Xander then pointed to the Aegis Guard on the right with burn scars.

The voice was cold. “What about you?”

“I was injured three years ago during the rebellion in the Westernlands.”

The Aegis Guard lowered his eyes, his voice heavy.

“At that time, the rebels set fire to the grain road. To retrieve the grain, I rushed into the fire and was hit by a falling beam, and most of my back was burned.”

“Later, the grain was saved, and the Westernlands were pacified, but the people in Pidence City may not even know that there was such a rebellion.”

Everyone in the room looked at a loss. They really didn’t know about these battles.

If not for Diana, they would never have known that this era of peace and prosperity existed only because someone was bearing the heavy burden and forging the way for them.

Everyone showed shame on their faces, and some had red eyes.

Xander nodded repeatedly, and then looked at Ansel again. His injuries were fewer than those of the Aegis Guards. However, Xander gazed at him the longest.

He said to everyone in a deep voice, “Ansel is my guard and confidant. He has been with me since he was twelve years old."

"He has no father or mother and is all alone. But was he born an orphan?” His voice suddenly rose, causing everyone’s eardrums to buzz.

Ansel seemed to know what he was going to say and couldn’t help but look up at Xander.

“He is from a family of generals. His father was General Grimes, who guarded the northern border, and his elder brother was the commander of the vanguard battalion. The entire Grimes family died for The Grand Luminary Empire, loyal souls.”

Ansel’s body stiffened suddenly, and his hands clenched tightly at his sides. His eyes churned with years of suppressed pain. The Grimes family’s affair was the deepest scar in his heart, and even Xander rarely mentioned it in front of others.

Xander’s gaze slowly swept over everyone present.

“Does anyone remember the bloody battle in the northern frontier fifteen years ago?” Xander’s tone carried heavy memories. “Diana, back then, you had just come of age and were preparing for the Princess Consort’s affairs, so you may not have heard of the tragedy of that battle.”

“To defend the Fouver Pass, the eldest son of the Grimes family was shot with seven arrows and did not let go of the city gate’s reins until his death.”

“The second son led the vanguard camp to charge into the battle, but his chest was pierced by the spears of the enemy soldiers, and even his body could not be brought back intact.”

“The third son, in order to repel the enemy soldiers, tied fire oil to his body with three hundred men and rushed into the enemy army, perishing together with them.”

“It was with this spirit of not admitting defeat that the northern frontier was defended.”

Thinking of the tragedy at that time, Xander’s eyes were red. “Thirty years… the Grimes family has guarded it for a full thirty years. General Grimes’s hair has turned white, and he is still holding on.”

Ansel’s throat tightened as he slowly raised his head, his voice hoarse and almost out of tune.

“That year, I was twelve years old, following my mother in the rear camp waiting for my father and brothers to return.”

“What came back instead were my father’s bloodstained armor and my brother’s battle robe, half–covered in yellow sand.”

“My mother couldn’t bear the blow and passed away three months later…”

“Overnight, I was the only one left in the huge Grimes family mansion.”

Ansel raised his hand and touched the old scar on his left wrist, his voice trembling.

“When Prince Xander found me, I was crying in the mansion, hugging my father’s armor, and was almost kidnapped by the riotous soldiers.”

“Prince Xander took me with him and taught me martial arts and military tactics.”

“I asked Prince Xander why he was protecting me, and he said that the Grimes family had protected The Grand Luminary Empire, so he would protect me.”

“Over the years, I have followed Prince Xander through life and death. I am not doing this for myself, but to fulfill the last wishes of my father and brother, and to protect the peace of The Grand Luminary Empire, which they exchanged with their lives.”

Xander stepped forward and patted Ansel heavily on the shoulder. His eyes were full of pity and respect. “He could have relied on the merits of the Grimes family to receive shelter and be a safe and secure son of an aristocratic family, but he insisted on following me as a guard, saying, ‘Only by earning a living with merit can I be worthy of the Grimes family’s loyalty and valor.’”

“Over the years, he never mentioned the past of the Grimes family, and even when the old officials in Pidence City mentioned the Grimes family, he silently avoided the topic."

“It’s not that he forgot, but that he engraved the glory and pain of the family in his bones, turning it into the strength to protect The Grand Luminary Empire.”

Diana’s face turned pale, and tears fell like beads. Her lips trembled, and her voice choked with emotion.

“It was my fault, I was too narrow–minded…”

Xander looked at the scene before him, and his tone finally softened.

“Diana, you must remember that you are not the only one who has sacrificed. The entire Grimes family, the soldiers on the border, and countless people like Ansel are doing their best for the stability of The Grand Luminary Empire: Your marriage is a contribution, and so is their sacrifice.”

Diana nodded vigorously, her eyes full of guilt and gratitude. “I was blinded by resentment, and mistook the Princess Consort’s sincerity for deceit. From now on, I will never be so foolish again.”

“It’s good that you’ve figured it out. The Grand Luminary Empire doesn’t owe you anything, and neither does my manor.” Xander’s voice was indescribably cold, making people feel frightened.

He glanced coldly at everyone present before striding away.

All the guests were still shaken, as Xander was truly angry this time. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have publicly rebuked Princess Diana.

Everyone bid farewell and left, leaving only Diana in the large princess manor.

“Princess, Princess…” A faint voice came, bringing Diana back to her senses. Only then did she remember that Kally was still being held outside the door.

She hurried forward and rescued Kally. “Kally, are you alright?”

Kally threw herself into her arms and burst into tears. “It was this old servant who almost harmed the princess; this old servant deserves to die.”

As she spoke, she mustered all her strength to smash herself against the stone.

Diana quickly grabbed her, tears streaming down her face. “Kally, what are you doing? You know I only have you left.”

“Princess, it’s this old servant who is useless and couldn’t protect you…”

Kally cried her eyes out, but her eyes were full of hatred. “This old servant is just indignant. Why should the princess bear all the suffering alone?”

“Back then, if you hadn’t gone to marry into another family, you could have found a husband of your choice and spent your life together.”

“This old servant’s heart aches that the princess was humiliated in such a place as the Kingdom of Veyra.”

Kally beat her chest while wailing.

Diana also felt bad. She slowly shook her head. “I won’t fight for it anymore, nor can I win. Fighting for it is nothing but an empty dream." She thought she was a sacrifice, but Xander was right. She was just one of many victims.

Kally held her hand tightly, her eyes firm. “Princess, why don’t you fight? Now that the King has no heir, if you do not claim your right, this kingdom will fall into someone else’s hands.”

Others naturally referred to Xander. He held two sons and held great power. Yet, the King harbored no suspicion toward him and even made him the Prince Regent.

“Princess, you can never be too careful. The late Princess Consort once said that you siblings should support each other. The King may be kind, but you must not be so easily swayed by his words that you lose your backbone.”

“When the little prince is born in the future, will he have to live at the mercy of others?”

Diana frowned. She was determined not to allow anyone to be a figurehead ruler.