At the same time, Veer looked at Eleana, who did nothing to stop the departing figure she had previously been fighting. Before disappearing, the figure took one last look at Veer and Eleana. Veer gritted his teeth, but all he could do was watch her go through the gap created by Noelle.
Eleana looked at the disappearing figure, her visage somewhat covered in dirt and marked by fatigue from all the fighting she had done. The moon in the background disappeared as she told Veer, "It will be very difficult to trail them."
"Are you okay?" she asked with worry. Her voice was also laced with strangeness.
Veer nodded as Eleana said with a sigh, "So, what should we do with her?"
Veer got up unsteadily and said, "I am barely able to move. Let's rest a bit and carry her."
Then he asked, his voice faint, "Just who is she?"
Eleana said in a somewhat stiff voice, "She rarely shows herself. Even I didn't realize that the Void Black Knight was, in fact, Noelle's sister- Nyelle. Even then, she has grown so much—it's astonishing. But why was she even here?"
Eleana then looked strangely at Veer as he gave her a dubious look. Veer was barely managing to remain conscious.
Eleana sighed and said, "Forget it. Let's just ask when she awakens…"
As she spoke, Veer suddenly fainted and started to fall. Eleana rushed forward and caught him, slowly lowering him to rest.
She looked at him and checked his pulse. She breathed a sigh of relief as she took out a vial. She looked at the vial and then, with one hand, gently opened his mouth and fed him a bit of medicine.
When she was done, she looked at Nyelle, Noelle's sister, as she slowly walked toward her. She murmured, "How could she trail us? It's only possible if someone had told her that."
"But who? Eryssa? John?"
Eleana herself sat down as she rested and pondered while looking around. Slowly, her slight injuries seemed to heal automatically. She looked at Veer in the distance as she slowly fixed her ruffled white hair that flowed like water.
Thoughts came into her mind as she murmured faintly, "Why can't I remember why Noelle is like this toward Veer?"
...
After resting for some time, Veer's eyelids twitched as he woke up to see two faces staring at him. Noelle's sister looked annoyed and said as her red hair fell down, "Well, Princess, shall we go? How were your sweet dreams…?"
Veer was dumbfounded for a moment, and it took a while to register her words. His expression darkened when he remembered how he had almost suffered at Noelle's hands. He said in an angry voice, "It's all because of your sister… damn it."
Eleana just extended her hand, and Veer grabbed it. It felt cold, and he stood up.
He looked at Eleana's face as she casually pulled her white hair back. Nyelle, the Black Knight, meanwhile, looked between Veer and Eleana as she said, "Ah… should we move out?"
Eleana nodded. "Yes, let's go."
Veer asked as he looked around briefly, "What about this place? Should we inform someone first?"
Nyelle raised her eyebrow as Eleana said, looking at her sword as she sheathed it, "You don't need to do this."
Veer nodded as he looked at the escape route. Eleana had already made a climbing path, which Veer climbed, while Noelle's sister and Eleana also jumped rapidly and got out of the secret area.
Before going through, he took one last look down and wondered what was beyond that door with colorful lights.
As they came up, Veer clapped his hands to remove the dirt as Noelle's sister was muttering, "I thought the princess would owe me one, but it's the opposite…"
Eleana asked her, surprised, "What? Which princess?"
Veer wondered if Eryssa was the one who had secretly sent Nyelle to protect him. He found it ironic as he wondered who was protecting whom.
Noelle's sister shook her head in response. Two strange sounds arose from both Eleana's and Nyelle's armor before Eleana could ask again. They came from medallions attached to their waists, each with an intricate, layered design of a bow wielder. Both of their faces grew grave.
Veer asked, looking at their faces, "What happened, ahh… Noelle's sister?"
She remarked a bit angrily, "Call me Nyelle, and… don't ask anything… just follow us back," as she started running back.
Veer didn't understand her sudden urgency as he looked toward Eleana for clarification.
Eleana also followed her, saying to Veer, "There is an emergency… Let's go quickly."
Veer was confused, and Eleana seemed the same. She said, "We have been called back to gather quickly."
