Chapter 453

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Third Person’s POV
The next day, Dorothy noticed Lance’s irritation and Adelaide’s hasty departure, sensing a minor rift between them.
The journey back to the capital passed without further incident.
As they approached the capital in late July, the Ministry of Culture had already spread the news of their arrival, and the entire city was abuzz with excitement.
The emotions of the common people were pure and heartfelt. Heroes returning home naturally drew massive crowds.
Before entering the city, Adelaide handed her car to Ramona, asking her to return it another day.
Ramona bowed her thanks and inquired, “May I ask which pack you reside in?”
“The Blackthorn Pack,” Adelaide replied.
Ramona’s face showed surprise. “The Blackthorn Pack? Then you must be Luna Adelaide!” she exclaimed.
Quickly, she and Dorothy prepared to kneel in respect, but Adelaide said, “No need for such formality. Come to return it tomorrow.”
With that, Adelaide took Lance’s hand, and they left together.
Dorothy noticed the look in Lance’s eyes and felt there was still hope. However, the key was to gain Luna Adelaide’s trust and enter the pack.
In other words, they needed to take a detour.
But this might actually be more effective. If Lúna Adelaide considered her a friend, the betrayal of both friend and mate would deliver a greater blow, making it more likely to cause a public scandal.
So Dorothy said to Ramona, “When you return the car tomorrow, bring a generous gift to curry Luna Adelaide’s favor.”
Ramona breathed a small sigh of relief and agreed.
As they prepared to enter the capital, Eugene and Josh helped Marsh into a wheelchair, with Paisley, Lynette, and Adelaide sitting in the open–top car.
This had been approved by Doctor Digby.
Even if something happened, there were people on all sides ready to assist Marsh immediately.
They had thought it would be a simple ceremony, but they were unprepared for the overwh
ag
response.
As soon as they passed through the capital’s gates, they were greeted by deafening cheers.
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Security personnel struggled to hold back the crowds, who surged forward to follow the procession .
Amidst the cheers and applause, the eleven men were moved to tears. They waved with smiles, looking at the faces of the ordinary people–those they had sworn to protect.
It felt like it had all been worth it.
Garrett led the way with his three sons, and the cheers were deafening. They tried to spot Chandler and Derrick in the crowd but couldn’t.
Garrett had an official announcement to read, but the crowd’s enthusiasm never waned.
The security couldn’t control it either. Garrett decided to wait until Peace Street to make the
announcement.
Peace Street was wide, with a circular flower bed in the center.
Officials guided the eleven heroes there.
When Garrett finally read the announcement, it took a while for the sodiers to hear it over the cheers .
They wheeled Marsh forward, but since he couldn’t even squat, Lynette accepted the commendation on his behalf.
The majesty of royalty was on full display, but during the announcement, no one could make out a single word. The crowd’s excited screams never let up.
Fortunately, it was a commendatory announcement, not a promotion decree , so it didn’t matter if people couldn’t hear it.
Paisley, watching the thunderous cheers and jubilant crowds, asked Adelaide, “Why is this so grand?”
Adelaide replied, “The Department of Culture must have publicized their deeds first, portraying their experiences as incredibly thrilling and their intelligence–gathering missions as life–risking endeavors. They’ve touched everyone’s hearts.”
Paisley nodded, recognizing the power of a storyteller’s emotional appeal.
Today, Ulrik was on duty, assisting the security team in maintaining order.
As the werewolf warriors passed by one by one, memories flooded back. Ulrik recognized each and every one of them.
When he saw Eugene, he noticed that the once–handsome and distinguished man had changed.
His heart swelled with mixed emotions and a fleeting sense of inferiority.
He had once been a hero too, welcomed home with cheers from the people at the Bloodscar Border .
Yet now, he had been relegated to a lowly security officer, no longer the darling of the masses entrusted with significant responsibilities.
Watching them, he felt the stark disparity and the humiliation that came with it.
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If he ever wanted to rise again, it would likely depend on the help of Gloria’s brother, Tad .
Otherwise, he would have to wait for another war to prove himself.
How naive he had been in the past, thinking everything would be simple and beautiful. Where could military merits be so easily carned?
At the Bloodscar Border, Alpha Zander had taken a knife for him and lost an arm.
In the Southern Border battle, he witnessed the brutality of siege warfare.
The piles of corpses and rivers of blood made him realize that achieving glory in battle was not as easy as Velda had described. How many soldiers had died without fulfilling their ambitions?
How many, like Eugene and his team, had been captured, tortured, and yet managed to escape to form an intelligence squad?
The thought of the torture endured by prisoners sent a chill up his spine.
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