Chapter 38: Bai Li’s Judgment
“So you’re telling me you didn’t even see the guy?”
Herta questioned him. Honestly, Vivian protecting that person so fiercely was quite strange.
Getting Cook’s confirmation, he symbolically scolded him and told him to get lost. The matter of losing the scroll was thus dropped.
He hadn’t brought many troops this time, and Cook was the only capable subordinate he had.
Honestly, the distance from the fortress to the Rose Cathedral wasn’t very far, just that the ravine terrain in between was too treacherous. The blood clan’s flying ability allowed them to pass through anytime, while the Empire’s ordinary soldiers could only stare helplessly at the valley.
Herta was also waiting. He wanted to use this campaign against the Rose Cathedral to weaken Clement’s strength.
…
In her daze, Vivian could vaguely feel a pair of slightly rough hands gripping her wrist.
This familiar feeling—it was definitely that guy. Vivian barely propped herself up. Therese had already changed her clothes, and the loose nightgown draped over her made her look delicate and ready to collapse at any moment.
“I told you not to act recklessly, sigh.”
“It’s not as serious as you think, cough cough… otherwise how would you…”
Bai Li couldn’t bear to watch. She was coughing blood yet still putting on a brave front. He picked up the handkerchief from the table and carefully wiped the blood from her lips.
His finger accidentally touched her delicate skin, and the cool sensation made him tingle all over. Vivian immediately caught this obvious physiological reaction.
Her eyes had changed from blood red back to normal, the fighting spirit around her dissipated. She drooped her ears and turned her head away, not looking at Bai Li.
“You’re really something, Brother Bai. These bad people hurt Sister Vivian like this, don’t you feel anything?” Therese pounded his chest, acting pitifully spoiled.
Letting Therese pound away at him, according to his previous deployment, the fortress cannons were ready and Wensa had trained the gunners. The blood clan’s learning ability was indeed strong.
“Therese, you go back first. I’ll handle Sister Vivian’s situation. Children don’t need to worry about so much.”
She left skeptically, not forgetting to look back at what Bai Li and Vivian were doing.
Only after Therese was far away could Bai Li speak about what came next with peace of mind.
“It seems the only way to solve the problem is to give me back that sword.”
Bai Li was well aware that taking back Frost Moon, which Claude had tampered with, might very well turn him back into what he was before. However, without that power, he couldn’t protect anything.
“I’ve already used my bloodline to reshape your body, you…”
Bai Li sighed. Before Frost Moon returned to normal, he could definitely hold off Cook alone.
But Herta had come in person. This imperial prince was skilled at scheming, and his strength was unknown.
This unstable factor was really uncertain. The remaining army was manageable—the cliffs were steep, and without a clear numerical advantage, defending shouldn’t be difficult.
Vivian weakly stood up, and Bai Li quickly stepped forward to support her, afraid of another accident.
“Don’t touch me, it’s not that bad yet.” She pushed away Bai Li’s hand while supporting herself against the wall. She picked up the cup on the table and drank all the fresh blood in one gulp.
Cook’s shock wave had hit Vivian solidly. Normally this wouldn’t have happened, but she had to protect the child in her belly, which led to taking that hit.
The alliance between Clement and Herta was probably mutually constraining. Neither side wanted too much loss, inevitably leading to slow action and indecision.
With Vivian somewhat recovered, she knew that seeking aid was also a way to break the siege when facing encirclement by two major forces.
“If I send Wensa to the Fog Capital for aid and leave the entire Rose Cathedral’s defense to you, can you handle it?”
This kind of defensive task was his specialty, but Bai Li proposed using one person.
“Arrange whatever you want. As long as you can hold out for a while, I should recover in about a day.”
“I don’t need you to fight. As long as I’m still standing at the valley bottom, Herta can’t get through. I just need you to release Sloy for me.”
Vivian nodded. She was tired too. Her tense nerves relaxed, and she soon lay down on the bed, falling into deep sleep.
Bai Li watched her like this. Indeed, her abdomen was slightly protruding. It seemed completely certain. When he subconsciously placed his hand there…
Vivian lifted her head and gripped his hand tightly, not letting him pull away.
“Touch a bit more, it’s yours anyway.” Her smile was strange, with a look of successful mischief. “That sword can be taken for self-defense. I had Therese send it over earlier—it’s in your cabinet.”
Vivian’s body rarely had any warm sensation. Only after she released his hand could Bai Li pull it back. When he looked at her face again, she had completely fallen asleep.
Bai Li quietly tucked her in. The rose on the hood beside her had withered. He plucked another from by the window and replaced it.
“Too bad that toolbox is gone. Oh well, it only contained some memories of the Empire anyway. It doesn’t matter whether it’s there or not.”
When leaving, the dim lamp was also extinguished. She should rest properly.
As a man, how could Bai Li accept the reality of letting a girl shield him from danger? This person who made him love and hate her could torment him to the point of wishing for death, but could also brave fire and water for him.
He took out the cigarette from his pocket, but it was completely soaked by rainwater, and the lighter couldn’t light at all.
…
Back at the dungeon, Sloy was lying on the bed reading. Hearing footsteps, he instinctively thought someone was bringing food.
“Why is it you again?”
Bai Li sat at the table, sketching a white moon symbol with two strokes. A piece of paper jumped onto Sloy’s face.
“You should still recognize this, right? My foolish student?”
Seeing this signal, Sloy’s eyes flickered. So the teacher was still alive—he knew it.
He hugged Bai Li, crying uncontrollably like a child.
Before his Frost Moon was reforged, he was still the understanding elder in front of Sloy.
Bai Li had experienced that kind of isolated life before. The imperial court’s daily intrigue left Sloy exhausted. When Claude chose Bai Li to mentor him, he initially thought he was just an obedient chess piece.
He mentored Sloy for a year, teaching him not only magic, various combat skills, and tactics, but he was also one of the rare people who could understand his techniques.
Those who have been rained on know this feeling. For that year, Bai Li dutifully held an umbrella for Sloy.
He knew Bai Li’s blueprints by heart and was quite skilled at this mechanical work.
But during that year, his brother Herta remained silent, and no one knew what he was doing.
“In the country, probably only a few of you still remember me.” Bai Li sighed. Indeed, the world was unpredictable. “You came at just the right time. You should help me with something.”
…