The Mythical Path of a Princess from a Destroyed Kingdom

The druids immediately became agitated, but Cosimoa, having been mentally prepared, suppressed his anger and got up to ask the army commander when they would make their move.

Just as the tent door was opened, the army's commander, Dinant, was also preparing to enter. Upon meeting, Dinant immediately said, "Gentlemen, we will be conducting a trial siege tomorrow. Please be prepared."

"Okay, we get it."

Cosimo pressed his finger, eager to know what monsters created from animals would look like; he had only heard about them before and had never actually seen them.

……

Unfortunately, before the main army could launch an attack, Heman City instead launched a surprise attack at night.

The corrupted killers were secretly released from the city gates and remotely controlled to rapidly approach the military camp.

The monster, which had initially been somewhat resistant, sensed the immense life force ahead and immediately changed its mind about heading to Heman City, obeying orders to quietly approach the military camp.

Bone spikes shot out from afar, hitting the night watchmen on the watchtower and killing them without them even knowing why, unable to send out a distress signal.

According to the original plan, they should have been able to get very close before launching a surprise attack. However, the people of River City did not expect that a group of uninvited guests would come to the Nesery army.

The monsters trampled across the lawn. A druid opened his eyes and looked at the spot where the monsters had been trampled. The thick negative energy made the sensitive Roland instantly stand up and grasp the greatsword of white bones placed beside him.

"The monster is coming! Does anyone know how to amplify their voice?"

Roland looked around. A druid took a deep breath, puffing out his chest beyond normal, and then shouted, "Enemy attack!"

The remaining druids, along with Roland, rushed to the outer perimeter and climbed the watchtower, where they saw the corrupted killers, transformed from animals.

"……damn it!"

The druids' eyes were bloodshot, and they, who were often enraged, had become almost like berserkers.

Roland, whose expression was calm, also revealed his anger, his brows furrowed as he stared at the magical creations before him that had violated the boundary between life and death.

The monsters looked disgusting and ferocious, but you could still tell what kind of animals they were. Their proliferating white bones were exposed outside their flesh and blood, and the areas most protected by their bone armor were their hearts and brains.

The fact that the druids and Roland could tell that they were still alive and not undead meant that they must have suffered a lot of torment before being made into weapons.

"Let's give them their freedom."

Blessing spells boost vitality, increase resistance, and provide divine protection against evil...

Lifting the greatsword with one hand, Priest Roland struck his chest, a surge of magical energy enveloping him, buffing himself before charging directly into the monster horde.

The druids followed closely behind, casting spells on themselves before transforming into their beast forms. With reluctance on their faces, they charged at the corrupted killers before them, showing no mercy.

"Come on!"

As they made their move, the River City army, which had been lying in ambush in the distance, also rushed toward the Nesserian camp, unaware of the presence of the Druids and Roland.

"Feel the druid's wrath!"

Several hot-tempered druids widened their eyes, dealt with the corrupted killers in their hands, and headed straight for the army.

Chapter 518 Dust to dust, ashes to ashes

Thanks to the druid's reminder, the soldiers in the army quickly awoke, preventing them from being caught off guard by the sneak attack. They put on their armor and ran right into the soldiers of Riverman.

The two sides clashed, and the appearance of druids on the battlefield caught the Riverflow army off guard. The entanglement spell created a large number of vines that bound the soldiers, making it difficult for them to move. The beast-like druids took the opportunity to extend their claws and slash their vitals.

Some druids possess a feat called Nature Spellcasting, which allows them to cast spells even after transforming into a beast. Their beast-like lips and throats move slightly, and their bodies leap lightly as if performing a wild dance.

The next second, the temperature of the heavy metal armor increased dramatically. The fully armed elite warrior groaned from the heat, suffering greatly and his skin ulcerated extensively.

"Can anyone tell me how there are so many druids here!?"

The overseer panicked at the sight of such a large group of druids charging out. He grabbed a scout nearby and vented his anger loudly. He took a deep breath, turned around, and looked at the two mid-level druids who were willing to join the battle. His sense of security increased once again.

If Oren hadn't still refused to participate, there might have been three mid-level beings. This battle wouldn't have required any anxiety; we could have easily swept through. There was no need to be afraid of any druids.

"My lords, thank you for your trouble."

The overseer requested that two mid-level warriors take action, but upon seeing the druids, the mid-level warriors realized why they had come and desperately wanted to back down. However, the current situation left them no choice but to bite the bullet and go for it.

They charged out of the enemy lines and ran across the battlefield dealing with soldiers and druids. However, after killing just a few, thick, sturdy vines sprouted from the soil and slammed down on the two men.

