"In the two hundred and forty-eighth year of the Saint-Leon calendar, the month of winter, the fifty-first day. The weather was not bad.

In every sense, the war is nearing its end. It lasted only three months, far less than the two years in history – and understandably the situation is quite different.

The Empire, the Cult and the Kingdom of Elders were allied from the beginning, and the Fritzians became allies, but we were unable to gain an advantage in the war. Femir sent a large number of Rock Golems and Iron Golems - from the legacy of the Wizarding Federation; and mutated creatures over two meters tall with mouthparts large enough to tear through iron armor—spiders, praying mantises, ants, and unnamed hybrids. Even more terrifying than those are the "gods of the world" who are enough to defeat a hundred, and Lily......

Lily Nono Edda, the Messenger of Life.

She's always dreamed of power, and now that she's got it, I don't know if I should be glad for her. In the letter, Elena says that Lily seems to have found herself and has chosen to stay in this world to protect Femir's ideas. It's a good change from the last time we met, but it's never the right choice. It's not about good or evil, it's about the world in front of you...... It didn't belong to her.

For Elio and me, leaving at this time is the most rational choice. Using the door under the White Oak Palace again may be a return to our original time. In that case, however, I have no way of knowing where Fermir Stark went, or what he had made in history. In other words, my second "adventure" will end in failure.

So I stayed, and at the same time tried to fulfill Elena's wish: to return all my companions safely. Elio is always supportive, which is reassuring. Whatever the outcome lies ahead, I'm not alone.

Now the coalition forces have retreated to Golden Rock City. Fermir's army was advancing, and would be in the city in less than a week. In terms of combat power alone, Fermir, who has Lily, is almost invincible. However, everything in front of him originated from two "wishes" made by Femeer. In Lily's case, the divisions of history stem from a second wish, and the price to be paid – or a curse. If my guess is correct, this may be the only chance.

I don't like to fail, let alone at the cost of my, Elio, and so many lives. It's just that the information is not enough, and the flawless plan is a fantasy. The Ites in the coalition told me that praying to their "gods" would lead to good luck. It was a name I had never read before, but it somehow felt familiar. Since Leonos and Tiana are here, it is likely that this "oracle" belongs to our original plane.

Whatever the facts, if you can hear what I have written, please bless us, and bless Lily, Alphonse, and the world itself—

The "Lord of the Heart" who is in charge of cause and effect...... Mistress Merlene Gerla Flo."

When Ann finished writing her last diary and arrived in the atrium, Elio Laura was still fighting.

His opponent was a tall, middle-aged man, tall and thin, dressed in the uniform of the Cult Army, with no armor underneath. He stepped back lightly, using the shortsword of ironwood he held in his left hand to deflect the boy's attack, and his right hand stabbed with a sword, forcing Elio back a few steps.

"Don't rush to attack." The man took a defensive stance, keeping a distance from the boy and moving his feet, "Watch the enemy's movements, and wait patiently for the right gap - or are you tired?" ”

"I didn't ...... Question, sir! The young man exhaled vigorously, his eyes and the tip of his sword still locked on his opponent, "Don't worry, I don't have anything else, I have a lot of strength!" ”

Ann paused to the sidelines, staring at the battle in front of him. Of the fifty-one Templars alive, Sir Hector was the best at the sword. He had arrived at Golden Rock two weeks earlier, and while he was waiting for orders, Elio offered to ask for sword lessons, and Sir readily agreed.

Since then, the two have been practicing here for two hours every morning. Elio clearly loses more and wins less. At first, he often suffered more than a dozen heavy blows, and he did not always succeed in fighting back. But no matter how embarrassed he was, the boy never showed the slightest discouragement, and even after Sir left, he continued to practice with bruises.

Originally, the human body has its limits after all, and exercise and cultivation are by no means a matter of days. However, the contract with the green dragon "Turquoise" allows Elio to completely eliminate the pain and fatigue of the previous day with just a sleep, and his potential seems to be stimulated, and every day is stronger than before-

Now, ten days later, the two have been fighting back and forth.

