Along this artificially carved mountain path in the southwest mountains of Anglodadar, you will find the Black Swan Castle, one of the five castles famous in the southern continent.

This castle is built on the mountainside of the mountain, at an altitude of more than 500 meters, and the fortress is built along the mountain, basically more than two-thirds of the castle area is in the belly of the mountain. It's just that this castle is not famous for its defense, so it wastes a lot of geographical advantages that can be called unique. However, since the construction of this castle, except for one destruction at the hands of Asuna, the Black Swan Castle has never been destroyed by war during the Dabiang Kingdom, and later after Sean took over, a lot of materials and manpower have been invested in many reconstructions, so that the castle can finally be restored to its former glory.

The mountain path leading to the castle is much smoother than when Sean left before, and there are even stone stairs to make it easier for passers-by to walk.

Sean climbed all the stairs, silently observing.

He didn't expect that he had only been away for a year, and the Black Swan Castle had changed so much.

And if the Black Swan Castle has this change, then there is no need to think about it, the entire Void Principality must have undergone earth-shaking changes.

Along the way, the children of young and powerful people dressed in other aristocratic attire continued to descend from the direction of the Black Swan Castle. These people all have followers of different strength realms around them, but they are basically at the level of the Golden Realm, and it seems that they have never encountered them in the Holy Realm realm except for a few people in the villages and towns at the foot of the mountain and the followers around the brown-haired young man just now.

Sean had a hard time believing why these guys were so honest.

According to his knowledge of the regional customs of the Southern Continent. The powerhouses of the Sacred Domain can basically walk sideways in the Southern Continent. Except for those old powers and empires, the Southern Continent rarely encounters legendary powerhouses. After all, in the two wars of the invasion of the underworld, the losses of the Southern Continent were the heaviest. Therefore, if you want to completely restore your vitality, you can't develop it overnight.

Of course, these conditions are also deeply related to the fact that the people of the southern continent generally prefer to enjoy themselves.

At this time, Cecilia, who was located in the Black Swan Castle, was also running out of the study in a panic, and then hurried to the gate of the Black Swan Castle. Behind her was Diana, who also looked a little reserved, who dared to encourage Cecilia to open the Black Swan Castle, but was too afraid to face Sean.

The two of them after negotiating with Hasas. Returning to the study, we will begin to discuss some big picture issues, the bottom line of these transactions will be taken care of by Cecilia, and the other details will be handled by Diana when the time comes. However, not long after the discussion began, someone from the Void Blade came to report that Sean had returned, accompanied by three young men and a child.

Although she didn't know the identities of the other three and the child, when she heard that Sean had returned, Cecilia Adam immediately gave up her affairs and hurried to the gate of the castle. Originally, she wanted to clear the field. Drove all the visitors to the castle away, but looking at the time, it was actually about the end of the visit, so Cecilia didn't do anything superfluous.

But look at Cecilia so eagerly. The Void Shadow Guards who were not on duty in the castle were naturally nervous as if they were facing a great enemy, and they rushed out together.

Because of the expansion of the Void Shadow Guard, the Black Swan Castle could not accommodate so many people. Therefore, the town at the foot of the mountain built a military camp and some related defenses. Today, the Shadow Guards of the Void are divided into three teams, each of which is responsible for guarding the Black Swan Castle for a week. The remaining two teams are responsible for daily patrols and security in the town at the foot of the mountain.

Of course, the teams in the castle also have a squad-based system. There are three shifts a day, and there are about 30 people standing guard in one shift - in the past, at least 80 people were needed to be in charge of the castle, and even about 160 reinforcements were required during special periods. Therefore, the early guard barracks of the Black Swan Castle were built outside the castle, but with the opening of the Black Swan Castle, in order to pursue beauty, the barracks facilities were built at the foot of the mountain.

At this time, Cecilia was followed by more than 30 people who were supposed to be on the night shift, and more than 30 people who were about to go to rest after eating, and they all hurriedly put on the armor they had just removed and ran out of the lounge.

The nobles who hadn't had time to leave also ran out with a curious face. They wanted to know what had happened to the Black Swan Castle that made Cecilia look so flustered - many of the people here had been here for a long time, at least four or five months, and if it weren't for the presence of Hashas, the flies that annoyed Cecilia would have been them, so they had never seen Cecilia look like this.

Cecilia hadn't made such a big fuss, and by the time she found out, the situation was already a little delicate.

If the "guests" weren't there, Cecilia would have let the guards go back, because it wasn't a big deal at all—and Sean never did such extravagant high-profile acts. It's just that there are still more than a dozen guests and their entourage present, so Cecilia naturally can't let these guards go back to rest, and in front of outsiders, Sean must maintain Sean's status as a Grand Duke no matter what.

Therefore, Cecilia quickly had all the guards lined up on both sides of the city gate.

Although the number of guards of the Void Shadow is not large, only about sixty people, their equipment is the best in the entire Void Principality. Basically, if there is even a slight breakage, they can apply to the Ordnance Workshop to replace it - after all, this team is the personal guard team that William founded for Sean, so the image project still needs to be done. It is precisely because of these many rich rewards that each Void Shadow Guard is a carefully selected member, and the suzhì and strength they possess can be said to be the best and strongest in the legion of the same level.

At this time, under Cecilia's arrangement, more than sixty Void Shadow Guards stood in two teams, each with their heads held high, and their armor and shields that were very bright and clean. The spirit of this army made many nobles shine on the spot. A powerful momentum that only belongs to the elite is emanating from these soldiers. Then it came together, like a terrifying spiritual coercion permeating the audience.

