The cold wind rustled the snowflakes on the treetops, rendering the night in the royal city unusually tranquil. Aria disposed of the garbage, sitting on a wooden barrel, waiting for the two individuals in the armory to finish their quarrel.

Just then, footsteps crunched through the snow behind her.

Aria turned to see who it was, surprised. "What brings you here? I thought you'd be at the tavern again."

"I've decided to turn over a new leaf," Neven said, smiling. He was clad in a snug-fitting deep blue uniform of the Starguard Legion, every contour outlining his sturdy and well-proportioned figure. His deep-set eyes shimmered in the moonlight, and his neatly combed black hair danced in the breeze, accentuating his gallant demeanor.

"Do you have time tonight?" he inquired.

"Tonight...” Aria snapped back to attention. "As long as you don't keep darting around, I'm available anytime."

"Tonight, at midnight, meet me in the hall."

"Why?"

"I want to thank you."

"You led me into the demi-god barrier, and I saved your life in town. We're even; there's no need for gratitude," Aria shrugged, trying to sound nonchalant.

Neven gave a faint smile.

Aria's gaze fell on the dull crystal on Neven's sword hilt. "So, you..."

At that moment, sharp voices of Sable and Oak echoed from afar. They emerged from the armory, arguing loudly. Neven retreated into the shadows of the trees.

"See you tonight," he said softly before hurriedly leaving.

As Aria watched Neven disappear into the distance, a wave of unease washed over her. In her eyes, Neven's assistance had been a godsend. Without him, how could she have returned safely to Sovereign Bastion, enjoying the generous care of Seraphina and Lyra? Not to mention, the camaraderie she had found with numerous comrades in the Starguard Legion. Every time Aria felt discontent with Neven, it was merely a passing complaint.

Yet, Neven now seemed to be shunning everything, even casting aside his closest friends.

As the day's work came to an end, Aria joined Sable and Oke on their way back to the hall for dinner. The hall was bustling with laughter and chatter, with dozens of soldiers filling the tables. Their voices echoed in the air, weaving a magnificent symphony, accompanied by fervent emotions and unwavering determination.

Candlelight danced in the hall, casting a soft glow that illuminated every face like gold.

"I heard the Starguard Legion has welcomed a few new members," Alexander said, setting down his cup.

"For three years, we've been drowning in despair, becoming the most unwelcome legion," Sable said, with a look of despondency. "Ever since Neven got into trouble, no one dares to join us anymore."

"He's back now, and we will rise again!" Oak exclaimed, pounding the table, causing the soup to ripple.

"Haven't you ever thought about it?" Sable retorted sharply. "Neven is still under investigation, this matter isn't resolved, and he can never redeem himself."

"I heard he's already admitted his fault," Alexander said quietly. "If it weren't for Seraphina's plea, Neven might have been imprisoned long ago."

Sable and Oak let out a hopeless sigh.

Aria lowered her head as she sipped her soup, knowing full well that Neven's fate was beyond redemption. But in her heart, she felt it was only a matter of time before Neven returned to the Starguard Legion.

"Aria, pass me the chili sauce," Sable reached out.

Aria handed it to him.

"Have you seen him lately?" Sable asked, holding up the sauce.

"No, I haven't seen much of him lately," Aria lied. She had just seen him, but she felt Neven preferred to keep it quiet.

Alexander placed a piece of pine nut cheese on Aria's plate. "Don't just focus on the soup, have some of this too."

Aria anxiously glanced around, relieved when she saw no one paying her any attention, and began to eat the cheese. She dreaded Alexander's attention, fearing the jealous antics of those mad women who might cause her trouble. Once, as she walked down the stairs, they had intentionally pushed her down. But Aria felt innocent; she had nothing special with Alexander, and she disliked men who were too ostentatious.

"Sage Solon values Neven greatly," Oak continued. "A few days ago, didn't Lunar King appoint him as the Grand Mentor of the Starguard Legion? Sage Solon would have promoted him; Neven is his favorite Executive Commander."

