The night was still thick as unresolvable ink before the rooster's crow, yet light cavalry had already set out from the vanguard camp. Scouts, cloaked tightly, their horses' hooves wrapped in burlap, made almost inaudible soft sounds on the military road. They were the elite picked by Herman from the vanguard, paving the way for the main army, and their methods were quite cautious.
Three riders were closest to the refugee camp—the leader, Colin, marked by a scar over his left eye, was experienced; the other two were twin brothers, skilled at tracking in dense forests.
Shortly after leaving the city, the three left the military road and plunged into the dense forest to the side. The shadows of the leaves concealed their figures, and only the occasional startled night bird proved that living creatures were hidden in the woods. Herman's plan was meticulous: the main force would depart at dawn, and the scouts would probe three to four hours in advance, both to avoid the risk of night ambushes and to ascertain the enemy's strength before the main army arrived. He never fought unprepared battles; even when raiding, he wanted to be a step ahead of others.
Just past nine o'clock, with the sun hanging obliquely overhead, Colin's horse suddenly stopped. The empty camp across the stream was like a forgotten patch, its stone walls gray in the morning light. A blue dress on the clothesline still fluttered in the wind, and wooden barrels and firewood were scattered on the ground, as if someone had just left.
"Something's wrong," Colin raised his hand, signaling a halt. He squinted at the camp gate, seeing it ajar, silent within, as if a gap intentionally left open.
The elder of the twin brothers, unable to restrain himself, drew his bow and nocked an arrow: "Who cares? We'll know once we go in."
Just then, an unfamiliar male voice suddenly boomed from deep within the empty camp, like thunder rolling over water: "This place is a foreign embassy, equivalent to foreign territory. You may not trespass without permission, or it will be considered a declaration of war on our country!"
The voice was not loud, but it carried a metallic hardness, echoing in the valley. Colin and the twins simultaneously drew their swords, looking around warily—the empty camp was bare, not even a bird in sight. The voice seemed to emerge from the stones.
"So what if we trespass? Do you dare kill us?" the younger brother spat, pointing his scabbard at the empty camp. "The Empire's iron hooves have crushed seventeen kingdoms; are we afraid of such an unknown nobody?"
Colin stared at the ajar camp gate, then suddenly smiled: "Whatever embassy it is, search it! If they're hiding people, let them see the might of the Imperial Army."
The three riders kicked open the camp gate, their horses' hooves overturning basins and trampling clothes, turning the camp upside down. They found not a single person.
"Look, fresh footprints here!" the younger brother exclaimed, spotting a trace in a damp hollow.
Colin felt the soil, rubbed it, and then kneaded the mud kicked up by his boots, saying, "This soil seems recently trod. They can't have gone far. Pursue!"
As they followed the tracks up the hill, the sunlight became increasingly blinding, making it impossible to open their eyes. Suddenly, Colin's horse reared up, its front hooves kicking wildly in the air. There was no path ahead; a white city wall rose straight into the clouds, its winding battlements like ferocious fangs, and on top stood a blonde woman, her longbow drawn to a full moon.
"An ambush..." the elder brother's voice trembled. He finally understood the purpose of the empty camp—it wasn't an escape, but bait.
"Run!" Colin scrambled back onto his horse, turning it around without even securing the reins. "Report! Hurry back with the news!"
The sharp twang of a vibrating bowstring cut through the wind.
The first arrow pierced the elder brother's neck, the goose feather on the arrow's tail sinking half an inch—it was the most common goose feather, durable and cheap. The second arrow struck the younger brother's horse's leg, and man and beast tumbled down the steep slope with a dull thud of breaking bones.
Colin galloped away, hunched over his horse's back, the wind behind him carrying the chill of the arrowheads. He dared not look back, praying he would escape. After a long while, no more arrows came. Colin glanced back and saw that the woman had already put away her longbow, but he couldn't fathom why. Colin's only thought now was to report this fortress to General Herman as quickly as possible.
Posses, on the city wall, put away her longbow and watched Colin depart. It wasn't that she was out of arrows or beyond range; Posses had deliberately let him go. If not a single living soul were left, the vanguard might have marched straight for Italica.
"The noble young lady deliberately let the scout go," Chén Yàn said as he sat in the command center, watching the real-time images from the hovering airship. He already knew what Argo was thinking: "She intentionally let the scout go to lure the enemy's main force here, yet she remains here herself. Should I praise her courage?"
"Are you moved?" Argo's electronic voice carried a rare hint of teasing. Chén Yàn merely shook his head. "Women like that clearly distinguish between emotion and responsibility. I wouldn't dare want such a person."
"Big liar." Argo knew Chén Yàn was speaking contrary to his heart. He was afraid that one day he would disappear from this world; what would happen to the woman who loved Chén Yàn so dearly?
