The Exiled Lord: My Maid is a Battle Goddess-Chapter 92: Violet’s Late April

"Good thing I checked everything carefully, or everyone in the territory would’ve been executed." Phield wiped the cold sweat from his brow. "Rosalia, your handwriting is quite good. From now on, you’ll be responsible for meeting minutes and transcription."

Rosalia set down her teacup, incredulous. "What? You’re not letting this young lady handle administrative affairs? My rulings are clearly fair and reasonable." 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

Killing both the plaintiff and the defendant—wasn’t that absolute "fairness"?

Whether it stemmed from noble upbringing or corruption’s innate bloodlust, in any case, letting her handle governance was out of the question.

Phield struck out Rosalia’s "work."

"Don’t even think about it." He refused decisively. "I’ll re-annotate these internal matters myself." Then he stood, rummaged through the bookshelf, and took out several sheets of paper. "Since we’re going to war, we need a military banner—one that belongs exclusively to Nightfall Domain. Whether it’s for asserting our presence or rallying troops, it’s necessary."

For military nobility, a banner was the most important external symbol. In war, it served to assemble troops and indicate direction. At the same time, it carried implications regarding family lineage, marriage alliances, and internal political orientation.

"So, what elements should we add?" Phield picked up a quill and sought the opinions of the two Divine Chosen. "It’d better look cool. I don’t want to embarrass myself before the allied forces because our banner looks lame."

"A giant wolf."

"A greatsword."

They answered without hesitation, then exchanged hostile, contemptuous glances.

"Then we’ll combine them."

Phield sketched a giant wolf in a standing posture. Even rendered in rough, abstract lines, it radiated dominance. The wolf held a two-handed greatsword, its tip pointed downward—symbolizing conquest.

Somewhat similar to a lion standard, but more imposing.

This time, both nodded in satisfaction. "No objections."

"Oh, right. We also need a black raven banner." Drawing inspiration from the Prussian eagle standard of his previous life, Phield sketched a black raven with a jet-black body and crimson claws. In one claw it gripped a skull, in the other a sharp sword. The field of the banner was white. "When we’re doing dirty work, we’ll fly this one—like a pirate flag."

Phield was participating in this battle not for any damned glory, family honor, or other such reasons.

Purely for profit—especially to "visit" his younger brother.

"Ashina, hire freewomen to sew the military banner. As for the black raven banner, let the castle maids handle it. Nina is an excellent seamstress."

"Yes, my lord."

Meanwhile, near the border of Nightfall Domain—

Violet stood still, gazing at the road leading toward Nightfall Domain, littered with rotting blades and tattered banners. Once again, she fell into memory.

It was still ten years ago, in late April.

In a flower field, Violet idly picked blossoms while imagining her father appearing over the horizon. Then she saw the Empire’s banner, as though it had grown out of the horizon itself.

It was coming from the direction of Lionheart City. Was it a victorious army returning? The flowers in her hands would be just in time—though they were meant for the lord’s dyeing cloth. Her father must be among the troops too, chest held high, proudly accepting the people’s cheers.

But soon, Violet’s smile froze.

She saw countless tattered and bloodstained banners, and a sea of severed limbs rising and falling.

Her mother ran toward her in panic, grabbed her stunned form, and fled in the direction of Nightfall Domain.

The orc vanguard had arrived.

Orcs’ coarse fingers could not sew beautiful military banners. Only orc shamans crafted crude totems and war standards. Aside from that, they collected the banners of human armies.

Those broken, blood-soaked standards were taken as trophies and strapped to their backs. The banners were impaled with severed hands, feet, or heads. Around the orcs’ waists and necks hung gnawed bones, flaunting their valor.

"Run! Violet, head to Nightfall Domain!"

The villagers swarmed like hornets scattered by fire, shoving and squeezing along the muddy Claudia Road.

"Thud, thud, thud—"

Amid the war drums, massive kodo beasts crashed into the crowd, biting up clusters of people and swallowing them whole.

Blood and screams filled the air.

The orc shamans sneered, raising their staves. "Chain Lightning!"

With a tearing explosion that seemed to rip space itself, bolts of lightning blasted villagers apart or reduced them to charred remains.

As for the village guards... well, they ran even faster than the civilians.

"We can’t keep going. Quick! Hide in the cave." Seeing the village chief and others fleeing toward the mountain cave, her mother immediately thought of the viscounty’s natural mine tunnels. "Once the orcs leave, we’ll head straight to Nightfall Domain!"

"But... the flower field, the house... and Father?" Violet barely regained a shred of awareness. She was still expecting her father to return.

Her mother gritted her teeth, pulling Violet into the dense forest, forcing a look of certainty onto her face. "He’ll come back and find us."

The orc vanguard was extremely strong—no goblins, pigmen, or other cannon fodder creatures. Instead, there were warg riders, berserk orcs, and orc mages.

Violet cast one final glance toward home. Her best friend, who had tried to flee while dragging the family’s old cow, had already been seized by a berserk orc and torn in half before being stuffed into its mouth. Her beautiful flower field had been trampled into mud. Orcs had broken into her house, smashing doors and windows, rummaging for grain.

"Run!"

Violet snapped back to the present.

"To Nightfall Domain..." she murmured, stepping onto Claudia Road.

On both sides, the air was thick with gloom—bones and corruption everywhere.

"Violet, where are you going?"

At some point, a corrupted Divine Chosen holding a bow appeared behind her, regarding her with interest.

"To Nightfall Domain." Violet turned and answered.

"You can’t. Agnes’s order is that we’re not to go to the three outer territories. We need to patiently wait for the Empire to reinforce the border—the stronger, the better. Of course, we can’t rush things or pressure the Empire too much. We must maintain a sense of mystery. Don’t keep showing ourselves in front of humans. Killing a few humans is meaningless to the greater plan."

Violet ignored him and continued forward.

"Hey, it’s not like Agnes did more than take a couple of bites out of you. No need to be so upset. She’s much better now—she used to just finish people off completely."

The archer sounded indifferent. "The mission of corrupted Divine Chosen is to eliminate all living things. As long as the result is correct, the process doesn’t matter. If Agnes wanted to eat me, I’d gladly let her."

"I am going to Nightfall Domain." As she spoke, blood streamed from Violet’s hand, forming into a crimson-violet longsword. "But it seems you intend to stop me."

"Sigh. Your strange speech quirk seems to be cured, but your thoughts have become even stranger. I will stop your foolish behavior."

The archer nocked a uniquely feathered arrow.

Violet swung her blade. "Then come."