Shadow Keep, which had grown somewhat noisy and chaotic, suddenly fell into silence.
Warm, gentle sunlight pierced the clouds and fell across the ancient stone walls, casting a captivating golden sheen over them, as though draping the mysterious city in a splendid robe of woven gold.
Messmer stood quietly within it all, as if he had wandered into the thick mist of morning, dreamlike and unreal.
Time passed, second by second. After a long while, he slowly moved the war spear clenched in his hand behind his back.
He stood there without moving, like a statue. Only his eyes, deep as the sea, remained strangely calm.
Suddenly, a powerful metallic crash shattered the deathly silence and echoed through the empty building.
The lifeless hall seemed to awaken like a giant that had slept for ages.
Messmer said nothing. He only stared silently at the empty balcony, his expression dazed, as though he had just woken from a long dream.
He slowly turned his gaze, sweeping it over the fully armed knights and soldiers standing ready around him.
Each of them stood tall, gripping sharp weapons of every kind, radiating killing intent.
Yet Messmer's heart was tangled with mixed emotions. Though he wanted to issue orders, he did not know what identity he should use to command these people.
Just then, there came a loud creak as a heavy metal door swung open with a crash.
Immediately after, a group of princesses and knights in splendid armor surged out like a tide, each carrying gleaming blades, spears, swords, and halberds, all of them bristling with aggression.
Messmer stared blankly at the scene before him. He watched as the soldiers moved swiftly, surrounding the place so tightly in the blink of an eye that not even water could pass through.
Faced with this situation, he opened his mouth, only to find that he did not know what to say.
Among the crowd, a tall female knight wielding twin swords stood out at once.
Her face was hidden beneath an exquisite helmet, but the slight furrow of her brow beneath it made her confusion clear.
The female knight quickly scanned the surroundings, then strode straight toward Messmer.
When she reached him, she stopped and asked in a faintly accusatory tone, "Did that Lord run away?"
"Father went to Jagged Peak Summit to subdue the Flying Dragons. Lady Rellana, where did you go just now? And Queelign, what are all of you doing?"
The corner of Messmer's eye twitched uncontrollably, and unease quietly rose in his heart.
He had the feeling these people had been plotting something major behind his back.
"An armed uprising. A despicable Lord who tramples dignity underfoot has no right to sit on a throne," Rellana said flatly.
Queelign, wearing a twin-serpent helmet, heavy iron armor, and a bright red cloak, strode up to Messmer and gave him a respectful salute.
Then he declared with righteous indignation,
"To dare humiliate His Highness Messmer in such a way. We will never fear him, nor will we ever submit to that villain!"
"Your Highness, rest assured. The Fire Knights are willing to follow you to the death."
"That's right, Your Highness. We are not afraid. To die on the battlefield is a knight's honor!"
As Queelign finished, voices of support rang out one after another.
But faced with such impassioned outrage, Messmer could only fall silent.
He truly could not understand how Nolan had insulted him.
Nolan was with Mother. That made him his father. Was it not perfectly normal to be his son?
He had even called Godfrey Father before. Were they planning to kill Godfrey too?
"I understand how you feel," Messmer said with a gentle nod. "But..."
"I knew Your Highness would support us. We'll go deal with that scoundrel right now..." Queelign shouted excitedly, but before he could finish, his words stopped short.
He looked up and froze.
Queelign saw Messmer shaking his head. His eyes clearly said, "Say no more."
Their lord's sharpness had not faded, but there seemed to be something slightly different about him now.
"He is my father, and I am his son," Messmer said in a tone that allowed no doubt. "This is the outcome I wished for."
"But... Your Highness..."
Queelign's face was full of shock. He hurriedly stood up, his hands waving instinctively, looking utterly at a loss.
"You are the child of the Goddess, noble beyond measure. How can you acknowledge that young brat as your father? This is an insult to you!"
"My mind is made up... There is no need to say more." Messmer sighed. "I only hope you understand that you need not feel humiliated on my behalf, because I accept it gladly."
"Nolan is with Mother, and Mother acknowledges Nolan as my father. Doesn't that mean Mother still acknowledges me as her child?" Messmer thought.
Just as Nolan had expected, being able to call him Father made this Demigod happier than anyone could imagine.
Whether it was the Caria Princess or the Fire Knights, all of them were stunned speechless by their lord's words.
They had never imagined they would live to see the day their lord cast aside Marika.
What virtue or ability did that man named Nolan possess, to replace Marika's place in Messmer's heart in such a short time?
Rellana and the Fire Knights could not understand it. This was simply too strange, too absurd.
"What exactly did that villain do to you?" Queelign swallowed hard and asked in disbelief.
"He did nothing. I am still myself, my knights. I trust you can tell truth from falsehood," Messmer said softly. "Lady Rellana, what do you think?"
"Mm... You are indeed His Highness Messmer, the same as before." Rellana froze for a moment, seemingly not expecting the Demigod to ask her at a time like this.
The knights fell silent. In the entire Piercing Army, no one understood their lord better than this female knight.
Though none of them understood why, after all these years, the two of them were still only lord and knight, since Rellana had said so, no one had the right to refute her.
Of course, they had not truly doubted whether Messmer was real. After so many years together, whether he was an impostor or whether something was wrong with his mind could be seen at a glance.
They simply found it hard to believe.
Messmer had willingly acknowledged a father in public, without regard for Marika's dignity. It was hard to imagine what the Goddess and Lord Godfrey would think once they learned of it.
Would it not be terribly awkward if it shattered the family?
"And... Lady Rellana!" Messmer called to the female knight again.
"Your Highness, what are your orders?" Rellana asked after a brief pause.
"Gather the troops stationed in Shadow Keep and Scadu Altus," Messmer ordered in a deep voice.
"Your Highness, you finally came to your senses," Queelign said at once.
"I knew you were joking earlier. We'll go to Jagged Peak Summit right now and deal with those damned Flying Dragons and that inexplicable Lord together..."
"No. We are not going to Jagged Peak Summit." Messmer shook his head.
"Then where are we going?" Queelign froze.
"East, to Fingerstone Hill," Messmer said.