the outside world.”

He drew several circles on the map with a red ink pen.

“They destroyed our three watchtowers to the east, contaminated the water source to the south, and even ambushed the messenger we sent to the capital for help.”

“This siege of Stoneshold City was an even larger gathering of forces than ever before. If it weren’t for all of you…” Carlos shook his head, his heart still racing at the thought.

“Based on the intelligence the scouts brought back at the risk of their lives, and my own analysis of their troop movements,” his finger finally pointed to an area deep within the Silent Forest on the map, “I infer that the undead must have established a large-scale forward command center near here.”

“The terrain there is treacherous, an abandoned ancient fortress that is easy to defend and hard to attack. Using that as a base, they can radiate outward and organize such a large-scale offensive in a short amount of time.”

Eldara’s gaze fell on the circled area, her eyes as sharp as a blade.

Celeste also leaned in, carefully studying the map. The location the old City Lord marked was in the heart of the Silent Forest, surrounded by dense woods and swamps—it was indeed an excellent hidden location.

‘Professional! This old City Lord is definitely a pro at logistics and intelligence,’ Celeste gave Carlos a mental thumbs-up.

“Thank you for the information, City Lord,” Eldara said, withdrawing her gaze. “This will be very helpful to us.”

“It’s only my duty,” Carlos sighed. “Unfortunately, Stoneshold City has just gone through a bloody battle, and our troop losses are heavy. I truly cannot send any forces to act with you.”

“There is no need,” Eldara said flatly, her voice ringing with absolute confidence.

“To deal with the undead, our Silent Watch Knights are enough.”

[Elysian’s Note:

Having a good time with the story?

Every single bit helps immensely:

Thanks a ton for making this journey possible!]