The Flying Dragons had once soared through the high heavens, but they were punished for angering the Lord of Heaven.
They fell from the clouds into the mortal world, never to rise again, condemned to crawl humbly across the earth.
Any vile, defiant dragon that dared return to that city in the heavens would be met with the wrath of thunder.
The Lord of Heaven would tear off its head and wipe out its entire Race.
Now, what was happening across this vast land bore a startling resemblance to that ancient legend.
When a Lord revealed power that none could match, even the ancient dragons that had once roamed the heavens and earth had no choice but to lower their proud heads and lie dead upon the ground.
Everyone looked up and saw the man standing atop the savage dragon's head drift down as lightly as a swallow.
The group immediately crowded around him. Every face before him carried a subtle expression, some fervent, others deep in thought.
Amid the crowd, Nolan spotted the single unfamiliar face at once. He had a very good memory.
He clearly remembered seeing that face just moments earlier, and that magnificent set of Carian Knight Armor was even harder to ignore.
"Clean and decisive," Moonrithyll judged.
Hearing the female knight's praise, Nolan only gave a faint smile and replied lightly:
"It was my first time running into these things, so it took a little longer."
The female knight looked at him. The man was not flushed or out of breath, and he seemed perfectly at ease.
Moonrithyll thought back to the light pat he had given her earlier. Looking at that young face, she could not help feeling as if none of this were quite real.
Even so, Moonrithyll did not lecture him like an elder with words such as, "Young people should be more steady."
She knew she had no right.
She had only just been about to ask something when she seemed to notice something. Her eyes widened, and she called out hesitantly, "Renna?"
Her gaze was drawn as if by a magnet, fixing straight on the small, delicate doll perched on Nolan's left shoulder.
The doll had a strange appearance, with four slender arms and deep, mesmerizing blue skin.
Such a distinctive look instantly stirred an old memory buried deep in Moonrithyll's mind, making her think of someone she had once known.
That person had been a royal Sorcerer of extraordinary power.
But after only a moment, Moonrithyll realized she might have mistaken her for someone else.
On closer inspection, although this doll bore some resemblance to the person in her memory, there were still clear differences in her features.
So, filled with doubt, she asked the doll on Nolan's shoulder in a slightly guarded tone:
"No, you don't look the same. Who are you? What is your relationship with that Witch? Don't tell me... you're her daughter?"
"Witch?"
"Witch Renna. Chief Sorcerer of Caria. She's quite famous, isn't she?" Moonrithyll even reached up and scratched her head unconsciously.
"So you really are talking about Teacher Renna. Unfortunately for you, I'm not Teacher Renna's daughter."
The corner of Ranni's eye twitched a few times. She liked her Witch teacher very much, but that did not mean she was going to cut ties with her own mother back home.
"Oh? So she's your teacher... I see. You're her apprentice? I never thought that proud woman would ever agree to take a student. It seems quite a lot happened outside while I was away."
Moonrithyll nodded again and again, as though everything had suddenly clicked.
Ranni lifted her head slightly, confidence and pride showing on her face as she slowly spoke:
"That's right. I am indeed Ranni, student of Witch Renna. My mother is Her Majesty Rennala, Queen of Caria."
As she spoke, Ranni gently reached into her clothes and took out a royal crest glowing with a deep blue light.
"By rights, I should know every knight sworn to the Carian Royal Family."
She did not linger on minor matters. Narrowing her eyes, she questioned her in a stern voice:
"So tell me now. Who exactly are you? And why are you wearing Carian Knight Armor?"
"The Queen had another child?"
Moonrithyll froze for a moment, then seemed to realize something and quickly shut her mouth.
After all, discussing Her Majesty the Queen's family affairs in front of outsiders was, to some degree, an insult to the dignity of the Carian Royal Family.
Thinking this, she took a deep breath, then gave Ranni a formal and solemn knightly salute.
Hoping the gesture could salvage what little dignity the princess still had, she lowered her head slightly and said softly:
"Ahem. Respected Princess Ranni, please forgive my rudeness just now. I am a personal guard knight who serves Her Highness Princess Rellana. My name is Moonrithyll."
Ranni was startled at first, then surprise appeared on her face.
She frowned and murmured to herself, "Rellana? Moonrithyll!?" as if trying hard to remember something.
Then Ranni's eyes slowly widened, as though she had suddenly recalled something important.
"Why are you here?"
Seeing her reaction, Trina could not help asking from the side, "So do you know her or not?"
Ranni took a deep breath, steadied herself, and answered:
"I've never met them, but I know of them. Moonrithyll was an ancient heroic knight who once followed my mother, and Rellana is my mother's younger sister. My aunt."
"Only, before I was even born, they disappeared without explanation. There are very few records about them in the royal archives."
"I see. No wonder those two names sounded so unfamiliar. I was wondering where another relative I didn't know had suddenly come from." After hearing Ranni's explanation, Trina nodded.
Ranni was older than her, and since even Ranni had never met them, it was only natural that she knew nothing.
"How did you end up in the Land of Shadow? What about my aunt? Is she here too?" Ranni asked Moonrithyll, her face full of confusion and her eyes carrying a trace of urgency.
Not only was she here, but she had also gone mad chasing after a prince of the Golden Order Dynasty.
Moonrithyll felt helpless. She knew very well that what Ranni's aunt was doing now was not something she could easily say aloud. It was an extremely sensitive matter, and not a message to reveal casually.
After thinking it over carefully, she spoke with caution. "The reason I am here is, in truth, because of Marika and her son..."
Ranni's brows drew together slightly, as if she sensed that what came next would not be simple.
Moonrithyll took a deep breath and continued:
"Marika once ordered the slaughter of the Hornsent. Her son, Messmer, was commanded to wage war across this land, and Her Highness Rellana followed that Demigod here."
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