Chapter 640: Ma.s.sacre of Cintra
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
The “Battle of Marnadal” had brought Cintra to the ground. Across the river, The King of Verden trembled in fear. The so-called betrothal between Prince of Kistrin and Princess Olivia had turned into a complete joke.
Princess Olivia, the “Pearl of the Northern Kingdoms,” the dreams of many princes was going to be the princess of a fallen nation. Would anyone still want her?
Well, there was. It was Prince Hjalmar from the Skellige Isles. He had actually volunteered to partic.i.p.ate in the war of the Cintra Kingdom against the Nilfgaardian Empire. At the Battle of Marda.n.a.l, he had fought like a lion, forcing Calanthe to acknowledge him…
Hjalmar’s love for Olivia was pure and true, and his actions proved it. However, one man could only do so much. Considering the fact that he could actually walk away from the “Battle of Marnadal” with his life, it was nothing short of a miracle.
He originally wanted to follow the defeated Calanthe back to the Cintra castle, so that he could see the “Pearl of the Northern Kingdoms” Princess Olivia of his dreams, but Calanthe sent him back to Skellige instead.
Far too late, the “Lioness of Cintra” had finally learned of her folly. She could not let Hjalmar, the heir of the Skellige Isles remain in Cintra.
The “Battle of Marnadal” was a great victory for the Nilfgaardian Empire, but the Cintrans had gone down with such ferocious swings that it had come at great cost. If not for the big gap in numbers, the Kingdom of Cintra might have even edged out in the end.
Calanthe was brave, but she had not been wise. Not only did she have the smaller army, she had actually been outmaneuvered by a larger force. How else could she not fail?
Emperor Emhyr was far from satisfied with the results. He was outraged. The Cintra Kingdom had put up such fierce resistance – this was the worst possible start to his campaign.
If every kingdom in the Northern realm was as stubborn as Cintra, how could the Emperor possibly conquer the North successfully?
Therefore, the ruthless Emperor Emhyr decided to bring the hammer down. In addition to capturing the two princesses Cirilla and Olivia, the people of the Cintra Kingdom were to be slaughtered at will!
Indeed, this would leave all the kingdoms in the Northern realm s.h.i.+vering in fear —- —- Ma.s.sacre of Cintra.
At that point, Olivia was watching her grandmother Calanthe return to the castle with her broken army. She felt nothing. She was just an observer. The game system’s “character information bar” had told her everything.
She had not received any quests pertaining to this war. Obviously, this system took her side. Neither the Cintra Kingdom nor the Nilfgaardian Empire had anything to do with her. She was not obligated to aid either party.
Even if there were no quests, she still had to protect her sister Cirilla.
Unlike Olivia, who had always been very calm, Cirilla quickly went to care for her miserable grandmother.
This was the first time Cirilla ever felt the cruelty of wars. She now knew why her grandmother had wanted to marry Olivia off in the name of a new alliance…
Of course, it made sense logically, but Cirilla still felt that it was meaningless to sacrifice the happiness of her sister in exchange for the future of the kingdom!
Olivia remained as calm as always. However, as Cirilla was so concerned about Calanthe, of course, she could not be too indifferent. She put up her weakling mask and appeared to be the most helpless, panic-stricken girl ever. She appeared to be extremely frightful of Calanthe, whose body was now riddled with battle wounds.
Calanthe ordered someone to take Olivia away. She was now left alone with Cirilla.
The aged Calanthe was finally starting to look her age. She sighed and said, “Cintra has no future. Cirilla, I only hope that you can live well.”
Cirilla nodded and firmly said, “I will live well, and I will protect my sister.”
Calanthe shook her head slightly, and said with a heavy tone, “You staying alive is the most important thing. You might have to abandon your sister to keep yourself alive.”
“I will never abandon my sister!” Cirilla was a little agitated.
Calanthe became angry and sternly said, “This world is cruel. It is a mistake that a weak, useless vase-like existence like your sister was born! You have to live, even if you have to sacrifice your sister!”
Calanthe was convinced of it. In fact, she was already prepared to die.
No matter what, she could not change Cirilla’s mind.
Then, the situation in Cintra continued to worsen.
The Nilfgaardian army had broke into the city of Cintra, keen to finish them off. The cavalries rushed through the blood-filled grounds in groups.
They did not look at anyone, they did not ask any questions.
They had to kill the old Queen and capture the Princesses of Cintra.
As for their fate afterwards, no one dared say anything.
When the Nilfgaardian army reached the city, Queen Calanthe, the remaining troops and n.o.bles around her had retreated into the castle. Stone walls surrounded them, and in the middle of it was a huge gate that had magic seals on it. Even so, they had once tasted the strength of the Nilfgaardian army. They knew that it was not nearly enough to save them.
After four days of bitter fighting, the Nilfgaardian army finally managed to break into the castle. In the castle, a large number of Cintran women killed their children, while the women were in turn killed by the men, and the men then committed suicide… The people of Cintra would never surrender! It was better to die in glory than to live in dishonor!
Calanthe stood atop the castle’s tallest tower. Her haggard face had grown many new lines, her hair unkempt. She looked at the flames beneath her. Blood was everywhere and battle cries filled the air. She closed her eyes wearily. A final prayer for Cirilla. She had already a.s.signed the nation’s remaining elite knights to protect Cirilla, vowing to get her out of the nation in safety.
As for Olivia, may death free her from torment and humiliation.
Calanthe prepared to jump to her death. Defiant to the end.
At that moment, someone took hold of her. She looked back in horror and realized that it was the person she had thought to be a vase —- —- Olivia.
There was no trace of weakness on Olivia’s face, only indifference. She said nothing. She used all of her energy to open a portal, and she shoved Calanthe, who was like a stranger to her, into it. Her expressionless face was as delicate as that of a doll. It burned itself into Calanthe’s mind forever.
It seemed like she had reached her limit. The portal closed immediately as she fell to the ground, her body weak. She muttered, “This obsessive-compulsive disorder of clearing quests is really ruining my life. I hope that the cheap old man is reliable, maybe I can even become a Princess of the Nilfgaardian Empire…”
Obviously, ensuring that Calanthe would not die was also a quest by the system. Calanthe was important to Cirilla. Olivia would not want to leave Cirilla devastated over this loss.
So, she could only put all her eggs in one basket.
Calanthe appeared on the sh.o.r.e. Druid Ermion was there. He took Calanthe to the Skellige Isles. After all, Bran, the King of the Skellige Isles, was brothers with Calanthe’s husband, the already dead King Eist.
“Ermion, what is this Olivia actually capable of?” Calanthe was confused. She felt as if she had met Olivia for the first time today. This little good-for-nothing actually saved her?
What would happen to Olivia? She had left her to die!
At that moment, she had never been more remorseful for this granddaughter of hers…