That evening, Samson returned with a scout and hastily reported, "Your Highness, Mr. Harper has successfully rallied our scattered troops and secured 500 warhorses from the Spencer family. He is making his way back now. If the pace holds, he will arrive in three days."Yuvan sprang to his feet, his heart pounding with excitement. "Is that true?""Absolutely, Your Highness. The scout is waiting outside. You may call him in to confirm.""Bring him in!" Yuvan sat back down, his pulse racing. At last, he had gathered all the forces—but the news of the Spencer family providing 500 warhorses caught him off guard. Since the fallout over Violet's incident, he had severed ties with the Spencer family. The scout entered, kneeling before Yuvan. "Your Highness, Mr. Harper sends word that the private army has assembled. Also, Mr. Murphy, one of Prince Nicholas' advisors, is leading 5,000 men and 500 warhorses in support. Prince Nicholas has one request—he wants the rescue of Prince Hayden."
Thomas had already received word from his scouts. Several mysterious groups had gathered outside Nerovia and were now heading toward Valken.Long before this, he had received a report from Jacob. Jacob had warned him that Yuvan might feign surrender to lure them into the city for a trap, and then spring an ambush from within. Thomas knew well that Yuvan was nothing more than a pawn in Nicholas' game.With years of experience in intelligence and espionage, Thomas could piece together the situation with just a few key bits of information and devise a strategy accordingly.Homer and Felix had initially remained in the capital, but yesterday they had suddenly moved to join him outside Valken. Thomas had been surprised at first—after all, the capital should have been the most dangerous place. Why would the two of them be sent here?Felix explained that Carissa's mentor, Adrian, the leader of the Pathfinders Guild, had come to the capital, bringing with him many martial artists to aid
Yuvan was unaware that this so-called negotiation was merely a ruse. He was to be handed over and used as bait to lure Thomas' army into the city.Thomas agreed to the negotiations and went alone. Wayne also went alone, though he had his men trailing him from a distance of about 30 feet.Wayne began his plea, explaining that most of Valken's officials, himself included, had no idea Yuvan was planning rebellion. Some were aware, but out of fear of Yuvan's power, they dared not speak out.Thomas expressed his distrust. He insisted they had been plotting for a long time.Thomas' stance was firm, which led Wayne to realize that Thomas had no knowledge that Nicholas was involved in this matter. He also couldn't possibly know about the reinforcement that was on the way. In addition to confirming this fact through Thomas' attitude, Wayne also placed a lot of trust in Clifford. This trust and respect came from Clifford's ability to convince the Spencer family. Wayne and Yuvan had been tr
Yuvan and Harvey were escorted out of the city gates, with Wayne personally seeing them off.Harvey had expected that once they handed over Yuvan, Wayne would order his release. But when the soldiers from the Capital Army moved forward to seize them, Wayne didn't utter a word.A wave of panic surged within Harvey. He struggled against his restraints and glanced at Wayne, his eyes screaming for an explanation.Wayne gave him a small, reassuring nod, signaling for him to stay calm. Yet, something felt wrong. After all, Wayne had promised that only Yuvan would be handed over. So, why was Harvey being turned over as well?Could it be... Could it be that they are going to abandon him?!A sense of dread tightened in Harvey's chest. "I'm innocent!" he pleaded desperately. "I captured Yuvan. Release me!"Thomas cast a cold, dismissive glance at him. "What a fool!""Wayne!" Harvey's heart plunged like it had fallen into an icy abyss. His expression shifted from anger to helplessness.
As the two sides clashed in battle, Everett had already arrived in Nerovia with a group of martial artists.The timing had been carefully calculated. At this moment, Nerovia was without capable leadership. While the officials were loyal to Nicholas, nearly all of the fighting men had been sent out to battle, leaving only a thousand men and a few city guards behind.With Hayden's emblem in hand, Everett made his way directly to the government office. He first dismissed the governor and took control of the office.At the same time, Eustace led several of his bodyguards and merchant convoys to Nerovia. The battle for Nerovia was one of the easiest to win. With Hayden's emblem in hand, Nicholas' residence, Riverton Estate, was now sealed off.Now, Riverton Estate no longer had any of Hayden's people. All the former officials had been driven out to the countryside.Once Everett had taken control of the government office, he led his men straight to Riverton Estate. They captured every a
Samson was just as confused. "I don't know, either. It was Mr. Murphy himself who told me," he said.Wayne's heart tightened with fear. Clifford was known for his meticulous planning. If he said he would arrive by nightfall, he would never be late."Could there have been an ambush along the way? That can't be," Wayne muttered, his mind racing. "The scouts reported that General Murray's forces were scattered, busy suppressing bandits, and they've already moved into Nanyara. They wouldn't be able to return in time.""If there had been an ambush, Mr. Murphy would've sent word. They have scouts," Samson said, his face pale. "Sir, what do we do now? We can't win against the Capital Army."Wayne took a few deep breaths, trying to calm himself. "Our only option is to survive. We need to find a way to escape and meet up with Mr. Murphy.""But if we leave, Valken will fall," Samson said urgently. "What about all our families? How do we get them out? The gates are under guard. We can only