The young knight went on the offensive again. He quickly closed in on his foe, slashing to the right before turning into a tricky stab. Jazz turned to his side, opened "Parsifal" with his right hand, and kicked Elio in the lower abdomen. The boy waved his shield at the last moment to block, kicked back two steps, and immediately launched a counterattack.

Ann was unable to learn martial arts due to her frailty, but she was born intelligent, and since she was a child, she has watched the training of her elders and siblings, and has her own understanding of swordsmanship. In her eyes, Elio's current swordsmanship is not perfect, but he has a unique style: he uses his strength and speed to entangle his opponents, and seize every opportunity to attack; For parts other than their own vital points, they would rather take some damage than consider defense at all.

As a boy who has made a contract with Pyrite and has more physical strength and endurance than ordinary people, this is indeed an effective tactic. However, Ann understands that there is a more important reason for the teenager's choice.

Only such a way of playing without regard for safety can hurt ...... Or pinn down those enemies who are far more powerful than the boys.

"Wait...... Void or something. The boy was repulsed again, but he didn't stop for even a second, "If there's no chance, I'll make one of them!" ”

He rushed, swung his sword, dodged, and swung again, each time faster than he had been. Ann couldn't see the movements of the two of them clearly, only hearing the sound of the sharp blade breaking through the air and the sword and shield clashing. Unfortunately, all of this was useless - Jazz easily blocked Elio's attacks, and even had time to point out holes in his swordsmanship.

Half a minute later, with a muffled thud, Elio fell to the ground with a scream, and quickly jumped up again. Hector exhaled, lowered his sword, glanced at Ann, and bowed slightly to the boy.

"Very good." The Templar's voice was appreciative, "Among ordinary people, you are already a top swordsman. Even the best veterans of the Church Army will not be able to win you in foot combat. ”

"Far from it." Elio looked at his hand and slowly clenched it into a fist, "I can't beat you, and I can't win against Ariel and Huruman...... and Captain Lily. He looked up at Sir with some kind of expectation, "I heard...... Is it true that the Templars were able to gain strength beyond ordinary people? ”

Hector shook his head.

"The Templars are titles, not positions." He calmly stated, "Any believer in the Lord of Light who has done enough merit or who has been recognized for his abilities can be given this title." The power they possess may have something to do with the church, but it is all through their own efforts. Sir untied the small shield tied to his arm and hung the wooden sword back at his waist, "There is no shortcut to becoming stronger. ”

"I ...... I see. The young man bit his lower lip, and seemed still a little reluctant to give up, "Then how did you get the title?" ”

"Twenty-five years of training, 12,000 battles, a small amount of talent, and a little bit of luck, that's about it." Hector looked at Elio, "You've got the opportunity, you have the necessary talents, and time and experience are the simplest part. Be patient and keep going, my student. ”

He turned and raised his hand to the girl who was watching. "General Kylo...... And Miss An, have you made a decision? ”

Ann retracted her expression and nodded seriously.

"Good work." Hector's expression remained unchanged, as if the answer didn't matter to him, "Then I'll go to the council chamber first, and I'll see you later." ”

The girl looked at each other and hugged the book in her arms tighter. And the next moment, the familiar voice from her side dissolved the hidden concerns in her heart.

"I know I'm not strong enough, but ......" the young man put his palm on her shoulder, even through the heavy shawl, Ann could still feel a trace of warmth, "Even if there are two Lily leaders, I ...... I'll protect you, Ann. ”

Anguaner. She had long since stopped thinking about her own safety, worrying about the success or failure of the plan and the sacrifices that would be made in between. But...... The feeling of having someone by your side is not bad indeed.

"I believe in you." She flipped through the notebook and put pen to paper, "Let's go, my knight."

……

"I disagree!"