As Veer went past the Puppet Bazaar, he found many of the puppet shops destroyed and disintegrated and could not help but look at Nyelle. She really did not care about the surroundings at all. Many shops were being repaired, and Veer wondered why she was so damn destructive.
He made a note not to provoke her.
As they moved past the bazaar, he could see people rapidly running here and there. As he went past the place where he had met that strange pair of children, he subconsciously looked around but immediately increased his pace.
Beyond the bazaar, the knights and guards in the area were preparing. Just then, there was a loud siren, and a voice drifted everywhere…
People around stopped their activities. Everyone paused to hear the announcement:
"I am the Grey Knight, Clayren, and I command all Golden Knights, other than protectors, to report to their respective superiors within a prahar…"
Nyelle's voice was rushed as she said, "You… boy, get your ass over to the princess quickly, and Eleana, follow me…"
Veer became angry again, but he didn't voice anything. Eleana nodded as she murmured, "So it was Eryssa."
Veer was grateful to Eryssa as they moved toward the horse stables. Faint voices reached his ears as he passed by...
"Quick… the war is about to start…"
"Oh, Goddess Prissa, protect us… help our soldiers…"
"Mom… look at that big sister… She's so beautiful…"
"Hush… It's the White Knight Eleana…"
People seemed to recognize Eleana a lot, and Nyelle seemed to gaze at Eleana's body every now and then.
They reached the nearby stable and boarded the horses, preparing to set off.
Two people were looking at the trio as Nyelle said, "What are you looking at?"
"Are you going to ask this lady for money…?"
As she looked at them, the two young men started trembling, and Eleana shouted, "Enough…"
She took out two silver coins and handed them over as they went off. The two young men managing the stable looked at each other as they wiped their sweat.
Sometime later, the trio separated to go their own ways.
As Veer rode the horse, his thoughts wandered. The sound of the people's chorus and the sounds of children playing were in deep contrast to the turmoil in his heart. The question gnawed at his heart: Who was he? What was his identity that caused him to be targeted repeatedly? The horse's neighing finally broke his reverie.
...
In Eryssa's quarters, Eryssa and Lythria were standing on a balcony. Eryssa sighed, "So, it's already here…"
Lythria asked, looking beyond as her golden hair fell around her, "Why announce it to everyone? Doesn't it raise panic?"
Eryssa looked at her as she said, "From a civil standpoint, yes… But maybe there are other things they are considering?"
Lythria blinked her eyes as she asked, "Like what?"
Eryssa said, laughing gently, "Like alerting the enemy…"
Lythria laughed as she shook her head. "How much have you improved your spirit control?"
Eryssa shook her head and smiled. "It's good, but not enough compared to your White Lotus manifestation…"
Lythria's gaze deepened as she asked, "I don't want to pry, but did you send a message some time ago… to whom? Don't tell me it involves Veer…"
Eryssa said softly, gazing deeply at Lythria, "He's always up to something, so I sent someone to see if everything was okay…"
Both girls looked at each other for a brief moment. On the far horizon, in the knights' field, a number of knights were orderly arranging themselves. The atmosphere was grave, but as the wind blew through the hair of both girls, they seemed to smile at each other.
Lythria was about to break the silence when a voice came from below: "Are you guys okay?"
It was Veer. He had come back.
Eryssa and Lythria were startled to see Veer's armor broken, and they said in unison, "We're fine… but what did you do again? Why is your armor broken?"
Veer sighed and said, "I am coming up… let's talk…"
He looked back at the fields, where most of the knights were gathering, his thoughts unknown. He gently went upstairs, looking at the few Silver Guards standing outside, who bowed as he passed by.
...
In the knights' field, which was to the east of the great Drudar Castle, the Grey Knight in complete armor looked at her assembled Black Knights as she focused on Eleana and her tattered silver clothes. Then she looked at Nyelle and said, "You guys… what happened to you? Report everything… after this."
Nyelle and Eleana nodded as she then took out a map of the landscape and laid it on a table. It showed the general topography of the Drudar Kingdom.
