Lireesa's heart tightened at the sight of Charlemagne, and she hurried over to ask what had happened.
"What happened? Where are the Trolls? Charlemagne, how did you get hurt?"
Everyone greeted Lireesa with a polite bow when she arrived. Seeing that Charlemagne was still somewhat lost in thought and Sylvanas looked distraught, Yawen stepped forward to explain the situation.
Sticking to the facts, Yawen objectively recounted everything to Lireesa: Sylvanas's risky decision, Charlemagne's rescue at the critical moment, and the fierce battle that had just taken place.
"I see..."
After hearing the whole story, Lireesa gave her distracted second daughter a disappointed look, then walked over to Charlemagne to check on his injuries.
"Charlemagne, how badly are you hurt? Is your eye all right?"
Since Yawen knew little about how the fighting on Charlemagne's side had unfolded, he could only gather from Sylvanas's earlier words of self-reproach that Yawen had been injured saving her, and he reported this faithfully to the Ranger-General.
Roused by his mentor's words, Charlemagne finally emerged from his reflections on the battle. He shook his head with a bitter smile.
"My eye is fine... but I'm afraid I'll be disfigured from now on. This only happened because I got too carried away."
"It was all my fault... if I hadn't frozen in fear, you wouldn't have entered Halazzi's Charge range to shoot that throwing knife off course..."
Just as Lireesa was about to ask for the details of the fight, her second daughter Sylvanas's remorseful murmurs reached her ears.
Charlemagne immediately shook his head in denial. "No! Ultimately, the problem was my mindset. That was why I suddenly retreated when I shouldn't have. It was only natural for you to freeze when you were suddenly exposed to an advanced Warrior's killing intent."
As the two argued back and forth, Lireesa, Yawen, and the others finally understood what had happened during those few lightning-fast seconds.
"Enough! Stop trying to take the blame for each other! You were both at fault!"
"First, you, Charlemagne! As you said yourself, getting carried away in the middle of battle was entirely unacceptable. And losing your cool at the end and stepping within Charge range was another major mistake."
After reprimanding her student, Lireesa turned to her daughter with an even sterner attitude.
"And you, Sylvanas! You actually froze in front of a Warrior. Have you forgotten everything I've taught you? Where were your reflexes?"
"More importantly! You ignored Yawen, Charlemagne, and Skarren's objections and insisted on risking a surprise attack. If Charlemagne hadn't led a rescue force, do you know how many elves you would have dragged to their deaths with you?"
Faced with her mother's questioning, the pale-faced Sylvanas had no answer.
Only after calming down did she realize how foolish her eagerness for quick results had been. Once the excitement of soon surpassing her eldest sister faded, the grim situation left her overwhelmed with self-reproach.
Having spent a full ten years with Lireesa, Charlemagne naturally knew how strict his mentor was with her children. Sylvanas's reckless pursuit of glory had clearly left her both furious and disappointed. At this point, he could only step forward to interrupt her anger.
"All right, all right, calm down, mentor. The outcome was decent enough, wasn't it? At least the main Troll force has been driven back, and we've achieved our original strategic objective."
"But! Your injury..."
Lireesa looked reproachfully at the bandage still wrapped around Charlemagne's face. Before passing away, her closest friend had repeatedly implored her to help take good care of him. She had never expected him to be disfigured in his very first battle, and all to save her foolish daughter.
Charlemagne smiled easily and began removing the bandage around his head.
"Liadrin's Holy Light healing stopped the bleeding long ago. The bandage was only there to prevent infection while the wound scabbed over."
As the bandage came off, everyone could clearly see a long scar running vertically from the right side of Charlemagne's forehead, across his eyelid, and down to near his chin.
The hideous scar had only just scabbed over and was still dark red. At the sight of it, Sylvanas could not help turning her head away, her shoulders beginning to tremble slightly.
As the atmosphere froze, Charlemagne shrugged with feigned ease.
"Come on, don't all look like that. Maybe the Theron family is destined to have a blade scar?"
He vaguely recalled from his hazy memories that his father in this life, Sigma, also had a long scar stretching across both cheeks over the bridge of his nose. Lor'themar also seemed destined to injure his eye later, which was why he wore a black eye patch.
"You... sigh..."
Having known the Theron family for thousands of years, Lireesa naturally understood what Charlemagne meant. She also knew that her student was merely trying to comfort her.
Being disfigured in one's first battle was nothing for anyone to be happy about.
At that moment, Liadrin spoke hesitantly. "Actually... I do know of a way that might remove that scar."
Hearing this, Sylvanas hurriedly turned around. Her eyes still red and swollen, she and Lireesa each gripped one of Liadrin's shoulders and anxiously asked in unison, "What way?"
"Uh..."
Startled, Liadrin froze for several seconds before recovering and stammering out the possibility she knew of.
"I've heard... there's an exceptionally gifted archbishop in Stratholme, in the Kingdom of Lordaeron, named Alonsus Faol. Both the quality and quantity of his Holy Light power far exceed those of ordinary people. If we could persuade him to help, perhaps..."
"Mother..."
Just as Sylvanas looked expectantly toward her mother, Charlemagne firmly cut off what she was about to say.
"There's no need!"
"Leaving aside the fact that we have no prior dealings with this human archbishop, and how much it would cost to heal such a trivial scar, I intend to keep it myself. Let it serve as a constant reminder not to make the same foolish mistake again!"
Seeing the resolute expression on her prized student's face, Lireesa knew he had made his decision.
Although Charlemagne was usually easygoing and approachable, once he made his final choice, it was difficult for anyone to make him change his mind.
She gave Charlemagne's shoulder a firm pat in encouragement, then changed the subject to the war.
"All right, let's discuss pursuing the Trolls."
At this point, she first sternly announced her second daughter's punishment.
"In light of Sylvanas's poor command, she is hereby relieved of all duties, effective immediately, and will serve as an ordinary ranger. All troops under her command will temporarily come under mine."
(End of chapter)