"Are the troops ready?"

Inside a tent, a man opened his eyes and looked at the soldier in iron armor standing before him.

The soldier knelt on one knee and replied, "Everything is ready, Your Majesty. We're just waiting for your command to conquer the Kingdom of Avernia."

The man gave a slight nod. "Good. Then tell the soldiers to launch the attack now. I will lead this battle myself."

"Yes, Your Majesty! I'll deliver your orders right away."

After saying that, the soldier rose and left the tent.

The man stood and walked toward the mirror beside him.

He stared at his reflection with an indifferent gaze.

He was strikingly handsome, with short golden hair that reached his ears.

He was tall and muscular, and his golden eyes gleamed like his hair.

His eyebrows were sharp as blades, and his cold gaze alone could make anyone tremble.

He was Gabriel Solayne, the third king of the Holy Kingdom of Aldoria.

As the most powerful figure in the realm, he was both respected and feared by many.

Moreover, he was the second king to awaken the Golden Dragon Spirit after the first monarch, Arthur Solayne.

"The Kingdom of Avernia," he muttered coldly. "Don't think you can enjoy your peace for long. Soon, I'll show you what true conquest means."

His golden pupils slowly turned vertical—resembling those of the creature most revered throughout the kingdom, the golden dragon.

...

"So, you two are from the future?" Crystal stared at Merlin and Luna with a mix of surprise and disbelief.

Merlin had just explained that they came from the future. Honestly, it was hard to believe—even with her Eyes of Veritas, which could see through lies.

"Yes, Your Majesty," Merlin nodded. "My fiancée and I are from the future. And she is your descendant, Luna Tharot. If you don't believe me, you can verify the bloodline between you two. I'm sure you'll find it."

At Merlin's words, Luna extended her right hand toward Crystal.

Crystal quickly touched it and channeled her power.

In an instant, her heart began to race. A faint yet increasingly familiar feeling of closeness filled her chest.

"It's true!" Her eyes widened. "You really are my descendant and carry the blood of the Tharot family!"

Her doubts vanished instantly, replaced by firm conviction.

The descendants of the Tharot family were unique—they could sense their blood ties through a secret technique known only to a select few members of the family.

And just now, she had felt that bond with Luna before her. In a flash, her eyes softened, filled with warmth and affection.

"Welcome, my descendant," she said gently. "Forgive how my soldiers treated you earlier. I hope you're not offended."

Luna immediately panicked. Crystal's sudden change in attitude left her flustered, unsure of what to do.

A gentle touch came from beside her. Luna turned and saw Merlin giving her a small nod and a reassuring smile.

Luna calmed down and smiled back at Crystal.

"Thank you, Ancestor. Don't worry, something like that won't offend me. I understand the kingdom's situation is tense," she replied politely.

Crystal smiled in satisfaction at her response, but her curiosity soon returned. "By the way, how did you end up here?"

Merlin smiled faintly. "Isn't it obvious, Your Majesty?"

Crystal immediately grasped his meaning. Her expression hardened slightly as she whispered, "The Grail of Time, right?"

"Bingo!" Merlin nodded several times. "Yes, it's the Grail of Time, Your Majesty. Through it, Luna and I were thrown into this era."

If Merlin remembered correctly, the Grail of Time should still exist in this period. It disappeared only after the fall of the Kingdom of Avernia.

"So that's how it is..." Crystal narrowed her eyes. "I know I shouldn't ask this, but..."

She looked at Merlin and Luna with a mix of doubt and unease. "What will happen to the Tharot family in the future?"

For Crystal, the safety of the Tharot family meant more than anything else. Knowing that Luna was alive gave her some relief, yet she still didn't know whether their lives would be peaceful and prosperous—or tragic.

Luna glanced at Merlin, silently asking him to answer.

Merlin understood and replied calmly, "The Tharot family is doing well. Unfortunately, the Kingdom of Avernia has fallen, and they lost their royal authority. However, they were granted the title of Duke by the Kingdom of Aldoria."

Crystal fell silent, at a loss for words. Her expression gradually darkened.

"Does that mean we lost this war?"

"Yes, you did," Merlin replied calmly. "But not through direct defeat—rather, due to political and military pressure from the Kingdom of Aldoria."

"I see..." Crystal sighed deeply and leaned back in her chair. "Well, that outcome isn't surprising."

In terms of military power, the Kingdom of Avernia was far inferior to Aldoria.

The only reason they had managed to endure this long was because of the defensive strategy Crystal had devised to temporarily hold back the Aldorian forces.

"Don't worry, Your Majesty," Merlin said. "History can't be repeated, but the reason my fiancée and I came to this era is to help you and the Kingdom of Avernia win this war. Can you trust us?"

Crystal's eyes widened slightly. "You... You're helping me?"

"Yes," Merlin nodded firmly. "Although we're just children, we possess information from the future. We will help you win this war."

He had the system and Lyserra by his side, while Luna carried the knowledge of the true historical timeline.

With that combination, he was confident they could change the course of history and lead the Kingdom of Avernia to victory.

"This..." Crystal looked uncertain, but Luna quickly reached out to reassure her.

"Ancestor, please trust me and my fiancé. We're confident we can change the course of history from what was meant to happen. Even if we can't alter the final outcome, at least in this timeline, you and the Tharot family can win this battle."

She wanted to change the fate of the Tharot family in this era. Only then could all her anxieties and hatred toward the Royal Family of Aldoria finally fade away.

Crystal looked into Luna's pink eyes—filled with desire, determination, and ambition. Inevitably, her heart was moved, and she finally relented.

"All right, my dear. Since that is your wish, I will grant it. Please, help my kingdom overcome this crisis."

Luna's face brightened with a wide smile. She turned to Merlin, who was already smiling back at her.

"Merlin, let's do our best!"

Merlin nodded. "Yes, let's give it our all."

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