Frontline Empress

I first saw her just as she was about to enter her carriage. I had expected a rich, filthy, corrupt noble who had somehow managed to acquire the title of lieutenant. A woman who was joyous at the idea of acquiring the title of a Duchess after doing nothing but sitting on her ass and making others work. 

Those types of nobles I despised... the ones who tried to blend in with the common folk. 

However, when I first laid my eyes on her, I realized she was somebody different. Not just in the way she dressed, as she wasn't in a typical flowing dress stud with hundreds of jewels and gems, but also in the way she carried herself. 

I had only ever seen the Emperor once in my life. It was years ago, during a grand parade through the capital. He carried himself with a presence that was impossible to ignore—a commanding air of authority, fortified by a quiet, unshakable confidence. It wasn't something that could be faked or taught… It simply… was.

When I first laid eyes on Ophelia, standing beside her carriage, I was struck by that very same presence. It wasn't the type of behavior I'd come to expect from the nobles who paraded around with empty titles, claiming power without ever lifting a finger. No, she was different.

She wasn't adorned in flowing silks or weighed down by ridiculous amounts of gems and jewels, and yet, she radiated an elegance that made such displays unnecessary. Her attire was practical, refined, and understated in a way that felt deliberate—like she had nothing to prove. The way she moved, the way her gaze swept over her surroundings, assessing everything in an instant—it was the same unyielding polish I had seen in the Emperor.

At that moment, I couldn't help but respect her.

Throughout the first day of our escort, I caught fleeting glimpses of her in her carriage. Despite myself, I couldn't help but notice just how beautiful she was. Not in the way most noblewomen were—artificially polished to perfection, faces powdered and painted. No, Ophelia's beauty was natural and seemingly effortless. She might have been the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen.

But it wasn't just her appearance that drew me in. That night, after the tense dinner where she openly berated my band of knights for our tardiness, I decided to approach her. I told myself it was to quell her anger, to smooth things over under the guise of bringing her the meal she hadn't touched.

I didn't expect what would soon happen next when I stepped into her tent.

The air was heavy, the night unnervingly quiet. And then, as if on cue, the assassins struck. They were silent, deadly, and precise. Yet somehow, before any of us could react, Ophelia was already moving.

She calmly relayed their coordinates and called out their positions with eerie accuracy, as though she could see them through the shadows. Within moments, it was over. With my sword now stained with blood, the assassins lay dead, and there sat Ophelia, calm and unshaken.

That was when I knew. At that moment, I didn't just respect her. I believed in her.

She wasn't just noble. She was more. She was the only person I'd ever seen, besides the emperor, who truly deserved to be called royalty.

… 

Ophelia stood before the Chief and Chieftess of the beastmen, her posture calm and composed as she talked to them. The towering Chief and Chieftess both watched her intently. Despite the recent chaos, their expressions were filled with gratitude, though a shadow of confusion lingered as they listened.

"I understand the damage that has been done here," Ophelia began. "And I take full responsibility for my part in it. To make amends, I offer you something far greater than mere words."

She straightened, her hands clasped behind her back. "I will grant you power—a strength that will reshape your future. You don't have to believe me now," she continued, her voice unwavering, "but in a week or two, you will see it with your own eyes. Until then, I ask for your patience."

The Chief and Chieftess exchanged a brief glance, their brows furrowing. The offer was strange and unexpected, yet the sincerity in Ophelia's words was undeniable. Though slightly perplexed, they nodded.

"Thank you, Lady Ophelia," the Chief rumbled, bowing his head. "Your aid today has saved many lives, and we will await what is to come."

With that, the matter was settled, and preparations for the funeral began.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting the land in hues of orange and crimson, the beastmen gathered in silence. The bodies of the fallen warriors had been collected and placed into a massive pit dug deep into the earth. Flames roared as the tar was lit, consuming the lifeless forms in a beautiful light.

