A Moment of Rest on the Battlefield

The first skirmish concluded after thirty minutes. The ghouls and undead drawn by the refugees constituted only a small fraction of the enemy force. While their initial assault was sudden, they failed to breach the defensive lines established by the well-trained warriors.

“Hmph, the front lines sustained no significant casualties. Those injured, seek aid from the sisters and physicians. Absolutely, and this is crucial, do not assume you can tough it out; every single wound must undergo the most stringent treatment!” The commander at the front issued his orders, not as mere scaremongering, but as commands forged from countless bloody lessons. Wounds inflicted by the undead are highly infectious; untreated, they quickly lead to fever and then reanimation. There was a time when a soldier, failing to report a wound, reanimated in their sleep, infecting the entire camp. Over years of battling the Demon King’s army, humanity had distilled these hard-won lessons, making them far more professional.

“Line up, one by one, and over here… you refugees, come forward for the Holy Light’s blessing.” The nuns had already moved to one side, diligently attending to the wounded. Sister Anto, having just cast a powerful Holy Light spell, appeared quite weak and was directed to rest in a carriage. Lu Wei brought her water and bread. “Rest quickly, honestly, don’t use so much Holy Light at once! Look at you, you’ve completely exhausted yourself. Even a true Saintess needs to be mindful of how they use their power!”

“…My apologies.” Anto took the water. In that situation, she truly hadn’t made the best judgment. She couldn’t deny that she had been anxious then, deploying a large-scale legion buff without properly assessing the enemy’s strength, and later even performing more draining single-person buffs. While this stabilized the front, it also led to her own excessive depletion of energy.

“Just don’t do it again next time, your Holy Light isn’t endless!” Lu Wei chided, and Anto nodded. “Understood.”

“Moreover… if you use such powerful blessings right at the beginning of a battle, those people will come to expect that you can always provide them,” Lu Wei said seriously. “If that happens, you really won’t be able to keep up.”

While Lu Wei seemed like a carefree nun, that demeanor didn’t equate to foolishness. On the contrary, Lu Wei was incredibly attentive to many things. She genuinely cared for every nun in the aid team, acting here as she always had: a reliable elder sister.

“Thank you, Sister Lu Wei.” Anto nodded. Lu Wei sat beside her, and suddenly, she felt Anto’s body sway. Looking at Sister Anto’s face, she saw a profound weariness, as if she might fall asleep at any moment. It was then that Lu Wei remembered:

“Little Anto, you didn’t sleep well last night… You didn’t sleep well and yet you acted so recklessly, honestly.” Anto stirred slightly at this, then shook her head. “Yes, it’s just…”

“Don’t say another word.” Lu Wei suddenly extended her hand. Anto was momentarily stunned, then found herself leaning against Lu Wei’s side, her head resting against something soft and warm. She hadn’t fully processed it, but her nerves, quicker than her mind, responded to the sensation with an overwhelming wave of fatigue.

“Don’t get up, just lie there and rest,” Lu Wei’s voice came softly. “Xi’er An used to be like this too, pushing herself until she couldn’t stand anymore. Don’t be like her, okay? Little Anto has worked so hard, you don’t need to shoulder everything. When it’s time to rest, you must rest properly.”

Anto was initially dazed. This ‘lap pillow’ was a first for her. ‘Was this what Eric had once described as a girl’s lap pillow?’ she mused. Indeed, the sensation was… very special, very… Anto couldn’t quite describe it, nor could she think too much, for she was genuinely exhausted. A voice in her heart kept telling her that lying down and sleeping was crucial. And for some reason, despite the harsh environment, lying in Lu Wei’s embrace brought an inexplicable sense of security.

“Have a good rest. After all, this is your first time on a battlefield, Anto,” Lu Wei said, gently stroking Anto’s soft, smooth golden hair. She felt the little nun’s breathing grow steadier against her lap. At that moment, Anto, with her eyes closed, murmured:

“But… isn’t this your first time on a battlefield too, Sister Lu Wei?”

“Hmm, I suppose it is.” Lu Wei was momentarily taken aback. She realized she hadn’t even considered that herself. Had she been scared facing those creatures? Nervous, certainly, but at the time, there had been no leisure to think, for her primary concern was to protect Anto and the others. Only now, in the aftermath, did Lu Wei fully process the grim reality: her close-range, fervent attacks against those horrifying undead, the scenes of their brains splattering…

“Ugh…” Lu Wei took a deep breath, then tilted her head. “It seems I’m a bit slow on the uptake, aren’t I? My reaction time is pretty bad… But, Little Anto, it’s truly wonderful that you’re alright… I too…” Lu Wei chuckled softly, but the person on her lap no longer replied, lost in the steady rhythm of sleep. Just then, Greer approached. He intended to thank Sister Anto in person, but upon arriving, he witnessed this scene: a beautiful nun with golden hair resting on the lap of a nun with short orange hair, eyes closed, letting out soft snores, while the orange-haired nun rested her hand on the other’s head, herself dozing off with her head lowered. Two girls, neither appearing very old, had fallen asleep in the carriage. Greer glanced at them, said nothing, and then left. He knew well that the so-called Holy Light Aid Team consisted mostly of nuns who were not yet adults, and Sister Anto, who had wielded such powerful magic, was merely a thirteen-year-old child. Sending such children to the battlefield was already an egregious act. Allowing them to rest properly in such a moment was the least he could do within his power.

“Alright, when we move out, drive this carriage slowly, as steadily as possible. Let them get some proper sleep,” he instructed the coachman. “If the refugee check holds up, we’ll continue towards the encampment. The people at the watchtower are waiting for us.”

“We are ready,” the soldiers affirmed. Greer looked at them and said:

“Don’t charge too far ahead. The nuns’ blessings aren’t available at all times, and they are just children. You men, don’t make the girls responsible for your recklessness, understand?”

“Understood, Commander!”

“Now, fall in, advance!”

“Yes!!!”