The streets on both sides were packed with citizens who had come to watch. Their faces held a mixture of curiosity, reverence, expectation, and an indescribable complexity. Some cheered and leaped with joy, as though they had glimpsed a savior; others looked despondent, as though mourning an era that had passed away. Karl wore his signature dark-blue military uniform and rode a white warhorse, his expression calm and imposing. He displayed none of a victor's arrogance or flamboyance, merely making his way through this ancient city with steady composure.
He did not head for the royal palace at once. First, he went to the largest square in the city, where he delivered a brief speech, reiterating the purpose of his southern campaign—to eliminate the evil Empress Dowager, welcome back the Princess, and restore the rightful lineage and glory of the Goldflower Kingdom. He promised that, once he took control of the Royal Capital, he would immediately abolish the exorbitant taxes imposed during the Empress Dowager's rule, ease the burden on the people, and severely punish those corrupt and lawless villains. His speech earned wave after wave of applause and cheers from the gathered citizens.
Only then, surrounded by his generals, did he arrive before the gates of the royal palace.
The royal palace gates stood open as well. Those Court Guards who had once been so haughty now stood respectfully on either side, their heads bowed, not daring to meet the eyes of Carnford's soldiers. Their hands trembled faintly, and some did not even dare raise their heads to look at Karl.
Karl swung down from his horse and, under everyone's gaze, stepped onto the stairs leading to the grand hall. His stride was steady and resolute, each step seeming to measure the road to the pinnacle of power. With