A few minutes later, after confirming the inspection was complete, Garona dispelled the earthen wall.

“Enmm, now this...”

What should she do?

After carefully helping the pink-haired girl get dressed again, the guilt in Mengxi's eyes only grew stronger.

The reason was simple.

While helping the girl put her clothes back on, every time her hand brushed against the girl's skin, the girl would shudder violently. Mengxi couldn't tell whether it was because of the pain from her wounds or because she was afraid of her.

And every time their eyes met, grievance and fear would well up within those azure-blue eyes.

Her rough and excessive behavior earlier seemed to have left quite a psychological scar on the girl.

To the point that she was now this afraid of her...

Mengxi couldn't help but let out a sigh.

Since it was her mistake, she had to take responsibility for it.

After this, she would treat her better.

Besides...

She's been curled up the whole time. She must be cold, right?

Then again, this was the Northern Frontier.

And she was dressed so thinly.

When Mengxi noticed the girl's trembling body, her heart tightened involuntarily.

She slowly rose to her feet, removed the white fur cloak draped behind her shoulders, and wrapped it around the pink-haired girl.

The cloak had been crafted from the hide of a sixth-tier magical beast, an Arctic Snow Bear. Its resistance to the cold was unmatched. Nearly every member of the Asumos Church sent to the Northern Frontier carried one.

After being wrapped in the cloak, the pink-haired girl visibly stopped trembling as much as before.

Even the way she looked at Mengxi no longer carried the same overwhelming level of vigilance.

“S-Sorry, little sister. Earlier, I suspected you had been infected by the Shadow of Silence Power, so I acted a bit too roughly... I'm really, truly sorry.”

Mengxi tried her best to express her apology.

“Don't be afraid. No one is going to hurt you anymore. Big Sister will protect you and take you somewhere safe.”

She continued softly.

Her pale violet eyes were filled with warmth.

Not a trace of hostility or killing intent remained around her.

Compared to the stern young woman overflowing with murderous aura from before, she seemed like an entirely different person.

The current Mengxi was gentle like an angel.

Her clear, sacred voice carried an unparalleled sense of affinity.

However...

Even so, fear still occupied the pink-haired girl's eyes.

She stared timidly at Mengxi without replying.

Her small eyes were filled with caution.

Seeing this, Mengxi shook her head helplessly.

She felt somewhat depressed and conflicted inside.

Well...

Who told me to act so aggressively earlier?

At this point, the only thing she could do was compensate the girl as much as possible.

First, she would take proper care of her.

Once they returned to Wind Facing City, she'd try to locate her family. 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

If she couldn't find them, then perhaps she could find a family willing to adopt her.

And if that still didn't work...

She could bring her back to the Divine Capital. There were facilities there specifically meant to care for children like this.

While thinking about these things, Mengxi removed the canteen hanging from her waist and crouched before the girl.

“Would you like some water?”

“...”

The girl remained silent.

She simply stared at the canteen in Mengxi's hand.

After a moment of hesitation, she finally reached out and accepted it.

Seeing the pink-haired girl take the canteen, Mengxi quietly breathed a sigh of relief.

Then she slowly stood up and looked toward the distant fortress.

Meanwhile—

After observing Mengxi's actions, Garona walked over and glanced at the girl sitting in the snow.

“How is she now?”

“Not very well. She's still very wary of us... uh, of me. She won't even talk.”

“I see. Well, that's what happens when you act that rough, Captain.”

“Sorry.”

“Did you apologize to the child?”

“I did, but she still refuses to talk to me.”

“Hm? Really? While that's a normal reaction... it's actually kind of strange.”

Garona raised a hand to her lips and spoke thoughtfully.

“Hm?”

Mengxi slightly raised an eyebrow.

“How is it strange?”

“Because normally, children like this—or ordinary people in general—become fond of you very quickly after meeting you, Captain Mengxi. Remember that rebellious little prince? He was swinging a sword at you at first, but later he turned into something like a loyal puppy...”