Unfazed by Argo's exposure of his lie, Chén Yàn replied, "If you say so." He simply gave up and let it be.
Colin, who had escaped back to the vanguard, knelt before Herman, his disheveled state a stark contrast to his previous spirited demeanor.
"General... there's a white fortress on the hilltop! The walls are terrifyingly high, and there's a blonde woman who killed Hans with one arrow..." He stammered, omitting any mention of the "dark holes." In his view, they were perhaps ordinary arrow slits, not worth mentioning.
"A fortress?" Herman frowned, stepping on Colin's back. "What kind of fortress? How many troops? What are its defenses?"
"I... I didn't see any troops, just one woman..." Colin's face was pressed into the mud, his voice muffled. "The wall is white, winding, and it looks... it looks quite sturdy."
"Useless!" Herman's boot ground over Colin's spine, then he suddenly laughed, the sound laced with impatience. "A tattered fortress defended by one woman is fit to be a stumbling block for this general? Transmit my orders: the entire army will accelerate! We will tear down that wall before dark and show the main force behind us what efficiency looks like!"
Meanwhile, at the main army camp thirty miles away, Duran stood before the sand table, watching the red chess piece representing the vanguard gradually move towards Italica. A guard reported: "General, Herman has changed course midway; it seems he's heading for Mount Olympus."
Duran's fingertip traced the hills on the map, and he sneered, "Let him go." What he was waiting for was for Herman to run into a wall—preferably a mutual destruction, so that the Emperor would understand who was truly in control of the battlefield.
It was noon. Although the red dot representing the main force had not yet appeared on the radar screen, reconnaissance drones had already detected the enemy's movements. Argo quickly calculated the enemy's marching speed and arrival time, its electronic voice calm and ripple-free: "Drones have locked onto the vanguard main force twenty kilometers away, numbering 15,000, a mixed force of infantry and cavalry, marching at a steady pace. Based on this calculation, it will take two hours and seventeen minutes to reach the city walls, and at least another hour to deploy the siege formation—before 2 PM, this place is safe."
"2 PM, a rather awkward time, isn't it." My stomach was empty, yet felt like it was stuffed with damp cotton. The thought of the fire from the cannons and the fallen people made even my breathing feel labored.
Argo's lens swiveled towards him, a faint blue light reflecting from the optical lens. "You didn't understand what I meant."
"Then what do you want to say?" Chén Yàn looked up, the redness in his eyes particularly noticeable in the blue light.
"I want to say that you should go eat." The electronic voice remained steady, but inexplicably carried a tone of unquestionable authority.
"I'm afraid I'll throw up later, so I won't eat." He waved his hand, his gaze falling back to the sand table. "My stomach isn't as strong as the city walls."
"You don't have to eat, but what about the refugees? And the young lady and her Yellow Roses, should we let them starve too?" The lens swept across the ravelin. Posses' blonde hair glinted in the sun. She was talking to a knight, her hand resting on the parapet, the warmth in her palm colder than stone.
Chén Yàn was silent for a few seconds, then suddenly smiled, a hint of helplessness in his laughter. "Hmm... We can't do that. They'll say we're impolite." As he stood up, the taut string in his heart finally relaxed by half an inch.
"It's good that you understand." Argo's optical lens flashed with a faint gleam, as if to say, 'I really can't stand you.' "I'll watch things here. You go complete your duties."
Chén Yàn went down to the second-floor dining room, only to find a scene like a wake. The children were fine; their attention was captured by the novelty of the sofas and furniture, and they were even planning to "explore" everywhere. But the adults were not doing well; their eyes still held the fear of death.
This was unavoidable. After hearing about the fall of Karelia, they encountered bandit raids, and after finally having two peaceful days, the Imperial Army attacked again. It was impossible to make them let go of their fear unless a miracle occurred. Chén Yàn understood Argo's good intentions.
"This won't do," Chén Yàn patted his face, forcing himself to cheer up. "I am their spiritual pillar. If I fall first, how can this work?"
Chén Yàn swept away the gloom on his face, put on a professional smile, and mingled with the refugees, saying, "Everyone, don't worry. This fortress is very strong. Argo and I built it with all our might. The Imperial Army won't get in even if they break their heads."
The refugees forced out smiles. They believed Chén Yàn, but the psychological shadow couldn't be dispelled so easily.
"Lord Chén Yàn, I heard the Imperial Army has over a hundred thousand men. Can this work?" Hawk's hands trembled, not from an old injury, but from uncontrollable inner fear that transmitted to his body.
"The number is indeed terrifying, but the terrain here is treacherous, allowing at most a few thousand to deploy. This number of troops is insufficient." After hearing Chén Yàn's explanation, Hawk finally felt relieved. "That's true. If they can't attack together, it becomes a tactic of attrition. It's good that the fortress is built on a hill."