She pointed out, "As you guys know, in each of the seven districts of this kingdom, there are secret spies. We will mobilize a specialized internal army to counter that. But it seems that will be done on the orders of Sir Myrell. The kingdom's castle is in the Drudar district."
She pointed her hand toward the district of Drudar on the map as she said, "Drudar is the central hub, accounting for almost forty-nine percent of the kingdom's population. We will have special forces led by one of you, probably at the Puppet Bazaar area on the western border of the district."
She gave a faint look at Eleana and Nyelle.
All the Black Knights gathered around the table. Even Sythris was there, currently looking at Eleana from the other side. She wore her blue armor looking like a heroic spirit as her black hair flowed down.
"On the eastern side, we have the Spirit Groves… which shouldn't be a major issue."
"On the northern side, there is no issue, as we haven't faced any sea attacks in history."
The Grey Knight Clayren looked at her Black Knights and said, "Now, the Drudar district extends like a road almost to the southern border. Look here—they will be sending their army from the front. So, half of our army will meet them outside the gates."
"So, I plan to have only Knight Sythris and Knight Rhaelle move to the southeast and southwest, respectively, and wait there in the two army camps we have set up. When they are engaged in a fight, your two groups will attack them from behind… Equip them with the iron-spiked bar shields."
She continued, "When the war commences under the Commander of War, Knight Laren and Knight Marvis will attack from the vanguard at the front gates, and Eleana will command the defense line on the border walls. Have every Golden Knight accompanied by at least two Silver Knights with poison pots. Larell, explain to them how to use the poison pots."
Laren and Marvis nodded as they bowed. Laren had black armor, which exuded a very dangerous presence, and a huge sword on his back. Eleana bowed as she gazed at Knight Laren and his sword. He had a huge scar on his face. As she looked at the huge sword, she muttered softly, "The infamous Zenith Greatsword…"
She then looked at the other short-statured, blue-black-armored knight who had white clothes underneath. He held two rapier blades at his waist. Eleana was once again reminded why the Kingdom of Drudar still stood. Her memories went back a couple of years to Marvis, and she shook slightly.
She also bowed as she accepted her orders.
Sythris and Nyelle were deeply impressed by their commander as they bowed, and she said, "Nyelle, Eleana, Symon, follow me…" in a commanding voice.
"The rest, prepare your knights."
Sythris stood there gazing at the Puppet Bazaar as there seemed to be a few voices buzzing in her head. Her gaze then shifted toward another area that had a sign reading "Academy of Great Arts," and her head buzzed for no apparent reason, but it was drowned out by the noise all around.
There was a loud chorus of swords and shields as the knights arranged themselves. The Silver Knights arranged themselves behind their Golden Knights in command, and the war army was ready to go.
.....
Meanwhile, Veer met with Eryssa and Lythria. Eryssa asked worriedly, looking at his face, "What happened to you…?" They met in Eryssa's guest courtyard. The place was serene, with plants and water fountains—a sharp contrast to the happenings in the far background.
Veer looked at the gentle figure and said in a deep voice, "It was Noelle. She somehow trapped me. I don't know how I got trapped again. Then the Blue Knight from earlier was also there, fighting against Eleana."
Eryssa clasped her hands together as she muttered, "So Eleana was involved with that knight."
He paused and nodded. "Just when I was almost unconscious, Noelle's sister arrived and saved me. Thanks, my lady."
He bowed as Eryssa and Lythria rose from their seats. Eryssa said, her voice a bit faint, "Where is Noelle now? Has she been captured?"
Veer shook his head. "She escaped with some bird-like puppet."
Lythria also asked with concern, "Are you okay now?"
Veer nodded his head and said, "I am fine now. It seems someone prevented Noelle's sister from stopping her."
As Lythria looked at Veer worriedly, Eryssa gently walked over with a gentle gaze and pressed her hand on Veer's forehead. Veer was stunned momentarily as Eryssa said, a bit flustered, "It's okay now…"
"Relax for a while…"
Veer felt relaxed as relief washed over him. He gazed at her purple visage with deep golden hair as Eryssa then looked into the distance, toward the direction of the knights rallying, her father's castle, and beyond.