The scene was like a silent drama, as the knights slowly advanced, humans and beasts exhaling white mist in the frigid air. Among the procession, Duke Modkaesar stood tall and solemn. Born into the military, he was accustomed to being expressionless, only casting a cold gaze around, while the crowd remained silent, merely watching this bearer of the Holy Sword.

Walking alongside him was the royal proxy, the crowned prince appointed by the King himself—the Praetor of Dulun, a stern-faced middle-aged man, appearing slightly younger than the Duke at first glance. Nonetheless, both were of a cold nature, and walking together at this moment, they seemed quite complementary.

Snowflakes fell gently, the light of torches flickering above people's heads.

Rumor had it that the current Praetor was at odds with the Phoenix Family, yet the two were riding together at this moment, seemingly dispelling the rumor effortlessly. However, Hilveld, witnessing this scene, leaned in to whisper to Fang Hong:

"It seems the rumors aren't baseless."

"What makes you say that?" Fang Hong was completely puzzled.

"The annual hunting season celebration is co-hosted by the Royal Household and the local authorities as a political display," Hilveld replied, looking in that direction, "but just look at the demeanor of those two big shots; they don't exactly appear to be on intimate terms."

Fang Hong shook his head, thinking to himself that even those on their way to the execution grounds wouldn't show such expressions. Not even bothering with the facade, one could only imagine what lay beneath the surface. It was pondering on this aspect that he finally understood the noble lady's statement.

Behind the two prominent figures was the Bishop of the Oly Temple. Oly symbolizes the sun, light, and the pure flame, and fire is within its domain; thus, the Phoenix Holy Sword is also one of Oly's holy relics.

The Holy Sword is usually kept in the Dulun Cathedral, protected by the Sun Power, only to be taken out from the Holy Temple as needed or during this annual season to be displayed to the world.

In the past, it was merely a knight's sharp sword, but the symbolism associated with it grew over time, gradually becoming a beacon of hope for the people's stability. It seemed as long as the Phoenix Holy Sword stood, the peace in the Southern Region would continue day by day.

The Archbishop of Oly was dressed in a sacred robe, holding a golden staff, a complete formal attire, appearing to be a kindly elder on the surface, with no sign of being one of Oly's acting agents in the Mortal World. The current Bishop was a genial old man and a pillar of stability for Dulun, solely due to whom neither the King nor the Prime Minister directly intervened in the south.

But the elder couldn't help but sigh in the cold wind, upon looking at the increasingly tense Praetor and the Duke.

"I heard His Majesty the King has asked the Duke to attend an audience in Golande."

"The current Him Majesty King is just a child, it is most likely the Prime Minister's idea..."

"A feast that is no good feast."

"However, the Phoenix Holy Sword symbolizes loyalty. If the Duke doesn't act accordingly, how can he prove his true allegiance to the Royal Household? Remember, it's the Phoenix Family's foothold in the south."

"Prince Coleman also represents royal legitimacy? The former king, prince, and duke fought together on one battlefield, and it's said the trio shared a profound bond..."

"Shh, say no more..."

"What's the harm in saying it?"

"Super Competitive League regulations."

"Feathered Alliance, what nonsense—"

Fang Hong heard someone whispering in the crowd; just from the tone, he could tell the speaker was a compatriot of theirs on Earth, for no common citizen would dare to be so bold.

The Alliance had recently issued yet another ambiguous regulation, prohibiting southern Invokers from participating in conflicts among the Natives, which seemed reasonable, but Sophie couldn't help but give a sarcastic chuckle when she saw it.

This was a case of selectively allowing mischief, and the Invokers were keenly aware of it.

Yet, invisibly, it seemed that the sense of justice people hoped for was drifting away from the majority's stance. Privately, there were only dissatisfaction and grievances, but over time, it seemed they could also turn into overwhelming fury.

Fang Hong watched everyone fall silent, contemplating this matter, and sighed with slight disappointment.

In this era beyond the Stargate, it seemed to increasingly drift away from that shadow in his mind. Was it a mistake of the past, or merely he was born at an inopportune time?

What they spoke of was the history of the Battle of Bain, the experiences of the Duke, the Prince, and the Old King fighting alongside the southern nobles in Nogness. At that time, the Old King greatly admired Duke Modkaesar and bestowed upon him a warhorse named Black Rose before the battle—it is the very steed beneath the Duke at this moment.

Black Rose, though aged, still appeared to be a tall and imposing horse in everyone's eyes. It was one of the rare fine horses of the Southern Region—a type of horse from the Lion area, and this one, in particular, is said to have Giant Dragon blood, albeit extremely diluted.

This horse was so renowned that even Fang Hong had heard its name. After all, in the Battle of White Stone Hills, it managed to carry the wounded Roban off the battlefield a full fourteen kilometers, saving the life of this famous hero—

The former king was indeed one of the rare wise rulers in the history of Colin Ishurian.

He ascended to power in his prime, earning the friendship of Dwarf and Elf allies. During the Battle of Bain, he was entrusted with a critical mission, determining the fate of the Empire in a single battle, and subsequently undertook numerous measures to quell the Cult and support the Alchemist Alliance in the south.

His reign lasted only a short seventeen years, but it ushered in a period of great prosperity in the history of the Kingdom of Colin Ishurian.

Prince Coleman was his half-brother, and although the Old King's brother was born with a grotesque appearance, their relationship remained inseparable. Prince Coleman was his right-hand man during the former king's time as Crown Prince, staying by his side until his accession to the throne.

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