Filed To Story: Queen of the Battlefield Her Return to Glory Novel Online Free
The commanders were taken aback, feeling that such a move was overly risky. Given the current number and weaponry of the allied forces of Westhaven and Sandoria, attacking the city seemed like a hopeless task.
Only Sophie asked, “A feigned attack, right?”
Rafael turned his gaze to her. “Exactly.”
Sophie asked, “So, the first time is a feigned attack. The second time is also a feigned attack, and the third time is the real assault, right?”
Rafael waved her over. “Commander Devin, come here.”
Using her spear as support, Sophie walked over. “Yes, marshal!”
Rafael stood up, and pinched her cheek. “How did you become so smart? You’re a natural leader.”
Sophie winced. “Marshal, that hurts!”
Rafael laughed heartily. “Once you’re a soldier, you can’t be so delicate.”
Sophie wasn’t being delicate, the biting cold was causing her face, which had been pampered for years, to ache painfully. Rafael’s fingers were rough and calloused, and the pinch felt like needles jabbing into her face.
After laughing, Rafael said, “We need to capture llyrian before the reinforcements arrive. We’ll drive them to Simonton City, and then we’ll face them in the final battle there. Commander Devin, I look forward to seeing how you and your husband will work together. I hope you both shine on the battlefield.”
Sophie considered mentioning her divorce with Blake, to avoid awkwardness if he and Freya arrived with reinforcements and everyone still thought they were married. She also thought it might prevent misunderstandings, especially since she and Freya were temporarily aligned against the same enemy.
Before she could speak, another general, Owen Llyod, said, “Blake is truly fortunate to have married someone as skilled and brave as Commander Devin.
Timothy smiled at Sophie. “Sophie, if he dares to mistreat you in the future, just let me know. I’ll deal with him, even if his rank surpasses mine.”
“No need for that,” Owen added with a smile. “If Blake dares to bully her, her own soldiers will stand up for her. Besides, the son-in-law chosen by Madam Devin herself can’t be that bad. Let’s not speak ill of them and spoil their relationship.”
When they mentioned her mother had personally chosen her husband, Sophie’s words got stuck in her throat.
Rafael noticed her change in expression, and felt she was hiding something. However, since she didn’t say anything, pressing further didn’t feel right.
That night, Sophie couldn’t sleep.
Despite being at the front line for days, she usually slept soundly even when half-starved, except for the first and the current day when she was full.
But tonight, even after a satisfying meal, she couldn’t get any rest.
The hardships of the front-lines were terrible, and she admired her father and brothers for enduring it for so many years. She herself could endure, but she hadn’t explained her situation with Blake to Rafael and the other generals, and it felt wrong.
How could she explain?
That her mother had chosen a man who, after gaining some achievements, threw her to the side and wanted to marry a female general like Freya?
People might think she came to the Southern Frontier to prove she was better than Freya
She didn’t care about the gossip in the capital, but on this battlefield where her father and brothers had sacrificed so much, she didn’t want her loyalty and dedication to her father’s legacy to be mistaken for jealousy.
But eventually, Blake and Freya would arrive, and the truth would come out.
Sophie sat up, and the snoring around her stopped. Even though everyone was deeply asleep, they were alert enough that they woke up when she moved.
Through the curtain, Travis noticed the silence and asked, “Sophie, can’t you sleep?”
“There’s something on my mind,” Sophie said, hugging her knees and feeling frustrated.
Everyone sat up. Cynthia leaned against her shoulder with her eyes closed, and asked, “What’s troubling you?”
Sophie replied, “I’m thinking about telling the marshal about Blake… Do you think if I say it directly, the marshal might think I came here to compete with Freya?”
“Aren’t you here to outshine her? I thought you wanted to surpass her and step over her,” Travis said.
Sophie rolled her eyes. “If even you think that, then everyone else definitely will.”
Violet scratched her head, feeling an itch like bugs crawling on her scalp.
“What’s wrong with competing with her? Aren’t you better than Freya? You’re now a regiment. commander. Do you know what that means? In official terms, you’d be a fifth-ranked major if it were a formal appointment. The Ministry of Defense hasn’t updated your rank yet.”
Sophie lay down, placing her hands behind her head, “I’m not here to compete with her. My father and brothers sacrificed themselves on the Southern Frontier. I want to help the marshal reclaim it and fulfill their wishes.
That’s right. I remember her saying she wanted to be an outstanding general like her father and brothers. She’s not here to compete with Freya,” Travis said.
“We believe that, but who else will? People will think that if she wants to be the best warrior, why did she choose to marry and manage the household? Why only come to the battlefield after being abandoned?” Violet said bluntly.
“It doesn’t matter what others think. What’s crucial is whether the king and the marshal believe in her. They are the ones who decide her future and promotion,” Bun said. Everyone fell silent.
It didn’t matter what gossip was spread; the real issue was whether the king and the Hell Monarch would view her battlefield efforts as just a means to compete in a domestic rivalry.
Cynthia’s eyes widened. “So what? Sophie has proven herself with real achievements. In the first and second battles, claiming she’s the top performer among all the soldiers is no exaggeration.”
Travis pounded the bedding in frustration. “Yeah, Sophie. Don’t worry about what others say. It’s not your fault! It’s the fault of that worthless man and woman. We don’t need to explain anything. When those two come, everything will be clear. If they try to pin any blame on you, even if he’s a general, I’ll deal with him personally.”
Sophie sniffled. “They’ll probably say my mother has poor judgment.”
“Madam Devin’s judgment isn’t the best. I’ll talk to her when we get back to the capital,” Violet offered.
0
Tears instantly welled up in Sophie’s eyes.
“You can’t blame her. Now, I’m the only one left in my family.”
That was something she hadn’t shared with her friends. It was her deepest pain, something she couldn’t talk about without trembling with grief.
Travis and Bun abruptly threw back the curtain, their faces showing shock and horror in the darkness. They exchanged a stunned glance with Cynthia and Violet, and said in unison, “What?!” Sophie buried her head in her knees, hot tears streaming down her face.
“They were killed by Westhaven spies lurking in the capital. All the spies from Westhaven were mobilized, and my entire family was wiped out. At that time, I was still Blake’s wife and living at the Valor Estate, so I avoided that massacre. But if I hadn’t married, they might still be alive.”
Her friends were horrified.
The destruction of an entire family was a devastating blow.