Why Am I a Priestess When I Reach the Maximum Level? - [Vol. 5] Chapter 259

[Vol. 5] Chapter 259: The Choice of Two Holy Knights

After comforting the young girl who survived, Edwina had her knights escort her away for rest, examination, and treatment. Soon after, another Holy Knight, a young man also covered in blood but with a gaze of unshaken resolve and wisdom, arrived at Edwina’s side.

Edwina pulled her holy sword from the ground, purged the tainted blood from it with golden flames, then sheathed it before turning to the newcomer.

“Ah, it’s Holy Knight Clatius. Is the battle on your side over?”

“Yes.”

The young Holy Knight, who had joined the raid with the military, removed his helmet and glanced at the girl, who was sniffling as she walked away under the guidance of a temple knight. His expression softened slightly.

“A survivor?”

Edwina nodded slightly.

“Yes, it’s an unexpected miracle. While our timely intervention played a role, the fact that life still remains after [Slaughter]’s massacre is perhaps also thanks to the Goddess’s protection.”

“…This has nothing to do with the Goddess. It’s a miracle born of great parental love.”

Clatius only had to glance at the remains of the farm couple to deduce the circumstances, and he voiced his disagreement.

“Perhaps,” Edwina replied with a faint smile.

Knowing that debating such topics with this strong-willed high-ranking Holy Knight was likely pointless, and having had years of experience dealing with Arlin Ulysses, who shared a similar disposition, Edwina knew how to handle someone with his personality. She merely nodded in acknowledgment and shifted the topic.

“The girl’s parents are gone, and the village has been wiped out. I plan to take her with me for now and see if we can find a suitable place to settle her, or perhaps bring her to the Angel City to become a nun. I checked briefly just now, she has quite a good aptitude for holy light and seems to have some theological education already.”

Hearing this, Clatius frowned, appearing somewhat opposed.

“Is that really wise? We’re on a long-range mission, moving constantly, and there’s always the risk of an ambush. We don’t have the extra resources to care for one person.”

“Besides, we can’t rule out the possibility that she’s a spy, left intentionally by the demons as a spy in our ranks. If she were possessed by a top-level ‘Soul-Eating Demon’, it could easily mimic her behavior, and we’re in no condition to detect such a thing right now.”

Hearing his statement, Edwina lifted her gaze, her golden eyes meeting his light blue ones.

But this time, Edwina didn’t back down.

“Holy Knight Clatius, are you suggesting we abandon that child? Do you think there’s any real chance a girl barely ten years old could survive on her own in a place like this?”

“Acting Commander Edwina, I believe that, as the leader of a force of this size and carrying out a mission critical to the outcome of the holy war, now is not the time to act on sentiment or take unnecessary risks for the sake of one or two individuals.”

“……”

Seeing that Clatius still maintained his strict stance, Edwina furrowed her brow, about to respond further. But then, he unexpectedly smiled and added,

“But if we, as protectors of our nation and people, cannot even safeguard a young girl like her, how can we claim to be fighting a holy war? How can we speak of salvation?”

“Hm? You…”

If she couldn’t understand his meaning even after this, then Miss Edwina probably wouldn’t be fit to serve as acting commander.

After all, at heart, she’s always been a top graduate from the Holy Academy, certainly not lacking in intelligence.

With this sudden change in attitude, Clatius no longer maintained that stern, serious demeanor. Instead, as if acknowledging something, he smiled at her with a hint of ease.

“Acting Commander Edwina, you’re truly remarkable. To be honest, those old folks forgot the true essence of the Real Goddess’ teachings. Ah… please keep this between us and don’t tell the people from Lambe… that family that I said that.”

Before Edwina could feel surprised, the young Holy Knight casually shifted the conversation.

“Alright, back to the main topic. The reason I came to speak with you was to discuss some matters… You’ve probably noticed as well that our recent assault on Angel City has begun to show its effects.”

Clatius took out a strategic map from his coat, crouched down, and spread it on a relatively clean patch of ground.

