Yuvan inevitably reprimanded Stephanie and ordered her to return and reflect on her behavior, warning her not to embarrass herself any further. Fiona called for Sabrina and took her along as they left.The moment Fiona stepped out, she signaled her maid to follow Carissa and Violet. While the estate didn't have hidden chambers or prisons, it wasn't a place anyone could wander through at will. Molly was a fool, and Fiona feared she might be used for something she wasn't aware of.Wayne had been quietly observing Rafael. Although he was speaking with Yuvan, his expression clearly showed some displeasure, and his gaze occasionally drifted outside. It was almost like a young couple having a spat—annoyed but still unwilling to let go.And with the flash of anger Carissa had shown just before leaving, it was hard to pretend it was anything but genuine. Wayne was fairly certain that her purpose in coming to Edgeview Estate was to stand up for Avis and vent her frustration. This had likely
Edgeview Estate was hardly a place where anything could be hidden. If there was something, it would likely be nothing more than correspondence, but anything truly important would have been hidden away or destroyed. Getting into the study would be no easy feat, and causing a scene would only make matters worse.They had invited Violet here for a reason, though its true purpose had been unclear until now. Now, Carissa knew what that reason was.Before arriving today, she had planned to use this opportunity to find out how many people in Edgeview Estate were skilled in martial arts, and whether any of the suicide soldiers were hiding within the estate. If the suicide soldiers weren't here, she could allow Violet to return next time.Now that she knew Yuvan's intentions, she wouldn't let her friend take such a risk. The way Yuvan looked at Violet was revolting. His gaze was so lecherous that just thinking about it made Carissa feel sick.The maids filed in, placing various pastries on
Back at Hell Monarch Estate, Violet jumped out of the carriage and gave a few quick hops at the gate, shaking off all the bad energy that had clung to her. Her face was ashen with fury."What the hell was that? How dare he have designs on me? Doesn't he realize his son is older than I am? That shameless old fart!" she roared.Luke happened to be walking out at that moment. When he overheard Violet's words, he took a step back, his round face looking thoroughly confused.Why would someone be shameless just because they were old?Carissa, just as upset, pulled Violet into the estate. "Don't go to Edgeview Estate again. The way his eyes were all over you… Just thinking about it makes me feel like you've been sullied. It's disgusting."She couldn't tell if the man she saw tonight was still the ambitious man she knew—it was like he had turned into a completely different person. He was nothing but a pervert.Once inside the council hall, Rafael recounted to Jacob how Yuvan had been eye
Jacob noticed that Travis had gotten off-track and quickly intervened."Mr. Mullen, we can't use Prince Rafael as an example. Sure, men like that exist, but that's not what we're discussing right now."Travis put on a look of deep sympathy, as if he were offering sage advice, and continued, "Vivi says she doesn't want to marry, and I'm all for it. If she doesn't marry, she won't get hurt. Young love is intense, but after time passes, it just becomes gross."It's like iron with a coating of gold—when that coating falls off, the iron rusts and decays. Even with genuine feelings, it turns out like that. And then you have someone like Yuvan, who's all scheming and never tasted the sweetness of love. He's like an old thief. The minute a woman like Vivi steps into his life—someone who can heal his broken heart and also help him out—he becomes like a dog in heat and shows all his ugly sides."Jacob was utterly lost. After a long pause, he asked, "Is that something your mentor said?"If o
The next morning, when Rafael went to the palace to retrieve the approved documents, he casually remarked, "I heard from Carissa that the orchids at Edgeview Estate are blooming beautifully. They have a wide variety, and there are many skilled and unusual individuals in the estate. Even the servants and maids all seem to possess martial arts skills."Salvador paused, surprised. Ian had been secretly investigating Edgeview Estate for a while and hadn't been able to uncover what gave Yuvan the confidence to remain in the capital for so long.But now, Rafael and Carissa had uncovered it in just one visit?"We didn't find any guards at Edgeview Estate, but there's concern that suicide soldiers might be hiding nearby. They're highly skilled, making it difficult to detect them, so we didn't dare to intrude recklessly," Ian had reported.Salvador went quiet for a moment, then asked, "Were they suicide soldiers?"As soon as the question was out, Rafael smiled at him. "No."Salvador shot
The day after Jessica moved into the workshop, rumors about the reasons she had been divorced began to spread like wildfire across the entire capital. Whispers said she had plotted to harm the Marquis of Ironridge's children, caused trouble with the concubines, and even pushed one of them into the water in an attempt to kill said concubine.As the rumors spread, someone also revealed that Jessica had been involved in usury.She was such a wicked woman, yet the Marquis of Ironridge's family hadn't handed her over to the authorities. Instead, they had simply cast her out from the household to settle the matter. What truly shocked the people was that Skye Embroidery—of all places—had taken her in, providing her with food and shelter as though nothing had happened.Carissa had been focused on wrapping up the cleanup operation of the Garrison Unit. She had no idea that Skye Embroidery was facing a storm of public backlash once again. She only found out the day before her operation ended,
Because the Marquis of Ironridge's family was in mourning, Carissa couldn't press forward with her visit. There were too many rumors circulating outside, and while she wanted to put a stop to them, she had no way of clarifying the truth. Without the facts, any attempt to suppress the rumors would be useless.Claire had returned with the results of her investigation. She confirmed that the rumors had indeed started from Ironridge Estate. She had done a thorough job, meticulously tracing the source of the gossip. She even spent some money to dig deeper and learned that the storytellers' information had come from the servants of Ironridge Estate.It turned out that Jessica had been cruel to the servants in the past and had abused them. Now, they were seeking revenge. The storytellers, enraged by the tale, felt it was their duty to spread the word of Jessica's wickedness to the public.Claire had asked them, "Since you speak so passionately about justice, are you sure this is the truth?
