Frederick, having managed the outer household for many years and being well-acquainted with the intricacies of court life, quickly assessed the situation."My lady, one thing is certain: the king likely doesn’t actually want you to enter the palace. Otherwise, he could have simply issued an edict making you a concubine. You wouldn’t have had any choice but to comply.""I know that," Carissa replied, a hint of frustration lacing her voice. "But he’s given me three months to find a suitor, almost as if he's pressuring me into marriage. What does my single status have to do with him? I’ve reviewed the royal edict concerning my father’s posthumous title multiple times. While other details are insignificant, what stands out is that if I marry, my husband could inherit a title. Does he want someone to inherit my father’s title through marriage?"Frederick considered this, and said, "I recall the edict mentioning the possibility of selecting suitable relatives from collateral branches to b
In the following days, the threshold of Northwatch Estate was nearly worn flat.Once rarely visited by the wives of noble families and officials, the estate now saw a steady stream of visitors. It wasn’t because Salvador had issued an edict, but because Carissa had returned in triumph. Though only she remained of the Duke of Northwatch's family, it was clear she was capable of upholding its prestige.During her divorce, the wives of officials had often discussed Carissa in private gatherings. She had become a topic of their idle chatter. Now, the conversations about her were no longer casual gossip but carried a respectful undertone.For Carissa, entertaining guests wasn’t a challenge. Before she married into the Warren family, Melanie had arranged for her to receive a year’s worth of training. Socializing was just a matter of playing the part—smiling, chatting, nodding, and following along with the conversation.Everyone enjoyed themselves, laughing and chatting, and when it was
Heather and Leona stayed for an hour before leaving. Carissa accompanied them to the gates of the estate, maintaining a demeanor of complete friendliness and lack of resentment.Lulu, feeling upset on her behalf, said, “My lady, you sent gifts to the princess, but the princess’s mother had them returned. Clearly, she looked down on you at that time. Why are you being so kind to them today?”Sitting in front of the vanity, Carissa instructed Lulu to remove her hairpins. “Isn’t socializing just a matter of putting on a smile and exchanging pleasantries? Aunt Heather has always been kind to me. I was indeed thoughtless before—sending gifts to my cousin while I was the one who had divorced.”“But you didn’t personally go. Besides, you were granted a divorce by the king. It wasn't like your husband unilaterally divorced you. Why were the gifts returned?”“Lulu, don’t dwell on these things. It’s exhausting to be so petty about everything.” Carissa glanced at her weary reflection in the
Rebecca arrived with Benjamin, Amelia, and Serena in tow.As soon as she alighted from the carriage, she twisted her ankle and fell. She sat right in front of Northwatch Estate, and began to wail uncontrollably.“Carissa, I’ve always treated you like my own daughter! You’ve never suffered any hardship when you were married to our family! I’ve never imposed any rules on you! Your divorce was granted by the king at your request. How could you hold such a grudge against me? You know I need Sebastian’s medicine to survive, but you refuse to let him come and treat me! Are you trying to kill me?”Serena joined in the crying. “That's right, Carissa!” she said. “You shouldn’t forget the kindness we showed you! When your family was wiped out, Mom was worried you would be depressed. She stayed by your side day and night, even sleeping with you to help you through those hard times. How can you be so heartless now?”Rebecca clutched her chest, sobbing in a heartbroken manner. Despite that, s
Rebecca had no way to respond. After all, she hadn’t provided even a single item of compensation! There wasn’t a stitch or thread to account for!She could only continue to wail, “Whether there was any compensation, Carissa knows in her heart. Just ask her, and you’ll find out.”“Madam Warren, there’s no need to cry,” Frederick continued in a calm voice. “If there was compensation, just state the items and the amount of gold and silver involved. There were officials present during the divorce, so it’s easy to verify.”“Furthermore,” Frederick went on, still speaking in a measured tone, “you said you treated Lady Sinclair like your own daughter. When the Duke of Northwatch's family was annihilated, you claim you stayed by her side day and night. “While this may be partly true, it’s not the whole story. At that time, you were ill. It was Lady Sinclair who stayed with you day and night, attending to your every need. From the moment she married into your family, she cared for you wh
