You're Running Out of My Patience (Continued)

Her eyes kept glancing at Maria, who stood silently to the side, staring straight ahead as if her expression were completely calm. After a long internal struggle, she finally couldn't help but speak softly.

"Are you still thinking about that girl from earlier?"

Why would you think that?

Maria looked at Lamaline.

Perhaps Lamaline herself didn't realize that her little face was already slightly pouting, and this gesture made her look exceptionally alluring.

Her slightly red lips looked so tempting that you wanted to take a bite.

However, Maria didn't have so many thoughts.

"I'm thinking about the current situation..."

"Situation."

Upon hearing that Maria wasn't thinking about Theresa, Lamaline's tone relaxed considerably, and she nodded slightly when Maria said she was considering the situation.

How are you feeling?

"... have no idea."

Maria shook her head.

According to the intelligence they had previously received, both the Blood Demon and the Lich had brought the vast majority of their Royal Court forces, meaning that theoretically, these two sides should be the strongest.

However, the current situation is not like that.

Excluding the Banshees who had to relocate to Kazdel due to the fall of the royal city, the strongest are actually the Eaters of the Dead... Although Maria doesn't think they're anything special, in reality, as the current war god of Sarkaz, the Nachzehrer King Nitze, still possesses extremely powerful strength.

Although they are outnumbered by Blood Demon and his group, their combat strength is definitely the highest.

Not to mention that these people had encountered a bloody battle before arriving in Kazdel, and the morale of the soldiers who had survived the battle was incomparable to that of other races!

If Maria wasn't mistaken, the other side's initial goal was probably to take down the leader of the Sarkaz, who were currently leaderless.

Only...

The Banshees became the source of the change.

Compared to other Royal Court that merely mobilized their elite forces, the Banshees mobilized their entire force, making them undoubtedly the strongest.

This is also why Maria made a promise with Nitze that she would lead the Sarkaz to victory in this war.

The most important factor is that Maria has the support of the Banshees, which almost guarantees her the position of leader.

Maria was very confident in her abilities, and after experiencing the ambush outside the Banshee Capital, Maria was even more certain that she could absolutely fight against ten thousand men and hold off an enemy army by herself.

But before she could be discovered by the Skyborne Great Beast, and before she could use her purest power, Maria was unsure whether she could provide timely support to the battlefields on all sides.

So even if she finds it troublesome, she still needs to gather the current Sarkaz.

Taking a deep breath, Maria shook her head, clearing her mind of unnecessary thoughts, and then led Lamaline into the conference hall.

Meanwhile, the other rulers of the Royal Court had already arrived here long ago.

It's worth mentioning that although there is no hierarchy among the Royal Court, as Sarkaz who value strength, everyone will find a place that they feel is right for them.

Apart from the Demon King's towering throne, which remained unoccupied despite its massive floor-to-ceiling window, the Blood Demon, Eaters of the Dead, and Lich, which Maria had just recalled, were lined up on either side.

The Lich was not the ruler of the Royal Court this time, but more like a representative, so he simply stood behind his seat without saying a word.

Opposite Lich Eaters of the Dead... was a two-seater.

Its significance is self-evident.

Realizing this, Maria and Lamaline didn't say much. Under the strange gazes of the other Royal Court, the newly crowned Queen of the Banshees pulled her queen to her seat.

Dukale, the Blood Demon, who was diagonally opposite to the right, naturally noticed the two visitors.

But he didn't seem inclined to speak.

He held a blood-stained wine glass with his newly grown right arm, from which wisps of scarlet odor emanated.

"..."

Maria glanced at it briefly before looking away.

With the final Banshee Court taking her seat, the Royal Court now assembled within Sarkaz is complete.

But because the Demon King was not there, everyone remained silent, not uttering a single word.

Logically, at this point, the meeting should have been initiated by one of the most powerful factions present: the Banshees, the Blood Demon, the Eaters of the Dead, Lich.

But clearly, the Banshees didn't want to act rashly, and the Eaters of the Dead, having sparred with Maria last time, showed no intention of chairing the meeting. Lich... they've always been strange, and no one knows what they're thinking.

Blood Demon Dukale, having suffered a setback at Maria's hands last time, no longer has any intention of taking the initiative.

For a time, the meeting, which should have started, remained quiet.

Inside the gray conference room, only the ticking of a clock could be heard.

Outside the window, the clouds drifted slowly.

After an unknown amount of time, the King of the Royal Court, who was seated at the end, finally raised his head slightly.

Everyone followed his gaze.

A moment later, Theresa and Theresis appeared before everyone.

