Chapter 693: Luna’s Growth

“Should we go down and check on her, or just leave?”

Loren asked, leaving the choice up to Luna.

Luna was conflicted, and remained silent. Loren did not press her. As Starnight flew on, they were gradually moving farther away from the battlefield.

Just then, a group of soldiers suddenly rushed toward Jessica. Jessica was only an ordinary mage, a fragile backliner; if the soldiers got close, she’d be in trouble.

“I’m going down.”

Without the slightest hesitation, Luna leaped from Starnight’s back and plunged toward the ground.

“Find somewhere deserted to land. I’ll catch up.”

With that, Loren jumped after Luna. Both of them could fly, but the others would have to wait for Starnight to land.

Even in this urgent situation, Luna remained cautious. There were too many people around, and too many eyes.

She didn’t use her Arcane Ability or magic from any other sequence. She even conjured some plants to cushion her fall, though her physical constitution was strong enough that she would have been fine landing directly.

The next moment, countless roots spread outward from Luna, piercing every soldier charging toward her. Luna acted decisively, opening with a lethal move and showing no mercy.

At the same time, a mask appeared over Luna’s face. Formed by her Arcane Ability, it concealed her from others’ perception.

“Th-Thank you…”

Jessica didn’t know who had come to her aid, but anyone using Abundant Magic was most likely an ally.

Jessica let out a sigh of relief. That moment of relaxation was all it took for her to pass out. She had been on edge for so long, and any lapse in concentration on the battlefield could mean death.

Besides, her Mana had run dry long ago. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been unable to fight back against the enemy soldiers charging at her.

“Who are you, if I may ask?”

The execution squad behind Jessica asked, addressing Luna respectfully.

Facing a powerful figure who was likely an ally, they showed her every courtesy.

“I’m a mage from among the people. I’d planned to live in seclusion, but now that the heretics have gone to war against us, as a Bountiful follower, I can’t simply stand by.”

Luna came up with a plausible excuse in an instant. She supported the unconscious Jessica, her expression complicated.

She recalled all the times she and Jessica had spent together. Jessica deserved at least half the credit for her relationship with Loren.

Luna had even planned to give Jessica a table of her own at her wedding someday, but then this had happened.

The more she thought about it, the less she dared to ask Jessica anything.

Loren landed beside Luna as well. He activated The Hermit card, making himself invisible to everyone else.

“If you can’t make up your mind, we can wait a while. We can temporarily blend in with the army and gather information. We might even have to face the Desolation Deer directly.

“If so, we’ll not only gain the Desolation Deer’s ability, but also get to meet the King we’re looking for.”

Loren gave Luna more time to think it over.

Beating up some high-ranking official and interrogating him for information would be far more efficient than lying low here. Loren had only chosen this approach to give Luna time to consider.

This was only a small battlefield. Luna’s abilities were enough to intimidate the enemy, and the Plague Believers froze in place, no longer charging forward.

Luna didn’t want to join the battle, so she decided to stop the fighting.

She waved her hand, and the soldiers she had just killed instantly grew into trees. The trees soon came to life and charged the remaining enemies, scattering the remnants of their forces completely.

Luna had held back considerably. Otherwise, none of the Plague Believers would have survived.

“...”

The commander among the Bountiful followers hesitated. This was a good opportunity, and pursuing the enemy would be a sound choice, but Luna showed no sign of pressing forward.

They owed the situation entirely to Luna. If she didn’t pursue the enemy, they didn’t dare act rashly.

On the battlefield, strength was what mattered most. Luna could easily kill those Plague Believers, and she could just as easily kill them.

Even though Luna used Abundant Magic, they couldn’t be sure how firmly she stood on their side, much less expect her to obey their orders.

“Let’s head back and regroup for now.”

Luna spoke, and the others had no reason to refuse. They had been on the verge of defeat, and Luna had saved them.

So it was only natural for them to follow her orders now.

“Fine. Fall back and regroup.”

At the commander’s order, the soldiers breathed a sigh of relief. They truly didn’t want to keep fighting.

Fighting the Plague Believers was as miserable as eating filth. Even if they won, they would come down with all sorts of strange illnesses afterward. Victory wouldn’t make things much better.

And even if they were lucky enough to recover from the Epidemic, they would inevitably be left with aftereffects.

Luna followed the soldiers back to their military camp. The identity she had given herself earlier was plausible enough that no one questioned it.

Meanwhile, Loren relayed what had happened here to the others through Reflection Naclis. They had landed in a safe place and were resting there.

With Veronica there, Loren wasn’t worried that they would be discovered.

After returning to the military camp, Luna took the initiative to treat Jessica. While doing so, she also asked about the battlefield:

“I came here because I heard there was a monster that could nullify Abundant Magic. I came specifically to deal with it.

“Even without magic, my martial skill is formidable. I’m sure dealing with that monster will be much easier with my help.”

There were almost no holes in Luna’s story, and the others believed her without thinking.

Loren finally saw how much Luna had grown. From the moment she landed, she had handled everything with great composure, and when she fought, she no longer held back.

“Well…”

The commander hesitated. With Luna here, the fighting on his side would be much easier, so he didn’t want her going elsewhere.

Luna saw through his intentions and began appealing to the greater good to pressure him:

“Going after that monster is the best choice. If I don’t go, many more people could die, and that monster poses a greater threat than several armies.

“So I have to go.”

Under Luna’s treatment, Jessica’s condition improved considerably. After all, she hadn’t been badly injured; she was simply mentally exhausted.

While treating her, Luna didn’t look at Jessica once. She seemed not to care about her at all. Her reason for treating Jessica was simply that Jessica was relatively more capable in battle and therefore more important to the Bountiful Church.

“That monster is here, locked in a standoff at the city gates. With the King there, it can’t break through…”

Perhaps Luna’s appeal to the greater good had truly moved him. Or perhaps he couldn’t take any more of her moral pressure. The commander took out a map and pointed out the Desolation Deer’s location.