[Vol. 1] Chapter 27: Book and Box
Being stared at by the eager eyes of the princess made Violet feel a little uneasy, and she couldn't understand what she had said earlier had to do with her.
Although she didn't know what kind of magic the faith-based magic in this world was, her powers came entirely from [Illusory World]. The skill tree didn't require any innate talent, but this unique thing, how could she possibly teach it to someone else?
Wait a minute, it seems that there might be a way….
Hmm… right, this is an interesting idea. If it really works on Lilya…
"Alright, we can give it a try. But let me be clear, my power system may be significantly different from what you understand, and I can't guarantee success."
"Can I really try it? I understand, and even if there's only a slight chance, even if it's dangerous, I'm willing to try! Thank you, Sister Violet!"
Lilya excitedly covered her mouth and her dejected look instantly brightened, as if she was about to give the priest a hug.
Well, she even called her "big sister"…. Speaking of which, when Violet first met Lilya, she also called her "angelic big sister," but these two should not be the same thing.
If this were still in the game, Violet felt like there should be a "Affection Points Up!" sign appearing above the princess's head with her long azure hair.
"So, remember to come to my room tonight."
"Okay!"
Wait, why does that conversation sound so strange?
After the first wave of the Beastman assault was fiercely repelled, as expected by Princess Lilya, they chose to retreat. However, instead of returning to the Beastman homeland, they stationed themselves not far from Fort Ravine, near the border, and dispersed their hundreds of thousands of troops, surrounding this vital western fortress.
In normal circumstances, the Beastman commanders would thoroughly break down their forces into groups of several dozen to a hundred men each, infiltrate to the east on the vast borderlands between the Human United Kingdom and the Beastman territory, raid, and then retreat once successful.
Even if larger-scale sieges occurred, they were usually aimed at the smaller, less important cities and settlements along the borders of the Human United Kingdom and the Beastman territory. The Beastmen would attack, kill, plunder anything they could find, and then retreat before the main human forces could arrive.
The borderlands shared by the Human United Kingdom and the Beastman territory stretched for thousands of kilometers, and while the Western Border Defense Army could defend the larger passages and plains leading into the Human United Kingdom, preventing every Beastman from slipping into the kingdom was an impossible feat.
The annual autumn war, in fact, takes on such a form. Fort Ravine itself has not suffered a direct attack for many years.
The plains here are the largest gateway in the entire western part of the Human United Kingdom, and the permanent population of Fort Ravine exceeds a million. If the beastmen want to take this place, it means they are no longer engaging in small-scale skirmishes. A slight mistake would lead to a true catastrophe.
"So, Lilya's idea is that the beastmen won't just let it go?"
On the night of the siege, inside Fort Ravine, in Violet's room, the black-haired girl and Princess Lilya were sitting face to face at the table, talking. The burning candlelight reflected the delicate and beautiful faces of the two girls, creating a dreamlike and beautiful atmosphere.
"Yes, I don't know why the beastmen suddenly sent a large army to attack, but it's most likely related to what my brothers have done… With their interference, we're facing both internal and external threats. We can't rely solely on the supporting forces, we need to come up with another solution."
Lilya had a serious expression, rhythmically tapping the table in front of her. Whenever she was deeply concerned, she would unconsciously make this gesture.
It seems that Her Royal Highness is not very optimistic about the future of the Western frontier.
"The Wanhe Fortress is facing a massive army of 500,000 beastmen, and the other cities that are part of the joint defense are also unable to send reinforcements to this side. By a conservative estimate, the beastmen have deployed at least a million or more main forces this time. Even for the Beastman Kingdom where everyone is a soldier, this is a significant investment. Relying solely on the Western frontier army, I'm afraid…"
"So, do you have any special ideas?" Violet asked, leaning on the table with her chin in her hand, eagerly waiting for the princess to continue.
"…Yes, Violet, we can't just sit and wait. As I mentioned before, if we only rely on the city walls for defense, even if we can eventually hold them off, the Wanhe Fortess will likely be destroyed and broken."
"In war, logistics are of the utmost importance. If we want to weaken the enemy without direct combat, we must cut off their supply lines."
Lilya clenched her teeth and spoke with determination, "I've already made up my mind. Before the second wave of attacks is launched, I will personally lead a force out of the city and penetrate deep into the rear of the Beastman army to destroy their supply lines."
"Is that so…"
In theory, Lilya's decision was feasible. Although beastmen could reduce their consumption of supplies by hunting and gathering, when tens of thousands of troops were on the move, it was a different matter. Especially if they remained stationed in one place, the local animals and resources would quickly be depleted by the large Beastman army.
The issue of food has always been the greatest challenge for the Beastman Kingdom, and if Lilya's plan succeeds, it would indeed strike at the enemy's vital artery.
"I understand, so you want to gather as much self-defense power as possible before setting out, right?"
Lilya nodded candidly and met Violet's gaze with clear eyes. "Yes, in this unpredictable world, even though I have you and Flora to protect me, no one can be sure what will happen on this journey. If possible, I'd like to have as many trump cards in my hand as I can."
"Alright, since I've agreed, I naturally have no problem. But before that, there's something I need to give you."
Violet stood up and retrieved a thick black-covered book and a square silver-gray small iron box from thin air, placing them on the table.
"You can take a look at this book first. Just flip to the first page, and remember not to flip any further. Otherwise, I can't guarantee what might happen."
Violet pushed the thick book, almost like a dictionary, in front of Lilya and lightly tapped the hard cover with her finger, teasing her a little mischievously.
"Uh…"
The final sentence clearly had quite an effect. Lilya adjusted her posture, carefully lifted the book's cover, and flipped to the page that seemed to be the "Table of Contents."
"Huh?"
The princess was momentarily puzzled and looked somewhat embarrassed as she turned to the black-haired girl.
"Uh, Violet, I can't understand the text on this page."
"...?"