"Ah, but Sage Solon refused," Sable said sarcastically. "It's all over the Lunar Tower; everyone knows Sage Solon turned down the position of Grand Mentor of the Starguard Legion. He has the pardon power bestowed by the former king and refuses to get involved in Lunar Tower affairs."

"He dared to refuse Lunar King?" Aria asked in astonishment.

"He possesses the former king's pardon power; Lunar King cannot dispose of him or strip him of his authority," Sable said. "Have you seen the back of his hand? He and the soul stone have merged."

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"Yes, only he can do that," Alexander said. "He can control any weapon with Essence power, while we can only embed the soul stone into weapons."

Suddenly, Sable coughed, blinking to indicate the entrance. The hall fell silent, even the clatter of dishes ceased. Alpha, clad in dark red robes, strode proudly into the hall. The neatly trimmed goatee on his face made him look even more distinguished.

He walked to the front, his gaze sweeping the entire room with icy coldness.

"Please be quiet!" Alpha's voice thundered through the hall.

Immediately, the hall fell silent.

"Soldiers, I must announce an important message to you all," Alpha began in his usual stern tone, and the soldiers in the hall quieted down, nervously watching him.

"Due to the lack of volunteers to take up the position of Grand Mentor of the Starguard Legion, this has led to confusion in the entire legion system and scattered personnel," Alpha scanned each person in the room slowly, then focused his gaze on Lyra, saying disdainfully, "Therefore, by the command of Lunar King, I have been appointed to lead both the Starguard Legion and the Tailsting Legion."

The hall erupted in excitement, with the soldiers of the Tailsting Legion banging on tables and shouting Alpha's name. Amidst the cheers, the table of the Starguard Legion remained silent.

"Tomorrow, the Starguard Legion will head to the Moon Tower square to await my orders, and I will begin the reorganization of the legion," Alpha raised the notice in his hand, his eyes flashing with arrogant amusement.

After Alpha left, the soldiers of the Starguard Legion began to complain incessantly. Lyra angrily slammed her glass on the table and stormed off.

"How many legions are there in the Moontower?" Aria asked.

"We have a total of five legions," explained Alexander. "We are the Starguard Legion, symbolized by the hexagram. Alpha oversees the Tailsting Legion, identified by their dark red uniforms adorned with the scorpion emblem. Seraphina leads the Venom Legion, a primarily serpent-themed archer legion, with the serpents favoring nocturnal activities. Additionally, there's the Lunarshade Legion responsible for guarding the Moon Tower, and the Mercury Legion composed of numerous female soldiers."

"This is indeed a dire situation," Sable said, holding his head in his hands.

"We can't just sit idly by and let Alpha control our legions," Oak roared.

"What good is your protest?" Sable said indifferently.

After the banquet, Aria returned to her room feeling disheartened. She stared at the helmets on the table, feeling a sense of foreboding. Anxious, she tossed the helmet into a box and meticulously inspected the room to ensure there were no other ominous objects before sitting back down on her bed.

Since her arrival, Alpha had left a psychological scar on her. Aria felt as though she had been forgotten by the world, as over two centuries had transformed Sovereign Bastion beyond recognition. She hadn't even heard of where the Lunar Essence clan came from or where the people of the previous Sovereign Bastion had gone. Aria was deeply puzzled; it seemed she had missed something crucial.

Suddenly, Aria jumped out of bed, realizing she had forgotten something important. Neven had told her to meet him in the hall before midnight, but she had completely forgotten. Now, with the moon shining brightly outside, it was already midnight.

Aria hurried down the stairs, the empty hall echoing only with the sound of her solitary footsteps. The jovial crowd from earlier had dispersed, leaving behind neatly arranged tables. The braziers crackled and burned, casting a dim yellow light in the dim hall.

"I thought you wouldn't come," Neven said, arms folded, standing by the notice board on the wall.

"I'm terribly sorry, I was organizing things in my room and lost track of time," Aria apologized. "Did you... wait long for me?"

