Chapter 284: Side Story 24 – Badges of Honor

"As irrelevant as it might have sounded, scars and other proof that one had been in a bloody fight often managed to drive the point home in a far more effective manner than if someone unscathed had passed on the same reports.

 

The view of fresh injuries and blood helped to remind the spectators that lives were at stake on the field. For some, it might even change their judgement. As much as I disdained politicking… I had to admit that this one trick I had often made use of myself." - Celeysria Ambervale, the Blood Demon of Al-Shan.

After Ying Xiao's bloody display, which resulted in High Magistrate Wang's corpse strewn all over the citadel's courtyard, most of the remaining troops surrendered. Only a few chose to fight to the bitter end, whether it be out of loyalty or other reasons, and Rafiqa led her troops to put down those few.

 

After that, her time was consumed as she oversaw her troops. Prisoners needed to be secured, and the citadel taken over properly. Some descendants and wives of the High Magistrate were also captured alive, and were placed amongst the prisoners.

 

It was well after sunset that Rafiqa finally finished most of the work - under her father's supervision and approval - and returned to the chambers temporarily requisitioned for the use of the Imperial Army's officers.

 

Rafiqa gasped in surprise when she walked into the room. She had known that she'd share the large room with Ying Xiao, but had not expected to walk in on the younger woman just as she walked out of the bathroom with only a towel draped over her shoulder.

 

Yet that wasn't what had surprised Rafiqa. There was little privacy in the army barracks, even if they were kind enough to separate the lodgings by gender. Most everyone had seen everyone else naked at least a few times in their life together.

 

What caused her to gasp were the many wounds all over Ying Xiao's body. Her finely made armor had mostly spared her torso from injuries, other than a couple smaller wounds that managed to slip between the gaps of her armor.

 

Her forearms and hands were criss-crossed with open wounds and scorch marks however, as were her shoulders. Rafiqa counted no less than seven puncture or slash wounds on Ying Xiao's neck, and part of her face showed burn injuries from one fire mage she had not taken down fast enough.

 

"They'll heal and be gone in a month or so at most," said Ying Xiao nonchalantly as she dried her hair when she noticed just what Rafiqa stared at. "Oh, and the bath's available now if you need it."

 

"I'll take you up on that in a bit," replied Rafiqa as she got her surprise and emotions under control after a while. She carefully removed her armor and placed them on a stand, then started to unravel her headwrap. "Why not have them healed all the way? Pretty sure the healers we got are good enough for that."

 

Naturally, as someone who had lived as a soldier for years now, Rafiqa was familiar with such wounds and injuries. The wounds on Ying Xiao's body were halfway healed, whatever damage they did deep inside mostly gone, which left them mostly as gruesome-looking, but relatively inconsequential flesh wounds.

 

Much less on a blood mage like Ying Xiao, who would have likely ignored those wounds even untreated anyway. That said, while she had fought as she ignored her wounds, they must have pained her regardless, she thought.

 

Most people had not known that most blood mages who went far into their abilities had long considered pain as an old friend to be welcomed, rather than to be feared.

 

"For driving home the point that us soldiers risk our lives and limb when we go fight. Something the ministers in the Imperial Capital sometimes forgot all too often," said Ying Xiao in a serious tone. "They can't avoid it when it's shoved straight in their faces though. These should last at least until we return to the capital to report."

You are reading story Blood Demon’s Retirement at novel35.com

 

"Ah. I see," said Rafiqa as understanding dawned on her as to Ying Xiao's intent. She had finished removing her head wrap by then and began to unravel the large braid she kept her long hair in. "Something the Blood Demon taught you?"

 

"Shīfù had mentioned it, yes, but that is not all there is to it," replied Ying Xiao with a nod. "Consider the situation we've been sent on, Rafiqa. We were sent to subjugate an open rebellion against Imperial authority. Many others had likely been arrested elsewhere, while yet others likely remained quiet. Some of those are likely in the Imperial court, even."

 

"So you're saying that this whole operation is mostly to kill the snake as an example to scare the monkeys," said Rafiqa after she thought about it for a moment. "And you intend to drive the scare home even further with the scars you left behind on purpose."

 

"It will serve His Imperial Majesty's will," replied Ying Xiao with a nod. "We are but the blades for him to wield. It is but our task to clash against those against him with our bodies."

 

Rafiqa had nothing to say to that as she finished undressing and left for the bathroom to refresh herself. Ying Xiao had always been a bit… zealous in her loyalty to the Empire, and the Emperor in particular.

 

She had learned of the girl's disturbing past, and how sheer happenstance had caused her path and the Emperor's to cross, as he had rescued her from the indignity she had been subjected to for years by then.

 

The girl likely felt that she owed her life to the Emperor and wished to repay the favor with it. It also explained how she managed to come under the Blood Demon's tutelage. Rafiqa had read that the Emperor had taken care of Ying Xiao for a while after her rescue before the girl vanished for a few years.

 

Likely when she trained under the Blood Demon herself. Rafiqa had heard from her father, who had fought alongside the Blood Demon in the civil war, that she considered the current Emperor almost like her own son, and that the feeling was mutual. It was not hard to stretch the imagination that the Emperor, when he learned that Ying Xiao was a blood mage, had turned to his foster mother for advice.

 

Rafiqa shook her head as she submerged herself in the bath. It was not her issue to deal with, so she should stay out of it. She carefully cleansed her long hair of the matted blood and grime on it while she allowed the water's warmth to soothe her sore muscles.

 

*****************************

 

Less than a week later, part of the Imperial Army left Tian-Mao as they returned towards the capital. Faizal was left behind with five thousand men to keep the island in order until he was relieved, while the rest returned, the extra room in their ships used to ferry over the thousands of prisoners.

 

By the time they reached the Imperial City, the wounds on Ying Xiao's body had mostly scabbed over. The scabs just made the wounds even more noticeable, something Rafiqa thought the girl must have done on purpose.

 

Sure enough, she heard many sharp intakes of breath when they presented themselves before the Imperial Court and made their reports. Many eyes were drawn to the scabbed wounds visible on Ying Xiao's face, neck, and arms.

 

You can find story with these keywords: Blood Demon’s Retirement, Read Blood Demon’s Retirement, Blood Demon’s Retirement novel, Blood Demon’s Retirement book, Blood Demon’s Retirement story, Blood Demon’s Retirement full, Blood Demon’s Retirement Latest Chapter