Three days later, Prye City's cathedral hosted its grandest ceremony in decades.
Morning sunlight streamed through the stained-glass windows, casting a kaleidoscope of colors across the marble floor. The windows depicted the Former Kings of the Goldflower Kingdom throughout the ages, and beneath the sunlight, they seemed almost alive, radiating a sacred, solemn glow. The cathedral was packed—nobles in formal dress with their ladies, Carnford generals in full uniform, representatives from the city's major merchant guilds, and countless commoners crowding outside the cathedral, standing on tiptoe for a glimpse of Her Highness the Princess. The square outside was packed as well, a dark sea of people stretching all the way to the far end of the streets. Everyone knew that today was a historic day—the princess who had vanished for many years would make her first public appearance, receive the archbishop's blessing, and address the entire nation.
The air was thick with tension and anticipation. People murmured among themselves, their gazes repeatedly turning toward the cathedral doors as they awaited that crucial moment. Tears glimmered in the eyes of some elderly people—they had witnessed the glory of the royal family at Former King Heinrich's coronation, and now they would witness its revival.
Karl stood at the very front of the crowd, dressed in a dark blue formal suit, a spruce emblem representing Carnford pinned to his chest. His expression was calm and composed, yet his heart was far from still. The princess's appearance was the most crucial link in his entire plan. Its success would determine the legitimacy and stability of the new regime. He had made meticulous preparations beforehand, including thoroughly "communicating" with the archbishop to ensure he would not say anything inappropriate during the ceremony. But even so, until the dust settled, anything could happen.
His gaze swept