“Hm?”

After hearing that, Mengxi froze for a moment.

She looked at the pink-haired girl curled up on the ground with a hint of surprise.

“Now that you mention it... that does seem a little strange.”

It really did.

Due to the influence of the Holy Spirit Power surrounding her body, almost all living beings—especially intelligent ones—would unconsciously develop favorable feelings toward her.

And during her interactions with the girl earlier, she hadn't deliberately suppressed the Holy Spirit Power at all.

Yet this ordinary third-tier girl hadn't been affected.

She still maintained such intense wariness toward her.

Although Mengxi disliked the influence Holy Spirit Power had on others, the current situation genuinely surprised her.

Her pale violet eyes narrowed slightly as she studied the pink-haired girl more closely.

The only beings capable of resisting the effects of Holy Spirit Power should be Abyss Demons, right?

But this child wasn't an Abyss Demon.

Nor had she been infected.

Which meant...

She could resist the influence of Holy Spirit Power?

'This child seems a little special...'

Mengxi couldn't help arriving at that conclusion.

Just as she was lost in thought, Garona's voice reached her ears again.

“Anyway, Captain, what should we do now? Head back?”

“Hm?”

Garona's words pulled Mengxi back to reality.

The silver-haired girl thoughtfully surveyed the exhausted Asumos Church knights around her, along with the dozens of recently rescued slaves.

“We should return. Everyone's exhausted, and with these children here, we're no longer capable of fighting Abyss Demons.”

As she spoke, her gaze drifted toward the pink-haired girl behind her.

“Besides, the injuries these children suffered need treatment as soon as possible.”

“True.”

Garona nodded in agreement.

“Then let's prepare to leave immediately.”

“Mm. Understood.”

After responding, Garona picked up the weapons scattered across the ground and began efficiently organizing the retreat.

At the same time—

Driven by her lingering guilt, Mengxi slowly approached the pink-haired girl and spoke in the gentlest voice she could manage.

“Um, little sister, we're preparing to return to Wind Facing City. You may be unhappy with us—or with me—but for your own safety, you should come with us.”

As she spoke, Mengxi slowly extended her right hand.

When she saw the gesture, hesitation clearly appeared in the pink-haired girl's azure-blue eyes.

The sight made Mengxi's heart tremble.

However—

After hesitating for a few moments, the pink-haired girl finally reached out and took Mengxi's hand.

The instant Mengxi felt that small, boneless hand resting in her own, her sense of guilt deepened even further.

Such a fragile little girl...

How could she possibly have been a threat?

What was I even thinking before...?

At the same time, seeing that the girl was no longer resisting her, Mengxi felt as if a great weight had been lifted from her heart.

Then the silver-haired girl gently pulled upward, helping the pink-haired girl rise from the snow.

“Let's go back. Once we're there, someone will help treat your injuries...”

?

Hm?

However—

The moment those words left her lips—

An indescribable sense of danger suddenly exploded inside Mengxi's mind.

The silver-haired girl's eyes contracted violently.

For one of the rare times in her life, genuine terror surfaced within them.

Under the bewildered gazes of the Asumos Church knights, the captain they had always viewed as calm and composed suddenly underwent a drastic change in expression.

She spun around and looked toward the group in panic.

“Run! RUN NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Huh?!

What was happening?!

Hearing her scream and witnessing such abnormal behavior from Mengxi, Garona and the other Asumos Church knights exchanged confused glances.

But before any of them could understand what was going on—

The bright sunlight was abruptly swallowed by dark clouds.

The earth began to tremble violently.

Howling winds swept across their ears.

Accompanied by the overwhelming aura of the Shadow of Silence Power, bizarre black mist surged out from the Great Winter Forest.

Countless deep, terrifying roars echoed through the air.

In an instant, everyone stopped breathing.

'A-Are you kidding me...?'