The next morning, when the sun rose once more, the Sandora Floating Airship had already appeared above the ancient castle.
In the castle's central square, more than five hundred people sat beneath a towering statue with their eyes closed, resting their minds.
After several hours of effort by the white-haired elder, aside from the family descendants studying at the Knight Academy and Mage Academy in the royal capital, every other member of the Violetta Family within Violetta Count's Territory—whether of the Direct Lineage or collateral branches—had been summoned to the castle.
The white-haired elder stood on the castle steps, his gaze sweeping over the crowd below as a trace of sorrow flashed through his eyes.
After today, he did not know how many would remain.
"Father, may we begin?" Count Violetta asked hoarsely, his Adam's apple bobbing with difficulty.
The white-haired elder slowly withdrew his gaze and nodded slightly. "Begin."
Upon hearing this, Count Violetta turned to the guards standing solemnly on both sides of the square and gave a deep-voiced order. "Pass down my command. During the family assembly, no one may enter the square without permission. Any violator will be executed immediately!"
More than sixty fully armed guards struck their chests in salute in unison. Led by a High-Silver Swordsman, they withdrew from the square one after another.
As the heavy castle gates boomed shut, the entire inner city was completely cut off from the outside world, leaving only the blood-related members of the Violetta Family.
"Rosmire, lead the clan in a hymn for our ancestor."
"Yes, Father."
Count Violetta respectfully bowed toward the white-haired elder's back, suppressed the heaviness in his heart, and walked toward the center of the square.
When he arrived beneath the Bronze-cast statue, all five hundred-plus members of the Violetta Family rose to