In a battle fought in the open, there was always the possibility of retreat. As long as they retreated to a more advantageous position, the situation could easily be turned around.So, Thomas needed to find a way to cut off the enemy's escape route and trap them here, until they were either defeated or surrendered.-Inside Valken, Wayne had been captured and was now imprisoned alongside Yuvan and the others.Seeing this, Harvey exclaimed in surprise, "Mr. Wayne, how did you get caught? Did Mr. Murphy lose?"Wayne's clothes were torn, his body covered in wounds, and blood was dried on the corner of his mouth. He looked utterly disheveled.At this point, Yuvan still hadn't realized that he had been betrayed. He had spent the entire night worrying about why no one had come to rescue him. He began to suspect that perhaps they could no longer rely on Clifford's forces. Yet, in his mind, he still hoped that Saul would come, even if Clifford had failed.Seeing Wayne captured, however,
It wasn't until that moment that Yuvan fully realized the extent of his defeat. His lips trembled, and his legs gave way as he collapsed to the ground. Panic and fear surged within him. He thought of the tragic fates of past traitors who tried to rebel, and was struck with a deep, bone-chilling coldness.He had considered the consequences of failure before, but he always thought that if he failed, he would just face death bravely. At worst, he would end his own life to avoid further suffering.But now, locked in a cold, iron-barred cell with no weapons in hand, he realized how grim things had become. The walls were strong, but he might not die right away even if he charged headfirst into them.There were guards outside the cell. If he didn't die, he might suffer even more than this.However, it wasn't the fear of torture that pierced Yuvan the most—it was his unwillingness to accept this fate.How had it come to this? Even in defeat, he should've had a group of loyal men to stan
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
Carissa and Violet set off together to investigate, disguising themselves as ordinary visitors. Upon arriving at Glowmere Sanctuary, they first offered candles and prayers before seeking an audience with the abbot. They made their identities known and inquired about a priest named Reuben.The abbot immediately summoned the priest in charge of guests, Carson Jenkins, as it was Carson's responsibility to handle the arrangements for priests who came to stay at the temple.Glowmere Sanctuary was one of the three largest temples in the capital, with a bustling number of visitors each year wanting to stay and listen to teachings. However, very few were actually allowed to stay.Carson recalled Reuben clearly. Reuben's spiritual skills weren't particularly high; originally, he wasn't eligible to stay at Glowmere Sanctuary. However, a few years ago, he had spent considerable time in the Southern Frontier, helping to guide the souls of the dead. Such compassion was a rare virtue, and it wa
Zoey composed herself, her features hardening into a mask of calm. "You should leave quickly. Once I've gathered the money, I will come find you. Until then, don't wander around and avoid being seen by the Capital Guard."Sensing the concern in her voice, Oliver was relieved. Women, no matter how sharp they might be with others, always seemed to lack a certain sense when it came to their husbands. After all, which woman didn't long for her husband's love?"You must hurry," he urged, "three days, at most."Zoey feigned hesitation, as though the request weighed heavily on her. "Given our current circumstances, as you well know, how could I possibly gather 3,000 silver coins in just three days?"Oliver's eyes gleamed with resolve. "Isn't Courtney a part of the Hell Monarch's household now? I know you have your ways. I'll wait for your word. But remember—three days! And don't tell anyone about it, not even Mom or Viola."With that, he pulled his hat low over his face and turned to
The citywide search tightened, and it actually forced Oliver to come out of hiding. But he wasn't searching for Viola—he was searching for Zoey.She had gone to Hell Monarch Estate to deliver a set of clothing for Courtney today. While she was out, she decided to pick up a few things for the ladies of Skye Embroidery. Afterward, she was making her way back to the workshop through the west alley when Oliver appeared.Her first instinct was surprise.Hadn't he told Viola not to tell Zoey about his presence? Why would he risk coming here personally to see her?"My dear, it is I," came a voice from beneath a wide-brimmed hat.His face was obscured, but the voice—there was no mistaking it.For a moment, Zoey was too stunned to speak, but then a surge of fury gripped her. She clenched her teeth, trying to swallow the anger that threatened to consume her. With a swift glance, she confirmed that the alley was deserted.Her heart sank as she regretted her earlier complacency. She had ass
Zoey questioned Viola in detail, asking how she had come across Oliver, what state he was in now, and whether he had brought his child with him.Viola recounted, "I was out yesterday to buy a stew pot, hoping to make some medicinal broth for Mom. After I purchased it, he came up to me. I was startled at first, thinking it was some pervert."But when he called my name, I recognized his voice. His face was so dark and haggard, and his eyebrows were shaved off. He has lost so much weight. If I hadn't carefully examined him, I wouldn't have believed it was Oliver."Viola paused as she recalled the encounter and Zoey's earlier words, still feeling a sense of unease.She continued, "He didn't have a child with him. He was alone. He told me he was forced to flee, and now there are arrest warrants for him everywhere. He has no money left, and with a child to support, things are really difficult for him. He asked me to talk to Mom about gathering 3,000 silver coins."Zoey quickly asked, "I