I'm really not a Sanctuary Warlock.

“I know that many of you are wondering why the fate of the kingdom would be entrusted to such a young child.”

Her voice carried a self-deprecating tone, yet it was filled with an undeniable authority.

"But please believe that the choice of the Kingdom's will is always correct."

"In the past six months, while the city of Holy Song was still struggling in ruins, and while you were still battling hunger and plague, His Majesty Olivier has been clearing obstacles for the future of this country."

"Duke Barkley, who entrenched himself in the North and proclaimed himself King of the Snowlands, sought to divide the land. His head is now hanging above the north gate of the royal city."

"Ferdinand the Golden Earl, who controlled the eastern trade routes of the kingdom and was incredibly wealthy, attempted to corrupt the royal power with money. His gold has now all been returned to the national treasury to compensate the families of the soldiers who died in the Battle of the Abyss."

"And then there's the most renowned Duke of Gran."

When the name was mentioned, Enoria paused for a moment, and some of the more knowledgeable survivors in the square showed expressions of shock.

The Duke of Gran was a great noble family with a history spanning hundreds of years. The size of his fiefdom and the strength of his army were almost equivalent to that of an independent small kingdom.

"Duke Gran, relying on his fiefdom's distance from the capital, betrayed his oath to the kingdom, secretly colluded with the Abyss, initiated an evil ritual, and even... the fall of the former king was inextricably linked to his betrayal."

These words caused an uproar in the room.

The cause of the former king's death has never been made public by the royal family, and various versions have circulated among the people, but no one expected that the truth would be so shocking.

"They thought that because the current king was young and the royal family was in decline, they could act recklessly and overthrow the country that they should have protected with their lives."

Enoria's voice was like the cold winter wind.

"But they were wrong."

"They underestimated the resolve of the Kingdom's will, and even more so, those chosen by that will."

"Under His Majesty Olivier's will, the Kingdom Knights razed Duke Gran's castle in just one month."

"Duke Gran himself, along with key members of his family, were executed in the Royal City Square as a warning to others."

"All the nobles who participated in the rebellion were killed, and all the lands corrupted by the abyss were purified."

Lynn looked at the little king on the stage, who remained indifferent to everything, and understood.

All of this could not possibly be solely due to the child; the shrewd and capable Empress Dowager likely also contributed significantly.

Enoria took in everyone's reactions, and the coldness on her face slowly faded, replaced by a warm, spring-like smile.

"I am saying this not to show off my strength, nor to intimidate you."

Her voice softened, filled with compassion and understanding.

"I just want to tell everyone that the darkness of the past has ended. Those termites that gnawed at the foundation of the kingdom have been completely eradicated. From now on, the Duchy of Toussaint will usher in a new dawn."

Her gaze swept across the crowd, as if she were observing each and every one of them.

"His Majesty the King knows your suffering and has seen your resilience. On this ruin ravaged by the Bishop of the Abyss, it was you who rebuilt your home and rekindled the flame of hope."

"Your Majesty, I will never forget you."

Enoria bowed slightly, performing an impeccable courtly gesture.

The crowd's emotions were completely ignited.

Fear and awe transformed into immense glory and emotion at that moment.

For the first time, these survivors, struggling in the mud, were so solemnly recognized and thanked by the royal family.

Cheers began to erupt.

Enoria smiled, raised her hand and gestured, and the noisy square quieted down again.

Today is the Festival of Lights.

"Perhaps many people have forgotten the origin of this festival. It is a festival that belongs only to our Duchy of Toussaint."

She began to tell an ancient story in a melodious voice, like the song of a bard.

“Long, long ago, when our ancestors first set foot on this land, it was a wild and desolate place shrouded in darkness. The eternal night that lasted for hundreds of years allowed monsters to roam freely, and our ancestors could only hide in dark caves, barely surviving by the faint light of fire.”

"They prayed to the gods, but received no response; they offered sacrifices, but were met with only deeper despair."

"Just when everyone thought that the light would never return, the first king stepped forward. He had neither great power nor a distinguished background; he was just an ordinary blacksmith."

"But it was precisely such a humble mortal who stole fire from the hands of the gods."

"At that moment, a beam of light pierced through a century of darkness, the eternal night was dispelled, and the long-lost sun reappeared in the sky."

"The early inhabitants emerged from the cave and basked in the warm sunlight. They cheered and wept. To commemorate the hard-won light and to thank the nameless hero, they designated this day as the Day of Light."

The story of Enochia is finished.

In the square, many survivors were already in tears.

This story is so similar to their experience in the City of Holy Song: the despair of being shrouded in the abyss, the struggle of not seeing any hope, and... the rebirth they finally achieved by relying on their own strength.

"The Mingguang Festival commemorates not divine grace, but the indomitable spirit and courage of humankind itself."

Enoria's voice was full of power.

"It is our unwavering struggle in the face of despair, and our most persistent yearning for light when we are in darkness."

So, please celebrate to your heart's content.