Violet stuck to her point, saying, "But if we kick Jessica out, we won't have to get tangled up in this mess anymore.""And then what?" Carissa replied calmly. "What if something similar happens again? Honestly, I think this whole situation with Jessica is a good opportunity. It gives us a chance to learn and handle things better next time. The way I see it, we should set aside our bias and investigate thoroughly. If the accusations are true, we can kick her out. But if they're not, we give her a chance. How about that?"She added, "Vivi, it's really important to set aside our biases. Every woman who's been cast out could end up being labeled with all kinds of accusations. If we just jump to conclusions, no one will want to come to us.""I know what you're saying makes sense. If we're thinking about the workshop, it's the right approach. But on a personal level, I just can't accept Jessica. And she's not exactly innocent. We should just throw her out. Don't you dislike her?" Violet
Salvador summoned Eustace to the palace for an audience.Eustace had come prepared. Though he had led his bodyguards and the merchant convoys to quell the unrest, the connection between the Spencer family's collateral branch and Nicholas couldn't be easily dismissed. Even if Salvador publicly declared their merits balanced with their faults, it was not something that could be swept aside without consequence.However, Salvador's attitude towards Eustace was surprisingly warm. The former even praised him for his loyalty to the throne and his patriotic spirit, noting that he resembled his late father in his unwavering commitment. The previous head of the Spencer family had been generous to the court, contributing substantial funds during times of war.Eustace understood the underlying message and quickly offered, "With both the Southern Frontier and Victory Pass embroiled in battle, the Spencer family is willing to contribute in whatever small way we can. We will donate 300,000 silve
Adrian had been in the capital for some time now. In the past, he had been consumed with his studies on sacred firearms, leaving little room for anything else. But now, with some free time, he used the excuse of being unable to let go of the business in the city to extend his stay.The truth was, he was concerned for Carissa.His interest in sacred firearms had begun with his trip to Nerathia to study their methods. He had done it for the Southern Frontier, then Hector, and ultimately, for Rafael and Carissa.As a mentor, Adrian knew that they each had their own paths to walk. He couldn't prevent them from forging their own futures, but he could help them however he could and act as their support.Adrian often claimed he wasn't cut out to be a teacher. But the truth was, his apprentices were exceptional. Each one of them was a person of great character. None of them needed his constant concern—except for Carissa.She had always been wild and carefree. But even so, she had mast
As Nicholas was paraded through the streets, the weight of his downfall crushed him entirely. His sanity fractured and he screamed curses at the people, accusing them of ignorance and foolishness. He raged at the masses, claiming they had been deceived by the court, that they had mistaken a foolish king for a wise ruler. He claimed that only he was the true sovereign—the one destined to bring justice and prosperity.His hoarse cries were drowned out by the roar of the crowd. The people shouted for his death, calling for him to be torn apart. They said that the execution by Torso Cleaving was far too merciful. They demanded he be cut into pieces and slowly tortured to death, as punishment for his evil deeds.On the other hand, Yuvan stayed silent the whole time. Inside, he was filled with resentment and hatred for Nicholas. He believed that if Nicholas hadn't turned his people against him, he could have succeeded.Nicholas was like a poisonous snake, hiding in the shadows. When Yuv
Now that everyone had been gathered, the long-awaited reckoning could finally begin.After thorough investigations by the Supreme Court and the Ministry of Justice, in cooperation with the Capital Guard, it was confirmed that Yuvan, Nicholas, and his associates were indeed guilty of treason.The charges were indisputable. After such a long delay, it was time to list all their crimes for the world to see.Yuvan's entire family—except for Randall, who had provided valuable information—was sent to Astral Prison. However, Randall was also removed from the royal registry. He remained in his post at the Supreme Court, still serving as warden. Despite that, it was clear that any prospects for promotion were now out of reach for the next ten years.Matthew had ordered Randall to take a temporary leave, telling him to stay away from Astral Prison and reflect quietly at home while the matter was sorted.Matthew thought Randall was a bit slow, but at least the latter was honest and willing t
