When the lords heard Duke Balo's words, they were struck with astonishment. Duke Balo had actually invited others to stay at his residence!? This was an unprecedented honor - one that even the former king had never received! Yet now, for Princess Aurelianne, he had broken this tradition. Though, upon reflection, it made sense. After all, Aurelianne was Duke Balo's granddaughter. Given such a familial connection, his exceptional treatment of Princess Aurelianne seemed natural. However, people hadn't witnessed such behavior from Duke Balo in years. Since the death of his daughter, no one had seen the Grand Duke show warmth toward anyone. Indeed, this wasn't exactly a secret. Many knew of Duke Balo's deceased daughter. She had married Emperor Aubrey of the empire. Ultimately, it was said she died in childbirth while delivering Aurelianne. But many found this perplexing. Everyone knew Duke Balo was a legendary necromancer who possessed the terrifying ability to resurrect the dead. Yet when his daughter died in childbirth, he had watched impassively as she was laid to rest. Even as she passed completely from this world, her body returning to dust. The Grand Duke remained seemingly unmoved. No one truly knew Duke Balo's feelings toward the empire. Whether he harbored resentment for his daughter's seemingly needless death. Or perhaps, as a necromancer who manipulated corpses and souls, he had grown indifferent to matters of life and death. Regardless, the blood tie between Aurelianne and the Duke was undeniable. Hearing Duke Balo's words, Augustus paused momentarily. But soon, his smile returned. "That would be perfect - I was just wondering what accommodations to prepare for the Princess and the Councilor." "Thank you greatly, Duke Balo." Then, turning to Aurelianne, he said: "Your Highness, if you have no objections, you may proceed with your entourage to Duke Balo's estate." "Rest assured, it's quite spacious - more than enough to accommodate your entire party." Aurelianne smiled and nodded. "I have no objections whatsoever." She had been eager to meet this grandfather she had never known. Besides, naturally she preferred staying near her teacher. "Then it's settled. We'll arrange the banquet in the coming days." Augustus then turned to Viktor and said: "Councilor, regarding my earlier inquiry, I hope you'll give it some thought." "After all, I'm deeply interested in matters of magic." Viktor met Augustus's gaze steadily and replied: "Of course - this too is part of diplomacy." Augustus nodded, then resumed his warm conversation with Aurelianne. Their rapport seemed to deepen instantly, like old friends reuniting. As Augustus moved away from Viktor's side, Count Laurien casually drew near Viktor. Though his smile appeared kindly, his eyes held a subtle plea. "Councilor Kravina, regarding our matter - please keep it in mind." He had noticed the Duke's attitude toward the princess. Given that the Duke had voluntarily offered his home to the princess, his stance was clear. Perhaps, through this familial bond, if the princess made the request to the Duke, he might actually agree. A glimmer of hope flickered in Count Laurien's eyes. Viktor merely nodded slightly and continued following the ministers toward the academy exit. Along the way, the diplomatic ministers engaged in animated discussion with the king and nobles. They lavished praise on the kingdom's impressive construction, wise governance, and magnificent scenery. Aurelianne walked silently beside Augustus. Though she maintained a smile, it was notably stiff. Anyone who knew her well would instantly recognize her discomfort. Duke Balo strode steadily at the front, leaning on his elegant cane. Unnoticed by all, Viktor now walked leisurely at the rear of the group, as if deliberately lagging behind. Above, a jet-black crow circled before settling gently on Viktor's shoulder. In the darkness of night, none observed its coming or going. The crow stretched its neck and ruffled its feathers, speaking in a voice only Viktor could hear: "Everything is ready." Though Viktor knew what Vega had done, his expression remained impassive. Just as the group was about to exit the academy, Hilda came running up breathlessly. "Please wait, Your Highness Aurelianne!" Hearing this, Aurelianne stopped and turned back. Behind Hilda followed over a dozen academy instructors, formed into ranks. Still catching her breath from running, Hilda took a moment to compose herself. Once recovered, she spoke: "I heard His Majesty mention you're heading to Duke Balo's estate." "The journey is considerable - allow us to escort you there." The noble lords needed to escort the king back first, while Aurelianne's group would take a different route. So Hilda's suggestion wasn't unreasonable. However, she had overlooked something crucial. Aurelianne smiled and declined Hilda's offer graciously. "Thank you, but we truly don't require an escort." Hilda, assuming the princess was being polite, was about to insist when they stepped through the academy gates. Suddenly, the scene before them struck her silent. Outside the academy gates, soldiers stood in formation on both sides. To the left were knights in gleaming silver armor and iron helmets. They stood immovable as stone, slender swords at their waists, expressions solemn. Upon seeing Aurelianne, they dropped to one knee in perfect unison, offering the knight's most formal salute. To the right stood a special unit of demi-human soldiers. They wore light armor crafted from beast bones, their tails and beast ears swaying gently in the breeze. Various animal masks covered their faces, revealing only half their features. Their razor-sharp gazes seemed to cut through the very air. The sheer intensity of their presence made the academy guards and noble lords alike take an involuntary step back. Observing these two units, even the king and his entourage halted to stare. The nobles were particularly struck by the knights in their frost-gleaming armor. They recognized them as the empire's elite knights. But the group on the right... As they looked to the right, questions filled their minds. These were all demi-humans? Since when could demi-humans serve as guards? Weren't demi-humans supposed to be untameable? Yet the pressure these demi-humans exuded was like a drawn bow - poised and lethal. Their discipline was unprecedented. "Are those... demi-humans?" Even Augustus couldn't help but ask. Aurelianne nodded, offering a slight smile: "Yes, these are demi-human guards trained by my teacher, Councilor Kravina." "Their discipline and loyalty are beyond question." Hearing this, the noble lords' surprise turned to understanding. They even approached to examine these perfectly still demi-humans more closely. After all, these were guards personally trained by Councilor Kravina - worlds apart from their own demi-human slaves who could only handle menial tasks. Though demi-humans possessed superior physical capabilities, their supposed inability to be trained as warriors was accepted fact throughout the Kanter Kingdom and beyond. The common wisdom held that demi-humans, being beast-like, were simply too unruly and untameable. Thus they could only serve as slaves, controlled by the whip. But these demi-human guards were clearly different. Their compact frames rippled with clearly defined muscle. Even a glance revealed the explosive power contained within them. Their discipline showed in their perfectly unified stance - their order and training unmistakable. Many noble lords couldn't help but be impressed, mentally noting to privately consult Councilor Kravina later. Hilda and the instructors finally understood. This imperial princess truly had no need of their escort. Just as this realization struck, A female knight emerged from among the knights, her face frost-stern beneath her beast-faced armor of cold iron. Where her feet touched ground, frost seemed to spread. Her presence was winter itself - the very air around her seemed to crystallize, her aura piercing straight to the observers' hearts. This was a knight of extraordinary might. The noble lords present were no weaklings themselves. Even the lowest ranked two-star lords possessed the power of third-tier warriors. Yet Gwen's mere presence - her aura and gaze alone - made these third-tier warriors struggle to breathe as cold gripped their bodies. This alone spoke volumes of the female knight's power. Thɪs chapter is updated by novel✦fire.net Hilda gradually recovered her composure, meeting the cold as she looked up at Gwen. Gwen approached Aurelianne, dropping to one knee in the knight's most formal salute. Aurelianne smiled slightly as she made the introduction: "This powerful knight serves as captain of my guard for this journey." "She is also an imperial countess, and another of my teachers." "The Great Knight, Gwen Delin." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ /BZDXG - Unlock a HUGE stash of advance chapters now! Dive deeper into the story ahead of everyone else!