Undead Beast Master: Living Solely for My Desires-Chapter 326: The Qualities of a True Leader

The devastation the two armies caused took a hefty live toll.

It was still early for estimations, but thousands of corpses lay before and on top of the town's walls.

These were thousands of people with unique personality, all of them had a family, all of them had goals, plans, wishes for the future—but their lives were cut short by the war.

Was it worth it?

Some began to doubt themselves. This time, the death toll was monumental on both sides, but in the end, they had to push forward. Too many lives had been lost already—they needed to make sure their deaths weren't in vain.

Trying to ignore the pain pulsing through her body, Sofia walked back into the town. Her subjects that fought alongside her all greeted her with respect.

One thing, at least, was clear: their princess had chosen to fight beside them, not issue commands from a safe distance like her father. She was different.

She was worthy to lead the empire in the future! The soldiers' eyes sparkled with hope as they gazed at Sofia.

However, the princess didn't feel the same way.

The truth was she wasn't able to beat Silver. The member of the enemy council turned around and ran for an unknown reason. In a way, Sofia felt like this wasn't a real win.

Her heart sank, her feelings intensifying manyfold as she gazed at the bodies on the ground.

Bodies with limbs torn apart. Others burned to a crisp.

Some frozen stiff, the light in their eyes extinguished. freewebnσvel.cøm

Most, however, bore physical wounds—each slash that had pierced their armor and skin drew a large amount of blood, spilling out like a fountain.

There was so much blood it stained the very air, a nauseating stench that would follow you to your grave.

Men, women, old, young, rich, poor, believers or atheists—no matter what they once were, it didn't matter. Now, they were nothing but objects—no soul, no spark, nothing. Before death, they had already been reduced to bodies of blood and guts, never to move again.

These were her troops. She was the one that led the defense of the town. She was the one that commanded them… and she was the reason they were dead.

Sofia wanted to honor them—give them medals, record their names, ensure they wouldn't fade into the corners of history. But what was the point? No matter what she did, they were gone, and nothing could wash away the guilt clawing at her heart.

'If I had done this differently, if I put more mages on that spot,' her mind raced. Now that the short bliss of victory was over, it was the time for regret.

Had she been smarter, stronger, swifter, or even just luckier, maybe there wouldn't have been so many people that laid their lives for her.

But in the end, this was the result.

"Good work."

Before Sofia could drown herself in guilt, a gentle voice broke her out of her gaze.

Turning around, she saw her friend Vera standing on her two feet, unshaken. Like the siege on the city was no big deal.

"Vera, I—" Sofia began, but Vera silenced her with a finger placed gently over her lips.

"Let's go somewhere more private. I have given instruction to the soldiers on how to mend the damages."

Sofia weakly nodded and followed after her friend.

Both of them found themselves in one of the empty huts.

"We can talk here. No one will hear us," Vera reassured.

Assuming that what she was saying was the truth, Sofia took a deep breath.

She was going to ask why the enemy pulled out, what she could have done to win against Silver, if there was a flaw in how she had placed her troops.

Once she opened her mouth, however, the words got caught in her throat. Tears began to leak from her eyes.

"Huh?" Sofia muttered as she tried to wipe them off but wasn't able to. They just didn't stop pouring.

'What a disgrace,' she thought bitterly. She was the future ruler of the Empire! A leader had no right to break down like this. What would her troops think if they saw her? What would happen to morale?

"You did good," Vera whispered as she enveloped her in a tight embrace… or at least as tight as her petite frame allowed.

Sofia looked down, staring at her friend. She was the princess, the stronger one of the two, the pillar others should rely on… and yet she was being comforted by her frail friend.

"A person can't keep hiding behind a mask forever," Vera spoke finally. A bit ironic considering the person that always wore one had spoken these words.

Slowly, Sofia returned Vera's embrace as she wrapped her hands around her thin body. "I… they trusted me and yet I failed them… so many of them died under my command."

She couldn't hold it anymore. She thought that she could be indifferent about her subjects dying, but every time a person lost their life because of her command, she felt sharp pain in her heart.

Pain that was impossible to describe.

With someone finally there to support her, Sofia let it all out—all the grief, the guilt, the sorrow she had buried inside.

Vera, almost being crushed by Sofia's weight—metaphorically and literally—didn't mind offering her friend a shoulder to cry on.

No—it was vital she did her part.

These were the qualities of the true leader. Many thought that a leader shouldn't feel saddened by their subjects' death, and Vera couldn't disagree more.

A true leader should always feel the weight of the death of each of their subjects.

Not because of the moral way of looking at things, but because the sadness they felt would turn into frustration—frustration at themselves for being so weak.

This would lead them to search for more power, making them more formidable.

A true leader will never stagnate. They will always strive to gain more power.

As such, rather than an expression of sadness, there was a pale smile on Vera's face, hidden behind the mask as she comforted her friend.

Sofia had the qualities of a true leader.

*****

Some time passed.

Sofia began giving orders on how to rebuild the destroyed sections of the town. She was determined to make it even harder to besiege!

While this was happening, a figure entered the said town and began her search. She passed down hundreds of people, but not a single one had a Fragment in them. Not a single one was a Fated One.

Even the woman with the blue hair and eyes that seemed to command the troops did not possess such a thing.

'Where is it?!' Sira thought furiously to herself. She had made a few loops around the whole town but didn't find the person she was looking for.

Until—

"Are you looking for me?" A female voice called out behind her.

Sira turned around, startled. She didn't feel a presence behind her. Her gaze settled on a petite girl with blonde hair brushing her shoulders, a white mask that hid her features.

But Sira didn't pay attention to her appearance. Instead, she was focused on something else.

For the woman before her was a Fated One.