I am Abbott.

Since I was young, I had extraordinary talent. At the age of twelve, I became one of the youngest knights of the Niels Kingdom Temple and guarded the holy city of Gianda.

However, at this moment, four years later, I stood at the highest point of the palace, silently watching the city of Gianda below, which had already been turned into a sea of fire.

Yes, the long war had ended. Niels had been defeated by Moree, another country that belonged to the reign of power.

The army of Moree, consisting of two hundred thousand soldiers and accompanied by various monsters and earth dragons, invaded Gianda, and the palace was about to fall.

Everything, has come to an end.

Our thousand-year history has now become a flickering candle in the midst of the storm.

"Lord Abbott."

Someone called my name.

"Her Majesty the Queen has awakened. Please go inside."

The person was Sophia, the personal maid who served Her Majesty.

"Alright, I understand."

Her Majesty the Queen, at this critical moment, had just given birth to her newborn daughter and regained consciousness from her unconscious state.

Currently, I am the only Temple Knight remaining by Her Majesty's side. The others, except Ines, the eldest princess who has already escaped with Her Majesty, are still fighting in the sea of blood and fire.

"Your Majesty." I approached and saluted.

Queen Servilia, although in her thirties, still appeared youthful due to her Kirwen bloodline.

Kirwen, the highest race of humans, the furthest descendant of God Querce in the mortal world.

In order to maintain the absolute purity of the bloodline, it was necessary to consume the fruit of the spirit tree at different ages and get pregnant, eventually giving birth to a daughter.

However, this time, the Queen's childbirth coincided with the day Niles was broken.

"Abbott, there are no outsiders here anymore, please get up."

Queen Servilia's gentle voice sounded very weak.

"Yes..." I choked up a bit, "Your Majesty."

Queen Servilia had raised and cared for me, allowing me to grow to where I am today.

"Abbott." Queen Servilia slowly said, "Our country has come to an end, under my foolish rule..."

"No, please don't say that." I said, "It is the incompetence of us, your subordinates, that led to the fall of the holy city. I am the one who should apologize!"

Queen Servilia's silver hair was slightly messy, yet she still looked at me affectionately.

"Abbott," she said, "come closer to me..."

Infected by the atmosphere, my emotions as a young boy became stirred up and tears welled up in my eyes.

"Queen Servilia..."

"Abbott, you have grown up in front of my eyes... like my own child." Queen Servilia smiled, "Abbott, my time is running out."

I tightly held Queen Servilia's hand.

"Your Majesty, as long as I, Abbott, am here! Before I exhaust my strength, before I die by the enemy's sword, no one can step foot inside here!!"

As one of the twelve Temple Knights guarding the holy city of Gianda, I had such great confidence.

"Abbott." Her Majesty said, "I know your intentions. You have grown up in front of my eyes... I can't escape now, so I want to entrust this matter to you."

"Please speak, Your Majesty!" I immediately knelt down again, "Even if it means going through fire and water, I will not refuse!!"

"This child." Queen Servilia caressed her newborn daughter, "I entrust her to you. I hope that you will take her out to a safe place, raise her and help her grow into an adult."

Help her grow into an adult.

Was the Queen implying...to foster her?

To entrust the princess to me for upbringing.

"Abbott, ah." The Queen closed and opened her eyes, "You must raise her to be a strong child. You must let her know who she is, where she comes from, and what she must do in the future. I hope that one day... she can restore Niels.""Your majesty, Servilia!" I was so moved that tears welled up in my eyes. "I understand now. I am willing to dedicate my entire life to fulfill your wishes! I will treat the princess as my own family, my own sovereign. I will devote my life to assisting her!"

"Abbott, come closer to me," she said.

"Like this?"

"Even closer, closer... yes."

My face blushed as my nose nearly touched hers.

"Abbott, the person I love," Queen Servilia gently kissed my forehead, leaving a moist mark. "Elektra, I entrust you..."

That day, not long after Queen Servilia spoke these words to me, she closed her eyes forever.

And so, carrying the young princess, I arrived at the outskirts of the palace which had already descended into chaos.

Here, although Nils' soldiers were still resisting fiercely, they were already on the verge of defeat.

When I appeared in the grand hall, I immediately caught the attention of a few soldiers.

"Oh, all the good men of Nils are already dead," exclaimed a burly knight excitedly. "Look, there's still a pretty boy left!"

These soldiers, who lived on the edge of life and death, had long repressed their desires due to their thirst... of course, there were also many with peculiar preferences.

"Capture him alive!" the burly knight shouted. "Don't you dare kill him!"

Under the knight's orders, I, holding the child, was soon surrounded, and the man greedily licked his lips.