Clifford's eyes gleamed with a sharp light. "Very well. Let's hear some of your self-righteous words."Salvador, ever the suspicious soul, had always been wary of the Hell Monarch's household. Even if Carissa hadn't risen for women's rights, Salvador would still remain cautious of her.How could Carissa not know Clifford's intentions? From the moment he asked, she knew it was a trap.Before she could respond, Clifford sneered and added, "You can always start by flattering King Salvador. Praise him for how he treats women under his rule. As long as your conscience is clear, feel free to do so."Carissa was infuriated, but she wasn't willing to be baited. She met his mocking, challenging gaze. "Don't make assumptions. That's not the same thing at all. You think people are ignorant and narrow-minded as they can't understand your preferences, so you resort to extreme measures to gain their approval. But that's your personal problem. You can't speak for others like you, and you're not
Gerald and Clifford met in the Supreme Court's interrogation room. They sat across from each other, an old wooden table between them. Carissa sat behind the scribe's desk, not far from them. Even if they spoke in hushed tones, she could hear every word clearly.The only sounds in the room were the quiet rustle of breath, the steady beat of hearts, and occasionally, the almost imperceptible sound of a sigh.Yet, no words passed between them.Neither of them exchanged even a fleeting glance. It was as if they were two strangers who were forced to sit together—distant, indifferent.Carissa wondered if it was her presence that made things so strained, though she could not leave. All she could do was endure the awkward silence alongside them.At last, Gerald asked, "Why?"Gerald was truly baffled, struggling to reconcile the person before him with the image of someone he thought he knew. No matter how he looked at Clifford, he could not align the two.Clifford clasped his hands tog
As Carissa returned to the Capital Guard Headquarters the next morning, Heather intercepted her at the door.It had been a long while since Carissa had last seen Heather. In fact, it seemed Heather had kept herself mostly secluded lately.Since Harvey had been brought back to the capital, his son Lennon Sanford had not been captured, but Chester's forces continued their search. It was almost certain that the boy would be caught soon enough.Heather, anxious that Lennon might be implicated and face the same brutal punishment of beheading, rushed to Carissa for help.Carissa knew Heather had already tried appealing to Leona when Harvey was first brought back. She had asked Leona to talk to Carissa on her behalf. Yet Leona had refused, and she never mentioned the matter to Carissa. Carissa only learned of this from Alana."Carissa!" Heather hurried toward her, her face frantic with worry. "I need to speak with you. Could we find a quiet place to talk?""I have matters to attend to.
In her study, Carissa wrote a letter. Then, she handed it to Jacob with instructions to have it delivered to Rafael in the Southern Frontier.She knew the situation in the Southern Frontier. Victor was amassing troops but neither attacking nor retreating, keeping things in a stalemate.Everyone knew that Victor was just stalling. He had been given a military order to invade the Southern Frontier, but since Nicholas had failed, he could not return with any captured cities or military achievements to report.If Victor made a hasty retreat now, he would likely lose more than just his position—his life might be forfeited as well. He attempted to forge alliances with the nomads, hoping to find a way out—perhaps a way to secure his future or an escape from certain doom.The nomads, tired of conflict, had no interest in picking sides. Caught in the middle, they were doing everything they could to remain neutral, refusing to aid either side. If they really had to choose, they would choos
At precisely three in the afternoon, the long execution block was brought forward. The block was forged from ironwood, solid and unyielding. It was the only one of its kind in Starhaven, used solely for execution by Torso Cleaving.The block had been kept in storage for years.Augustus had once deemed the act of Torso Cleaving too brutal. Even those who committed the most grievous offenses were spared this form of execution. Yet, the punishment had not been abolished. It remained a tool to strike fear into the hearts of would-be traitors.The cruelty of Torso Cleaving lay in the fact that after a person was cleaved in two, the upper body could still crawl, struggle, and leave behind a bloody trail.Normally, Torso Cleaving wasn't meant to be witnessed by the public. But treason, betraying the kingdom, and plotting to overthrow the throne were considered unforgivable crimes. Salvador didn't know how many people had dealings with the traitors, and some conspirators were too deepl