Free Web NovelChapter 154: Chapter 98: Pale Elegy
...
From this angle,
amidst the interplay of light and shadow,
half of her junior Lynch’s smiling face was hidden in the darkness beneath his hood, making him look like a demon wearing human skin.
Catherine’s body instantly went rigid. Grief, indignation, and humiliation welled up inside her, turning her face bright red. She wanted nothing more than to stand firm and say, "Just kill me."
But the words died on her lips as she remembered her mission and saw the wounded soldiers groaning in agony on the ground.
All her defiance, all her dignity—it was all so fragile in the face of her responsibilities and the lives at stake.
In the end, a thousand unspoken words were reduced to a single one—
"Fine." fɾēewebnσveℓ.com
"I agree to compensate you."
Her face was pale. "But first," she said, clenching her jaw, "you have to let me and the field Priest treat the wounded."
"A wise choice." Lynch gave her a pleasant smile. "As expected of my senior. Your dedication to your subordinates is admirable. Please, be my guest."
With that, Lynch retreated behind the heavy protection of his Skeleton Guards and issued a series of commands using his Spiritual Power.
Soon, under the watchful eyes of the Zombie Blood Fangs, Catherine’s hands were unbound.
Not daring to delay, she hurried over to the wounded.
The young field Priest’s apprentice, who had also been untied, scrambled to follow her.
Lynch watched the terrified Priest’s apprentice bustling about beside Catherine and thought he looked familiar.
’Hmm, I think he’s an upperclassman from the academy’s Holy Light Major. I can’t recall his name. Looks like he comes from a humble background and chose to follow Catherine into the legion after graduation to build a career.’
The two of them were busy treating the wounded for nearly an hour. During that time, they drank several basic Holy Light Potions to replenish their dwindling Holy Light Power. In the end, they managed to temporarily pull more than a dozen seriously wounded soldiers back from death’s door.
As for those with minor injuries, they had to make do with simple bandages; there was no time for anything more.
Lynch watched from the side with considerable envy.
In the past, his subordinates had all been Undead Units, so he’d had no need for Priests.
But now, he was a battalion commander with a five-hundred-man roster. A few field Priests would drastically lower his troops’ casualty rate.
Even if his battalion didn’t have a single grunt to its name yet.
However, despite Catherine and her apprentice’s timely and exhaustive efforts, three soldiers still succumbed to their severe injuries during treatment.
Lynch, for his part, was completely unfazed.
’Catherine’s troops initiated the attack. I can’t exactly ask my Undead Corps to "go easy" on them during a chaotic battle, can I?’
Besides, the ones commanding the five or six hundred Skeleton Soldiers were his elite Soul Fire units. While Lynch could issue high-level commands to his Soul Fire units through their spiritual link, he couldn’t possibly micromanage the actions of every single Skeleton.
People die in war. ƒгeewebnovёl.com
After tending to the wounded, Catherine was pale from exhaustion, her steps unsteady. Still, she returned to Lynch, "escorted" by Blood Fang. With her head bowed, she spoke in a hoarse voice, "Now... I’m here to fulfill my promise of compensation."
"All right. Compensate me, then," Lynch said with a pleased nod.
’Let’s see if this proud "Ice Rose" of a senior knows what’s good for her, and just how "sincere" her compensation will be.’
Unexpectedly, Catherine bit her pale lip and glanced around furtively.
All around were densely packed Skeletons, bound and guarded soldiers, and townsfolk watching from a distance, too afraid to come closer.
"There are... too many people here. It’s not convenient," she said, her voice a low, trembling whisper. "Let’s... go inside."
Lynch arched an eyebrow. He was a little surprised but didn’t give it much thought.
’Perhaps my senior is too proud to discuss the details of her compensation in public. It is a matter of face, after all.’
’And everyone knows how much nobles care about face.’
"Fine by me." Ever the pragmatist, Lynch readily agreed and stood up, gesturing for her to lead the way.
「A moment later, in the relatively spacious hall on the first floor of the garrison.」
Catherine looked at her junior, Lynch, who was surrounded by an impenetrable wall of Skeleton Guards. Then she glanced at the five zombies staring at her like predators. She couldn’t help but fall into thought.
After a tense moment, she spoke in a low voice. "Junior Lynch... can’t we... be alone? There are some things..."
A faint blush crept onto her cheeks, whether from humiliation or something else, it was hard to say.
"You must be joking, Senior," Lynch said, sitting in a chair with his legs crossed. A smile played on his lips, but it didn’t reach his eyes. "In close combat, I’m no match for you."
"You can just ignore my Undead subordinates. Think of them as moving furniture. Besides, they’re not going to tell anyone what happens here."
Growing a little impatient, Lynch urged, "Senior, can we please get on with it?"
Catherine’s body trembled slightly. ’Pervert,’ she cursed inwardly.
But ultimately, she yielded.
’At least... it’s not out in public.’
’The vanquished should act like the vanquished.’
’This junior... at least he’s human. A tall, handsome young man, even... not a goblin or something...’
She tried to comfort and convince herself with these thoughts.
Then, under Lynch’s slightly confused gaze, she began to stiffly... remove her Holy Knight’s battle Armor.
At first, Lynch didn’t quite process what was happening. He assumed she was offering her suit of Armor and other personal equipment as compensation.