"For our departed loved ones, for our reborn home, and for our bright future!"

May the light shine upon you forever.

As soon as she finished speaking, she bowed gracefully once again.

The square erupted in cheers.

People shouted "Long live the King!" and "May the light endure forever!"

Looking at all this, Lynn had to admit that this woman's methods were truly brilliant.

She first used ruthless methods to intimidate people, then used warmth and honor to win them over, and finally used a story that perfectly matched the current situation in Holy Song City to completely ignite everyone's emotions.

After this battle, the new king's prestige will reach its peak in this city.

And Nora...

Lynn's gaze cut through the throng of heads and landed on Nora, who was standing at the edge of the crowd.

She remained calm, her face expressionless.

On the ceremonial platform, Enochia took Olivier's hand, preparing to descend from the platform.

The young king seemed bored with the long ceremony; he tugged at his mother's skirt and whispered something.

Enoria smiled and bent down, whispering a few words in his ear before straightening up and leading him to the carriage waiting at the edge of the square.

Their destination was the newly renovated city hall.

Just as the king's carriage was about to depart, a group of royal guards in black uniforms walked through the crowd and went straight to Nora.

The captain at the head gave Nora a standard military salute.

"Ms. Nora."

"His Majesty the King will meet with representatives who have made outstanding contributions to the reconstruction of Sacred Heart at the City Hall."

"You are among those invited."

"Please."

The captain made an inviting gesture, but his eyes and the encirclement formed by the guards behind him indicated that this was not an invitation he could choose to extend.

The expressions of the Fire members around Nora changed, and they instinctively gripped the weapons at their waists.

Nora raised her hand to stop them.

She glanced at the captain of the guard, then at the royal carriage that had already started moving in the distance, and a self-deprecating smile appeared on her face.

What was bound to happen has finally happened.

She straightened her coat and calmly nodded to the captain.

"Lead the way."

Chapter 163 Unexpected

The city hall is right in front of us.

This building, which was almost reduced to ruins during the war, has now been completely restored.

Two rows of royal guards stood at the entrance, clad in heavy armor and wielding halberds, their royal insignia on their chests solemn and dignified.

Nora took a deep breath.

What was bound to happen has finally happened.

She calmly walked up the steps, and the captain of the guards at the head of the guards saluted her again before pushing open the heavy oak door.

“Ms. Nora, please.”

Inside the door was a spacious, even somewhat empty, hall.

In the very center of the hall, there was only one woman, with her back to the entrance, standing in front of a huge map of the Holy Song City.

She wore a violet court dress, the hem of which spread out on the ground like blooming flowers, and her long golden hair was elegantly styled, revealing a fair and graceful neck.

Even just a glimpse of her back exudes an undeniable elegance and nobility.

Hearing footsteps, Enoria slowly turned around.

She still wore that gentle, charming smile as she calmly gazed at Nora.

“Ms. Nora, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” Her voice was as soft and pleasant as fine velvet. “Please have a seat.”

She gestured to a small round table next to her, where teaware and two cups of steaming black tea were already prepared.

There was no trial, no questioning, and not even a condescending attitude.

This rendered all the possible solutions Nora had prepared in advance useless.

"Your Majesty the Queen Mother." Nora bowed slightly, returning the greeting with neither servility nor arrogance, and then sat down at the table as instructed.

Enoria also took a seat, picked up her teacup, and gently blew on the rising steam.

"First of all, please allow me, on behalf of His Majesty the King and the Duchy of Toussaint, to express my sincerest gratitude to you and your bonfire."

Enoria put down her teacup and looked at Nora with sincere eyes.

"In the darkest hour of Holy Song City, you stood up to protect the surviving people, clear out the monsters that roamed the city, and even... rebuilt the city with your own hands. The kingdom will never forget this achievement."

Nora remained silent; she knew this was just the opening.

Sure enough, Enoria changed the subject, a playful smile appearing on her lips.

"I know what you want to do next."

Nora's heart skipped a beat.

"The nobles in Holy Song City only thought about protecting themselves in the face of disaster, and even colluded with the Abyss. Now that the city is being rebuilt, they can't wait to come back and reap the fruits of victory."

“You want to completely purge them, to uproot them from this city. You want to build a sacred city without oppression, without privilege, that truly belongs to everyone.”

Enoria leaned forward slightly.

“A person who dares to trample the nobles underfoot may very well harbor thoughts of suppressing the royal family in the future.”

These words exploded in Nora's mind.

The atmosphere in the hall changed in an instant.

Nora's fingers tightened instinctively. She opened her mouth to explain, but found that any words were utterly powerless.

However, just when Nora thought that the other party was about to pronounce her death sentence, Enochia leaned back in her chair, and the smile on her face returned to its calm and serene state.

"but……"

She uttered two words softly.

"I don't care."

Nora looked up abruptly, her eyes filled with disbelief.

Enoria picked up her teacup, took another sip, and seemed quite pleased with Nora's shocked expression.

"The definition of Anthem City is the City of Freedom."