Chapter 98: The Dawn of a New Era (Part-II)

The crowd was silent, their eyes fixed on Elyse's face, their hearts aching with a shared sorrow. In her eyes, they saw both the weight of her new responsibilities and the spark of determination that had been Lucian's hallmark. As she stood before the monument, bathed in the pale light of morning, she seemed to embody both the loss of their beloved leader and the hope that his vision would live on.

Elyse drew in a deep breath, steeling herself for what she had to say next. "Lucian's dream was always more than just an empire of land and power. It was a dream of unity, of a world where strength served to protect the weak, where knowledge illuminated the darkest corners of ignorance. He believed in us, in all of us—nobles and commoners, warriors and scholars. He believed that together, we could build something greater than ourselves."