Eleanor’s fifth birthday celebration began with great fanfare at dawn in Taymer Palace.

As the first rays of sunlight coated the palace’s towering white marble spires in a liquid gold sheen, the prelude to the celebration had already begun.

Inside the White Rose Hall, heavy, deep blue velvet draperies hung from the high, vaulted ceiling. Embroidered upon them in gold and silver thread was the two-headed eagle crest of the Temeris Clan, its wings spread as if poised for flight.

Hundreds of silver candles burned quietly on massive crystal chandeliers, illuminating the entire hall as if it were day.

The fragrance of white roses and the scent of cedarwood mingled in the air, creating a solemn and sacred atmosphere.

Archbishop Fernandez, dressed in a white Sacrificial Robe, bore the Holy Emblem of the God of Stars and Truth embroidered on his chest—a star cradled by a crescent moon.

He stood upon a high dais covered by a crimson carpet, holding an Oak Staff nearly as tall as a man. The head of the staff was inlaid with a massive Moonlight Stone. His posture was erect, his silver-white hair and beard were impeccably groomed, and his expression was solemn.

"Guided by the stars, witnessed by the truth," the Archbishop’s deep, resonant voice echoed through the silent hall, seeming to possess the power to soothe souls. "We gather here today, blessed by Divine Grace, to offer birthday blessings to the scion of Temeris, Eleanor Leonice Temeris, upon her fifth year..."

Eleanor stood before the dais.

She wore a specially chosen deep blue velvet cloak, its edges trimmed with a border of fluffy, soft, snow-white arctic fox fur that accentuated the delicate fairness of her small face.

A small coronet, inlaid with several translucent Moonlight Stones, rested on her thick, cascading black hair. The gems emitted a soft, cool halo in the candlelight, complementing her calm, jet-black eyes, making it seem as if she wore a miniature night sky upon her head.

Her posture was proper, her hands folded before her, and her small face was set in a serious expression as she tried her best to imitate the etiquette her mother had taught her.

Her gaze attentively followed the Archbishop’s movements and words. Only when the blessed water lightly touched her forehead did her eyelashes tremble imperceptibly.

As the Duchess of Temeris and a mother, Margaret stood slightly behind Eleanor to her side.

Her attire today was both dignified and opulent. She wore a silver-gray court gown tailored from the finest Eastern Silk, its wide skirt spreading out like flowing water as she stood motionless. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

The gown was embroidered with exceedingly intricate and delicate star patterns in dark silver thread, which shimmered faintly.

Over it, she wore a deep purple velvet robe edged with precious sable fur, exuding an air of regal grace.

Her black hair had been styled by her ladies-in-waiting into an elegant and complex spiral chignon, adorned only with a Star-shaped Blue Crystal Hairpin carved by a master artisan. The crystal was deep and translucent, occasionally refracting the candlelight and subtly echoing the dark luster in her eyes.

She maintained an elegant smile throughout the ceremony, her gaze fixed tenderly and intently on her daughter, her entire being radiating the imposing aura of a ruler.

Only during lulls in the ceremony did her eyes briefly meet those of certain Great Nobles and prominent merchants from the South in the crowd below.

Murphy, meanwhile, was seated in the front row of the area reserved for observing nobles.

He wore his signature deep blue knight’s uniform, its style simple and clean, with no extraneous decoration.

The scabbard of the sword at his waist was unadorned, blending seamlessly with his steady disposition.

Compared to the surrounding nobles in their brightly colored attire, murmuring pleasantries to one another, he was exceptionally quiet. His posture was as straight as a pine tree, his calm gaze fixed on the ceremony’s progress on the dais.

However, no one would dare overlook his presence.

His status as the Governor of the Monte Territory, his close alliance with Duke Temeris, and his formidable strength as a Great Knight—already legendary throughout noble circles—made him one of the covert focal points of the entire hall.

The glances thrown his way were a complex mixture of awe, curiosity, calculation, and other hidden emotions.

But his face showed no discernible expression, his eyes like the waters of a deep pool.

Only when Eleanor, following the Archbishop’s guidance, completed a step with slight caution and then subconsciously stole a glance at him, would he give a barely perceptible nod, offering silent encouragement.

Just as the blessing ceremony reached its midpoint and the choir began to chant the second hymn, a heavy oak door at the side rear of the hall was quietly pushed open a crack.

A slender figure, accompanied by two Knights in the uniforms of the Royal Guard, slipped in silently and quickly took a seat in the reserved front-row section.

Although the movement was extremely quiet, at such a solemn and silent moment, it naturally drew the sideways glances of the nobles.

It was Princess Elizabeth, the Royal Envoy sent to represent the new king.

She was wearing the somewhat heavy, formal ceremonial dress of a Royal Envoy. It was in the royal color of purple, and the skirt was embroidered with the Royal Family’s Purple Eagle crest.

However, the formal dress could not conceal her exhaustion.

Her normally fair little face was pale from her long journey. Even with exquisite makeup, the faint shadows under her eyes and the lack of color in her lips were not completely hidden.

Her gaze swept quickly over Margaret and Eleanor on the dais, paused for the briefest of moments as it passed over Murphy’s straight back, and then she lowered her eyes. She straightened her spine and focused on the ceremony before her, as if trying to dispel her fatigue with concentration.

From the dais, Margaret had already caught Elizabeth’s entrance out of the corner of her eye.

Her smile did not falter, and her gaze remained tenderly fixed on her daughter. Only when her eyes met the young princess’s exhausted yet determined expression did she raise an eyebrow almost imperceptibly.