The thorns on the vine and its size create a sense of immense pressure; hitting it would be extremely dangerous.

They quickly retreated, forced closer together by the vines. Only then did the magical attack disappear. Cosimoya, holding an oak club, walked up to the two and swung the club to cast a buff spell on himself.

"...Intermediate Druid."

The two professionals from River City gritted their teeth and cursed the city lord in their hearts. The ranger fired a large number of arrows at Cosimoya, who tapped the ground with his oak stick, causing the soil to rise and form a curved double wall to intercept the arrows.

"Phew," Cosimoya said, though reluctant to let them go, he gave them a choice. "You two, this is your last chance: surrender, or die here."

"It's still uncertain who will win and who will lose!"

There's only one mid-tier Druid on the other side, so we still have a chance!

Two River City professionals decided to go all the way and launch an attack on Cosimoia.

It's not that we can't fight; the city lord released all the degraded killers at once in order to suppress any potential extra mid-level enemies.

Once the negative energy they carry accumulates, it can cause great trouble for living things, even those of intermediate-level bodies.

The elf calmly struck the earth again, and a robe made of green leaves and animal hides, along with an oak staff, merged into his body. His form also underwent a tremendous change, and a majestic griffin instantly took to the air!

Before the two could figure out how to deal with the highly mobile griffins, a dazzling aura burst forth from the area surrounded by the degraded killers, and the powerful negative energy that appeared in an instant caused many people's expressions to change drastically.

Unlike the killings, the negative energy that just erupted was of a very strange nature, making those who sensed it feel calm and peaceful.

……

Guiding divine power: Rebuke the immortal!

At the same time, Roland, who had been wielding a heavy sword with one hand, lowered his clenched fist, his expression serious as he faced the trembling "living creature" before him, and muttered:

“Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.”

These things, whose bodies are mortalized by negative energy, with their hearts and brains serving as their power and thought sources, will have their souls bound to their uncontrollable bodies. If the bodies are not destroyed, their souls will be tormented and imprisoned for eternity.

As a slumbering priest, Roland possesses the ability to control negative energy to guide undead creatures. While some divine spells may not be applicable to monsters on the edge of life and death, rebuking the undead is clearly effective against them.

The negative energy was stirred up, making them unable to move. Roland ran forward and swiftly chopped the head of the degraded killer in half.

The burst of the aura caused a large circle of corrupted killers to lose control of their bodies. Driven by evil magic and negative energy, their anger could not help them break free from Roland's control.

Soldiers and druids immediately rushed forward, delivering the fatal blow to these wretched monsters. The powerful killers were successfully annihilated. Gazing at the carcasses scattered on the ground, Roland closed his eyes and murmured:

"Great Sleeper, bless the souls of these creatures to return to the wilderness."

The battle did not stop; what followed was a struggle between people. Roland drew his sword and joined the battle, not attacking the River City soldiers who were avoiding him, but instead helping Cosimoya.

With the help of the druids and the sleeping priests, Nesseri easily won, and the two mid-level lords were killed without hesitation by Cosimoya.

While cleaning up the battlefield, the druids buried the rotting animal carcasses, while the soldiers didn't need to worry about the enemy corpses; they could focus on collecting the bodies of their teammates.

The slumbering priest chanted incantations to deliver the souls from the dead, washing away their residual negative energy. The enemy's corpses turned to ashes and vanished, their life force flowing into the statue of the god of death.

After dealing with all this, Roland, Cosimoya, and the other druids from various sects contacted their elders to inform them that the situation in Nesser was very serious and that more reinforcements were needed.

They certainly wouldn't get involved in the detailed division of profits; a group of hot-blooded young people wouldn't want to get involved in the dispute, they just want to fight and kill each other and be done with it.

Maginus's army was not greatly affected by the victory, while the city of Riverman was in an uproar over the defeat.

The appearance of druids and sleeping priests, in particular, cast a shadow over the hearts of the nobles.

Was their choice wrong? The Church of Benevolent God did only condemn them without taking action, but the Church of Slumber was actually in greater danger.

As the Grim Reaper, the Sleeper's alignment is Lawful Neutral, leaning somewhat towards Good. His priests' alignment encompasses Lawful Good, Lawful Neutral, and Lawful Evil.

There are evil beings inside. If Maginus invites the Sleepers to help, what kind of calamity will the nobles of the city of Qiheman encounter?

In the Psychic Mutual Aid Society, Oren heard the news and sighed, while also thankful that he hadn't taken action. Student Hans burst in, his face filled with anger.

"President, did you inform the military?"

"Hans, you've been blinded by power."

