In Seryu's mind, the Imperial Army should protect civilians, resist foreign invasion, and eliminate evil. But in the words of the old village chief, she discovered another side of the Imperial Army.
Not only did the Imperial Army fail to resist the invasion of the northern tribes, but they also abetted the enemy, taking advantage of the chaos of war to ransack the village. Moreover, they killed several villagers who dared to resist, abducted innocent young women, and abused them to death. Their actions were utterly heinous.
Seryu instinctively thought this was false and that the old village chief was lying. However, seeing the old village chief's bitter and resentful appearance and the angry expressions of the villagers, it didn't seem fake.
Could the Imperial Army really be so disgraceful?
Seryu, who prided herself on justice, felt confused. After all, she was once a member of the Imperial Army, and now that the Imperial Army was being cursed at, she found it hard to accept. Had all she had done been aiding and abetting the wicked?
While Seryu was at a loss, the old village chief tremulously approached with a smile, saying, "It was you who saved us just now. Thank you so much. You are indeed a subordinate of the Princess. If it weren't for the Princess, we wouldn't be able to survive. Please accept this; although it is insignificant, it represents the villagers' gratitude."
The old village chief said, handing a box to Seryu.
Seryu, still in a daze, hurriedly took the box and said softly, "Thank you."
"You are welcome. This is a local specialty of ours; please don't mind," the old village chief said kindly, smiling. "If possible, please convey our thanks to the Princess."
Seryu said nothing more, just nodded slightly, looking at the somewhat simple food box in her hands. Suddenly, she imagined a beautiful silver-haired girl, seemingly smiling at her. Was it really as she said, that this empire was beyond saving?
The temperature in early winter had gradually dropped, all the plants had withered, and the trees had shed all their leaves. Swaying in the bleak northwest wind, they resembled ghostly shadows.
The protagonist of Seryu's thoughts was now walking through the leafless forest, treading on the frost-covered ground, advancing slowly.
Due to the forest's rugged terrain, the mountain path was uneven, so they had to dismount and walk. Treading on the frost-covered dead leaves and listening to the crisp sound of snapping branches, there was some elegance in it.
However, Kaguya was not in the mood for such elegance; she thought about building a road to smooth the area in the future. It was too hard to walk, and she even had the impulse to flatten the forest.
"Princess, there is a small town ahead where we can spend the night," a guard approached and said softly.
"Okay," Kaguya nodded slightly. "Pick up the pace and keep moving. Let's try to reach there before dark."
"Yes."
Finally able to rest well, Kaguya sighed in relief. After such a long journey, she was somewhat weary.
By the time the group arrived outside the small town, it was gradually getting dark. The sun had already set over the horizon, the afterglow was fading, and the temperature was dropping. The chilly wind blew, feeling bone-chillingly cold.
The northern winter was long and exceptionally cold, especially at night when the temperature dropped quickly. Although it was just the beginning of winter, it was no different from the southern winter.
At this moment, there was suddenly a vague noise ahead, interspersed with shouts and screams, and as they drew closer, the sound became clearer.
Kaguya's delicate brows furrowed, and her face darkened as she said, "Arm yourselves and mount up; prepare for battle."
"Yes."
The Imperial Guard responded in unison. Having been through several battles, they had immense trust in the Princess, even to the point of worship. To them, her power seemed like that of a legendary deity.
Kaguya's Imperial Guard was in perfect formation, exuding a murderous aura, marching in unison toward the small town. Before they even entered the town, they saw a scene of chaos from afar.
Those people were wearing the Imperial Army's standard armor, but they didn't have the imposing presence of regular soldiers, instead appearing lazy like street thugs, their helmets askew. If not mistaken, they were the Imperial Army guarding the border.
They were waving their long knives at the villagers, looking arrogant, shouting at the villagers before them. The villagers looked furious and outraged as if arguing loudly.
Perhaps impatient, a soldier suddenly drew his knife and swung it at a villager's neck. Caught off guard, the villager's neck was slashed, and blood spurted out. In the splattering blood, the villager fell softly to the ground.
Suddenly, a somewhat attractive woman rushed out, throwing herself on the villager and crying loudly.
The Imperial soldiers looked at the woman maliciously, grinning, grabbed her arm, pulled her up, and held her tightly, groping her.
The woman struggled desperately in grief but was no match for the strong soldiers. In no time, her clothes were torn into rags. The other soldiers noticed and gathered around, laughing obscenely, seeming eager to join in.
Just as the woman was about to bite her tongue and kill herself, the soldiers suddenly stiffened, standing motionless. Though unsure of what happened, the woman took the opportunity to escape their clutches.
The soldiers suddenly had a line of blood appear on their necks, growing thicker until, with a spurt of blood, their heads fell to the ground, and their bodies collapsed.
At this point, the woman noticed a stunning silver-haired girl before her, so beautiful she was momentarily dazed.
The silver-haired girl's face was icy, her eyes as cold as autumn water. With a wave of her creamy arm, she said sternly, "Execute these Imperial soldiers on the spot."
"Yes."
Suddenly, a large number of Imperial Guards appeared from the bushes, armed with swords, charging toward the distant Imperial soldiers like tigers descending the mountain. Caught off guard, the Imperial soldiers were soon overwhelmed, crying out for mercy.