"Do you want me to do it… or just you, Liana?" Gloria asked, already slipping on her glasses.
Liana looked carefully at the terrain ahead and then to the side, where faint distortions in the air hinted at hidden movement.
"Let's make sure none slip past," she said calmly. "You handle that area. I'll take the other."
"Well… alright~" Gloria smiled sweetly, acting as if they weren't about to ambush someone lying in wait.
Liana reached behind her and pulled out her magic bow. The bowboard was smooth and curved, shining faintly in the light as mana flowed through her fingers.
She waited for the perfect moment—her eyes fixed on a spot just beyond a crooked rock outcrop, where a faint flicker of movement was unnatural.
And then—movement.
She released her arrow.
A glowing arrow shot upward, trailing silver light. When it reached its highest point, it exploded in a flash of white light, raining down like burning mana sparks. Each droplet homed in on hidden targets below.
The ground erupted as several mana explosions bloomed across the field—smoke, sparks, and the sound of yelps from enemies caught in the blast, blades of light tearing through concealment.
Half a dozen halfling scouts staggered out of hiding—cloaks burned, illusions broken.
"Alright~" Liana said softly, lowering her bow. "Let's begin."
Felicia's eyes widened in alarm as the explosions lit up the area.
"H–Hey!! What if they're villagers—!"
Before she could finish, Liana let loose another mana arrow. It zipped low and fast, weaving between the rocks before detonating just above the ground. A pulse of bright light flashed, destroying the last of the halflings' cloaking illusions.
At the same moment, Gloria and Peanut vanished in a blur—no sound, no trace, just incredible speed.
Then, silence.
And then… screams.
Quick, sharp, precise.
Felicia turned, startled, just in time to see something flying toward her. A small figure—cloaked and burned—landed with a heavy thud not far from her Pekko's feet.
Then another.
And another.
Halfling scouts—each armed, lightly armored.
Felicia's breath caught in her throat. Her instincts told her clearly—these weren't innocent villagers. These were trained infiltrators.
Gloria reappeared a few meters ahead, sliding gracefully back into view. Her glasses still on, her smile calm.
"Ara~ that should be all of them on my side."
Liana stepped down from Pikko, checking the bodies. "Same here."
Felicia said nothing, her heart pounding from how fast everything had happened.
How easily they handled it.
How clean.
Felicia finally couldn't hold back and shouted, staring at the fallen halflings around her.
"How?!" she demanded. "How do you both do this? Without even checking first?"
Liana tilted her head with a calm expression.
"Hmm? Didn't you notice?"
"Notice what?" Felicia snapped, frustration clear in her voice.
Gloria gently smiled and lifted her hand, lightly taping her glasses.
Felicia blinked, eyes narrowing.
"Those… glasses?"
"Mm-hm~" Gloria hummed. "Not just for fashion."
"They let us see mana flow," Liana explained. "Disguises. Illusions. Magical suppressions. Even hostility. Every single one of them was radiating cloaked combat mana."
Felicia's eyebrows knitted as she looked between them.
"All I saw was a bunch of cloaks," she muttered.
Gloria slid her glasses down a little on her nose, smiling.
"Ara~ That's because your eyes aren't trained… yet."
Liana smirked.
"Welcome to the difference between instinct and precision."
Felicia clenched her fists, feeling her pride sting. But beneath that, a flicker of curiosity sparked inside her.
Before Liana could say anything else, a loud sound suddenly echoed across the field—heavy footsteps pounding the earth. But these weren't hooves; they were even larger, heavier, more beastly.
A squad of beastkin warriors riding huge battle wolves rushed forward, teeth bared and eyes sharp. Dust clouds rose as they surrounded the three girls in a wide semicircle, weapons raised, growls low.
"You're all surrounded!" the lead beastkin barked. "Surrender now or face the consequences—!"
Then, shock flashed in his eyes.
"A-Ah! P-Princess Felicia!"
Felicia turned slowly, her gaze falling coldly on the disorganized group.
She blinked once, then her brow furrowed in clear disdain.
"Those uniforms… all messy," she muttered coldly.
Her eyes narrowed even further.
"And those weapons… not polished."
She clicked her tongue.
"And those armors—shiny? Not at all!"
The whole squad suddenly stiffened in their saddles, some nervously glancing at their weapons, others rubbing dirt off their armor in a panic.
"P-Princess! We didn't know you were—!"
"Quiet," Felicia snapped with royal authority. She stepped forward, sharp and commanding. "What are your names? Your ranks? And who's your commander?"
The soldiers froze completely.
Gloria leaned toward Liana, giggling softly.
"Ara~ her pride is back."
Liana crossed her arms, smirking.
"Mm. She might really fit in here after all."
The moment Felicia took a step forward, a wave of dread washed over the beastkin soldiers.
All of them felt the same chilling, unavoidable truth:
They were doomed.
Now, she stood in front of them, arms crossed, her expression as cold and sharp as a polished blade.
Felicia let out a quiet sigh, her gaze methodically scanning each soldier's armor, stance, and the haphazardly fastened belts.
"Uniforms are supposed to symbolize discipline," she said in a calm, steady tone. "You represent the Marrenthold garrison, yet not a single buckle is aligned. Helmets crooked. Weapons unpolished. And your beast mounts… don't even get me started on how poorly they're groomed."
One soldier nearly fainted at her words.
"Was there a reason," Felicia continued, her tone cool and controlled, "that you thought it was acceptable to greet unknown targets while looking like this?"
"Tell me," she added, her voice low and sharp—no need for shouting—"who is in charge here?"
Her piercing gaze, serious and utterly composed, was enough to make every soldier stiffen as if struck in the spine. Searᴄh the NovelZone.fun website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.
Without hesitation, all of them turned and pointed to the same person.
The squad leader at the front froze. "A-Ah! I—I'm not the real leader here, Princess! It's… it's Captain Juraban!"
Felicia's gaze swept over them like icy wind. Her silence alone made their tails bristle and their ears twitch.
Then, she raised a finger and pointed behind her—toward the scattered corpses of the halflings and the wreckage from Liana and Gloria's earlier attack.
"Now. All of you—clean this up. Immediately."
Nobody moved. For one long moment, her command hung in the air like a death sentence.
"And," Felicia's voice rang out like an executioner's bell, "I will personally meet this Captain Juraban."
The soldiers scrambled into action.
Even the wolves whimpered in fear.
Liana leaned against Pikko, sighing contentedly.
"Ahh~ what a view."
Gloria nodded with a gentle smile.
"Ara~ she's truly terrifying when she's calm~ I love it."
( End of Chapter )