Andabella Risel, a noble lady bearing the prestigious title of Grand Scholar, both elegant and proud.
In Risel City, this name represented glory and perfection. She was the brightest jewel of the city.
Because this young woman, only 26 years old, had inherited the position of City Lord of Risel City at the age of 18, becoming the ruler of this massive city with a population of 500,000.
And the city of Risel itself had a glorious history, having been founded by the descendants of the royal family of the former ruling power of this land, the Risel Empire.
Risel City had a cultural and historical background even older than the Nolan Empire, which had stood for over three thousand years.
For thousands of years, it had been the southern center of civilization. That status only changed a thousand years ago when the Nolan Empire ordered the founding of Green City and paid a heavy price to support its rise.
Even so, Risel City remained a city of immense strength.
Cities that shared their names with noble families were often family domains, and Risel was one such city, the private domain of the Risel family. In this kind of city, there was only one master: the Risel family.
The previous City Lord had perished unexpectedly during the beastman invasion war. At that time, the only heir of the Risel family, the 18-year-old Miss Andabella, inherited the position of City Lord.
The people of Risel City were filled with despair upon her appointment.
No one was naïve enough to entrust their future to an 18-year-old girl.
Many commoners had already begun preparing to move their entire families elsewhere. The city was too close to the beastmen. In the past, they had relied on the old City Lord to protect them, but with him gone, who could protect the city?
But against all expectations, this young girl revealed extraordinary leadership after taking office.
She decisively purged the unstable noble forces within the city and, without flinching, stood firm against the beastman attacks. She miraculously produced a large quantity of alchemical bombs, a weapon never before seen in Risel City, and used them time and time again to repel the ferocious beastman invasions, successfully defending the city.
Because of this, the girl became a hero of Risel City.
Following that, the policies she implemented in the city became the talk of the townsfolk.
Tax reductions, promotion of commerce, distribution of farmland, establishment of schools…
In just a few short years since Andabella became City Lord, Risel City had seen booming development, even faintly showing signs of regaining its former prominence as the southern core city from thousands of years ago.
Thanks to these nearly indestructible walls, the beastmen had only ever breached this city twice in the past several centuries.
And the last time had been 120 years ago.
Now, the soldiers and residents of Risel City were fully confident in their ability to defend it.
Because they had City Lord Andabella, and their mighty alchemical bombs.
"How are the alchemical bombs coming along?"
True to her status as a treasure comparable to Green City’s most beautiful tulip, and a woman who held the title of Grand Scholar, Andabella exuded an academic, scholarly air even while wearing armor, a grace that made it hard to look away.
Especially those silver-tinged eyes of hers, they seemed to peer straight into one’s soul.
Those familiar with the lore knew that pale silver eyes were once the hallmark of the Risel Empire’s royal family.
Sadly, the kingdom that once dominated this land had long since fallen, and the royal family of Risel had become subjects of the Nolan Empire.
The glory of that empire was gone, and now what people remembered most was the scholarly excellence of the Risel family.
The Scholars, Risel family.
Almost all core members of the Risel family bore the title of Scholar. Their cultural refinement was renowned across the Nolan Empire. Even the former king had been a student of a member of the Risel family.
It was hard to imagine that in a frontier region bordering the beastmen, a scholarly family like this could exist, though considering their past status, it began to make sense.
"Lady Andabella, the alchemical bombs are fully prepared. As soon as the beastmen attack, they will once again taste our fury."
Behind her, a vice-captain clad in gleaming silver armor, with a hooked nose and an unkempt beard, spoke with a solemn expression.
Alchemical bombs, these were Risel City's most powerful weapons against the beastmen.
Eight years ago, during that frigid winter when the old City Lord died unexpectedly, if it hadn't been for Andabella, who had just been made the temporary City Lord, suddenly producing thousands of terrifyingly powerful alchemical bombs to forcibly hold the city, he would’ve long since been dead.
Thinking of this, the hooked-nose vice-captain, who hadn’t shaved in a long time, was filled with gratitude and admiration. If not for Miss Andabella’s efforts, Risel City would never be what it was today.