"So, when exactly did you fall for me?"

"Who can say? Maybe it was love at first sight from the very beginning," the Half Elf said indifferently.

Her voice dissipated into the wind and sand.

"You're back. Oh, Victoria’s still busy." Vya stood in the room, striking a pose as if pondering sword techniques. Seeing Jetri and Lilith return together, she smiled at them.

"Hmm, shall we go check on her?" Jetri asked casually.

"Sure." Vya was noncommittal. She smoothly sheathed her sword—the blade sliding into its scabbard without a sound, perfectly aligned.

The Half Elf had no objections.

She followed behind them indifferently.

"How’s Lilith’s condition?" Vya asked offhandedly.

"She’s fine now," the Half Elf replied casually.

"That’s good."

The team’s camaraderie had been forged through repeated battles. Their trust was built on mutual recognition of each other’s abilities.

As they spoke, the three arrived at the field hospital.

Recent battles hadn’t been intense, so there were no wails of agony as one might expect. But the doctors moving about still wore serious expressions.

Clerics were professionals, not entirely free agents. Most were directly under the Church. This meant clerics supported the border fortress but couldn’t stay at the hospital permanently. Non-professional doctors handled most treatments.

Their faces were well-known in the fortress. A nurse greeted them with a smile as they entered. "Looking for Princess Victoria?"

"Yes. Do you know where she is?"

"Of course. I’ll lead the way."

"Thank you."

Jetri watched Vya’s smiling face and the nurse’s starry-eyed gaze, clicking his tongue. Sometimes he thought Vya’s face was quite useful—people always noticed him first, and he handled the talking. This suited the socially averse Jetri perfectly. Ever since meeting Vya, he rarely asked for directions himself. Even when he did, people insisted Vya speak instead.

The three followed the nurse to a crowded examination room. They couldn’t see inside; it was too packed. Patients queued from within out to the corridor. Whether lightly or severely wounded, with bandages or wheelchairs, the soldiers showed not a trace of impatience. Their faces held only pilgrim-like reverence.

"Ever since Her Highness arrived, it’s been packed daily. Would you like to wait?" the nurse asked.

"We’ll wait. You go ahead with your duties. Thank you," Vya said gently.

"Okay." The nurse’s reply was decisive, as if avoiding annoyance. But her frequent backward glances showed she didn’t want to leave.

"Our captain really attracts admirers wherever she goes," Jetri teased.

"It’s annoying," Vya said with a shrug and a smile. To Jetri, her expression looked utterly punchable.

"So we just wait here?" Jetri asked. He was taken aback by Victoria’s popularity—they stood unnoticed.

"How about… we join the queue too?" Jetri suggested with a glint in his eye.

"You just want to play around—forget it. Don’t delay their treatment," Vya saw right through him.

"What’s the harm? They look almost healed—see that one." Jetri pointed to lightly wounded soldiers. "Their wounds are well-treated, and they look visibly better."

"You’re right. Some have ulterior motives, but others genuinely need treatment."

"Then we queue at the end. If someone else comes, we’ll move back," Jetri said.

"Do you think I’m an idiot? Huh?" Vya chided. "You planned to queue at the end so others feel guilty about cutting in."

"Ahem, I didn’t—I’m not—don’t say that," Jetri muttered guiltily, looking away.

"Just wait," Vya said, shaking her head with arms crossed.

As time passed, the crowd thinned. Few were shameless enough to queue repeatedly—Victoria remembered every face. Some had tried a second time, only to meet her resigned smile: "I just saw you earlier." Most left embarrassed yet touched. True scoundrels trying to cozy up were dragged off by officers and beaten publicly. Victoria had a clerk and an Archmage beside her. Even if she wasn’t angry, others handled it. Those beaten never returned. With no major battles lately, injuries were rare. Soldiers recovered daily at the hospital.

As the crowd dwindled, Jetri finally saw inside—Victoria held a wounded soldier’s hand, gently placing her other hand on his injury. Soft holy light made the first princess of Delan Kingdom appear even more saintly. Jetri leaned back slightly. A meet-and-greet? It was foreseeable that for a long time, Princess Victoria’s status in these soldiers’ hearts would surpass the Church’s goddess of healing and harvest.

The sun was setting, a dim yellow disc clinging to the horizon. The room’s light turned orange-red. The warm sunset made the Delan princess look even gentler, more beautiful. Only after the last soldier left did Her Highness stretch her waist slightly. The door creaked open again, making her sit up straight. Her resigned smile softened back into warmth.

"What’s the problem—" She looked up at the newcomers, then faltered. "What are you doing here?" Though she said that, her gaze lingered on Jetri. He just smiled slightly without speaking.

"Richard asked if we should come check on you," Vya said with a smile. "To pay respects to our healing goddess."

"Is that so?" Victoria’s face lit up, eyes and mouth curving happily.

"How long have you waited?" Victoria couldn’t ignore Vya completely. Since Jetri wouldn’t answer, she turned to her.

"How long… about an hour or two?" Vya mused, her gauntleted fingers gently rubbing her chin.

"That long?" Victoria covered her mouth in surprise.

Vya shrugged with a smile. She didn’t mind wasting time—she hadn’t found her level 100 breakthrough yet, so extra effort meant little.

"Let’s head back first." Victoria smiled apologetically, bending to pack her things. But the clerk beside her had already silently gathered everything. When she received the neatly packed items, she was surprised.

"Thank you."

The clerk bowed slightly, hand on his chest. "My honor."

Jetri watched the efficient, serious clerk with interest. Jokingly, he said to Victoria, "Maybe on the way back, you can take her to the capital too."

"Richard, you always make such nasty jokes… She’s not an object to be spoken of so casually," Victoria chided with a glare, then looked apologetically at the clerk. "Sorry about that."

"If it were me, I wouldn’t care if she’s willing. I’d just take her," Jetri shrugged.

"Your Highness overestimates. It’s an honor Lord Jetri values me so highly. How could I be unwilling?" the clerk said calmly.

Jetri curled his lips but said no more.

As always, let’s just survive and return first!