The appuse did not come from anyone around Charlot Mecklenburg.

  This signified that someone had silently infiltrated his vicinity, even bypassing his Eye of Insight without triggering any response.

  What shocked Charlot even more was that he noticed everyone around him was frozen in pce—Dolores Soumet, Frederica, Dubin Alger, Yellow Bear, Bancroft the Gale Wolf, and Gwen the Dappled Deer, along with all the West Wind Knight Order soldiers and the Silver Dove Castle militia. They all stood motionless, their expressions vivid yet stiff, as if frozen in a moment. Even the wind had disappeared.

  For a fleeting moment, Charlot considered summoning an evil god to perish together with this terrifying and mysterious enemy.

  With a sharp click, Charlot loaded six anti-magic armor-piercing rounds into the magazine of his Firequell Silver Rhino Ten, ready to locate the enemy.

  From midair, a woman of about forty or fifty descended gracefully, step by step. Her bearing was regal and elegant, yet her attire clearly indicated her status—not that of a noble dy, but of a housekeeper.

  Charlot stammered in surprise, “Grandma Saint Karen?!”

  “What brings you to Silver Dove Castle?”

  Grandma Saint Karen smiled faintly and replied, “Annie insisted on not letting go and had a quarrel with the count, so here I am.”

  She did not eborate, but Annie Bretagne had received Charlot’s will, which had moved her to tears on the spot. The young dy of the Bretagne family had intended to leave Strasbourg immediately to live and die with Charlot.

  The Count of Bretagne could never allow such a thing.

  He had a fierce argument with his daughter, and, faced with her unwavering determination, he was forced to compromise. Annie promised not to leave Strasbourg, while the count sent Grandma Saint Karen to follow Charlot and ensure his safety.

  Annie, torn between emotion and reason, chose the tter. As a Tier-One Transcendent, she realized she would be of little help to Charlot in battle. However, with Grandma Saint Karen intervening, Charlot’s safe return would be assured.

  Originally, Grandma Saint Karen had intended to remain quietly on the sidelines, waiting to step in only if Charlot were in mortal danger. She had no intention of interfering with the war. However, Charlot’s performance earlier had been so remarkable that she could not resist appuding and revealing herself.

  Annie had grown up under Grandma Saint Karen’s care, and in her eyes, Annie was like her own daughter, someone to be cherished and protected.

  Grandma Saint Karen had not been particurly close to Charlot and did not consider him the person destined to be Annie’s lifelong companion. However, this war had changed her view of him. Charlot’s actions had been consistently admirable—“brave and resourceful,” “calm and commanding”—reminiscent of the Count of Bretagne in his youth.

  Especially since Charlot had dared to charge alone into the midst of tens of thousands of South Seraph restorationists and sy Jonan, Grandma Saint Karen had gained a new respect for him. She decided to overlook the young man’s past.

  Despite that past…

  Hmm, best not to dwell on it.

  Grandma Saint Karen mused to herself, “Men! Who doesn’t act foolish in their youth? Since meeting Annie, he’s turned over a new leaf and proven himself through his courage in war, which can never be faked.”

  “This time especially, he’s achieved two major feats of merit. When this war ends and he returns triumphant, he will be worthy of Annie.”

  Charlot had no idea what Grandma Saint Karen was thinking. In his eyes, this elderly housekeeper was the most formidable being he had encountered since his transmigration, second only to the Three Evil Gods. Standing before someone of Saint rank, he was deeply uneasy, worried that she might kill him with a casual sp.

  This wasn’t baseless paranoia. Charlot Mecklenburg’s past was indeed riddled with disgrace.

  With a respectful demeanor, Charlot quickly said, “The South Seraph restorationists will soon y siege. Grandma, please rest within the castle so you won’t be disturbed.”

  His words pleased Grandma Saint Karen even more. On the brink of battle, Charlot’s concern was to honor the elderly and protect her peace, rather than exploit her strength. She smiled and replied, “No need to worry. After all, I am…”

  Suddenly, the world came alive again, filled with a cacophony of noises.

  The abrupt return of activity left Charlot momentarily stunned. It took him a moment to comprehend the voices around him.

  “Saint rank!”

  “The South Seraph restorationists have deployed a Saint!”

  “Damn those despicable South Seraph restorationists. How shameless can they be?”

  “What do we do now?”

  “By the Lady of the Bck Moon, have mercy on the poor people of Silver Dove Castle!”

  Grandma Saint Karen hadn’t expected someone else to steal her spotlight. She looked up at the sky. There, a man in coarse clothing with thick eyebrows and sharp eyes, appearing about thirty years old, stood barehanded, his stance as steady as a spear. He hovered hundreds of meters above, gazing arrogantly at Silver Dove Castle.

  Charlot was horrified. “What’s going on?”

  Grandma Saint Karen replied calmly, “A Saint has appeared. I dispelled a yer of dreamscape.”

  Charlot finally understood and asked quietly, “You graduated from Gorgias University?”

  Grandma Saint Karen smiled. “I did.”

  Charlot remarked sincerely, “Gorgias is a great university.”

  Grandma Saint Karen replied coolly, “I was present when you spoke to Annie.”

  Charlot immediately fell silent, too embarrassed to speak. This housekeeper was truly terrifying.

  Saint rank power!

  The presence of this coarse-cd Saint filled everyone in Silver Dove Castle with despair. Only a Saint could counter another Saint.

  In everyone’s mind, it was certain that Silver Dove Castle had no Saint.

  Dolores muttered under her breath, “Charlot, you’ve doomed us. If I die, I’ll haunt you!”

  Frederica wore a bitter expression. “I should have left long ago. What was I thinking, staying here to defend Silver Dove Castle with you?”

  Yellow Bear, his face dark, murmured, “Commander, if you survive, please take care of my family.”

  Dubin Alger swallowed hard, his heart filled with frustration. He had just been promoted to knight, only to face a Saint. How was that fair?

  Bancroft the Gale Wolf and Gwen the Dappled Deer, longtime comrades, bumped fists and whispered, “For Silver Dove Castle.”

  “For our homend.”

  “This is our destiny…”

  The morale in Silver Dove Castle plummeted to its lowest point.

  Had Charlot seen the South Seraph Saint first, he would have fallen into despair like everyone else. But having first encountered Grandma Saint Karen, he felt a unique sense of reassurance. With a faint smile, he shouted, “Do not despair! I will lead us to repel the South Seraph restorationists again, even if they have a Saint!”

  Dolores gasped. “That’s a Saint! Are you insane?”

  Frederica uncharacteristically cursed. “Charlot, you… bastard. I should’ve killed you myself. Maybe I’ll take the next assassination contract on you.”

  Charlot gnced back at Grandma Saint Karen. The benevolent housekeeper performed an imperial salute, though no one else seemed to notice her presence, just as when she had first appeared.

  Charlot smiled. “If I can repel him, will you agree to one thing?”

  Dolores and Frederica shouted together, “If you can repel the South Seraph Saint, we’ll agree to anything!”

  Charlot looked up at the sky, exuding confidence, and said leisurely, “Attend my wedding as Annie’s bridesmaids.”