Chapter 16: Surprise Attack

‘Ailea, are you eating well? Are you doing well?’

Clint’s mind churned, thinking that his original perception was a mistake.

Perhaps it had nothing to do with Ailea that he was sent to Geneva. It was a coincidence, the right timing of the moment for Lawrence to send him to war.

“I’m here to thank you… it’ll be the last time we see each other again.”

Clint replayed her sweet voice through his head and made a brief calculation. If he journeyed with the horse all night long, he’ll arrive in the Imperial City before daybreak.

He wanted to make sure she returned safely to Imperial City, but most of all, he wanted to see her laugh at least once.

Clint had long forgotten his injuries and quickly went out in the dead of the night and hopped on the horse.

That night on the way to the capital in the dead of the night, Clint hurriedly stopped his horse. He saw soldiers of the House of Green supposedly on watch now facing death and from afar, soldiers bearing the flag of the Khanna Empire were nearing close.

Clint hurriedly turned around, shouting and echoing into the castle of Geneva, “Quickly! Close the gate and prepare yourself!”

The Knights Order hurriedly rushed out in a fit of frenzy. They, exhausted and resting, were caught in a surprise attack.

The knights hurriedly armed themselves and shut the gate firmly under Clint’s orders.

The direction towards the yellow star of the castle was easy to attack while the opposite side proved difficult. But while difficult to attack, it was easier to recover.

The fortress, too, was somewhat at a disadvantage. The southern part of the city overlooking the Khanna Empire was difficult to break open. Whereas, the direction towards the yellow star or the northern part of Geneva was easy to intercept. It was why the imperial soldiers of the Khanna Empire made a long detour around Geneva.

Clint, who judged that head-to-head match was dangerous, pulled the Knights Order and the House of Green family members out of the castle and hid in the forest behind Geneva Castle.

When the imperial soldiers of the Khanna Empire arrived at the empty castle of Geneva, a group of knights stormed, surprising the enemy soldiers.

Clint and his men killed or captured the enemy soldiers.

They had almost lost their precious money due to the surprise attack, but somehow, they managed to get it back.

Clint fought against the very next day at Eton Castle, sending his men to a blitzkrieg battle. The war prolonged and Clint never made it to the Imperial City.

***

Life on the outside improved greatly for Ailea Elgar Euliana.

Ailea, who had been kicked and banished out of the Imperial City to live at the Outer Castle in her past life cried in suffering inside her room for months. But it wouldn’t be so in this life.

She knew the food assigned to her from the Imperial City would not come, so Ailea sold everything she owned.

She was starved to death in her previous life. She had jewels gifted from the emperor she could sell, but she didn’t. She was to marry the Crown Prince and Ailea thought selling the jewels would be a flaw in her character.

However, she sold her jewels without a second thought or regret.

And with that money, the casual decay of the exterior walls was repaired and the warehouse was filled with firewood for the coming winter. She also collected as many tools as she could for the fireplace in the Imperial City.

Last winter, Ailea was depressed with the lack of sunlight seeping in. The cold came and struck her body sick. She poured all her heart and effort to prepare for the coming winter.

She had also planted potatoes and tomatoes at the overgrown green weeds around the Outer Castle.