Chapter 148 "Regret is useless, you've already..."
Just then, a guard outside reported that the battle had been lost again tonight, and the army had retreated back into the city.
Starting tonight, the royal city is once again surrounded by King Midan's army, and once again unable to leave the city.
My expression changed drastically.
“I will save you and take you back to the North, and at most, I can take your stepdaughter with me, but I can’t save anyone else.” His voice remained gentle. “I can only do what is within my capabilities and within the scope of our relationship.”
If we're just ordinary friends, he'll only do what ordinary friends do.
To be honest, this is already very good. I can't expect an ordinary friend to go through fire and water for me and give me manpower and resources that exceed the boundaries of "ordinary".
Then came another all-nighter devising battle strategies and endless meetings with several senior generals. He would occasionally offer some meaningful suggestions, but most of the time he remained silent. As an ordinary friend, I understood that he couldn't interfere too much.
At dawn, King Midian's orc mercenaries arrived, and a new round of battle began.
Standing on the highest tower, I watched countless ferocious orcs attacking the city walls, constantly throwing grappling hooks in their attempts to climb up. Although each time they were brought down by fireballs from the guards on the walls, they quickly climbed back up. There were also some bare-armed orcs, panting heavily, clinging to thick wooden stakes, repeatedly ramming into the city gate, trying to break it open.
Fortunately, the royal city that Bernot conquered was renowned for its defenses; its gates and walls were made of special materials, making them difficult to breach. It had taken Bernot several years to prepare for its capture.
The battle raged all morning, ending with the orc mercenaries retreating without achieving any success.
But they can't break in, and we can't get out.
We had a chance to fight back a while ago and replenished our supplies, but it only lasted for about half a month longer than before.
Another ten days have passed, and seeing the morale in the city gradually decline, I am extremely anxious.
Manberia looked at me with a faint smile.
"Don't you dare gloat!" I snapped.
"No, I'm not," he said, still looking innocent. "I'm just not as impatient as you are. Don't be too hasty, it'll make you angry."
"Of course you're not in a hurry! It's not your city." I retorted angrily.
"The reason I'm not in a hurry is not because this is not my city, but because I have already made arrangements so that I can safely take you and your stepdaughter away on the day the city falls."
Are you sure the city will fall?
"From the current perspective, it is highly likely," he said bluntly.
"You..." I was so angry I couldn't speak.
On the eleventh day, the orc mercenaries attacked the city again. I had just dozed off in my rocking chair after a sleepless night when I was awakened by the thunderous sounds of the siege.
Without even washing his face or mouth, he put on a down cloak and went up to the tower.
Freezing rain was pouring down from the sky, making me shiver. I wasn't wearing my waterproof cloak, and the icy rain seeped right inside my clothes, making me shiver all over.
My long hair was soaked, and my cold t-shirt clung to my neck. It was so cold during this freezing rainy season!
“I have received news,” Manberia, wearing a waterproof hooded long coat, appeared behind me. “King Midan has purchased another two thousand half-orc mercenaries, striving for a quick victory to take over your royal city as soon as possible, while also swallowing Queen Diya’s great royal city and its affiliated royal cities.”
"He's really amazing," I murmured.
“He wouldn’t have gotten this far if he wasn’t ruthless,” Mamboya laughed, taking off his waterproof hooded coat and draping it over me. “His father had fifty or sixty sons, a dozen or so of whom survived to adulthood. He won over these dozen or so sons and sisters, making them obedient and accepting his status as crown prince. But after officially ascending the throne, he immediately turned on them, killing some and exiling others with extreme cruelty. Didn’t you witness him slaughtering his brothers and sisters? I remember you were in his palace at the time.”
"I remember." The scene of rivers of blood, the shrill cries of brothers and sisters, the utter madness.
“Perhaps,” Manberia said slowly, “he will massacre the city, after the city falls.”
Even wearing a waterproof hooded long coat, I could feel the freezing rain seeping into my clothes little by little, making me shiver a couple more times.
On the twelfth day, King Midan's new orc mercenary army arrived, forming a new fighting force of two thousand men. Their fierce siege posture almost made me think that the city gate would collapse instantly.
Fortunately, the gates of the royal city, which once took years to conquer, still stand firm, and the city walls remain sturdy, unmoved by fire, arrows, or gunpowder.
But the most pressing issue right now is not these things, but the lack of food supplies.
Supplies are running out; the capital city won't last more than a few days.
For the past ten days or so, the entire palace and the entire capital city have been tightening their belts, but supplies have been dwindling day by day.
When I opened the door to the granary and saw the empty, cold warehouse, my legs went weak.
When I actually walked out of the granary, I collapsed to the ground. If Manberia hadn't caught me, I would have definitely fallen into a puddle after the freezing rain.
"Look at you, how did you get yourself into this state?!" He lovingly brushed away the hair on my forehead that was soaked with cold sweat.
I grabbed his hand and said softly, "Let's...get married."
Although we don't need to sign a marriage certificate, since it's an agreement, Manberia insists that I sign a contract, and he will sign it too.
I stood before the priest brought by Manberia, listening as he read the contents of the contract. It was roughly that he would lend me 20,000 soldiers, along with 5,000 private troops, 200 chests of jewels, and a house in the North worth 500,000 gold as a betrothal gift to welcome me as his second wife. He also specifically emphasized that I did not need any return gift, that is, a dowry.
