The goddesses attempted to gain my salvation.

"The nobles will never listen to the royal court's orders; they'd love for us to die! The royal guards have long been ready to surrender. They'd rather have our heads hung on the city gates than die fighting for the throne!"

"Those court magicians have already fled! They've probably already sided with some nobleman, and once the city gates are breached, their magical missiles will rain down on our heads!"

"Or do you want us old bones to take up swords and fight the soldiers?"

The barrage of questions silenced the minister who had just spoken.

They certainly knew what Hanris said.

However, I'm just not willing to accept it.

"So you mean... we're just waiting to die?"

Hans sighed and slowly shook his head.

"At least, we have not betrayed the ancient oath we once made."

"We stood with the Phoenix family until the very end..."

Just then, a servant's exclamation came from outside the door.

"Lord Henris! Something terrible has happened!"

"Someone has reached the outskirts of the royal city!"

Henris closed his eyes in despair.

Finally came.

Smoothing out the wrinkles on his clothes and fixing his hair, Hanris tried to look as handsome as possible before speaking calmly.

"Which family do they belong to?"

"Reporting to Lord Hanris, I...I don't know."

Hanris frowned slightly.

do not know?

What does it mean not to know?

The servant looked somewhat panicked, clearly frightened.

"From here, all we can see is sand and dust filling the sky. A rough estimate is that there are at least three thousand cavalrymen, but we can't determine the number of infantry."

"But the sentries on the beacon towers didn't find the other side's family banner, so they said... they didn't know."

Knowing that his days were numbered, Hanris stroked his chin, pondering which family the other party belonged to.

Having three thousand cavalrymen must mean the family is quite powerful.

The Lalan family will not arrive in the royal city for another three days.

The Berrudolf family was far enough away, but their forces were too few.

So, who is it?

"Let's go check out the city gate!"

Led by Hanris, several ministers arrived at the outer walls of the royal city of Canosa.

The city walls, which should have been filled with guards, are now completely empty, with only a few Ferrante battle flags standing forlornly in the wind.

As the attendant said, dust could indeed be seen flying in the distance, and it was already very close.

However, the sandstorm was so thick that it was impossible to see what was inside.

Hanris looked wistfully at the sky above.

No matter which family is coming, I'm doomed anyway.

It doesn't matter anymore.

"Colleagues."

"Thank you for your hard work so far."

“Everything you have done for the Duchy of Ferrante will be remembered.”

As Hanris spoke, he tidied his wind-blown hair.

"Let us meet again in the heavens."

The other ministers, though filled with sorrow, still held their heads high, just like Hanris.

They stood in a line amidst the battle flags fluttering in the wind, awaiting their impending end.

But as the dust cloud drew closer, Hanris gradually became able to see what was inside.

Then, his eyes widened.

Unexpectedly, the center of the sandstorm was not the cavalry he had anticipated.

It was... a sandworm!

It was a gigantic sandworm that defied description, like an ancient mythical beast that existed only in mythology!

Wherever it went, even the earth trembled!

Even the city walls were trembling, and loose stones kept falling from them.

Hanris and his men could barely stand; they could only maintain their balance by holding onto the city wall or a battle flag on one side.

Why are sandworms coming?!

Why is this sandworm so huge?!

Countless questions arose in their minds, but no one could answer them, not even the ministers who had studied life sciences.

Amidst this shock, everyone watched as the sand worms rapidly approached the city wall, bit by bit.

Finally, it stopped at the edge of the city wall.

The enormous sandworm raised its upper body, and the nearly fifteen-meter-high city wall appeared so small and fragile in front of the sandworm.

The oppressive aura emanating from the sandworm, coupled with the dense array of tiny, sharp teeth in its mouthparts, caused several elderly ministers to buckle at the knees and fall to the ground.

Even Hanris felt a chill run down his spine.

The thought of being swallowed whole and then torn to pieces by those sharp teeth made Hanris want to run away.

However, the sandworms had no intention of harming them.

It simply lowered its head slowly, its scales trembling slightly, shaking off the sand and pebbles from its body.

Only then did Hanris and his companions see three people standing on the top of the sandworm's head.

The girl at the head of the group, with her long pink hair, was so eye-catching and so familiar.

Almost instantly, Hanris recognized her.

"It's... Princess Claire?!"

There were too many things that were incomprehensible. All the ministers seemed to have lost their ability to speak for a moment, and could only stare wide-eyed at the spectacle before them.

Princess Claire, why are you here?

Wasn't she expelled to the magic academy?

Also, why was she riding on this enormous sandworm?

Could it be that Princess Claire tamed this giant beast during her time at the academy?!

Then they learned that Bernin had been kidnapped, and that this was to stabilize the situation?!

But Claire is a criminal who has been expelled from the country. Logically speaking, she no longer holds royal power and is not even a citizen of the Duchy of Ferrante.

She's not qualified...

However, Hanris thought for a moment and realized that it was too late for the nobles to discuss legal codes now, as they were about to lead their troops to the capital.

What's there to discuss?!

So, led by Henrietta, all the ministers knelt on one knee before Claire on the sandworm.

"Welcome Princess Claire back to the Royal City of Canosa!"

------

Led by Henri, Claire once again stood on the lawn of the royal palace.

Looking at the place where she used to play and frolic, a place filled with memories, Claire's expression was very complicated.

Because she knew this was the last time she would return here.

Soon, the Phoenix family and Claire will no longer be able to set foot on this lush green lawn.

With each step forward, a portion of the beautiful memories fades away.

Learning magic with his mother in the courtyard, playing and frolicking with his older siblings in the corridors, and playing hide-and-seek with the maids in the palace...

Every memory, no matter how small, becomes a source of strength, gathering deep within Claire's heart, making every step she takes more powerful.

As Rose strode forward, she wrote furiously, recording every detail in her notebook, afraid of missing anything.

Ryan followed Claire with a smile.

That's all he can do.

As for the fate of the Phoenix family, the succession to the throne, and the future of the Duchy of Ferrante, that is left to Claire to decide.

"Princess Claire!"

"I think you should know that your father was kidnapped by a mysterious man in a trench coat, leaving the throne vacant. As a result, a large-scale rebellion broke out throughout the country, with countless nobles leading large armies to the capital, attempting to overthrow the monarchy!"

"It is hoped that Princess Claire can regroup and lead the members of the Ironthorn Guard and the Royal Guard to resist foreign enemies and safeguard the royal power and the stability of the duchy."

The group strode into the palace, while Hanris talked incessantly about the current situation.

Although Claire is now just an exiled man and has no military power.

As a minister of the Duchy of Ferrante, Hanris instinctively believed that Princess Claire's appearance could change the status quo.

Especially that giant sandworm, it could definitely become the strongest fighting force.

Ideally, all those who dare to covet the throne should be killed to set an example.

Finally, the group arrived at the royal palace's council hall.