"Gentlemen."

Theresa maintained her gentle expression, her eyes slightly lowered.

"If any of you are unsure how to conduct a meeting... then I shall venture to begin the discussion."

The girl spoke gently, and her words were indeed without fault.

But some Sarkaz who considered themselves noble couldn't help but frown.

Immediately, some people raised objections.

"And who are you? What qualifications do you have to chair this meeting?"

"I know you may all have many complaints about me, but with the threat of the Allied Forces looming, I consider these to be minor matters..."

"That's none of your business... This isn't a place for you."

The Royal Court rulers at the end of the list were clearly unaware of the girl's origins. They simply felt that even if the meeting wasn't initiated by the four families sitting at the very top, it shouldn't be spoken by a junior who wasn't even a noble and whose race was unknown.

As they spoke, they waved.

Some of their entourage began to step forward, preparing to drive the two men away.

Theresis, who was protecting her sister, maintained her usual stiff expression.

He simply gripped the longsword.

Since Theresa said she would chair the meeting, he wouldn't say much more.

He would not back down until Theresa gave the order to retreat!

Theresis's actions also aroused the resentment of many Royal Court rulers.

They were already annoyed enough by attending this meeting, which had almost nothing to discuss, and now a junior dared to threaten them...

Where is the dignity of the Royal Court?!

Many people immediately stood up, their eyes filled with hostility.

Meanwhile, Theresa, standing to the side, was finding it difficult to maintain her smile.

Although she knew it wouldn't be easy to talk to these Royal Court people, it was clear that their stubbornness exceeded her expectations.

Although she knew this was not a good time, she still hesitated about whether to retrieve her proof of identity ahead of schedule.

But...

Knock, knock, knock.

At the end of the conference table, Maria gently tapped the surface.

Upon seeing the most powerful Banshees make a move, the other Royal Court rulers froze in their tracks.

They turned their heads and looked at each other.

Is it that suddenly announced Banshees queen?

Why did she open her mouth?

Amid their doubts, they turned their gaze to Lamaline was standing to the side.

This newly appointed, unknown so-called Queen of the Banshees, already lacked sufficient authority, and now she even had a foreign queen, bringing her to such an important meeting... Although the Banshees had always been mysterious, their current actions still left everyone somewhat bewildered.

Despite the stares of others, Lamaline remained silent, sitting quietly and demurely in her seat, leaning against Maria, without uttering a word.

Left with no other choice, the rulers of the Royal Court exchanged glances and then looked at Maria.

"Banshees... is there anything you wish to say?"

"No."

Maria spoke calmly, using only two simple words, yet leaving everyone present completely baffled.

Meanwhile, the Eaters of the Dead, Hope of the Nitze, understood Maria's meaning.

After a brief pause, he nodded slightly.

Time should not be wasted on meaningless things.

Agreed.

The Lich representative spoke, his voice calm.

"..."

Dukale.

"This..."

The rulers of the Royal Court exchanged glances, somewhat hesitant.

But after a moment, they sat down anyway.

Although Dukale didn't say anything, three of the four Royal Court had spoken, so they had nothing more to say.

Nobody's foolish enough to go against the current few companies.

The tense situation has temporarily eased.

Seeing this, Theresa breathed a sigh of relief.

She glanced gratefully at the two Banshees who were resting with their eyes closed, then mustered her courage, straightened her chest, and silently walked to the Demon King's seat.

Stand still.

Her pink eyes swept over everyone present. In the dim light, her figure, back to the sunlight, resembled a tiny white flower growing in a wasteland.

It looked so fragile and delicate.

"I think you all have many questions about the current situation, and many things you want to ask..."

"But all of these should be put aside."

"Now, there is only one thing worth discussing."

"What should we do next?"

Theresa didn't begin her speech with any words... In fact, everyone knew that there were just too many things to do these days, and there would always be trivial matters to discuss.

Right now, there's only one person who can truly influence everyone present.

Should they hold out in Kazdel?

"According to our intelligence, the first wave of troops will launch a probing attack in ten days at most, and the Allied Forces will be fully assembled and complete the encirclement of Kazdel in a month at the latest."

As Theresa spoke, her gaze swept firmly across the crowd.

"Once that time comes, Kazdel will be completely surrounded... But we still have time, gentlemen, Kazdel, shouldn't we hold on?"

Theresa explained the current situation in the simplest terms.

At most one month, the Allied Forces will arrive and assemble.

Are these Sarkaz determined to defend this city, which is sacred in the eyes of all Sarkaz, to the death?

Even though it has been destroyed by war countless times, even though it has collapsed many times.