The loud voice of Count Alfonso Deck pierced the heavy doors of the council chamber and echoed through the empty corridors. It was just the most conspicuous part of the noise—it sounded like a busy city, and Ann could have imagined what it was like to be in the hall where the many generals of the coalition army were gathered.

"It's not a war, it's just a worthless death." It was as if something had been thrown to the ground with a piercing thud, "We have so many dead and wounded that we have not even been able to touch the lich's hair!" The Earl snorted coldly, "I have no problem with the Sect wanting to start a holy war, but you tell me, how do you plan to win this war?" ”

The young knight helped her push open the door, and the sound in her face suddenly became several levels stronger. Some of them cast their eyes at the door, while more were immersed in the argument and didn't care about her presence in the slightest.

"I haven't tried how to know. This is no small fight between the nobles - think for yourself what will become of the continent if Huruman Stark wins. He was the twenty-first Templar and had just arrived the day before yesterday, "Five of my siblings have died, and I may be next." He rolled his eyes, "You imperial people, you usually shout about the glory of history all day long, but now you can't do it. ”

"That just means you're stupid and can't see the difference between friend and foe." The Earl sneered, "If you want me to say, it's better to just surrender, maybe we can live a few more people." ”

"yes. Justin and Algai have already turned against each other, do you want to join them too? I'd like to know if the lich will take a few of your bones and gnaw you, or if he will burn you as a sacrifice! ”

"You only deserve to take advantage of your tongue." The Count turned and walked out of the hall with a look of disdain, "Unless your 'Lord of Light' comes down to help, I can't—"

Alfonso's words snapped in his throat, his face pale—Elio let go of Ann's hand and took a step sideways, placing the glittering Parsifal across his chest. The Count's eyes widened and he wanted to say something, but the young knight interrupted him.

"Lord Earl, as a member of the coalition army, if you speak to the enemy and shake the hearts of the army, you can be beheaded according to the law." The young man bowed slightly, his eyes locked on the other party's every move, and then raised his voice, "Marshal Kylo and General Saint Violet have found a way to win, aren't you going to listen to it!" ”

The surroundings gradually quieted down. The group parted paths on either side, and Ann grabbed Elio's arm and walked slowly. They passed by Alfonso's side, and heard each other snort in dissatisfaction.

"A bunch of imps." He muttered, "Where do you know the preciousness of life?" ”

Ann ignored him. The two stepped onto the soft golden carpet and made their way to the end of the hall. The Wise General of the Empire looked up over the marked maps on the long table and looked at her with an inquiring gaze.

She took a deep breath, nodded slightly, and handed a few folded sheets of text to the other party.

"Good work." Kylo bowed, then unfolded the paper and read them carefully. After about a few minutes, he folded all the rolls of paper again and handed them back to Ann.

"How sure is the first option?" He asked.

Ann exhaled softly, picked up the pen, and opened the notebook. "Almost zero."

Kylo snorted, looking unsurprised. "The second one."

"Depending on the situation on the battlefield, between one and two percent." Her hand holding the pen was a little stiff.

"Third option......" Kylo frowned slightly, "is it okay?" ”

Ann grabbed Elio's hand, and from there came a reassuring warmth from there. She nodded earnestly.

"I see. Just do what you want. The Empire's wise general spread his five fingers and pressed the map on the long table, "She's already decided, right?" ”

Elio helped answer the question. "Yes. She said...... There are debts to be repaid. ”

"That's fine." Kylo pondered for a moment, looking at the empty space around the table, "Then, please show up, Miss Ves." ”

There was a commotion in the council chamber - only for the Church and the knights of the Crows. Ann turned her face to follow Kylo's gaze and saw that the legendary 'lady' was slowly condensing into the air with a symbolic, flowing black dress that resembled flowing mercury.

- Tiana Vis Marr. Bestow on the "Lord of the Earth" who has perished.

Most of the people in the room turned pale, and they all closed their mouths in the noise. Lily's 'seizure' of Edda's throne is only one aspect of the church, and standing before them is the "god" himself, who has existed for hundreds of years, has great power, and many believers.

