Tina

Goth's North, the Angsa Province.

At the outset of the war, the elves launched an aggressive offensive. The Dusk Moon Dynasty used its unparalleled navy to blockade the coastline and used overseas islands as springboards to launch amphibious landings from all directions, plunging Goth regions into war, intimidating local areas, and leaving the provinces preoccupied with their own problems.

This maximized the elves' numerical advantage.

The Angsa Province, located north of Goth, was one of the key targets of the expeditionary force's multi-pronged offensive. The Elven marines swiftly captured the port of Karilai, a major town on the western coast. A detachment launched a deterrent patrol centered on this location, allowing subsequent reinforcements and supplies to land continuously. The army, having received supplies and reinforcements, deployed its lines and launched attacks in all directions, causing chaos in the northern war and tying down a large number of Goth's forces.

The Angsa Province was thus engulfed in war. Local military and political officials and nobles were desperately defending themselves and had no time to spare, let alone spare troops to support the overall war effort.

This is also a microcosm of the war.

Goth has been able to hold out until now despite the overwhelming military superiority of the Elves, thanks to the bloody battles fought by nobles, soldiers, and even commoners to defend their homes at all costs, and even more so to the Elf Expeditionary Force's cautious tactics and willingness to use time and attrition to reduce casualties.

After all, elves' lives are precious, and their fates are tied to votes and future prospects, so it cannot be ignored.

But no matter how brave the Goth People were, and no matter how cautious the Elven army was, given the vast disparity in national strength between the two nations, Goth's defeat was only a matter of time.

This is the consensus reached by military observers and intelligence agencies from various nations... The human nations, led by the Empire, are not providing support or assistance, and are even reluctant to issue verbal condemnations due to the elves' fierce power. There are even rumors that the Empire has reached a secret agreement with the elves to divide Goth.

In this desperate situation, Goth had no external support and his internal forces were constantly being depleted. How could he possibly defeat the world's most powerful Dusk Moon Dynasty by fighting alone against a formidable enemy? The outcome was actually already predetermined.

--But that was a month or two ago.

In the past two months, the Goth battle, which was originally expected to remain unchanged, has undergone a series of changes.

First, Princess Tina, the Pearl of Goth, who had secretly traveled to the Empire to request aid, encountered danger in the Glittering Sand Territory. The truth and facts of the matter were unknown to the public. However, when the princess, known for her kindness and gentleness, reappeared in public, she was already in the northern part of the Empire.

She abandoned her trip to the capital, declaring that she would fight Goth to the end, and gave speeches in major cities in the northern part of the empire, recruiting volunteers, building an army, lobbying nobles, meeting with merchants, and seeking possible assistance—to the astonishment of the outside world, she actually succeeded.

The public narrative is that Princess Tina, with her pure and noble soul and character, has won the unanimous support of nobles, commoners, soldiers, mages, and other social classes, inspiring groups of people with a sense of justice to take up arms and fight for justice, righteousness, and the shared destiny of humankind.

But anyone with a modicum of common sense knows that this is utter nonsense. The reason why humans have become the second most powerful race after elves is because they never do anything without benefit—those holy, pure idealists have long since died out, and they still follow the saintly woman who saves the country? Bah!

The true reason why the nobles and merchants were so generous remains shrouded in mystery, and everyone keeps it a secret. According to rumors, Princess Tina, using the reputation of the Taidariel Family and the Duchy of Goethe as a foundation, signed an extremely profitable agreement with each investor. It concerned the ownership and mining rights of an ancient ruin within Germany, which was precisely what the elves and the empire coveted.

It is precisely this kind of ambiguous and confusing information, hidden in the fog, that makes people most anxious and restless.

Moreover, several prominent families and merchant guilds in the northern part of the empire participated in the investment.

This sets a good example.

Others glanced at it and thought, "Wow, a long-established family, a powerful business guild—these names are so famous, their wealth is immense, their power is overwhelming, and they must be employing countless strategists, advisors, and secret agents."

Given their shrewdness and prudence, their participation in this investment proves that the ruins Princess Tina spoke of are indeed real—what? A certain imperial minister denies it? Then it's even more damn real.

So what?

So why not get a piece of the pie? Why not make some money while it's free?

