Hearing Gloria's question, Roland raised his eyes, truly appraising the princess before him for the first time.
Her signature long, golden hair seemed to have been artfully pinned up for ease of movement, revealing a slender neck and the clean lines of her profile.
Her face was as exquisite as a classical sculpture, and her azure eyes held their usual calm and decisiveness.
Yet, in the depths of that familiar azure, Roland caught a glimmer of something he had never seen before.
An indescribable, fiery, and endless desire seemed to dance within them.
He couldn't immediately tell if that light stemmed from the thrill and joy on the eve of the final battle, or…
...if a deeper craving for power was quietly burning in the depths of her heart.
But Gloria didn't notice the fleeting scrutiny in Roland's eyes.
She took a shallow breath. Her tone remained as clear and methodical as ever, but if one listened closely, they could detect a slightly faster pace than usual.