But I smiled.

"Is this enough to satisfy you?" I quirked the corner of my mouth. "If you want, I can make myself look even better."

After saying that, I slowly closed my eyes and then abruptly opened them.

In that instant, the blood in my body seemed to boil, my pupils dilated and contracted, and even my hair turned a crimson red like blood.

Bathed in the tranquil blue moonlight, I, in a smaller form, became even more feminine in appearance.

At this moment, I resembled a red-haired, red-eyed girl, with a cold and alluring smile.

These knights and soldiers, upon seeing my appearance, were immediately stunned.

"Red... red hair... you... you're from the Blood Wharton Clan!?"

"Since you know," I drew my sword, "then let's all die."

...

That day was a turning point in my life. I fought my way out of Gianda, carrying the princess in my arms, and escaped through a bloody path.

A week later, we arrived in a secluded village to the east, a place almost cut off from the outside world. We took on new identities and began a new life.

To conceal our true identities, I gave Elektra the princess a new name, Cascia.

Below is a chronicle of the major events in my life living with the princess.

---

Year 1222 AD

I started living with Princess Elektra in a remote mountain village called Shiloh. It is a beautiful and fertile village. In order to have milk for Cascia, I had to sell my Holy Sword Adis and buy a cow to milk in the yard. The princess was very well-behaved, and even when she cried, as long as I patted her back, she would be happy again. Ah, the princess is so adorable, she is the cutest child in the world!!!

Year 1223 AD

I initially wanted to be seen as a big brother, but I thought it wouldn't be beneficial for the development of Princess Elektra, so I started teaching her to call me daddy when she was about six months old. Ah, my dear Cascia is so smart~ She learned it in just half a month.

Year 1226 AD

As Cascia grew older, I started to consider whether I should reveal the truth to her. According to Queen Servilia's request, Cascia must know her identity and work towards restoring the kingdom. However, I later thought that Cascia is still too young to bear such a burden. It wouldn't be good for her to have such heavy thoughts at such a young age. I'll wait a few more years before telling her the truth.

By the way, Cascia looks adorable in the underwear I handmade for her~!

Year 1229 AD

Cascia is seven years old now. Because of Her Majesty's final request, she must become a strong person. So I tried to teach Cascia swordsmanship to discipline her will. However, her grip was incorrect, and she ended up accidentally injuring herself. I got so angry that I twisted the sword into scrap metal!My daughter, let's stop practicing! With Dad around, Dad will protect you for a lifetime!!!

AD 1230

One day, my daughter asked me again, who her mother really was. Yes, this day would always come, and I couldn't escape from it. Helplessly, I had to reveal the truth. Daughter, your mother was a young lady from a noble family. Dad and her were childhood sweethearts, and love grew between them. But after we eloped, on the night you were born, she died from complications during childbirth. She died! She died! She doesn't exist anymore!

What? You want to pay tribute?

No need, no need, because Dad also forgot where we buried her.

AD 1231

Her Royal Highness Princess Lili of Niels Kingdom grew up and, with the assistance of the former Templar knight, Ines, began the path of restoration. In the same year, she issued a nationwide proclamation, calling on the people to resist foreign tyranny together.

Hmm? Daughter, you think this princess is handsome??

She's a princess, it has nothing to do with you, Cascia. You and Dad are both commoners, commoners, you know~

AD 1232

The people of the country rose up in resistance and, with the help of Princess Lili and three former Templar knights, within just one year, they successfully overthrew Moree's rule and completely expelled them, reclaiming a significant amount of lost territory.

In the late months of that year, the princess returned to the capital city of Gianda, inherited the throne from her late mother, and was crowned as the new queen.

Ohhh!! Princess Lili succeeded!!!

Yeah! Yeah! With the restoration and all, it has absolutely nothing to do with my dear Cascia. I can live a peaceful life now!!!

AD 1233

Queen Lili found a letter left by her maid, Sophia, in a hidden chamber of her late mother's palace. From it, she learned that she had a sister, who was secretly sent out of Niels by the former twelfth Templar knight, the strongest man, Abbott Sterling, on the day the palace fell.

Upon learning this news, Queen Lili couldn't sleep at night, and the next day, she issued a national announcement again, hoping to find her only sister, Elektra.

And I, too, saw this announcement in the village of Shiloh.

--

"Dad, where do you think this princess named Elektra might be?"

My daughter asked me so innocently.

"Hahaha, Dad is a commoner, a commoner. How would I know about such messed up things?"

I tore the announcement to pieces.

"Let's go, let's go, daughter. Let's go home and get cleaned up!"