Harvey had left the capital with his belongings, but he soon realized that the gold and silver he carried had been swapped out for fakes. Furious, he raged at the loss, but it was too late to turn back.He didn't dare return to the capital now. With no connections or resources to rely on, and only the title of prince to his name, he found himself isolated and powerless. His position was growing increasingly awkward.But he had found an alternative, though it might not be the best path for his third brother.Yet, survival meant looking out for oneself. Harvey's plans weren't just about securing a promising territory in the future.The one he was aligning himself with was deeply hidden, never suspected, and adept at infiltrating others' territories for his gain. That was the true strategist.Of course, this individual was even more formidable than Yuvan. If things succeeded, taking credit for their achievements wouldn't be an easy task.But compared to Yuvan, this person had better
Though Malcolm had refused all visitors, he personally took Marjorie to call on Carissa.As usual, Carissa welcomed them, but there was little to say between her and Malcolm. Jacob filled the silence with conversation, while Carissa led Marjorie to the side garden for tea.Marjorie had rarely ventured out in the past year and had grown noticeably thinner, though there was a quiet calm about her now.She no longer seemed so tightly wound.In the past, Marjorie had always reminded herself that, as the matriarch of the Quinton family, she needed to uphold the proper demeanor. Even if she disliked something, she wouldn't let it show on her face.She had always been hard on herself, but now, it seemed as though she had let go of some of that burden. She had come to realize that some things just had to be taken as they came. As long as she didn't cross any lines, it was enough. Perfection wasn't required.Marjorie apologized to Carissa for not raising her daughter better. She had alway
As the headmistress of Gracewood Women's Academy, Carissa couldn't teach much else, but she could teach martial arts. So, she asked the students if anyone would be interested in learning some basic self-defense techniques—something to both strengthen their bodies and help protect themselves.When she proposed the idea, more than half of the students were eager to give it a try.However, martial arts required a certain level of aptitude. Even if they were all willing to learn, not everyone would be suited for it.Seeing the interest, Carissa thought it might be a good idea for an additional class, one focused on building strength and agility—both for defense and for physical health.For those who truly wanted to learn the martial arts, she would need to carefully select the most capable students. Coincidentally, Cynthia had heard that Violet had been teaching the Mystic Army, so she insisted on coming to the women's academy to teach as well. Cynthia was insistent on having an offici
Carissa asked a few more questions to piece the whole situation together.Roxana's parents, Anna and George, wanted to provide money for their third son's wedding. Thus, they decided to venture into the old forest while the wild beasts were hibernating for the winter. Most of the best medicinal herbs grew on the steepest mountainsides, and that was where they had gone. However, after several days of trekking up the mountain, both of them were cold, hungry, and exhausted. In a tragic turn of events, Anna slipped on the icy ground, and George reached out to grab her. As a result, the two of them tumbled down the slope together.If it hadn't been for some herb collectors passing by, they would have surely perished on that mountain. Though they had been lucky enough to survive, their injuries were severe. Anna had injured her back, and George had broken his leg. Neither would ever be able to work again, and they would require constant care. With their injuries still needing treatment,
Carissa held Roxana's hand and spoke to her for a long time, but never once did she speak ill of Roxana's family.Violet and Cynthia were listening outside. When the conversation ended, Carissa had Lulu take Roxana downstairs to settle her in. Once they were alone, Violet asked, "Why tell her to protect her family? She should know how cruel her family has been to her, or she'll be bound by them for the rest of her life."Carissa took a sip of water, her eyes clouded with sadness. "Vivi, this is a common story. Many common families find themselves in such situations. When faced with hardship, the first thing they think of is selling their daughters or sisters. They don't see it as cruelty. To them, selling a girl as a child bride or a maid in a wealthy household is just a way out."She paused, then continued, "It's not uncommon for some families to trade their daughters in marriage to secure a wife for their sons, but at least Roxana's parents aren't like that. They tried everythin
It took Carissa an hour to pull herself out of the paralyzing grip of fear. Afterward, she mounted her horse and rode straight to the palace. She needed a reason to leave the capital.Salvador had received two letters from Rafael. The first letter reported an unusual village they had come across, and they suspected that the villagers were the private army they were looking for. Salvador had sent a secret order for Rafael to investigate the area.The second letter described their initial foray into the mountains, where the defenses were tight, confirming the presence of a private army. However, they had not yet found the weapons or supplies. Salvador had sent another order to continue the investigation, with a directive to destroy any weapons and supplies found.Since then, there had been no word from Rafael.Salvador was, admittedly, a little worried. Sending just a few people to scout several mountain ranges, without knowing the size of the enemy force or whether they had martial