And among these guards. Standing in the direction of the main gate of the city gate was Cecilia.

Diana, a step behind Cecilia, was a step behind, and she was in a position to distinguish between priorities and priorities.

As a figure slowly appeared on the horizon of the mountain road ahead, Cecilia's originally slightly nervous expression gradually calmed down.

The corners of her mouth lifted slightly, and a smile of delight appeared on Cecilia's face. She folded her hands and rested lightly on the hem of her dress, and the whole person looked elegant and calm, and a breeze gently blew up, curling her hair and dress. Cecilia at this moment was particularly dazzling in the crowd, and almost all the eyes of the audience were focused on her, they had never seen Cecilia show such a charming smile from the heart.

Everyone followed Cecilia's gaze and looked at the end of the mountain path ahead.

Sean was slowly rising up the stone staircase.

His vision gradually widened - when Sean's vision finally reached the horizon, the first thing he saw was Cecilia smiling. Then there was Diana standing behind her, and the Shadows of the Void on either side. And then there's the whole Black Swan Castle with its new look, and the other guards still standing guard on the castle walls.

This qiē is all in Sean's eyes.

Sean, who was originally a little uneasy. When I saw Cecilia's smile and such a neat military appearance, it finally disappeared completely.

When Sean completely emerged from the end of the mountain road. As he began to walk towards the Black Swan Castle, he also had a sincere smile on his face. At this moment. He really realized what it was like to be at home, and he finally understood. It is such a pleasant and joyful thing for someone to wait at home for his return.

Andrew looked at the Qiē in front of him, the corners of his mouth also raised slightly, and then his pace slowed down a little.

He was originally parallel to Sean, and after a few steps, he was already half a body behind Sean.

Bess seems to have a wordless tacit understanding with Andrew, because he and Andrew are actually on the same speed. It's just that he is slightly behind Andrew, which is equivalent to completely falling behind Sean by a body. Only Enkos, with a stupid look, still after Beth pulled his sleeve and signaled with his eyes, Enkos reacted and maintained the same position as Bess.

As for Kokire, his childlike appearance at this time was a good disguise. He pulled a corner of Sean's clothes, followed Sean with a blank and curious expression, and was cautiously looking around. Of course, behind his curiosity and confusion, he is not full of curiosity, but a kind of **, but although he is silent, at least he is not really stupid, so he knows that everything he sees in front of him cannot be eaten.

As Sean approached, all the Void Shadow Guards dropped their shock shields to the ground at the same time, without Cecilia's reminder.

The sound of sixty or seventy impact shields falling to the ground was a loud bang—a loud roar like an earthquake and strong shaking fluctuations. This neat and consistent tacit understanding and concerto immediately made all the nobles who stayed here feel a burst of horror in their hearts: at this moment, the strong momentum emitted by these Void Shadow Guards made them all feel as if their hearts were being held by an invisible giant hand, and they would be completely pinched and exploded with a little force.

All of them looked at Sean with a frightened expression, and their hearts had already begun to guess the identity of this young man.

Of course, there are many more people who already have some answers in their hearts when they see this scene in front of them. However, until it is confirmed by their own mouths, many people still can't believe it, or they are subconsciously unwilling to believe that the black-haired young man in front of them is the rumored one, just as no one wants to admit that he is inferior to another peer, especially these arrogant and noble children.

But whether they admit it, approve it, or have something else to think about it, it doesn't matter to Sean.

His steps were as firm as ever, and he didn't show any other expression because of the falling shield of the Void Shadow Guard.

There is neither pride, nor pride, nor even pride in sight.

There is only calm.

As if this qiē was so taken for granted.

Then, as Sean slowly approached, the two guards on the left and right began to fall on one knee as he began to approach the guards standing on either side. As Sean walked along, all the guards began to kneel down on one knee in front of Sean one by one - they did not draw the knight's sword tied to their waists, but the guards with the tower shield in their left hand and the spear in their right hand all bowed their heads.

Andrew stopped two steps closer to the guards.

He knew that these men were prostrating themselves so solemnly before their king, not to him. No matter how strong his strength is, he can even easily control the life and death of a kingdom with a gesture, but he still did not move forward with Sean, not because he thinks he is not enough Sean, but for the sake of respecting Sean, respecting his achievements and this glory that only belongs to him.

Bess and Enkos, both of whom were also standing behind Andrew, quietly staring at Yiqiē in front of them.

As Sean got closer and closer to Cecilia, the guards, as if they had been rehearsed countless times, began to speed up their knees. Soon they no longer knelt when Sean was close to two positions, but began to pull away at a faster pace to three, four, and even more.

And when Sean walked three steps in front of Cecilia, all the Void Shadow Guards on both sides finally fell to one knee. Then all the guards standing guard on the wall, all of them fell on one knee at this time, then the guards on the watchtower, and then the rest of the castle - like a beacon pass, ring after ring, whether they could see Sean or not, whether Shaun could see them or not, they all knelt on one knee at this time.

To their king, to convey their respect, their faith, their glory.

This glory belongs not only to Sean, but also to them.

"Welcome back to the Grand Duke."

A sound like thunder, mixed with extremely strong cheers and excitement, echoed throughout the Black Swan Castle.

Cecilia took a step forward, shortening the distance between herself and Sean to only two steps, and then looked at Sean with a smile on her face: "Welcome back." ”

Sean smiled and nodded, then suddenly took two steps forward, hugged Cecilia lightly, and smiled, "I'm back." (To be continued......)