Chapter 150: Chapter 149: Hymn of Loyalty

Outside Meis Town, all members of the rescue mission had arrived.

They now worriedly faced the blizzard barrier before them, which was like something out of a natural disaster.

"Ms. Ivory, is there truly no way to get anyone inside?"

Knight Hank, one of the three from the Lord’s Mansion, paced back and forth restlessly. The fact that he had come all the way to Meis Town but couldn’t get inside to rescue his Lord was clearly making him extremely anxious.

"According to Yadri, it seems that Mr. Jon and the two Monk ladies forced their way inside using some kind of flight ability. Can’t we use the same method to get in?"

"It’s possible, yes—"

Ivory, who was extending her slender fingers to perceive the flow of Energy in the barrier, answered nonchalantly after hearing Hank’s words.

"As long as you can withstand the Negative Energy in this snowstorm and guarantee you won’t fall to your death, I can have my Servant Demon carry you up. How about it?"

Hank froze for a moment, then gave a bitter smile.

"Ma’am, this is hardly the time for jokes..."

’If I had that kind of ability, why would I be suffering out here?’

"I’m not joking with you, either—"

The black threads spreading from Ivory’s fingertips pulsed, when suddenly, a subtle feedback made her slender brows twitch slightly.

"Wait... has the Negative Energy in the snowstorm weakened?"

Hearing this, the spirits of everyone present lifted. The most impatient of them, Alek, hurriedly pressed her for more.

"Ma’am, does that mean we can try to enter the town now?"

Ivory didn’t answer immediately. Only after confirming it once more did she give her recommendation.

"Hmm... at this level... perhaps you Knights can try pushing through the Blizzard to investigate the situation inside..."

"Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go, let’s go!"

Upon receiving his answer, Alek grabbed his sword and charged toward Meis Town. Yadri and Hank also adjusted their gear and followed suit.

Evans was about to follow them, but after meeting Ivory’s gaze and receiving a subtle signal, he immediately understood the wisdom of not putting all their eggs in one basket and quietly let his hand fall from the hilt of his sword.

And so, the Lord’s Mansion trio’s attempt to break through the Blizzard went exceptionally smoothly.

The chill in the swirling black snowstorm, a cold that seemed to want to freeze a man to the bone, had weakened significantly. Although it was still uncomfortable, it was bearable if they just grit their teeth and pushed on.

When the three were about halfway through, a pulsating golden radiance suddenly lit up the depths of the snowstorm ahead, like a lighthouse on a dark sea, making their hearts leap.

The three quickened their pace and, sure enough, saw the silhouette of a party sheltered by Holy Radiance.

The leading Knight stood tall and straight. His sky-blue eyes were filled with exhaustion, but they remained as sharp as a hawk’s in the dim snowstorm—it was Viscount Paris Manola!

He was flanked by several shield-bearing Knights, and the Warriors behind them were also weary, but their eyes held the grim resolve of those who had survived an ordeal.

At the core of the group, Jon sat atop a large manticore, his Crystal Scorpion Armor shimmering under the Holy Radiance. Xia and Xina stood on his left and right, guarding a Light Cocoon. At the same time, their Light Wings pulsed gently, maintaining the warm barrier that protected the party.

"Lord Paris!"

Yadri roared, the rims of his eyes under his helmet instantly turning red.

He dropped violently to one knee, the snow coming up to his waist. Hank and Alek followed suit, kneeling heavily behind him.

"We... were late with the rescue!"

Paris strode forward and personally helped all three to their feet.

He clapped Yadri firmly on the Shoulder Armor, sending ice flakes scattering. A rare smile broke across his haggard face.

"You are not late! My Knights, the storm has yet to cease, but you have come regardless! Such loyalty is the untarnished honor of the Manola family!"

His gaze swept over their faces—blue and purple from the cold, yet filled with resolve—and his voice suddenly rose, piercing the blizzard.

"But our escape today—!"

He turned to the side, solemnly gesturing toward Jon.

"Is entirely thanks to Mr. Jon and the two Monk ladies, who fearlessly tore through the storm, vanquished the resentful spirits, and saved us! They are the eternal benefactors of the Manola family!"

"All who serve the house of Manola shall engrave this debt upon their hearts! Their names will shine as long as the Birch territory endures!"

Yadri’s and Hank’s chests heaved with emotion. They slammed their right fists against their breastplates, making a clanging vow.

"We swear on our swords and our honor! We will never forget the great debt we owe these three!"

Alek went even further, rushing forward a few steps to kneel on one knee before Jon, his head bowed low.

"Mr. Jon! I apologize! I... I, Alek, am a reckless fool!"

"Back in Birch Town, I actually dared to question your judgment... Please... forgive my ignorance and recklessness!"

His voice was hoarse with shame. As he spoke, he moved to kowtow in apology.

Jon reached out and held Alek, preventing him from bowing any lower.

His ice-blue eyes swept over the crowd, showing neither joy nor sorrow, only a rock-like calm.

"Rise, Knight Alek. There is no need to apologize for that. You were merely upholding your duty. My methods were too direct; I should apologize to you as well."

"We can’t delay any longer."

He exchanged a look with Paris, his speech quickening.

"The forces the Eternal Frost Cultists deployed in Meis Town were far weaker than expected. I’m afraid they’ve already turned their attention to Birch Town."

"With all the elite forces sent out for the rescue, Birch Town’s defenses are at their weakest. We must return to reinforce them immediately!"

Paris nodded in agreement with Jon’s assessment.

"Exactly. Everyone, pick up the pace!"

"Yes, my Lord!"

With one side having found their lord and the other having escaped long confinement, morale was at its peak. The entire party charged out of the Blizzard at an even faster pace than before.

Just as the group was about to reach the edge of the storm, the sharp-eyed Xina suddenly pointed to a mound half-buried in thick snow to their front right.

"Mr. Jon! Over there... I think there’s someone!"

Notary, reacting the quickest, immediately took two Warriors and went forward, carefully brushing away the snow with his scabbard.

A huddled body was revealed—grayish-white hair caked with ice, face frozen a stiff, purplish-blue. He was long dead.

He was tightly clutching a snow-and-mud-caked leather scroll case, his knuckles twisted and deformed from the force of his grip, which he hadn’t released even in death.

"Is that... Village Chief Reed?!"

Yadri came forward and cried out in shock upon seeing the man’s face. Paris also hurried over and knelt to look at the face of the subordinate who had followed him for so many years.

He was silent for a long time, then took off his own thick, velvet-lined cape and gently draped it over Reed’s cold body.

"Harir’s betrayal is the root cause of all this, but Reed didn’t know that."

"It was loyalty that led him to this place of death..."

He stood up and looked around at the solemn Knights and Warriors, his tone grave.

"Recover Village Chief Reed’s body. We will take him back to Birch Town and give him a proper burial."

"I swear in the name of Manola, the harm that the Eternal Frost Sect and the Blood Eye Association have brought upon us will be repaid a hundredfold!"

The Warriors roared in unison.

"VENGEANCE! VENGEANCE! VENGEANCE!!"

Even Jon couldn’t help but sigh softly.

On his system panel, a notification had conspicuously popped up.

——

[Delivery Commission (Excellent · Ordinary Mission) has failed.]

[Village Chief Reed died on the way to find his lord. His loyalty will be remembered by all.]

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