The investment support from those northern tycoons set a good example and served as a model. Later, wherever Tina went, local families, chambers of commerce, and powerful figures would greet her and talk about the investment and share purchase. The terrifying prestige and reputation that Tina accumulated in a short period of time was all due to the support and promotion from these powerful figures in the area.

They gave money and people with great generosity, because all the support was converted into shares and included in the final proportion. After the initial negotiations and planning, this fundraising game began to expand on its own, growing larger and larger, with more and more participants joining in. It converged into a terrible torrent, turning into weapons, food, mercenaries, medicine and other war materials, which flowed into Princess Tina's hands.

It wasn't that no one questioned it, but those voices inexplicably disappeared in the end.

Because the game has already started.

Princess Tina's share offerings were limited. Once she led the volunteer troops away from the imperial border and back to Goth, the real feast officially began. Those who had bought shares eagerly awaited news from the front, filled with trepidation, while those who had missed out were filled with regret and despair.

So, the shares began to be bought and sold.

News kept coming back from the front.

When news of Princess Tina's victory arrives, the share price will rise; when news of defeat arrives, it will fall. Victory and defeat are common occurrences in war. Just as there are winners and losers in battle, stock prices will naturally rise and fall. But in the midst of these rises and falls, a large amount of real money mysteriously disappears, ending up in the hands of unknown people. Even the few clever people who see through the tricks of the trade mysteriously vanish.

All of this has nothing to do with Tina.

When the no-longer-naive princess led her army back to her homeland, the lavish feast was no longer relevant to her. She only wanted to leave the world with a huge surprise, to deliver the heaviest blow to the elves, and then vanish along with the glory of her father, brother, sister, and Teldrassil. So she just fought, fought, and fought, caring nothing as long as the support from the rear continued.

Meanwhile, the few bigwigs who were first persuaded by Tina were manipulating intelligence and secrets behind the scenes, causing the stock price to rise and fall continuously. In the process, they secretly bought and sold shares, frantically reaping wealth that had appeared out of nowhere, making huge profits while lying down.

The natives of this other world were engrossed in this wonderful game, enjoying the thrill of manipulating everything. They were unaware of the terrible example this rudimentary financial game would set for future generations. Even if they knew, they wouldn't care, and Tina cared even less.

Princess Goethe was chopping elves, while several giants were frantically harvesting leeks. The leeks were waving gold coins and rushing to enter. Some smarter people also saw the way - these people are really smart, so they thought, hey, what about the scam, I can also make a profit.

A frenzied game, terrifying desires, greed and madness—all of these elements forcefully constructed a flawed lie, making it appear as reality.

This is the real Emperor's New Clothes.

The only fate for the child who revealed the truth was to be beaten to death by the entire monarch, his officials, and the people.

The ancient ruins exist, and the elves desire them, which is why the war broke out. Princess Tina is the chosen saint, supported by international opinion, and followed by many. The empire is even about to officially intervene in this war to support Goth against the elves.

With the Empire's support, this war cannot continue; the elves must retreat.

If Goth wins, he can develop that ruin, unearth priceless ancient artifacts, make countless fortunes, and make everyone rich!

This claim, along with countless rumors, has gained increasing traction— Goth's defensive war is in excellent shape and poised for final victory.

Amidst this optimism and anticipation, only a small minority remain coldly clear-headed.

The initiators and some of the participants knew that this unprecedented scam, which was bound to shock the world, was bound to explode sooner or later.

Teldrassil will perish, Goth will fall, there will be no ruins—it's all a hoax, but so what? Princess Tina is dead, the Taidariel Family is wiped out. Where will you go to collect your debts?

What? You're talking about me? I'm a victim too! What? You invested money because you heard we were involved? That just means you're as stupid as me, what responsibility do I have? Hehe.

These "victims" wanted to make one last profit before the final explosion, then leave calmly, and then, at a celebratory banquet, feign admiration for Princess Tina's ruthlessness and decisiveness.

That's how it was originally.

Even Tina was well aware of her ending and fate.

But amidst this absurd and chaotic black comedy, a shocking piece of news suddenly appears.

Princess Tina's husband, Cathayan Kang De, from Aurora, is not dead.