Hearing his former student's question, Oren frowned and stood up: "If you want to pursue power, why not join the Netherlands?"

Chapter 519 Encounters During Development

"President, you know how hard I worked to get to my current position, and I don't want to start from the bottom again!"

Hans explained why he had always sided with the city lord, and after realizing he had been misled, he returned to the main point:

"So, did you leak the information to Nesserai?"

"Of course not. You've met Her Majesty the Queen before. Do you think someone like her would send a special envoy to contact me?"

Oren shook his head helplessly. His performance was so convincing. Hans had only asked the question in a fit of anger, and he also felt that Maginus would not contact his teacher again.

Hans pounded his fist on the wall, furious at the defeat at River City.

Looking at his student, whose personality had changed so drastically, Oren began to doubt whether there was something wrong with his teaching. The Hans of the past would never have been so greedy and greedy.

It can only be said that people change. Hans was blinded by power. If he had focused on improving himself, he could have become a mid-level official, and then power would have been within his grasp.

The complex emotions and thoughts within Oren were not reflected on his face; he simply raised his hand and patted Hans on the shoulder.

"In short, you should start thinking about your options. The Netheril army will probably attack the city soon. Before that, if you don't want to start from the bottom, you should show more sincerity."

Show some sincerity...

Hans calmed down. The chairman was right. In any case, the battlefield had already been lost, and there was no point in investigating how the biological weapon was leaked.

If he wanted to get off to a good start in the era of Maginus, he would have better give some help to the army of Nesser.

“However,” Oren changed the subject as he was considering, “have you thought about what to do if the capital turns the tide again in the end?”

Not all fence-sitters are the same; some people won't easily side with either side until the outcome is decided before they align themselves with either.

Some people waver, offering help to one side and then to the other. Clearly, the latter type is even more detestable.

Hans was once again caught in a dilemma, but Oren stopped caring about his student and decided that if anything happened to him outside, he would pretend he didn't know him.

In his study, Maginus was holding a multi-party meeting with the leaders of a group of factions.

Most of the projections were elders from the Druid sect, and one was a bishop from the Church of the Sleeping.

Maginus wanted to recruit them, or have them work as mercenaries to help him. Besides discussing payment, they were also talking about the concepts of natural balance and life and death.

There was a minor argument between them, but the general direction was fine, and a preliminary consensus has been reached.

Just as they were getting into the conversation, Mira pushed open the door and walked over to Maginus, whispering in her ear.

Upon hearing the news, Maginus raised his eyebrows and turned his gaze to the leaders before him.

"Please wait a moment, everyone. Why don't we rest for a while and have a meal before we talk again?"

The meeting was temporarily adjourned, and Maginus turned to Mira to ask if the information was accurate:

"Heman City has already been captured? How was it captured?"

Maginus originally thought it would take some time to conquer Riverman, but unexpectedly, news came today that the city had been successfully captured.

It happened much faster than she expected; something else must have gone wrong in the city.

"Yes, after the River Man City army and the degraded killers were defeated, the nobles in the city knew that the situation was hopeless, so they kept thinking about surrendering. The city lord who originally wanted to escape was captured."

"No wonder, I have to be careful too, lest someone stab me in the back at any time."

Upon learning of the River City Lord's misfortune, Maginus did not gloat, but instead learned from it. He realized that opportunists could be used but were not trustworthy, and that it was necessary to build his own team.

Who made the greatest contribution during the capture of the city lord?

"Hans is the person Neko reported to you about."

“I remember it very clearly,” Maginus said, reminiscing about her first visit to Riverman City, unconcerned about Hans’s fickle behavior. “Let’s follow the original rules.”

Having ambition is a good thing, but Maginus will not forget the necessary protective measures.

"Oh, right, there's one more thing, Your Majesty, please don't be angry when you hear it."

After recounting the battle situation and the good news, Mira began to talk about the bad things that had happened in Shelterlands:

"According to the children, it seems that someone has cut the workers' wages."

Sending children to sweep the streets and sell newspapers is certainly not just about hoping they can survive.

They possess a natural ability to remain hidden; the children walking through the streets and alleys are perfectly qualified eyes and ears, helping Maginus keep an eye on all the rumors and events, big and small, in the Safe Territory.

Orphans, in particular, have more mature minds and provide more valuable information. Maginus sent Neko to deal with and unify the gangs in the slums and build an orphanage, also in order to keep the orphans under his control.

They provide Her Majesty with intelligence and do what they can, and in return, Her Majesty provides them with food, money, clothing, lodging... and even their future.

Once the operation is fully established, she plans to recruit talented children to become assassins, spies, her followers, and maids.