Chapter 160: Reunion, Priestess and Holy Knight

A golden sword of light shot into the sky, stopping just a few centimeters away from another girl’s forehead. The fallen leaves rustled softly, and the sharp sword intent even left a visible mark on the ground as if a long sword had swept across it.

“Sigh…”

With a gentle sigh, the Holy Knight girl holding the sacred sword—Edwina Cecelia—helplessly dispersed the attack, sheathing her blade and hanging the heavy cross-shaped holy shield back onto her back, shaking her head in dissatisfaction.

“Why are you calling a stop when we haven’t even started fighting?”

“Wah! Sister, you almost killed me! If you don’t call a stop now, are you waiting to slice me in half?!”

Edwina glanced at the cross-shaped shield that had fallen to the ground, bent down to pick it up and leaned it against a tree, speaking gently like a patient teacher.

“In battle, you must never discard your weapon, as that is almost equivalent to giving up resistance and handing your life over to your opponent. Even being a legendary figure, you shouldn’t be defeated so easily.”

“Besides, I remember you have that ability to hide in the shadows, right? You could have used it just now to find a new opportunity… Also, you didn’t use the force-release technique I taught you while blocking with the shield. How can you function properly as a substitute like this?”

“Let’s be honest, back when we were in the United Kingdom, you died several times and came back. Could that attack really threaten you just now?”

The girl leaning against the tree, whose legs still seemed to tremble and who looked almost identical to Edwina, dropped her hands in surrender and plopped down on the ground, completely speechless, before sarcastically shouting.

“I say, big sister… Do you understand? A substitute is meant to confuse the enemy, only occasionally taking the stage to mimic behavior and presence. Who on earth expects their substitute to fight just as well, execute battle formations, and lug around a huge shield and armor all day long?!”

“I may have some special abilities to save my life, but in essence, it’s just a trick based on the undead’s characteristics. If I really get killed, you’d just end up dragging my corpse to that lord to get me revived again!”

“Eh? Is that so?”

The Holy Knight girl, now sitting on the ground, looked up, catching a glimpse of Miss Edwina’s “Why didn’t you say this sooner?” expression. She removed her heavy helmet, revealing several lines of frustration etched on her forehead.

“What are you talking about?! Didn’t I emphasize the same point at least three times? Every time you act like, ‘Okay, okay, I got it,’ but when it’s time to actually put it into practice, you completely forget and treat every move like it’s a matter of life and death. Don’t you have a problem with me, you pest?!”

The more she spoke, the angrier she became, and by the end, the girl even lay flat on the ground, rolling around and throwing a fit, creating a stark contrast to Edwina, who stood straight, looking both troubled and embarrassed.

Anyone witnessing this scene would surely find it unbelievable.

After all, in such a vast world, how could there be beings so similar that even standing face to face, one could hardly tell them apart? Even identical twins would show subtle differences due to their environments and experiences.

“Okay, okay, don’t be angry! I just thought after all this practice, we should at least be able to get through… ten moves or so… Okay, I know! But even if you can’t fight with similar skills, you should at least have memorized the paperwork and regulations. We are heading to battle soon…”

Frustrated, Edwina tried to soothe her substitute, but the latter seemed to explode with all her grievances, just rolling around on the ground while yelling, “I quit! I quit! This is labor abuse! I’m going to find that lord to complain!” and other nonsense.

To be honest, this wasn’t the first time the Holy Knight Princess encountered her substitute’s inability to communicate since taking her on a few days ago. Just as the second lady of the Cecelia family was troubled about whether to lower her employment standards further…

Suddenly, amidst the little woods by the abyss, a third voice distinct from theirs broke the silence.

“Wow, I’ve stumbled upon something interesting~”

“Who?!”

Almost instinctively, the Holy Knight Princess swiftly drew her just-sheathed sacred sword and swung her holy shield into position, ready for combat.

The once-loud “substitute” also immediately silenced, her armored body turning into a shadow that melded with the ground, disappearing without a trace.

This place was not just somewhere anyone could waltz into.

Built with great expenditure by the Cecelia family, this secret spot was specifically designed for internal disciples and secluded practice. It appeared ordinary but was indeed filled with mysteries.

Each tree in this wooded area was carefully planted using ancient methods, arranged to absorb and gather internal energies, effectively boosting the magical concentration in the air. The trees themselves also formed a remarkably intricate maze.

Without prior knowledge, or being instructed by a messenger familiar with the family’s special map, only an expert in formations would have a chance to reach the depths of the abyss and waterfall. Even then, it would take considerable time to unravel the secrets.

Additionally, there was a high-tier magical barrier built at the edge of this forest to ward off idlers and further isolate the sights and sounds within, providing multiple levels of protection. This allowed Edwina to fight freely here.

Today’s situation was such that Edwina had received no notice or message of anyone coming to visit.

Just as she grew cautious and exchanged simple gestures with her hidden substitute behind her, preparing for confrontation…

Accompanied by some familiar laughter and light footsteps lightly crunching the leaves on the ground, a girl in a white robe emerged from the lush greenery, smiling charmingly.

“Hi, long time no see! Of course, I mean… in such a face-to-face manner. Have you missed me during this time?”

“Clang.”

Just as the blonde girl, who had just been teaching others about keeping their weapons close, dropped her sacred sword onto the ground while staring wide-eyed in disbelief.

“Vilyric, is that you?!”

The Priestess took a few leisurely steps forward, glancing both intentionally and unintentionally at the shadow behind the Holy Knight Princess, and smiled, nodding.

“Don’t worry, I’m not a phantom or a disguised impostor. Is it really necessary to be this surprised? Didn’t I tell you I’d come here with the Expeditionary Army? You should have been among the first to hear the news about the western army arriving at the Holy City, right?”

Upon hearing the black-haired girl’s words, Edwina finally came to her senses from the overwhelming shock and joy, realizing her own embarrassing situation. She hastily bent down to pick up the sword that had fallen, sheathing it, and then hung her shield back on her back, instinctively fixing her hair and the hem of her battle skirt, sheepishly scratching her head.

“I knew that the Saint of Bright Light’s troop had approached the Holy City, but shouldn’t that be…”

Vilyric understood what she was trying to say and why Edwina hadn’t completed her thought.

“Well, regarding that issue, I’ll explain it to you later. By the way, Chromans… how long do you plan to hide in there?”

As soon as she finished speaking, the “shadow” behind Edwina almost visibly wriggled, separating itself from the true shadow and transforming into a completely different young woman with long brown hair, stepping out from behind the Holy Knight Princess. She awkwardly chuckled a few times, cautiously meeting the silver-blue eyes of the Priestess.

“Ahaha… Vilyric, it’s a pleasure to see you here. I didn’t expect to meet you like this. This is such a delightful surprise… Haha… haha…”

Hearing this, the black-haired girl’s smile widened a little, yet she simply replied with an ambiguous expression.

“Surprise? More like a scare, right? Did you think I wouldn’t know where you were while not in the Holy Kingdom, wandering about freely? Back then, sparing your life and even giving you a new lease on life was to ensure you’d work properly as Edwina’s substitute, not to slack off, cheat, or negotiate terms with your employer!”

“I heard you wanted to complain. Great, now that I’m here, feel free to share any grievances you have with me~”

   

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