The beastmen sang and danced, their movements slow and mournful. Their voices carried a haunting melody that echoed through the plains. The ceremony was drenched in sorrow, yet it also brought the beastmen even closer together.

As the final embers began to dim, the beastmen knelt silently, praying to their god, Derecho. The air grew heavy, the only sound being the soft crackling of the dying fire. Ophelia and her Holy Knights stood to the side, observing the ritual but not partaking.

Out of respect, the Holy Knights offered their own prayer, a general one asking that the fallen find peace and rise to their respective heavens. Their hands clasped over their chests, and their whispered words rose to the ears of their god.

However, Ophelia did nothing but watch.

When the ceremony ended, Ophelia and her Holy Knights prepared to leave. With a final nod to the Chief and Chieftess, Ophelia stepped into her carriage, Captain Edwin closing the door behind her. Then, without another word, she set off. 

They departed into the dense forest, the shadows of the trees stretching long in the fading light. The air was thick with the scent of earth and pine as their journey took them deeper into the wilds. 

Their destination: the Holy City of Jangbrat III, the heart and capital of the Holy Empire.

As night soon fell, they set up camp. The escort would have gone on a bit longer through the night if it wasn't for the fact that the forests around the capital of the Holy Empire were so dangerous. Containing a wide range of monsters and beasts, it wasn't safe to travel at night, so settling down was the only thing they could do as of now. 

"Alex, teach me swordsmanship." 

"Eh?" 

"Huh?" 

"What?" 

A few of the surrounding Holy Knights couldn't help but blurt those words out as soon as they heard Ophelia ask that question. 

"H-Huh? Why?" Alexandra stuttered, turning to Ophelia who sat right next to her. 

"My skill with the sword has rusted since my last battle. All I have been doing is commanding and not getting any actual fighting experience." 

Looking down at her thin frame, Alexandra asked, "U-Ummmm… are you sure?"

"You won't?" Ophelia asked and her face was as calm as ever, but to Alexandra, it almost felt like she was talking to a puppy. However, on the outside, Ophelia was as expressionless as ever. 

"F-Fine. Tomorrow morning before we leave." 

"cough… Folded under no pressure," One of the Holy Knights coughed under his breath.

"Huh?" 

"Nothing."

Ophelia smiled lightly before continuing to eat her dinner. 

Later that night, in her own private tent, just before Ophelia was about to head to bed, she opened her status to take a good look at the changes made. 

『Status』

[Name: Ophelia von Aubessec]

[Race: Mana-Touched] 

[Level: 11/25] (30/50) XP Needed

[HP: 15/15 | MP: 10/10 | SP: 10/10]

[Visual Intelligence: 15] 

[Linguistic Intelligence: 25]

[Logical Intelligence: 15]

[Kinesthetic Intelligence: 1]

[Musical Intelligence: 5]

[Interpersonal Intelligence: 15]

[Intrapersonal Intelligence: ERROR]

[Naturalistic Intelligence: 10]

[Skills: [Golden Tongue] [War Rallying Cry] [Mana Infusion] 

[Passive Skills: [Regressor's Memory] [Regressor's Active Recall] [Arcane Sensibility]

[Parasite Skills: [Parasitic Hardening] 

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[Additional Sections]

[Main Section - Servant Control Panel]

[Sub Section - Parasitic Growth]

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"From what I remember, this skill shouldn't use any mana…" 

As Ophelia activated [Parasitic Hardening], a sudden, sharp burning sensation flared in the middle of her forehead. She clutched her head, a gasp escaping her lips as the pain intensified. 

It wasn't just heat. It felt as though something was burrowing straight into her skull. Her breath quickened, and her fingers trembled as she reached for the small hand mirror she had prepared earlier.

Lifting the mirror to her face, her eyes widened at the sight before her. In the center of her forehead, a gaping black hole had formed, its edges jagged and uneven. The void was unnerving, an endless darkness that seemed to devour the light around it.