“Look, we’re currently here. Recently, there’s been a noticeable increase in demon forces moving in the surrounding areas. This suggests that the enemy has become aware of the threat we pose and is actively trying to locate and eliminate us.”

The prior assault on Angel City hadn’t actually breached the city’s defenses. After launching a large-scale attack, the forces had quickly withdrawn. But ultimately, Edwina’s unit wasn’t aiming to capture the city.

They had only around three thousand cavalry. No matter how elite, nor how underdefended Angel City might be, capturing a fortress-level city with such limited numbers was unrealistic. Even if they managed to win, holding the city would be impossible.

The “Besiege Wei to Rescue Zhao” strategy proposed by a certain fox lady hinges on deception and misdirection. They pretended to attack Angel City, only to strike and then retreat swiftly, keeping the demons from accurately assessing the true situation of this infiltrating unit. [1]

The siege was fake. The objective was to divert the demons’ attention from the frontline battlefield, forcing them to split their focus. This would alleviate pressure on Yuna’s forces in the main battle, creating opportunities for a counteroffensive.

Thus…

Taking a seat on a nearby stone, Edwina glanced around at the temple knights rapidly clearing the battlefield and searching for possible survivors, nodding slightly.

“This is a good thing. Although the pressure on us will continue to grow, with the constant risk of being pursued and wiped out, the more demons we hold here, the lighter the burden on Lady Yuna’s front…”

“We need to change our strategy next.”

“Hmm?”

Hearing this unexpected suggestion, Edwina gave a puzzled look, but Clatius paid it no mind. Instead, he tapped the map with his finger, signaling her to take a closer look.

“Acting Commander Edwina, don’t underestimate the demons’ intelligence. The fact that they’ve formulated a strategy of lying in wait and striking at Angel City indicates they have some strategists working behind the scenes. We may fool them temporarily, but it’s impossible to keep them in the dark forever.”

“Look, we’re currently positioned 40 kilometers north of Angel City, in this basin area. From our last skirmish south of Angel City yesterday, we’ve moved almost 100 kilometers straight north, and between us are multiple defensive lines set up by the demons.”

“In just a day, we’ve covered an extensive distance rapidly. Combined with our previous operations, the enemy likely realizes we possess some kind of special, versatile method of rapid movement. Although we’ve avoided revealing those flight wings to the demons, it’s probably only a matter of time before they catch on due to our losses.”

“Knight Clatius, are you suggesting…?”

Rather than answer Edwina’s question immediately, the young knight looked up and asked her in return.

“Generally speaking, there’s an inverse relationship between an army’s mobility and its size. Acting Commander, if you were in the demons’ position and discovered a highly mobile, elusive force operating deep within your territory, what strategy would you use to counter it?”

“…I’d gather a concentrated force, cast a wide net, and hunt them down swiftly to eliminate the threat and secure the rear. Otherwise, it could spell serious trouble.”

“Exactly.”

Clatius smiled, as though holding the answer.

“Honestly, that lady Dawn’s way of thinking has inspired me greatly. When everyone expects each other’s next move, it’s crucial to do the unexpected and act against conventional thinking.”

“The main objective of our raid has already been achieved. Clinging to the initial strategy would be too predictable and a lesser choice. So…”

He pointed his finger on the map, to a small riverside town named ‘Sacchino.’

“Not only should we stop playing hide-and-seek with the demons, but we should also move west immediately, using our soon-to-be-exposed rapid movement capabilities one last time. We’ll strike directly at the demon army, weakened by their split forces.

“We’ll become the decisive force to turn the tide of the battlefield.”

TL Note:

[1]

Breakdown of the Chinese Phrase: Besieging Wei to rescue Zhao
Meaning: It’s a Chinese military strategy that involves attacking an enemy’s homeland or a place they value, forcing them to withdraw troops from the primary battleground. It’s a way to achieve a goal indirectly by attacking a related but less expected target.