Combat Maid Harem

Lawrend and Ember left the inn refreshed. He returned to the Merchant Guild and found Valentina scrubbing the walls.

“W-what happened exactly?” Lawrend asked as he looked at the bloodstains all over the room.

“I got too excited, Master. Don’t worry. I simply returned to him what he did to you by crushing him to death,” Valentina said, and a cold glare shone from her eyes.

“O-okay…”

Lawrend slowly nodded his head. He shook his head and stopped himself from imagining the brutal scene that happened here.

Valentina had already experienced heartbreak and betrayal before. She wasn’t willing to lose her lover with him getting killed. She would lose her mind at that point.

“Where are the three envoys?” Lawrend asked.

“They took the army with them and took down several major noble houses,” Valentina replied.

“I see. We will go check on them. You clean… this place up,” Lawrend said and took one last look at the gory place and left.

He was shocked she became so brutal. He thought vines entering one’s body were already brutal. It seemed like he underestimated her anger.

Lawrend and Ember rode a carriage and headed to one of the top three noble clans in this city. Once they arrived, the sounds of battle immediately ensued.

A 1000-many mage army blasted the territory of the clan with magic spells. The majority of these spells were True Mage level. The army used them to conserve their energy and only bombarded them.

Otherwise, if they had used more powerful spells, the clan would have been destroyed already.

“Are they training?” Lawrend asked as he approached Otor, who was leading the army.

“Your Majesty, welcome. Yes, they are training by working together using low-level spells. It’s still chaotic at the moment, but it would help them turn into a cohesive whole,” Otor explained.

“Interesting. Are they using the formation yet? I can’t seem to notice it.”

“Ah, no, Your Majesty. We still need to do more lectures because they still need to learn about some theories we researched in the empire.”

“You’re teaching them your theories? Isn’t that overstepping it?” Lawrend asked in surprise.

He didn’t expect them to teach their priced theories. He would expect them to keep those to themselves.

“Her Highness Julianne gave orders to fully support you. We will propose unrestricted bilateral education once the Undrasil Empire is raised.”

The Undrasil and the Trunden would exchange their theories, research data, and lectures without restriction in layman’s terms. Julianne farsighted the eventual rise of the Undrasil Empire under Lawrend’s lead.

She only saw benefits for them and no downsides. It made her decide on this path for their future. Not to forget, the Crescent Empire joined their enemy’s side. They needed more allies at the moment.

“I see. I will agree to such a proposal if all goes well,” Lawrend said and nodded his head.

He was surprised at her fast action. She was more decisive than he initially thought.

“Your Majesty, the others are leading their own armies to take down the other noble clans that rebelled,” Otor said.

“Good job. I will wait at the usual place since there’s nothing for me to do here,” Lawrend said.

“Take care, Your Majesty,” Otor said and slightly bowed.

Lawrend nodded his head and left with Ember in the carriage. They headed to the encampment outside the city.

When he arrived, the mages left there immediately formed a neat formation. They stood straight and didn’t dare to breathe loudly.

They had heard about how he willingly walked into the Blumin Empire’s trap. It renewed their admiration and fear of him. He was enigmatic enough, and his courage and confidence convinced them it was the right choice to join this army.

With such a courageous and confident leader leading them, they didn’t think they would lose against the Blumin Empire.

“Dismissed. Go back to what you guys are doing. I’m here to relax,” Lawrend said.

The mages looked at each other before bowing and scattering everywhere. Some sat on the ground, climbed trees, hunted monsters, and discussed magic.

It was very lively.

Lawrend leaned on his throne, and Ember fanned beside him. She stood there coldly without uttering a single word.

She looked at the mages and sneered inside her mind. She thought it was very disrespectful of them to act like this in front of her master, but she couldn’t do anything because it was his order.

Ember was used to being in authority, so she naturally knew the proper manners subordinates should show in front of their superior.

“Master, why are you so kind?” Ember asked.

She was perplexed. He saved Kenova even though the whole underground ceiling was falling onto his head.

“Why do you think so?” Lawrend asked as he leisurely watched the mages.

“You saved Kenova even though you could’ve made a more powerful earth spell if you kept it to us,” Ember replied.

“I’m not heartless. Besides, I knew Valentina would save me. It was all a ploy to toy with Riston,” Lawrend answered.

Everything was within his control, even when he entered that prison. He was confident in his safety as long as Valentina was there as she still had some leftover Heaven Mage power.

“To toy him… I really thought you were going to die, Master. Next time, tell me, okay?” Ember asked and looked a little sad.

She was scared for nothing. If she knew Valentina could save him, she wouldn’t have felt worried so much.

“Don’t think about it too much. It was my test for you, and I’m satisfied with your performance. You forcefully turned yourself into a phoenix. I can tell that you are still injured,” Lawrend said.

“I-I see… I can’t hide it from you, Master,” Ember said and smiled at him wryly.

“Come here and hold my hand. I will try something,” Lawrend said.

“Hm?”

Ember gave him her hand, and he grasped it tightly. Her heart quivered when she felt his strong hand. It reminded her of what they had done just earlier.

“What’s this…”