"Lord Chén Yàn, you worked so hard to build this house, and we're unable to defend it..." Barry's words represented the opinion of most. Their eyes were full of guilt. But Chén Yàn didn't think so. "If the house is gone, it can be rebuilt. This is a small matter for Argo and me. But if people are gone, then there's truly nothing left. Your lives are the treasures I absolutely cannot lose."
Chén Yàn's words ignited the hope of survival in the refugees' hearts. They nodded one after another, wiping away tears from the corners of their eyes. This was the first time someone had told them their lives were treasures, not blades of grass that could be trampled anywhere.
"Right! If the house is gone, we'll just rebuild it. I'll help too!" "Me too!" "Count me in!" "Me too, me too!" Even the children raised their small hands, let alone the adults.
Seeing the refugees' morale boosted, Chén Yàn finally let go of his worries. "Aila, go call Miss Posses and the Yellow Roses. We're preparing to have lunch."
"Okay, I'm going now." Aila left the headquarters building with light, quick steps.
Upon hearing the word "lunch," a rumble rose from the dining room. People naturally feel hungry after relaxing. The refugees smiled awkwardly, while Chén Yàn went to the kitchen to order everyone's lunch.
"Lord Chén Yàn, is there anything we can help with?" Lina, Kasha, and their group of friends gathered around. When it came to cooking, they all thought it was a woman's duty, but this restaurant had no stoves, pots, or pans, so they didn't know where to start.
"This machine will prepare the meals we want. Only I know how to use it now. When there's a chance, I'll teach you then." Chén Yàn intended for them to give up for now, but Lina and the others refused to accept it. "Then... we can't just sit and wait. Is there anything we can do?"
Chén Yàn thought for a moment and said, "Then help me serve the food. I'll tell you who to give it to, and you'll bring it to them. Do you understand?"
"Understood, we'll listen to you." The young ladies high-fived each other in celebration, which reminded Chén Yàn of something else. "Wash your hands before you eat. This is my rule here. Dirty hands will cause stomach problems."
"But there's no well here, nor any buckets," Lina tilted her little head. In their understanding, water was either in a stream or a well, and they needed buckets to draw it up.
"See the sink over there? There's a curved iron pipe above it. That's an induction faucet; it dispenses water when you touch it and turns off automatically when you move away. Take the children over there to wash."
The young ladies immediately began to divide tasks. Lina went to attend to the younger children. Kasha and the others went to try the faucet. When water came out, everyone exclaimed.
"It's so magical, it just dispenses water by itself." "What's so special about this? I've seen the fountains in the Imperial Capital, and they're even higher than this." "Who are you talking to? This is for washing hands. If it were that big, it would be for bathing." "I just saw a bathhouse on the first floor. I wonder if I can use it. I haven't..." Although Kasha wanted to continue, Lina made a shushing gesture with her hand. Perhaps since the start of their flight, the girls hadn't bathed, but they were too ashamed to say it. Chén Yàn thought, 'I'll have Argo teach them how to use the bathrooms later.'
Because there were many children, they were washed first, followed by the elderly and adults. After they were all seated, Chén Yàn called Lina and the others to serve the food.
"This is the hamburger steak set, for the children. The portions are the same for everyone, one set per person." Fragrant rice was topped with a thick slice of hamburger steak drizzled with sauce, accompanied by vegetables and a fried egg, emitting a rich aroma that made one's mouth water. "It's meat! It's meat!" the children cheered. How long had it been since they'd eaten meat? No one could say.
"This is meat, but it's not animal meat; it's meat synthesized from plant protein. Although the texture and nutrition are similar, I really didn't kill anything." Chén Yàn said this, and the children let out disappointed sounds, "Ah..." "It's not meat." "As long as there's food, I don't mind." Although some children said they didn't mind, they still felt a bit disappointed. However, they were sensible and knew they were receiving a favor and shouldn't show their disappointment.
"Lord Chén Yàn made this specially for you. If you have any complaints, don't eat it." Lina's brows furrowed, looking genuinely angry. The old women originally wanted to say something, but seeing Lina take the lead, they remained silent. Education is education; it doesn't matter who does it, someone has to play the bad cop.
"It's okay. Although this isn't real meat, it tastes just as good as real meat. Try it if you don't believe me." The children couldn't use knives and forks, so they used spoons to scoop a piece into their mouths and chew, then let out "Mmm!" sounds. "How about that? Didn't I say it was good?" The first child to try couldn't speak with his mouth full of hamburger steak and could only nod in response. The remaining children, seeing this, also began to grab and stuff their mouths, their faces a mixture of surprise, happiness, and satisfaction, which amused the adults.
