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
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
At Grace Mansion, the lanterns in the corridors cast intricate shadows on the window frames, resembling beasts looming on the walls.Carissa Sinclair sat on a chair with her hands folded in her lap, her slender body hidden beneath plain clothes. She looked at the man before her—her husband whom she had spent a year waiting for.Barrett Warren was still wearing his slightly-worn battle armor. Standing under the dim light, he looked commanding and handsome. His face showed a mix of determination and a touch of regret."Carissa, the king has issued a royal edict for this marriage. Aurora will be joining our household. There's no question about it," said Barrett.Carissa's eyes clouded with confusion. "The queen dowager has said that General Yates is a model for all women in the kingdom. Would she be willing to be a concubine?"Barrett's eyes flashed with a hint of annoyance. "No, she won’t be a concubine. She’ll be my legal wife and equal to you.""Calling her that doesn't change an
Barrett sighed in frustration. “Why put yourself through this? There was a royal edict for this marriage. Even when Aurora moves in, you’ll be in separate wings. She won’t compete with you for control of the household. She doesn’t care about those things.”“Do you really think I’m attached to managing this household?” Carissa countered.Running this mansion was no easy task. Just the monthly medicine for Barrett’s mother cost dozens of silver coins. Then, there was food, clothing, and social obligations—all these things required money.This household was practically a hollow shell. Over the past year, Carissa had used much of her dowry to keep things running.And this was her reward.“Enough, I won’t argue with you. I just needed to inform you. Whether you agree or not changes nothing,” said Barrett, his patience wearing thin.As Carissa watched him leave in a huff, she felt even more bitter.“My lady, my lord was too much!” said Lulu, Carissa’s maid, wiping her tears away.“Do
Lulu brought over the dowry list and explained, "This year alone, you've spent over six thousand silver coins to support the household. However, the shops, houses, and estates remain untouched. All the bank savings, along with the property deeds and land titles your mother left, are locked up in the chest."Carissa glanced at the list. "Alright."Just looking at the list put her in a melancholy mood. Her mother had given her such a substantial dowry, fearing she would suffer hardships in her husband's home."My lady, where can we go? Are we returning to Northwatch Estate? Or should we go back to Meadow Ridge?" Lulu asked, looking distressed.Images of the bloodstained estate and the tragic deaths of her family members flashed through Carissa’s mind, causing a sudden pang of pain in her heart."Anywhere is better than staying here.""If you leave, you’ll be giving them exactly what they want.""So be it. If I stay, I’ll spend my whole life suffering as I watch those two be affect
Rebecca forced a smile. "How can I decide that after meeting her only once? But since the king has arranged the marriage, it’s a done deal. In the future, she and Barrett will earn military merits together, while you manage the household and enjoy the benefits of their hard work. Isn’t that nice?""Yes, I'm sure," Carissa replied with a smile. "But it’s quite unfair to make General Yates a concubine."Rebecca laughed. "You silly child, how could she be a concubine? The king’s edict makes her Barrett's legal wife. Also, she’s a military officer who holds an official rank. Officials can’t be concubines. She'll be a legal wife like you. There won't be any distinction between ranks for the two of you.""No distinction? Is there such a custom in our kingdom?" Carissa asked.Rebecca’s expression grew a bit colder. "Carissa, you’ve always been sensible. Now that you’ve married into our family, you should prioritize us. According to the Defense Minister, Aurora’s contributions in this batt
The Warren family members exchanged puzzled glances. None expected the usually agreeable Carissa to stand her ground so firmly this time.She even defied Rebecca, the matriarch of the family!“She’ll come around. She doesn’t have any other choice,” Rebecca said coldly.That was true.With Carissa's family gone, she had no one to rely on except the Warren family. Besides, she was still Barrett's rightful wife, and it wasn’t like she had been mistreated.-Early the next morning, Carissa and Lulu returned to Northwatch Estate.The estate was bleak and covered in fallen leaves. After just half a year of neglect, the courtyard was overgrown with weeds that were taller than a person. Stepping back into the estate, Carissa’s heart ached fiercely.Six months ago, she had collapsed upon hearing that her family had been massacred. She had wept when she saw the lifeless bodies of her grandmother and mother—their corpses cold and devoid of warmth. Every corner of the estate had been stain
Carissa knelt in the study with her head bowed.Salvador remembered the Sinclair family. Knowing that Carissa was now the only one left stirred a feeling of pity in him."Rise and speak," he commanded.Carissa bowed deeply with her hands clasped. "Your Majesty, I know it's presumptuous of me to seek an audience today. But I also wish to implore for your grace.""I have already issued the edict. It's impossible to revoke it," Salvador said.Carissa shook her head gently. "Your Majesty, I implore you to issue another edict. I want to divorce General Warren."The young king was taken aback. "What? You want a divorce?"Salvador thought she had come to ask him to rescind the marriage edict. He never expected a plea for a divorce.Holding back tears, Carissa pleaded, "Your Majesty, General Warren and General Yates sought the marriage edict with their military achievements."Today is the death anniversary of my father and brothers. I wish to seek an edict to divorce my husband based
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