It's so hard being a hero!

Sophia snapped out of her reverie and offered a sincere compliment.

"That's awesome."

Leila grinned, strode in, and yanked back the covers.

"That is."

"Stop looking, get up, I'm very busy."

So Sofia was dragged to Leila's room and faced the same dress she wore yesterday once again.

Sofia took a deep breath and began to get dressed.

This time she didn't dawdle and put on her clothes one by one.

Leila came over and helped her fasten the thin belt around her waist, her movements much more practiced than yesterday.

Then comes the hair.

Frey came out of the bathroom, holding a silver comb in her hand.

"Sit down."

She sat down on the edge of the bed and patted the spot next to her. Sophia obediently sat down next to her.

Frey picked up the comb and began to comb her hair, her movements very gentle and slow, combing strand by strand, as if afraid of hurting her.

Her long, silver hair flowed between the comb's teeth, shimmering with a faint sheen.

After combing her hair, Frey didn't use a hairpin, but let her long hair fall naturally over Sofia's shoulders and back.

She picked up a small bottle from the dressing table, poured a few drops of clear liquid into her palm, and gently applied it to Sophia's hair.

A faint fragrance of moonlight and flowers filled the air.

"All right."

Frey put down the comb, took two steps back, and glanced at him.

"Okay."

Sophia walked to the mirror, stared at it for two seconds, and then looked away.

"Let's go."

Laila reached out, and Sofia hesitated for a moment before placing her hand on top of it.

The two left the room and walked down the stairs.

As Sophia reached the corner of the stairs, she saw that the living room was already full of people.

Vic sat on the sofa, holding a cup of black tea, talking to Vinard next to him.

The moment he saw Sophia, his teacup froze in mid-air, and the corners of his mouth began to twitch. It wasn't a normal smile, but an expression of desperately trying to suppress laughter, as if he was about to suffer internal injuries from holding it in.

Sophia's face darkened instantly.

This guy is definitely laughing at her in his heart.

Sure enough, the next second, a magical voice transmission that only she could hear rang in her ears.

"Pfft! Su Lan, Su Lan, you've finally met your match."

Vic's tone was full of schadenfreude.

"Tsk tsk tsk, if those old buddies from back then knew who you are, they'd laugh their heads off."

Sophia's facial muscles twitched slightly, and she thought to herself: I'm not angry, I'm not angry.

Frey came downstairs, her gaze lingering on Vic's face for a second, her brows furrowing slightly, but she said nothing.

"Is everything ready?"

Her voice was calm, with her usual composure.

"Ready."

Leila nodded and took a deep breath.

Sophia noticed that her fingers trembled slightly.

"what happened?"

Sophia asked in a low voice.

"fine."

Leila grinned, but there was a hint of nervousness in her smile.

"It's just a little bit, um, you know."

Sophia certainly understood.

This was the most important day of Lyra's life, a combination of the Imperial Warrior's investiture ceremony and the Holy Light Trial certification ceremony.

The audience consisted of all the nobles of the empire and all the high-ranking officials of the Papacy.

It would be a lie to say I wasn't nervous.

Sofia reached out and took Leila's hand.

"It's okay, I'm watching you from the audience."

Leila paused for a moment, then laughed.

The tension in that smile lessened, and the warmth increased.

"Ah."

She nodded.

Frey walked at the front and pushed open the gate of the Duke's mansion.

The morning light streamed in, illuminating the entire foyer.

A long line of carriages was parked at the entrance, with a golden carriage at the front pulled by two unicorns. The carriage was decorated with the symbols of the empire and the papacy, and a golden flag fluttered on its roof.

Dawn and twilight donned magnificent horse harnesses, their silvery manes swaying in the morning breeze, sunlight illuminating their horns and refracting a rainbow of colors.

"Go."

Frey gently nudged Lyra's shoulder.

Leila took a deep breath, released Sophia's hand, and strode toward the golden carriage.

She flipped herself onto the vehicle with clean, swift movements. Her silver armor gleamed in the sunlight, and her white cloak unfurled behind her like a flag.

The imperial ceremonial team was already lined up at the entrance of the Duke's mansion, waiting.

An elderly man in a red suit, who was at the head of the group, raised a golden ceremonial staff and drew a circle in the air.

"Set off."

His voice was loud and clear, echoing throughout the street.

The honor guard began to play music, the sound of brass instruments particularly loud in the morning air.

Two unicorns moved slowly forward, followed by a long line of carriages behind the golden chariot.

Vic mounted his mount, as did Shirina, Gideon, Lynch, and the old members of the Dawn Knights.

Frey took Sophia's hand and led her toward a white carriage.

Frey got into the carriage first, then reached out her hand, which Sofia took, and they stepped onto the carriage using the footboard.

Sofia sat opposite Frey, looking out the car window.

The carriage slowly drove out of the Duke's mansion and into the main road of the capital.

The streets were lined with onlookers, cheers rising and falling.

The daughter of an Imperial Warrior, a descendant of the previous Holy Son of the Church, a twenty-two-year-old Silver-rank Holy Swordsman, and having completed both the Imperial Warrior Trial and the Holy Light Trial of the Church—these titles combined are enough to make the entire city boil with excitement.

"Miss Lyra! Miss Lyra!"

People waved flags and threw flower petals onto the carriage.

Looking out the window at the cheering crowd, Sophia felt a surge of indescribable emotions.

Twelve years ago, she walked the same road as Su Lan, riding on the back of Dawn, followed by the entire Dawn Knights, with cheering crowds crowding both sides of the street.

Back then, she thought she was an invincible hero, believing that as long as she was strong enough, she could solve all problems. Looking back now, she was incredibly naive.

"What are you thinking about?"

Frey's voice came from across the street.

Sophia snapped out of her reverie and shook her head.

"nothing."

Frey glanced at her but didn't ask any further questions.

About half an hour later, the procession stopped in front of a magnificent palace.

The imperial palace of the Delos Empire.

Sofia looked out the car window, her eyes slightly narrowed. She knew this place all too well.

She received her investiture from the king here and attended countless banquets here.

More than a decade has passed, and the palace remains the same; nothing has changed.

"arrive."

Frey stood up, straightened her clothes, and reached out to open the car door.

Sophia followed Frey off the carriage, her gaze sweeping across the entire square.

The square was already full of people.

Sophia's gaze swept past the crowd and landed on the high platform at the very front of the square.

Two people were standing on the high platform.

On the left is an elderly man with white hair, wearing a dark blue imperial royal robe.

Although his hair was completely white, he looked sickly.