Carissa and her group arrived in Lunvale, posing as traveling merchants. After gathering information about Stone Village, their first priority was to contact Kyle and Travis.She marked the inn where they were staying with an orchid drawn in a conspicuous spot, leaving a secret signal. Anyone familiar with the code would be able to find them.That evening, Kyle and Travis arrived, both looking exhausted. They were covered in dust, their clothes wrinkled, their hair hastily combed with their hands, their shoes caked with dirt. It was clear they had just come down from the mountains.Carissa had been on edge the entire journey, her heart heavy with worry. Upon seeing them, she quickly asked about their situation.Kyle first tried to ease her tension. "When we sent the pigeon post, we had lost all contact and there was no trace of them. But just a couple of days ago, we found something. In the old forest south of Stone Village, we discovered a mark left by Rafael. It proves they had b
Carissa felt that no matter what, she had to go into the mountains to search. Everett should arrive within a day or two, but until they came, she could only use the most straightforward method to find them.The weather in mid-February was still very cold. It wasn't as dry and harsh as the northern winds, but there was a damp chill that felt even worse. The cold seeped into everything, making her already anxious and restless heart feel even more uneasy and heavy.That night, she tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep. Her thoughts kept circling back to the fact that the mark Rafael had left was several days old, and she wondered whether they had encountered other dangers in the mountains.What if the people from Stone Village had discovered them and ambushed them?In those deep mountains, a massacre could occur and no one would know.Even though she knew the climb ahead would take a lot of energy and she should be getting some rest, sleep eluded her. She finally gave up and rose
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
The capital guards escorted Evelyn, Zoey, and Viola up to the execution platform. Evelyn's legs trembled, and she couldn't muster any strength. Her tears flowed uncontrollably, blurring her vision to the point that she could no longer see clearly."You foolish boy!" Evelyn let out a mournful cry, raising her hand and slapping Oliver's face. "You've disgraced your grandfather and your father! How can you face them in the afterlife?"Her slap lacked force; even as she exerted every ounce of her strength, Oliver barely felt the sting.Caught in a whirlwind of panic, Oliver's mind raced. Seeing his mom before him, he seemed to have found a lifeline in a stormy sea. He cried desperately, "Mom, save me! Please save me!"Evelyn, near exhaustion from her sorrow, could barely speak. "You've committed an unforgivable crime! How can I save you now? His Majesty once showed favor to you—how could you betray such grace?""Mom, I know I was wrong! I know it now!" Oliver cried, tears streaming do
After Evelyn finished crying, she didn't say much. However, she stubbornly insisted on going to deliver Oliver his final meal. Her eyes were swollen and her voice was thick with congestion, nearly a rasp. "I know the court allows family to see their loved ones before execution," she said, her tone strained. "I don't want anything else—just this one thing. I need to see him and make sure he's fed. I don't want him to die hungry and become a vengeful spirit."Tears began to fall once more as she cast a tearful glance at Zoey. "You have children, too. You should understand what it means to be a mother. To the world, he may be seen as the greatest of villains. But to me, he will always be that helpless child that hasn't changed."Zoey remained silent for a long moment, then finally said, "Mother, do you know how the final meeting is arranged? It is at the execution ground. Are you sure you want to see him getting decapitated?"Evelyn trembled, her body shaking with emotion. "You must
When Carissa went to the palace to deliver her report, she also expressed her sympathy for Zoey besides presenting the confession. She didn't hide her admiration for Zoey in her words.Despite her difficult life, Zoey still had a kind heart. She continuously gave out food and medicine. Even though her whole family now lived in Skye Embroidery, she never asked for the money she had given away to be returned.Furthermore, Zoey had shown great courage and moral integrity. She had publicly condemned her kin for the sake of the greater good—a rare quality that many men, even among the nobility, could not aspire to.Recognizing the need for such an example to inspire his people, Salvador immediately issued an edict praising Zoey. He granted her 100 gold coins and a residence.As for the exiled men from the Prince family, they could return to the capital after the Southern Frontier won the battle, along with the Hell Monarch.Zoey had turned an impossible situation around. Now, who would
Oliver was a notorious criminal, and he should have been sent directly to the Supreme Court. However, Carissa took a different route. She had him detained at the Capital Guard headquarters, where he was to be interrogated first. Afterward, she planned to report the matter to Salvador. She would credit Zoey for her tip, and then plead for Caspian and Cedric to be allowed to return to the capital as soon as possible.Celeste was still detained in the Capital Guard headquarters. If she and Oliver met, it might uncover more secrets—such as just how deeply the Spencer family's collateral branch was involved in this mess.The two prisoners were held in adjacent cells, separated by only a narrow iron bar. When their eyes met for the first time, both faces changed instantly.On the way here, Oliver kept cursing Zoey for betraying him. But when he saw Celeste, he completely forgot about Zoey. He snarled, his teeth clenched. "You wretched woman, look at you now! It's true—bad people get w