As I listened, I stared at Manberia in astonishment. Such a grand gesture—he must have planned this all along.
He smiled at me and gently patted my hand, reassuring me.
After the priest finished reciting the contract, we both signed it, and everything was accomplished. As the priest left, I asked him, "You even prepared a priest; were you planning to get married?"
He laughed slyly, "You're so clever, I can't fool you anymore, I'm here to marry you."
"Aren't you going to lose money by spending so much?"
"No, no, it's my honor to marry you, how could I be at a loss?" He smiled and pulled me into his arms, kissing my cheek hard, but I remained expressionless.
On the sixteenth day, 20,000 new troops from the North arrived and utterly routed the orc mercenaries. I suspect these 20,000 troops were already lying in ambush somewhere nearby; otherwise, how could they have arrived just two days after the contract was signed?
On the seventeenth day, the 20,000-strong new army from the North launched a preemptive strike, driving the orc mercenaries back several miles and achieving another great victory. The city gates opened, and the guards were finally able to go out to gather supplies.
The food crisis has passed. I stood on the top floor of the palace, looking at the early spring sun and the beautiful green lawn illuminated by it, and I couldn't describe the feeling in my heart.
Just now, I met the elven messenger. The elven messenger arrived with the Elven King's five thousand private troops, specifically to aid me, without me having written a letter requesting help.
If they had arrived a few days earlier, I might not have signed that contract.
"Do you regret it?" Manberia suddenly wrapped her arms around my waist from behind. "It's no use regretting it now, because you are my wife."
"If only they had come a few days earlier," I said with a sigh.
“Luckily they arrived a few days late,” Mamboya replied jokingly.
On the eighteenth day, the 20,000 new troops from the North, plus the Elf King's 5,000 private soldiers, utterly defeated the orc mercenaries.
On the nineteenth day, the five thousand private soldiers that Mamboa had sent me arrived. Together, the three allied forces routed King Midian's twenty thousand troops, who fled in disarray.
After a two-day truce, the fighting resumed, and King Midan suffered another crushing defeat.
On the twenty-third day, King Midian withdrew his troops, and the crisis in the capital was officially lifted.
The bright sunshine of spring had completely dispelled the chill of the freezing rain season. The elven messenger, having finally learned of my contract with Manberia, looked rather grim. He bowed and said that since the crisis in the royal city had been averted, they would take their leave.
After expressing my gratitude, I personally saw them off out of the city.
Just as the elven messenger was about to mount his horse, I brought up the matter of bringing Anleya back. The elven messenger said very politely, "Please discuss this matter with the Elf King."
I managed a weak smile.
Back at the palace, the maids were packing my luggage, and Beatrice was sitting to the side cleaning things up.
I was taken aback for a moment, and the head maid quickly stepped forward. "Madam, His Highness Manberia has asked us to pack your belongings immediately, saying that you will be going to the North with him soon."
Beatrice chimed in, “Sister, I’m helping them. They’re clumsy, so they don’t put the wrong things in the box.”
I didn't say anything, just sat on the sofa and watched them busy until lunchtime, when I left with Beatrice.
At the dinner table, Atrist said, "Sister, my mother's capital city can't be taken back anytime soon, so I'll stay here."
"Your mother's capital city..." I sighed, "is currently difficult to reclaim."
We're lucky to be alive right now, especially since we're still in the western region.
"Aren't you coming with me to the North?" I spread butter on a piece of bread and handed it to her.
She took it, took a bite, and said, "Why would I go to the North? I'm from the West, it's better for me to stay in the West."
“You’re still a child, it’s not safe for you to be here alone.”
“I am not an ordinary child, I am a princess of the royal family. Royal princesses receive special training and they are able to survive on their own very well.”
“I will not leave the West,” she emphasized. “My mother’s capital has not yet been reclaimed. If I leave, it will give the old guards and the people the wrong impression that I am an irresponsible person.”
I was taken aback; I hadn't thought of that.
That night, Mamboa came to my room. I was sitting by the fireplace reading. Seeing him, I put down my book. "Do you think it's necessary for Beatrice to come with me to the North?"
“She won’t go,” Manberia said, sitting down next to me with a smile. “She desperately needs to establish herself and gain a reputation so that when you take back the Great City, she can rightfully become queen.”
"Why should I be the one to take it back?"
"Besides you, who else?"
"What I mean is, she's about to come of age, and maybe she'll be able to support herself in the future."
"It's so good to rely on you; she doesn't have to lift a finger."
"She's not as bad as you make her out to be."
Manberia did not refute, but just smiled and said, "I only have one piece of advice for you: don't scheme too much for others, otherwise you will only be doing the work for them and you will not end up well."
This is another way of saying "when the cunning rabbit dies, the hunting dog is cooked," and I smiled, unconvinced. I watched Beatrice grow up; she's not a bad person. If I help her, I might not necessarily get good results, but I also might not get bad ones.
On the tenth day after the situation stabilized, I settled everything and distributed the power tokens to several senior generals. Of course, the highest power token was given to the city lord.
As for Beatrice, perhaps Mamboa's words did have some effect. I didn't give her real power; I simply kept her in the palace as a distinguished guest. But I gave her all the best educational and living resources in the palace, and she will live like a real princess in this royal city.
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Author's Note: Please check out my novels "Cinderella Wants a Thrilling Story Script," "A Love of Ice and Fire," and "All the World's Male Gods Are in Love with Me." I think they're really well-written!
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