Chapter 808 (1/2)

Chapter 808: Close Quarter Combat

Translator: TransN Editor: TransN

“Did you hear any sound?” Edith looked at Brian who was instructing the soldiers to arrange an underground defense line.

“Any sound?” Brian stopped what he was doing, looked around in puzzlement, and said, “No, Miss Edith, I haven’t heard anything except the sound of running water.”

“Really?” Edith frowned. “Am I mistaken?”

“What kind of sound was that?”

“Like the sound of a horn, very muffled… similar to the sound of water,” Edith paused. “It seemed to come from the south.”

That was the direction where the witches went for a deep exploration. The turbulent underground river went from north to south, and disappeared in the pitch-black underground cave. Although there were weird illuminating plants on both sides of the river, they could not provide light for far away places. The entire waterway was like an entrance to an abyss which devoured everything she saw.

“That… I think probably because we’re deep in the mountain, which deprives us the vision of the sky, plus the lack of the light of a fire, you might be hallucinating.” Brian smiled thoughtfully. “For the soldiers who have been to a battlefield, this isn’t a big problem. It’s no wonder that you might feel nervous. If you feel uneasy, Miss Margie can accompany you to return to the aisle exit.”

A familiar look, familiar words… Edith was not surprised by the speech of the Gun Battalion commander. Although she was in light leather armor and a helmet, with a walking sword hanging on her waist, most of the people there still took her as an observer from the City Hall, or… as a pearl-like girl, just like her title, pretty and fragile. That was also the reason why people cared and pleased her all the way.

What those people did not understand was that the pearls produced by the giant clams in the Northern Region had been soaked in blood.

The blood of fish, of water beasts… or even of the fishermen.

That was why they could grow so big, into the size of a fist.

Roland Wimbledon was probably the only one who ignored her appearance in the beginning and even took her as an opponent.

“Thanks, but I’m better off here. If I run back, doesn’t it mean I’ll humiliate His Majesty’s City Hall?” Although Edith did not tell Brian what was in her mind, she rejected his suggestion with a smile. For a moment, Brian was lost in her smile. After a long while, he shunned away in embarrassment.

“I don’t think His Majesty or Barov would mind it…” Brian coughed twice. “I just don’t understand why you came with the First Army to such a dangerous place?”

“For only in this way could you trust me,” Edith said frankly.

“W… What?”

“You must have heard of the Battle of Divine Will,” she said calmly. “When such a battle that determines human’s lives comes, it’d be hard for His Majesty to consider every aspect of the war situation. He’ll need many officers to assist him to command the army, and the army will depend on the City Hall for logistics. By that time, will you trust an officer who has fought with you shoulder by shoulder or one who sits in the office every day dealing with paperwork?”

Brian was startled. After a moment, he said, “You’re really brave to make such a speech.”

Edith understood what he was referring to. Even an indigenous former Patrol Leader understood what she meant. At best, what she wanted to do was called assistant commanding… or it could be called power interference, which was totally unbearable in the eyes of other lords who claimed total control of their knights.

But now, the number of soldiers of the First Army had exceeded 5000, so the knightage’s management method was obviously outdated. As a matter of fact, the Adviser Department assembled by His Majesty was an organization between the army and the City Hall, which was eventually under Roland’s control but the commanding right underneath would further spread. Because Edith understood Roland’s ideas, she dared to make that speech. It was not that she intended to join the Adviser Department, but she wanted to extend her influence as much as possible.

“If it was any other kings, I’d definitely not do that, but His Majesty is different…” Edith said, smiling, “You know that it was me who proposed that anyone who wants to be promoted in City Hall needs to go to a battlefield first. This being said, it’s better that I set an example for the others.”

“Has His Majesty… agreed?”

“Not really, but he didn’t object to it.”