"Viscount Shien, please enter!"
On this day, such a solemn announcement rang out through the royal palace's audience hall.
Hearing it, Shien raised his head.
At this moment, Shien was dressed in formal and luxurious court attire, with the sealed Holy Sword at his waist. At first glance, he looked like an imposing young nobleman, his bearing completely different from before.
Thus attired, Shien stepped into the audience hall and walked toward the throne one step at a time.
To his left stood the neat ranks of the Royal Knights.
To his right, nobles stood facing one another in rows.
Shien was bathed in everyone's gazes.
Compared to the scene during his first audience, this was remarkably similar.
Only this time, Shien was no longer a fledgling adventurer with a growing reputation, nor was he someone others could glare at in anger. He was a rising star whom the nobles with exceedingly complicated expressions had to look up to.
Shien could see that although quite a few of them wore displeased and unhappy expressions, their eyes all revealed at least a trace of awe.
Aridia stood at the head of the Royal Knights as well. Yet unlike last time, he did not ignore Shien. Instead, he stared at him intently, seemingly lost in thought.
Naturally, Roxie was there too.
Watching Shien walk in step by step, a gentle expression involuntarily appeared on Roxie's face.
Beside her, Ria noticed Roxie's reaction.
Recently, she had sensed that Roxie's attitude toward Shien had changed again. This only made her more certain of a certain thought in her heart, and her gaze toward Shien gained a hint of scrutiny.
Shien, meanwhile, walked into the audience hall without looking aside and came before the throne under everyone's witness.
"Your Majesty."
Shien bowed to Anxi, who