"Is it really that good?" The children nodded in unison, piquing the curiosity of the adults.
"Lina, this is for the elders." Chén Yàn brought out a mixed congee. Fragrant rice porridge with nutritious ingredients, specially made with consideration for the elders' teeth and stomachs. Even the elderly, who usually claimed to have no appetite, ate it with relish.
Now it was the adults' turn. Seeing the elderly and children eating, they kept swallowing. Barry and Hawk, in particular, wondered what kind of food Chén Yàn had ordered for them.
"Do you want hard or soft?"
"What kind of question is that?" While Barry was still wondering, Kasha and the others immediately raised their hands and shouted: "I want hard!" "Me too." "Then I'll have soft." The young ladies had already made their choices. Barry and Hawk looked at each other, then quickly shouted, "Hard!" "Soft!"
"Got it." Chén Yàn brought out the rice bowl, noodles, and dumpling sets. "Those who like it hard get the rice bowl; those who like it soft get the noodles and dumplings. If you want to try both, share with your companions."
Just as everyone had picked up their meals and was about to feast, they suddenly realized they didn't know how to use chopsticks. "How do we use these?" Kasha waved her chopsticks around excitedly. Chén Yàn took them and demonstrated. "You hold them like this, using your fingers, to separate and bring the two chopsticks together, then separate them again to grip things."
The girls learned quickly, as did Hawk, who, being a former carpenter, was very adept at operating and using tools. Lina and Barry were a bit clumsy, so Chén Yàn brought out forks for them to use.
At this moment, Posses and the Yellow Roses finally arrived.
"Why did it take so long?" Chén Yàn was puzzled. To his surprise, Posses stepped forward to apologize.
"My apologies. I inspected the entire city wall. Aila was not wrong."
"I didn't say anyone was wrong..." Chén Yàn's words were interrupted by a loud stomach rumble that echoed through the dining room. A member of the Yellow Rose team clutched her stomach and raised her hand apologetically, saying, "Sorry, I couldn't help it when I smelled this aroma."
Although the female knight's face turned red, she didn't try to hide it. After all, it wasn't something to be ashamed of; those who were open and straightforward wouldn't be ridiculed.
Following her, more stomach growls erupted one after another. One or two would have been fine, but the entire team's stomachs were rumbling, making Posses's face truly lose its composure.
"It's my oversight. We haven't eaten a bite since we set out last night." They had drunk water, but that only quenched thirst, it couldn't fill their stomachs! So Chén Yàn quickly said, "Then what are you waiting for? Come and get your meals."
Chén Yàn prepared Western-style meals for Posses and her knight order—steak, savory soup, and bread. After all, they had a certain status, and the knights had high physical demands, so the menu needed to be differentiated from the refugees.
"Please dine at the empty seats over there. It's inconvenient to wear armor." "Understood, thank you for your consideration." Posses led the Yellow Rose Knights to sit on the other side of the refugees. Although the armor's joints were movable, sitting too close would inevitably lead to bumping into the surroundings. And as if they had prior experience, they were very familiar with the meal trays. Chén Yàn hadn't said anything before they were already taking their trays to their seats.
Next up was Aila, the little glutton. After making her meal, he'd be done. But thinking about having to do this again for dinner, Chén Yàn started to get a headache.
"Argo, can't you control the automatic cooking machine remotely?"
"Although it's possible, I suggest you teach them how to use it. This can be considered self-reliance."
"But..." Before Chén Yàn could finish, Aila started complaining. "Is it ready yet? I'm starving."
"Hmm..." Chén Yàn gritted his teeth, decided to go all the way, and pulled Aila to his side, then taught her step-by-step how to operate the automatic cooking machine.
"This is truly magical. There's no fire, no ingredients, yet it can make dishes." Must she be the cheerful type of girl? Although Aila couldn't understand the text on the menu, she easily memorized the operating method. After all, with a few more tries, remembering which dish corresponded to each menu item, it wasn't that difficult to use.
Perhaps Aila didn't know how much force to apply when pressing the menu buttons, because the dish she selected produced two servings. Now, Chén Yàn had to help finish one.
Walking past the Yellow Roses' dining area with their trays, they noticed their distinct characteristics. For example, the knights from common backgrounds were less particular about their eating. They would bite directly into the steak with their forks or pick up the bread with their hands to gnaw on it. The knights from retainer families, however, were more refined. They would cut the steak into small pieces with their knives and forks before eating it, tear the bread into small pieces, and drink their soup elegantly. A prime example of this was Posses, a paragon of aristocratic demeanor.
Seeing Chén Yàn pass by, she made no sound but merely nodded lightly. Her silverware never clashed, making no noise—truly a perfect noble young lady.