Soon after, Luo Yu also brought back the statistics. In this battle, the enemy lost a total of twenty-one people, while our side's casualties were almost zero.

"Almost" because Parker accidentally stepped into an ice pit and nearly died, making no sound in the second half of the battle. Also, two workers were injured due to snow slides in the valley, which was about the only 'casualty' on our side during this conflict.

On the other side, including the older noble knight, the natives lost eight people. Aside from the Alchemist, all twelve Invokers were wiped out, making the death rate practically one hundred percent.

The casualties of the Dulun City Guards were far lower than those of the Invokers, mainly because the Big Cat People were lenient. Firstly, the guards were the mission target, and secondly, the level ten or so city guards posed no significant threat to the Big Cat People.

However, Luo Yu was evidently more concerned about another matter.

"There is something a bit concerning," the young man brought back the corpse of one of the Invokers and laid it down in front of everyone.

It was the priest who had been disabled with a single punch from Xiesta. Although he was gravely injured, he didn't die immediately and received treatment. No one had the time to finish him off, so he shouldn't have died.

Yet Luo Yu told the others that when he found this person, he was already dead.

He hadn't died from hypothermia either, but in a manner similar to the deaths in the Dark Fairy Tale—the body was charred, almost unrecognizable. "Not only him," Luo Yu placed the body in the snow, responding, "Almost all the Invokers, including those targets we killed, their bodies are in this state..."

Fang Hong and Sophie were taken aback upon hearing this.

They had seen the Dark Fairy Tale, Aille, and the last priest reduced to ash by the black-haired girl who passed by them. But the Shadow of Nicopolis hadn't come to the other side of the battlefield, so how did these bodies end up like this?

"What about the natives?"

"No," Luo Yu shook his head, "Including that knight and the other soldiers, they only had external wounds, no other changes."

This was the most puzzling aspect, causing Fang Hong to also be momentarily stunned.

He subconsciously recalled the earlier scene—the black-haired girl passed by him, Delice, and Sophie, yet only targeted the Dark Fairy Tale and the other two. At the time, he thought it was merely a coincidence, but now it seemed there was another reason.

They were all Invokers; in Nicopolis's view, there should be no distinction. And even if there was a difference, logically, Nicopolis should have targeted them, not the Dark Fairy Tale and others.

If it were just him, it could be explained by the Ring of Golden Flame, but this reason wouldn't apply to Sophie and Delice. Also, seeing from the distribution of bodies in the valley, if the enemy truly intended to act, Luo Yu, Gita, and others wouldn't have escaped unscathed either.

So, what was the reason for targeting these Invokers?

"Could it be related to their mission?" Gita finally whispered in inquiry.

"That little girl," she hesitantly replied, "seems to have black hair and golden eyes as well..."

But Sophie shook her head.

"Logically, the Dulun City Guards should be executing a mission similar to those of Ragnarok," Princess of Silver Weslan said, "If it were due to the mission, the natives should have been killed too."

This reasoning was indisputable.

Gita thought for a moment and could only nod.

Regardless, Fang Hong had numerous questions about the little girl named Delice...

The little girl hadn't been injured in the previous battle, but she had caught a cold. She, along with the youth named Uncrowned Crown, who was nearly frostbitten to death, was already placed on Mr. Greyrock's back, temporarily under the care and treatment of Miss Atira.

Since there was already a patient girl in the infirmary, the Elf Girl had to open another room for the big and small duo as a temporary care place. Fortunately, there were reserved empty rooms on the ship, and before leaving Golande, blankets and other warm materials were prepared in advance.

This came in handy right now.

When Fang Hong saw the little girl again, a red stove had been lit in the room on the platform, with Xiesta and Hilveld both inside. The little girl was sitting on a small bed. The youth named Uncrowned Crown was lying on another bed behind a curtain, long since comatose.

Delice was not shy. Her gaze passed between Miss Ship's Officer and Xiesta, and her golden eyes looked at Fang Hong curiously. She gently coughed, then asked, "Sister Hilveld, is this your Lord Captain?"

Hilveld simply smiled, her light blue eyes arched as she looked at Fang Hong.

"So, Delice, do you like him?" Miss Ship's Officer turned, smiling and squinting as she asked.

"Quite ordinary, not as handsome as Brother Uncrowned," the little girl thought for a moment, answering earnestly.

Fang Hong's face turned dark.

Yet he had already seen through the Clockwork Fairy's vision the scene where the little girl previously called Xiesta, so it didn't surprise him that as Hilveld's maid, Delice knew Miss Ship's Officer.

He was merely curious about her identity.

"Hilveld," he softly asked, "who is she?"

"Delice Silin Sibeka."

Hilveld answered, "That's her name."

Westwood Sibika.

Fang Hong was momentarily stunned.

This peculiar pronunciation in Colin Ishurian language had a specific connotation.

In the southern Colin Continent, people used this term to refer to a type of flower—a rose genus plant originally from the lowlands of Notting, now common in Eteliria, widespread across several continents.

Red and black rose.

The crest of the Rose Workshop.

...

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