The sun was setting as a dispirited troop marched in the outskirts of the imperial capital.
As the capital's First Imperial Guard, they had been dispatched for training a hundred miles away for less than three days before being recalled.
News of the coup had already reached them, and everyone knew perfectly well—training was just a pretext, Elashia's true purpose was merely to clear obstacles for her ambition to control the empire.
Now, Elashia had already taken control of the capital and commanded the Second through Tenth Imperial Guards, whose numbers were nine times their own.
As the Elasia Empire's strongest unit, the First Imperial Guard had the courage, if not the strength, to fight Elashia for their beliefs.
But their families were still in the capital.
They simply lacked the resources to contend with Elashia.
And their commander—one of the [Human Heroes] in "Immortal King," Elasia Empire's most powerful fighter, Knight Commander Cecilia, had her faith shattered once again.
Looking at the city gates gradually approaching before her, Cecilia recalled how ten years ago, she had first arrived at this city with dreams of saving the world.
Back then, in her naivety, she truly believed she could change this hopeless country through her own efforts.
At the very least, with her talent in martial arts, she could protect countless civilians and ensure their peaceful lives.
But she had oversimplified things, thinking her strength could change everything.
Five years ago, she became the commander of the capital's First Imperial Guard, becoming the youngest Imperial Guard commander in the empire's thousand-year history.
The Elasia Emperor at that time was a cruel tyrant who built massive palaces and gardens for himself, collected tens of thousands of beauties and treasures from all regions, making life unbearable for the people.
The young Cecilia, with the force of one Imperial Guard unit, defeated the Second through Tenth Imperial Guards who outnumbered her nine to one, executed the tyrant, and supported the then-wisest prince—the old Elasia Emperor who had just died—to the throne.
At first, Cecilia believed everything was developing in a positive direction: the tyrant was dead, a wise ruler had ascended, and she had accomplished a monumental achievement for the Elasia Empire.
The new emperor even sent guards to protect the orphanage that had raised Cecilia, and even brought Cecilia's only relative—her sister Sophia—to live in the beautiful royal gardens.
Then, almost in a single day, everything changed.
The new emperor quickly shed his disguise. He no longer showed concern for the people or restrained his desires. He ordered the construction of estates even larger than the previous king's, continued to expand the already enormous palace, and tirelessly sought beautiful women from all regions...
Everything exceeded Cecilia's expectations. When she angrily wanted to confront the emperor, she realized—her hometown had been "protected" by the emperor's army layer upon layer, while her sister was "living comfortably" in the royal gardens.
It turned out everything was a means to control her.
That night, Cecilia didn't sleep at all.
The next day, she came to the army as if nothing had happened, training the Imperial Guard as before, meeting her sister once a month as before.
But in her heart, a piece had already been cruelly torn away.
Three years ago, she left the capital.
When she returned, she had lost the most important thing besides her sister—her original intention.
The reason was simple: the emperor's tyranny had provoked resistance from the people, the temporarily recruited armies of local lords couldn't resist, and the corrupt central armies sent by the emperor were defeated at every turn.
The emperor dispatched her to lead the First Imperial Guard to quell the uprising.
She didn't want to go.
But she had no choice.
At the moment before setting out, she finally understood.
The "wise" ruler of the past didn't oppose debauchery; he merely opposed not having it for himself.
Under the First Imperial Guard's suppression, the popular uprising was quelled within half a year.
On the day of her triumphant return to the capital, she saw the city gates for the second time.
When she saw the gates, she lowered her head.
She remembered herself when she first came to the capital, with ideals of fighting for the country and its people, that free and innocent self.
Back then, she dreamed of becoming the empire's strongest.
Now, the dream had come true.
But the dream had long since changed its flavor.
She had originally thought her sword would be drawn for the people.
But she never expected—in the end, she would wield it against the people.
Cecilia's heart died when she saw the capital's gates for the second time. That once-pure heart had been completely covered in dust amid the darkness of the world.
At that time, she thought her life would probably continue this way.
She had already betrayed one of the two oaths she made when entering the knights' academy—do not betray the people of Elasia.
But at least she wouldn't betray the second—do not betray the emperor.
And now, returning to the capital for the third time, her last faith had been shattered.
She knew she was no longer worthy of any faith or oath.
Just as she was lost in thought looking at the gates, they opened.
A petite pink-haired girl wearing imperial robes appeared before Cecilia's eyes, with a confident smile.