The woman still had the blue crystal shard on her chest, but it did not detract from her majesty. She slowly lifted her gaze around the hall before speaking.

"Don't care about that false god. I can kill Alex, and I can kill her. ”

"But, Lord Marr......" said Viscount Franck, hesitantly, "you are not ......"

A dim light enveloped him. The viscount didn't have time to finish his sentence, and before he could even make any more sounds, he turned into a handful of black dust mist and dissipated without a trace in an instant.

"Don't question areas you don't understand." Tiana said coldly, "Ignorance can be forgiven, but stupidity can't. ”

The black-robed woman closed her eyes. At that moment, Ann seemed to see herself – and the death of everyone here. She grabbed Elio's arm, feeling cold sweat drenching her body; And the first time I met Tiana. A small part of all the people of Mar fell to their knees.

The illusion lasted only a brief moment, and the hall was completely silent.

"Well, now the most difficult problem is solved, and we are back on the same starting line as our opponents." Kylo broke the silence at the right time, "When the two sides are evenly matched, it is not only the preparation in advance that determines success or failure, but also the fighting spirit and belief of each soldier. He paused for a moment, "Who of you here really expects to die on the battlefield?" ”

No one answered.

"Very well, this shows that you are human beings, not emotionless machines. Because we are afraid of death, we must do something about the survival of all mankind and even the whole continent. "Tell yourselves, and your men, that this will surely cost many people, but at least we will die standing instead of curling up in our sleep, unconscious." ”

"I have a question." Elsa Cohen opened her mouth - she was a knight of Marr and a staunch "resistance", "Femir Stark...... and what exactly Lily wants to do. Did you know, Lord Marr? ”

"I don't know." The black woman looked at Elsa, "All I know is that since half a year ago, he has been trying to study my power through the followers of the Black Crow...... And ways to kill me. ”

"He wants ......," Elsa's eyes widened.

"You can ask Leonos about this." Tiana lifted her hand and stroked it gently from her chest, "Maybe he's going to be the only god." The 'Father' would not allow such a lineage, but the human named Femir could no longer be judged by common sense. And from my side, and that of you, Lord of Light, I can only do my best to prevent it from happening. ”

"Wait, what then, what does he want to do?" Another female Crow Knight asked incredulously, "Fei Fei has worked so hard to become a god, it can't be just to destroy the world!" Wouldn't that be pointless? ”

"He could do anything, of course, he could not do anything. The White Tower Wizard had been unable to save his parents, and it was possible that he hated humans for it. Kylo knocked on the table, "With the examples of the Thatchis, the White Tower, and the Federation, are you willing to bet your fate on Femir's mercy?" ”

"Of course not. To be honest, for the sake of Lord Leonos, I don't care about my life. Hector stepped out of the crowd and stood in front of Kylo, "But I want to know, what plan do you have in place?" ”

Kylo looked at him earnestly.

"For obvious reasons, I can't explain the whole scenario here. I can guarantee that each of you will be given the right mission before the battle begins. And the success rate of the plan ......," he straightened up, his tone calm and confident, "close to 100 percent." ”

"For the sake of the life and freedom of all intelligent beings, and for the survival of the El Continent, please trust me, trust Ann, and Lady Tiana Vis Marr."

The chaos around them gradually fell silent. Even those who just want to save their lives know that it's not the right time to make any rebuttals if they want to make it out of this hall alive.

As for after that, Ann didn't care. Even if those people choose to be deserters, or even join the enemy, it will have no effect on her "third plan".

"I swear." Kylo's voice came from the side, "This will be a decision you will never regret in your life, until the end of your life." You will defend everything before you with your own hands, and each one of you will be a hero of the entire continent. ”

"Now, go back to your camp, recharge your batteries, stay healthy, and wait for the time to come. I declare that the name of this battle is—"

Ann closed her eyes and placed her hands on her chest. She knew what Kylo was about to say, and recited it with him in her heart.

—God died. Let's end the war. ”