Before she could react further, the pain abruptly faded, replaced by a strange, cool sensation spreading across her face. She stared in silence as the skin around the hole began to shift and harden, the transformation happening rapidly. A rocky, black-and-gray material formed, creeping over her skin with an eerie organic flow. The substance didn't merely cover her skin—it became her skin.

The mask stopped spreading just above her lips, leaving her mouth untouched. As she examined herself, she noticed another change: the whites of her eyes darkened into an inky black, an unsettling contrast to the deep grayish pupils at their center. Faint tinges of dark red floated within the gray, giving her gaze an otherworldly, almost predatory appearance.

The mask felt heavy and solid, and yet it moved with her expressions as if it were alive. She touched her face hesitantly, her fingers grazing the rough texture of the mask that was now part of her. A shiver ran through her body—not from fear, but from the strange sensation of something new and alien becoming part of her identity.

Upon deactivating the skill, the mask soon retreated, and the hole in her forehead filled back up with flesh. She then proceeded to press on the skill within her status to gain a bit more insight into it. 

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[Skill]

[Parasitic Hardening - A skill that temporarily enhances the user's stamina, strength, and speed by fusing their body with parasitic energy. In addition, this skill enables the user to wield the specialized power of their parasite. Despite this power boost allowing for greater physical feats, prolonged use risks exhaustion or deeper parasitic influence.]

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She then clicked on the Parasitic Growth subsection of her status. Suddenly, her status screen shimmered and then darkened. A holographic projection materialized in front of her, revealing a large, thin, and grotesque parasite suspended in midair.

The creature was impossibly long, its body a twisting, serpentine form that coiled and uncoiled. Its surface gleamed with a wet, oily texture, rippling with every slight movement. Hundreds of eyes dotted its body while some were bulbous and wide, glaring with an intense, unnatural luminescence, while others were smaller, almost beady, shifting restlessly as if scanning the room.

For a brief moment, the hologram flickered, the edges of the parasite's form shimmering as if unstable. Then, in a flash, lines of text appeared below the projection, detailing the current status of her parasitic abilities. 

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[Sub Section - Parasitic Growth]

[Origin: Survivor of a Forgotten Civilization]

[Stage: 1 - Bonding] (2% Until Breakthrough)

[Synchronization Level: 15%]

[Memories Embedded: Fragmented]

[Current Adaptations: 1/3]

[Adaptation 1: Hardened Dermis - A passive enhancement that temporarily activates with [Parasitic Hardening], reinforcing your physical durability.][Adaptation 2: LOCKED][Adaptation 3: LOCKED]

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[Origin: Survivor of a Forgotten Civilization]

[Description: Parasites are remnants of a destroyed, advanced civilization encoded into organic constructs. They seek to rebuild their lost empire, manipulating hosts to achieve this. Hosts gain biomechanical enhancements and access to ancient technology.]

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[Stage: 1 - Bonding] (2% Until Breakthrough)

[Description: The Parasite establishes a connection with the host, embedding itself in the body and mind. The Parasite whispers in the host's mind, testing their willpower to see if they're suitable for the bond.]

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[Synchronization Level: 15%]

[Description: Represents how well your body and mind are aligned with the parasite. Higher synchronization unlocks additional abilities but may also deepen the parasite's influence over the host.]

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[Memories Embedded: Fragmented]

[Description: The parasite contains fragments of memories from its origin. These can be unlocked during key events or breakthroughs, providing insight into its true nature.]

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[Current Adaptations: 1/3]

[Description: Adaptations represent mutations or improvements granted by the parasite. At Stage 1, only three adaptations can be maintained. New ones will overwrite old ones unless a breakthrough is achieved.]

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"For now, I need to focus on the main task at hand," Ophelia swiped away all of the panels, leaning back on the cot prepared for her. "Tch… there is too much to plan," She muttered to herself before sitting up and pulling out a journal and pen. "Too much."