Moreover, in a small place called Valentan south of Goth, Forbidden Spell was used to wipe out five Elven Royal Army Dragon Banner Warband in one fell swoop. Together with those previously lost in Valentan, a total of six Elven Legions were destroyed.

Forbidden Spell, damn it, it's Forbidden Spell!

When this news reached the north, the big players in the market even laughed out loud—who came up with such outrageous fake news? Although these stock buyers might be a bit naive, they weren't that stupid. Show them some respect!

But it's true.

The whole world went crazy, and investors went crazy too. Previously fluctuating stock prices skyrocketed, and trading volume plummeted. Valentan Speech, the elves halting their offensive, the imperial capital shaking—one piece of news after another boosted investor confidence—Damn, this actually works?

A few days later, which is now, the elves sent unofficial envoys to discuss how to hand over the remains of tens of thousands of elven soldiers outside Valentan, and even more explosive news followed.

The elves proposed peace terms.

It was a treaty whose contents were so outrageous they were almost blinding to the eyes of all living beings on the continent.

This game is completely unmanageable because no one is willing to sell their shares anymore. Those who have already sold are kicking themselves and regretting it immensely. The big players just made a few deals, and not long after they distributed their shares, they suddenly saw their fortunes rise like wildfire—you should know that there's no such thing as daily price limits in this other world!

Even they themselves were confused—so, does that ruin actually exist?

Surprised?

Accident.

Are you angry?

Gas.

Do you dare to get angry at Tina?

I dare not.

Why?

Because her husband is awesome.

Anyone with a modicum of common sense could see that Kang De possessed terrifying power, even enough to make the Dusk Moon Dynasty bow down. No one with a normal IQ would refuse that lucrative treaty. Once signed, Goth would fully embrace the Twilight Moon, using the power of the world's strongest nation to achieve a leap in national strength.

Kang De, along with Princess Tina, became Goth's ruler, accepted the elves' invitation to join the council and the Arcane Council, built his own army, married the Queen of Cathay, and gained control of the ancient Eastern kingdom—so, are you sure you want to offend someone like that?

Princess Tina once again became the focus of the world's attention.

The most enviable girl in the world.

To be able to find such a lucky charm during a single mission to an empire is truly something else – any person with some power would sigh with such admiration when talking about their own daughter.

As for flattery, loyalty, repairing relationships, and providing strong support, these are all expected.

In just a few days, Tina was surrounded by countless visits, compliments, and flattery.

But no one knew that the heart of this Pearl of Goth was filled not with sweetness and happiness, but with bitterness and unease; she no longer knew how to face her "fiancé."

After experiencing the devastating changes in Glittering Sand Town, she once thought she had lost everything, so she stopped being naive, simple, and weak, and hardened and strengthened her heart.

She began to shed blood, to hurt others, to strive for victory. She became strong, brave, even ruthless, doing many things she would never have done before. But when she heard about Kang De, she found herself still the same weak and helpless little girl she had always been.

"Didn't sleep again last night?"

A sigh sounded in her ear. Tina looked up blankly. Her aunt walked in carrying a wooden tray. The aroma of food wafted through the air, but she had no appetite at all.

Since returning to Goth, I have experienced several major battles, including assaults, assassinations, and sneak attacks. There have been countless such encounters, and I have relied entirely on my aunt's Snowfall Sword for protection.

This woman, as fierce as a snow-capped mountain and as valiant as a lion, was someone Tina admired and longed for. In the most difficult times, it was her aunt who protected and encouraged her, guiding her and dispelling her doubts.

Tina whispered, "Auntie..."

Two strings of tears involuntarily fell.

"Cry! You're crying again! What are you crying about!"

The wooden tray was slammed onto the table. The Sword Saint Cascading Snow reached out and pinched Tina's chin, lifting her delicate, beautiful face. He snapped, "Look at yourself in the mirror! Aren't you pretty? Aren't you lovable? He'd be overjoyed if you were his wife. What are you thinking?"

Tina murmured, "That's not how it is. I forced him to come to the mainland, to suffer all this, and I wasn't by his side during his most painful time. I even called myself his wife, and I dragged him into this war that wasn't his, making him witness the killing, and even participate in it... He must be very resentful of me. I have no face to see him..."

