"It's already noon, why haven't they returned yet?"

Standing on the city wall, tiptoeing and peering towards the northwest, over a dozen city councilors and militia leaders anxiously awaited.

The wealthy merchants, dressed in silk robes and wearing tassel hats, nervously rubbed their canes, many of them with dark circles around their eyes.

Last night, despite objections, the Saintess forcibly led six hundred cavalry reinforcements on a night raid, leaving them sleepless.

At dawn, they stood on the city wall in the rain, ensuring they received the news as soon as possible.

Drizzling rain flowed down through the crevices of the stones, past wooden plaques, past the beaver's carved panels, and past white daisies struggling to peek over the wall edge.

Water dripped onto the ground, washing away the bloodstains from the cracks in the wall, but the air was no longer filled with the smell of blood.

After a night of heavy rain, the six hundred cavalry, who were supposed to return in the morning, had yet to come back.

"I said, we shouldn't have taken the initiative, now we're in trouble." Staring at the empty plain, a mercenary leader couldn't help but mutter under his breath.

As if starting a trend, various whispers spread among the people on the wall.

"Perhaps we should send a few more people to check?"

"We finally got reinforcements, we can't just let them be sacrificed."

"Maybe they were defeated and are too ashamed to return, fleeing at this moment."

"Her Highness the Saintess must have her reasons for doing this, stop talking nonsense." City Councilor Skage from the Holy Path faction walked over and scolded softly.

Though they were dissatisfied, those whisperers closed their mouths.

Sitting on a bench, Armand was not panicked in the slightest; he didn't come in the morning but rather at noon.

While waiting for Jeanne, he held a book in his hands, reading and taking notes.

Martin's face remained calm, but deep down, he was anxious.

After all, six hundred against three thousand, facing five times the enemy, if anything went wrong, the hard-fought reinforcements would be lost.

The biggest fear was that something would happen to Jeanne, which would be the most fatal.

Currently, there were two soul figures in the Salvation Army, one was Horn, and the other was Jeanne.

If anything happened to Jeanne, the next battle for Rapids City would be unwinnable.

"Quick, look, look!" A youth wearing a straw hat, standing on tiptoe on the unprotected battlement, pointed in a direction.

Everyone immediately crowded in that direction, some even leaning half their bodies out over the wall to get a closer look.

Hooves pounded heavily into the mud, and a light cavalry rider appeared in everyone's sight.

The Beastman stood up on the saddle, raising a spear that skewered three heads high: "Great victory, great victory, the Noble Alliance Army has been defeated, three devils have been executed!"

"Great victory, great victory!"

......

"Back a bit late." Clinging to the saddle, Jeanne jumped off from the horse sideways and pinched Armand's previously thin face, "Too many prisoners, the road was too slippery."

Beside her, the oak gate at the city entrance swung open.

Prisoners, bound with long ropes, trudged forward laboriously.

Carts loaded with goods covered with canvas were being transported to the church in Xiaochi City under the dazed eyes of the townspeople.

It was incredible that they won, and not just a little victory, but a complete triumph.

The only question was, what exactly was the extent of this victory?

"How many prisoners? How much loot?" Martin couldn't wait to ask.

"Seven routes of armies, over three thousand people, about a thousand managed to escape, probably." Jeanne replied, taking off her helmet and tucking it under her arm, untying her braid and letting it fall naturally against her waist, "Of the remaining two thousand plus, we captured over eight hundred, the most elite among them, the Cuirassiers couldn't suppress these."

"Wait, wait, wait, you mean the entire Noble Alliance Army of Kasha County was annihilated?" Councilor Skage approached, almost unable to believe it, "There are three thousand of them! And so many knights."

"What knights? I'm fighting knights." Jeanne rolled her eyes, "Over three thousand divided into seven garrisons, each camp just three to five hundred, some with only a few dozen knights, the most two hundred.

We have six hundred cavalry, including elite Holy Gun Cavalry, plus the rainy night as an advantage, if we can't win, might as well go home and sell potato roots."

The militia and citizens who came to greet them looked at each other in astonishment.

They still found it hard to comprehend that this three thousand strong army was assembled over a month by the Church faction nobles from Kasha County, led by the strongest knight Musaq.

These over three thousand made a grand march for half a month to reach nearby.

Before the battle even started, more than two-thirds of Xiaochi City's wealthy merchants and city councilors were scared away.

They thought they would be defending the city, but the Saintess turned it into a battle of annihilation.

This yellow-haired girl led six hundred cavalry and fought six battles, collapsing this strong army overnight, and the crisis was inexplicably resolved.

Was it that the Noble Alliance Army of Kasha County was too weak, or was the Salvation Army too strong?

It must be understood that all Xiaochi City's citizens and militia were prepared to live and die with the city and fight to the last moment.

They had even written their wills, told their wives where to find the hidden money, and suddenly it was said there was no need to fight.

Even though this was a good thing, many militia members still showed perplexed expressions.

"This, this can't be, all seven camps were eliminated?" An old mercenary asked in disbelief.

"Not quite..."

The mercenaries let out a breath of relief, thinking it impossible that all seven camps could be overtaken, their defensive strategy was still reasonable.

"...The Kush Knight camp led by Maure ran away earlier, we couldn't catch them, and as for that Baron Xiesidun, he fled with dozens of knights after getting beaten."

In the dazed eyes of the militia, Jeanne ticked off with her fingers, reporting one by one.

"That Xiesidun, we could have caught him." Kolebo, smiling with a touch of regret, handed his warhorse's reins to an attendant beside him, "But the rain was heavy, the water rose at night and washed away the bridge, otherwise he wouldn't have escaped."

The mercenaries kept their lips tightly sealed, figuring that by annihilation, they meant complete destruction?

Adjusting his clothing, Armand cleared his throat: "Sis, let's house these knight prisoners in the city's dungeon, just lock up the others."

"Okay." Jeanne nodded without much thought, beckoning to the leading Holy Gun Cavalry to guide the prisoners into the city or to the wild.

Armand then called over the Holy Path city councilors, lining them up to introduce them to Jeanne: "Sis, let me introduce you, these are important representatives of Xiaochi City."

Councilor Skage, standing at the front, immediately put on a smile, adjusted his attire, and walked forward with a grin, preparing to bow: "Pleased to..."

Unexpectedly, Jeanne cast a glance at his silk attire and then yawned: "Ah~ I'm too tired, prepare some food and water for me, and a bed, I'll talk after I wake up."

Skage's bow froze instantly, the water dripping from the gate dropped onto the back of his neck, causing his body to shiver slightly.

It was Martin who came forward to smooth things over: "Her Highness the Saintess has fought fiercely for so long, she's exhausted, let's introduce them at the evening banquet."

"Mr. Skage, let's formally meet at the dinner later," Jeanne said in a mechanical manner and drawing upon formality, taking the reins of a horse named Radish and walked into the city.

In the whispered discussions of others, Skage straightened his back again, unoffended, and called to his men:

"Prepare some roast chicken and grape wine, also some roasted pig trotters, make sure they're ready before the Saintess takes her seat.

Also, prepare the best Falan Nanwood bed, no, move my daughter's bed, the one with the velvet mattress and silk quilt, yes, go now."

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