When the Daffodil Blooms

CHAPTER 1

"No, please! H-Have mercy! I-I— urghk!"

A silver blade cuts down the neck of the rebel before he can grovel on the floor to beg for mercy. His fresh blood was still spraying on the soil soaked with the blood of his comrades, but no one glanced at the dying rebel. Another swift swipe of a silver blade hits their enemies and their shrill cries enter their ears. In just a few minutes, spilled blood decorated the battlefield as their corpses were piled everywhere. The young general, clad in black armor stained with dirt and blood, stood in the middle of the battlefield.

The young general of the Nocturnus Knights, General Rovira Valentine, is now on a killing rampage.

Tonight is the night where the knights ambushed the enemy camp. It was a sudden decision by the young General. Yesterday, General Rovira suggested raiding the rebel's campsite saying that it was better for them to make the first move. It was an unexpected decision from their General. It was known to everyone that General Rovira did not want to rush things. Instead, she enjoys playing with their enemies by slowly destroying their battle strategies. This will enable them to either surrender or let themselves be killed at their General's hands.

Yesterday, they came up with a quick plan on how to capture and eliminate their enemies. The higher ranking soldiers of the Nocturnus Knights will ambush the base camp while the rest are responsible for securing all the escape routes of the rebels. General Rovira said that she wanted to kill the leader of their enemies herself. The female general answered her subordinates in a bored voice when she was asked why.

"It's been a while since I personally hunted down a huge rat. Also, putting his disgusting head on a decorated box is a thoughtful gift to ease His Highness Prince Marius’s worried heart."

There are rumors that are spreading in their society that General Rovira Valentine is a strict leader and a cruel killer on the battlefield. For others, these rumors are just another interesting aspect of their usual gatherings and parties. Nevertheless, for the knights who were under her supervision and who often joined their General on the battlefield, these rumors are mostly fact.

Even when she was still a newly recruited knight, General Rovira had already shown extraordinary talent for swordsmanship. During her first combat assignment, Rovira Valentine mercilessly cut off the head of the Vice-General of their enemies and set fire to their base camp along with the remaining wounded enemies inside. Because of it, she was promoted as the Third Commander of the Nocturnus Knights. And after a few years, she was finally promoted as one of the strongest generals in their kingdom.

Rovira Valentine is a hero and a monster on the same battlefield for the new generation of knights. They all have mixed feelings about their general. They respect her for being a capable and talented leader. But they are also scared of her because of her ruthless and sadistic ways of dealing with their enemies.

Rovira waves the silver sword she is holding downwards to shake off the stream of blood on its surface. She was really reluctant to use this sword for this battle tonight. It is one of the most treasured swords that Rovira received as a birthday gift from a dear friend. Nonetheless, the sharpness and quality of the blade make it effective for slicing the necks of rats who dare to make a problem for her. These rebels should be more grateful that they were killed personally by her without feeling too much pain.

Using the back of her free hand, Rovira wipes the blood that accidentally spilled on her face. Despite being a knight who is always participating in a war, Rovira really hates the mixed foul smell of blood, dirt, and smoke on the battlefield. In fact, she hates it when these things dirty her armor and clothes.

"We already secured the north and east escape routes. Even if they pass through there, our knights are already scattered and ready to capture them."

When Rovira turned her head, she saw one of the knights under her command.

"Is that so?”

“Yes, General.”

“But didn’t I say not to disturb me tonight? If you do not want to retire early from your position because I accidentally cut your limbs, you better go back to the northern road." Rovira said as she tore a small piece of cloth from the cape she was wearing and used it to wipe the remaining bloodstain on her sword. "I asked you to take a rest while I am exterminating these pests in this area one by one, right?"

"But General—"

"Ambush!"

The battlefield is swarming with arrows shooting into the air like a downpour of rain. The knights quickly cover themselves using shields strapped to their arms. The shields that they are using are made from the highest quality of steel which makes it more durable and impossible to break. As for Rovira, she does not need a shield as she waves her sword to cut the arrows that aim at her.

When the rebels stopped firing their arrows, Rovira instructed her men to find the remaining enemies who shot the arrows hiding in the forest. The knight who was talking with Rovira earlier looks down to see the arrows their general had chopped in half. He picks up one arrow and observes the greenish sticky substance coating the tip of it.

'Poison?'

As he was about to tell their general about the discovery, one of the knights shouted a warning at him. A sharp object cut through the wind and aimed at his chest before he had time to comprehend what his knight was trying to say. Someone sliced the speeding arrow towards him in half before he could dodge it.

"It seems like now would be the time for you to retire from your position."

Rovira turns her back on the knight before he can respond and follows the others into the forest. Their comrades did not waste any time, and instructed their knights to bring injured ones back to the camp if there were any. They also sent orders to kill any remaining rebels they came across.

When the sun began to rise on the horizon, General Rovira together with her upper ranking knights returned to the forest. Rovira is leisurely walking in front of her knights as if she only entered the forest to take a stroll. The troops saw a knight lifting a huge sack behind her, which had a large red stain on it. They does not need to ask what the contents of the sack are. It is obviously the body of the enemy’s leader.

The knights cheer loudly for their new victory. Everyone in their base camp has a huge smile on their faces. In contrast, General Rovira seems unconcerned about this scene. For her, this kind of battle is not worthy of being celebrated. However, she doesn't want to be a damp squib for her happy knights, so she lets them enjoy this small triumph.

When the sunray hits her face, Rovira blocks it with her right hand. The sun has finally shown its beautiful glory once again. Another day has come. There are still things they have to finish in the Eastern region before they can return. But that's okay. Rovira will just ditch the troublesome paperwork to their Crown Prince who begged her to come in this place as a compensation. The most important thing is for her to return to the capital as soon as possible.

In any case, her father had no idea she was now on a battlefield instead of a quiet and peaceful place in the South.