"You've wasted more time on me; it's only fair that I wait for you," Neven said, a half-smile playing on his lips as he no longer glanced at the notices Alpha had posted.

"In fact... you don't need to thank me."

"No, I want to thank you," Neven said, picking up two wooden swords from the wall. "I've thought about it for a long time and decided to teach you swordsmanship. Here, in this place, not knowing how to wield a weapon is simply unacceptable."

He tossed her a wooden sword, nearly causing Aria to use her head to catch it.

"They all say you're exceptional; your swordsmanship must be formidable," Aria said, gripping the wooden sword.

Neven approached, raising an eyebrow. "I thought no one would remember me."

"Everyone misses you."

"It's getting late; let's begin," he said, raising the wooden sword and demonstrating to Aria. "Hold your sword like this and follow my lead."

Then, seeing Aria's movements falter, he frowned slightly and made slight adjustments to her posture. "Don't stiffen your wrist; relax."

Neven frowned as he observed her movements, tapping Aria's hand with his sword and gently adjusting her posture. "Don't stiffen your wrist, relax a bit."

"You seem different today."

Neven lifted his gaze. "How so?"

"You appear more spirited, and you didn't go to the town today..."

"I've mentioned before, I'm turning over a new leaf."

"Your previous demeanor seemed downcast, was it because of the incident with the three thousand cavalrymen?"

"That's all in the past now," he said lightly. "But that wasn't the only reason for my despondency. You know we all possess Essence Power."

"I know, through the Soul Stone."

"Keep your head up, look your opponent in the eye." Neven stepped back, tapping Aria's chin with his sword. "Actually, I used to abstain from drinking. It was after that injury that I found it most difficult to accept... I lost the ability to control the Soul Stone."

"You mean..." Aria looked at him in shock. Neven nodded slightly, a hint of resignation flashing across his face. "Don't tell anyone else, I don't want them to know."

"Focus on your movements." He furrowed his brow, and Aria quickly readjusted her stance.

"Was your injury severe?" Aria inquired.

"I barely survived the ordeal," Neven said, approaching her and adjusting her direction by placing a hand on her shoulder. "Sidestep, narrow your opponent's attack range."

Aria cleared her throat, feeling Neven's breath against her ear. She awkwardly turned her head away, her cheeks flushing instantly.

When Neven released her and stepped in front of her, Aria glanced at him awkwardly, staring at the wooden sword in her hand. "Perhaps when you fully recover, your Essence Power will return, or you can relearn how to control it."

"We're naturally attuned to it, it's our gift, we're not ordinary mortals."

"Yes, you're not." Aria suddenly realized something very important, something she had overlooked before. "You're descendants of Sovereign Bastion, right? I remember this place used to be... inhabited by ordinary people."

He stood before her, staring into her eyes with seriousness. "We are, the Lunar Essence."

"I know, Sable told me. But why did you appear at Sovereign Bastion? And where did the previous residents of Sovereign Bastion go?" Aria's voice carried a tone of bewilderment.

Neven lowered his wooden sword, scrutinizing her with suspicion. "You seem to have a deep understanding of the past few centuries, and yet you've come to the Moon Tower against all odds. Don't you want to talk to me?"

"I have amnesia... I've forgotten many things... I came here to find my memories." Aria hesitated, regretting bringing up the topic of Sovereign Bastion just now. "Please, don't ask any more." she pleaded, filled with guilt.

Neven pursed his lips, and finally, a hint of disappointment flickered in his once expectant eyes. "I guess I was overthinking," he muttered, not delving further, but lifting his wooden sword coldly to resume teaching her swordplay. Aria felt a pang of guilt; she realized her words hadn't touched Neven as she intended, but instead hurt him.

"Focus your strength," Neven swiftly disarmed her, breaking her reverie.

Aria picked up the wooden sword, her mind still reeling from the unanswered questions. She went through the motions of training, her gaze avoiding Neven's eyes, her heart filled with confusion and conflict.