Lord: I can see loyalty.

The return journey was much easier than the way there. The twisted wall of plants had withered, and the stench in the air had been blown away by the morning breeze.

The once ubiquitous Haro barbarians were either dead or had fled, and after losing the support of the witch doctor and the black mud monster, they completely collapsed.

Occasionally, they would encounter small groups of defeated soldiers, but upon seeing the vast Allied army, they would turn and run, lacking even the courage to engage in battle.

That evening, the group returned to the Cooper tribe's temporary camp.

The campfire was lit again, even more vigorously than the night before the trip.

The aroma of roasted meat, the sweet scent of ale, and the laughter of the soldiers mingled in this mountain forest, creating a scene of unprecedented liveliness.

Albright, his face flushed from drinking, raised his glass and toasted each of the warriors. By the time he reached Vio, he was already unsteady on his feet.

"Count Vio!" he shouted, his voice so loud it startled the birds and beasts in the trees. "I, Albright, have never respected many people in my life, but you, Count Vio, you are my brother! Cooper's benefactor!"

He downed his entire glass of wine in one gulp, then refilled it: "When we move back to the Sacred Grove, you must come often! That place is clean now, with plenty of prey; you can stay as long as you like!"

Valerie stood to the side, drinking water expressionlessly, occasionally glancing at her leader's disgraceful state, a faint smile playing on her lips.

The militiamen and Cooper hunters sat together, and despite their different customs, they patted each other on the shoulder, clinked glasses, and laughed heartily.

Glenn remained alone in the corner, a whole roasted lamb leg in front of him, slowly tearing it apart and eating it. Occasionally, young Coopers would come over to offer him a drink, which he would not refuse, but would simply nod, down the drink in one gulp, and continue eating.

Gina stayed by Vio's side, not drinking, but sitting quietly, the firelight reflecting on her face.

Vio had also drunk quite a bit, but his breathing technique kept his mind clear. Looking at the lively scene before him and the relaxed expressions of the warriors, he finally truly relaxed as well.

The following morning, the soldiers from the southern border set off to return to Bordeaux.

Before his departure, Albright led all the Cooper warriors in a line outside the camp to see him off. He stood at the front, his right hand on his chest, bowing deeply in the Southern Reach.

"Count Vio, the doors of the Cooper family will always be open for you."

Vio nodded without further formalities, simply placing his hand on his chest in return.

The group set off, and after traveling a long distance, Vio looked back and could still see the Cooper warriors standing in the same spot, watching them leave.

Less than half a day later, the team arrived in Bordeaux.

The city gates were already wide open, and the militia and civilians who remained in the city lined the streets to welcome them. Seeing this tired but high-spirited army, with blood-stained flags fluttering in the wind, the cheers were deafening.

Valentine had already arranged for a banquet and to offer condolences, but Vio did not immediately join in the celebration. He first settled the wounded and dealt with several urgent official matters, and it was not until evening that he had some free time.

Outside the city gates, Heinrich was already fully prepared to leave and return to the capital.

The old knight changed into clean civilian clothes, carefully storing his gold and white armor and warhammer on his horse. He stood by the roadside, looking at the frontier town that had changed so much in just a few days, his expression calm and approving.

"Lord Heinrich, are you leaving already?" Vio had just received the news and rushed to the city gate with Jimmy and Valentine.

Heinrich turned around and nodded slightly: "There are still matters to attend to at the church, so I should not stay any longer."

He looked at Vio, a complex emotion flashing in his deep blue eyes.

"Count Vio, these past two days of fighting side by side have left a deep impression on me." He paused, "The Holy Light's two choices of you are no accident. If there is anything else I may do to serve you in the future..."

He took out a small bronze badge from his pocket and handed it to Vio. The badge was engraved with a golden cross and star symbol belonging to the church.

"With this item, you can go to any church in the Kingdom of Rovia and find someone from the church who can contact me."

Vio raised an eyebrow, quickly took the badge, and carefully put it away: "Thank you, sir."

Heinrich also mounted his horse and gave Vio one last look.

"Take care, Your Excellency. May the Holy Light continue to protect you."

The sound of horses' hooves faded into the distance, and the imposing figure of the old man finally disappeared at the end of the road.

After seeing Heinrich off, Vio did not attend the celebrations in the city, but went straight back to his residence.

The moment the door closed, the world fell silent once more.

He sat at his desk, closed his eyes, and regulated his breathing, letting the rhythm of his breathing techniques slowly soothe his body's fatigue.

A moment later, he habitually brought up the panel, wanting to see what changes the battles of the past few days had brought to him.

However, the result stunned him.

Name: Vio Rose

[Status: Blessed by Holy Light, Sand Breathing Technique in operation]

The Holy Light has blessed you! And it's not temporary.

Vio stared at the line of text for a long time, making sure he wasn't seeing things.

He slowly raised his right hand, focused his mind, and tried to use it like Heinrich. Although he didn't know exactly how to do it, he just relied on his senses and imagined that warm golden light surging out from his body.

A moment later, a faint light did indeed appear in the palm of his hand.

It is very faint and thin, almost invisible, but even the faintest light is genuine holy light, which cannot be generated by relying on others and must be generated by oneself.

Vio clenched his fist, and the light disappeared.

He quickly suppressed his excitement. While the holy light was important, it was of no use right now. He knew exactly what his focus should be.

Breathing techniques are fundamental; they are what enable him to defeat powerful enemies.

He recalled the records about breakthroughs in breathing techniques that he had previously read in Valentine's collection of books.

The transition from Tier 1 to Tier 2 is not something that can be achieved through simple accumulation; it often requires some kind of "assistance"... such as special medicinal herbs, a specific environment, or certain secrets known only to high-ranking knights.

And these things are clearly not available in the Southern Territory.

But the capital city definitely has it.

As for how he obtained this intelligence, Vio had already made preparations. During his last trip to the capital, he had the Brotherhood infiltrate various parts of the capital, ostensibly as representatives of the Southern Earl and various ordinary merchants.

Over this period of time, they have accumulated a considerable amount of intelligence and connections.

Vio got up, walked to the window, and looked out at the brightly lit city of Bordeaux.

A moment later, he returned to his desk, spread out a sheet of paper, picked up a quill pen, dipped it in ink, and the quill pen tip made a soft scratching sound as it touched the paper.