"Nonsense! If he blamed you, why would he come to Goth? Why would he write you a letter? If he blamed you, he wouldn't have helped Goth at all! You're capable of murder, why are you afraid to see him?"

Tina shook her head, her shimmering golden hair swaying wildly. She said sadly, "It's different. He doesn't blame me; he's just a good person. But I can't take it for granted. I..."

The Sword Saint asked, "So?"

The girl didn't react for a moment. "... So?"

The Sword Saint Cascading Snow raised an eyebrow, his tone aggressive. "So you think he's a good person and feel guilty, then make it up to him! Be grateful to him! Isn't that simple? Instead of thinking about this and that here, why don't you just head south to find Kang De! Once you meet him, everything will be fine!"

Even though she had honed her past knowledge and wisdom into true strength through war and intrigue, Princess Tina still felt helpless when talking about Kang De: "Go... go to him? Go for what? I... I don't know what to do..."

The decisive Sword Saint slammed his fist on the table. "Don't know what to say? Then say nothing! Just hug him, kiss him! Push him onto the bed, and have your way with him! He'll be overjoyed to have you as his wife for nothing! If he's really as good as you say, once you've slept with him, he'll spend his whole life with you!"

Tina blushed deeply, wishing she could cover her ears.

When news of Kang De's survival reached her, the princess's frozen heart gradually thawed, and she no longer possessed her usual dignified demeanor.

She said angrily, "Then I should be even more... even more wrong about him! What if he finds someone he likes? I've already wronged him enough by announcing he's my husband, and then all the girls on the continent will know he's married. If he meets someone he truly likes, she definitely won't pay him any attention..."

Before she could finish speaking, Tina received a sharp rap on the head. The Sword Saint Cascading Snow roared, "You're back to your old foolish self! Why do you care about him? Does he hate you? Do you hate him? If you don't, then go for it! Such a good man, and you're not keeping him in Teldrassil? Are you going to push him away?"

Tina covered her head and muttered, "Auntie's talking so fiercely, as if you know everything. You're also a member of the Taidariel Family, and you don't dislike him. If you're so good at talking, why don't you go and do it yourself?"

"..."

The Sword Saint's cheeks flushed red, and she immediately retorted angrily, "You said it yourself! Anyway, I'm also eager to experience the taste of a man, and I've finally found one that's both pleasing to the eye and powerful. You wait, I'll go to Valentan right now and take care of him. From now on, you'll call him uncle! You'll have nowhere to cry!"

She made a move to leave, Tina's face hardened, and she reached out to grab her. "Wait..."

Her aunt stopped and stared intently at her.

The girl lowered her head and sighed.

Don't hesitate any longer. You've already missed it once; do you want to miss it a second time?

The Sword Saint Cascading Snow reached out and patted his niece's head, then hugged her tightly. "Show me your usual decisiveness and drive. You were already doing very well. Don't let the thought of Kang De bring out your true colors... I'm serious. If you don't go soon, he'll be snatched away by the Queen of Cathay."

Kang De wouldn't be taken away; he wasn't from Cathayan, and that country had nothing to do with him.

Tina thought to herself.

Can...

I still want to see him, yet I'm also afraid to see him.

Which emotion is stronger: the desire to see him or the fear of seeing him? And what should I do after seeing him? Should I laugh, cry, apologize, greet him, express gratitude, or...?

Or like... like what my aunt said... is kissing... not really a good idea?

Tina's eyes were unfocused, as if she was lost in thought, blushing one moment and giggling the next.

They were all stunned for a moment.

Just then, voices could be heard outside.

"Your Highness, there is urgent military intelligence!"

Tina and the Sword Saint were both startled and released each other. Princess Goth took a deep breath, her gaze changing from blank to firm, and the shyness and hesitation on her face disappeared.

The ruthless side reappeared.

She stepped out of the tent and said coldly, "Is it about Valentan?"

The officer outside the tent knelt on one knee, not daring to look up, his tone calm yet reverent. "No, it's intelligence regarding the military deployment and mobilization of the elven invading army."

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PS1: My high school roommate got married today, so I went to the wedding. You all know what that means. (Expressionless)