Lily stepped forward to interrupt Rebecca's pitiful display, her expression fierce. "What do you mean, it was a marriage edict granted by the king? Wasn't it General Warren who requested the marriage through his military achievements? "And don’t talk about concubines! What General Warren wanted was a legitimate wife! When the royal edict was issued, General Warren and General Yates came to see Lady Sinclair. Would you like me to repeat what heartless words they uttered?"General Warren said that after marrying General Yates, he would never set foot in Lady Sinclair’s room again. She was only to manage the household and continue using her dowry to support the Warren family. They expected Lady Sinclair to care for any children General Warren and General Yates had, which would give Lady Sinclair some form of purpose."Also, General Yates demanded a high dowry. Since the Warren family couldn’t provide it, they demanded Lady Sinclair to lend them the money. She was willing, but she wo
Frederick’s words, laced with flattery, worked their charm on the crowd. Everyone loved to hear sweet talk—Frederick’s compliments ignited the people’s sense of justice, leading them to vocally denounce those from the Warren family.It seemed moral coercion wouldn't work on Carissa. She hadn’t even appeared to address the matter, and Rebecca realized her efforts were futile. With that, she had no choice but to leave in disgrace.Rebecca had initially planned to have Carissa return to the Warren family, but Barrett adamantly refused. Given the overwhelming gossip about Aurora, Rebecca then thought to create a commotion to redirect the public’s ire. She hoped that by stirring up trouble, the people would shift their criticism away from the Warren family, thus giving them a break from the public's scorn.She had hoped her antics would at least drag Carissa into a mess of accusations. Rebecca figured that if they confronted or pushed people around, the Duke of Northwatch's family wouldn
Rafael had secluded himself, refusing visitors for several days. During this time, many would-be guests had come knocking. However, he was unwilling to see any of them.When he left the palace, he put aside his usual cheerful demeanor with his elder brother. Rafael understood the meaning behind the royal edict.The order was clear: Carissa must marry within three months, or she would have to enter the palace as a concubine. Salvador was forcing him to make a choice.The jests and scoldings exchanged in the palace's study weren’t just idle chatter; each word carried hidden intentions.Whether Carissa entered the palace was of no real concern to Salvador. It was a matter of showcasing his power—whether to allow her to remain free or to summon her to the palace was just a matter of issuing an edict.Years earlier, Salvador had known of Rafael's feelings for Carissa. Before Rafael headed to the Southern Frontier battlefield, he had approached Melanie, asking her to delay Carissa’s m
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
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."
Hayden clenched his fists, his anger and helplessness tightening his chest as he followed behind.The physician worked quickly, examining Sonny's injuries. Both of his legs were broken, three of his teeth were knocked out, and his face was riddled with fractures. Despite the pain that twisted his expression, he still grinned at Hayden, forcing a smile through gritted teeth.He tried to assure Hayden with a look that said he would be fine.Hayden turned away, his heart aching. The man who had stood by his side for so many years now lay in such a state. Fury surged within him, but there was nothing he could do.Back in Nerovia, he had ordered an extra emblem to be made, just in case the day ever came when Nicholas stole the original to mobilize Hayden's forces. If Hayden noticed in time, someone could use the duplicate emblem to stop Nicholas.Hayden hadn't expected it to serve its purpose this way, though.The chaos of the riverworks project was swiftly quelled. Cameron was arrest
As dawn broke, Adrian led them to the Glimmering Tower. It was then that Carissa realized they weren't the only ones who had arrived—many guild leaders and elders were present as well. Even Violet and Bun's mentor had come.When Violet spotted her mentor Conrad, she gasped in surprise and rushed toward him. "Sage Conrad, what brings you here? You didn't even send word beforehand!"Conrad smiled warmly as he looked at his beloved apprentice, indulgence in his voice. "I heard you were guarding the capital. Naturally, I had to come and lend you a hand.""Sage Conrad, you're too kind. I'll get another villa for you once we're done here," Violet said, linking her arm with his, grinning widely.Conrad scowled lightly, feigning annoyance. "Why would I need more villas from you? No more, I tell you. However, I did hear about a hot spring at Solitude Peak. I thought of buying it, so your fellow apprentices can soak and strengthen their bodies."Violet nodded enthusiastically. "I'll buy i
The black-clad assailants' Lightfoot Skills were extraordinary, and they scattered in all directions. Adrian could have pursued one of them, but catching all of them was impossible.However, he chose not to pursue anyone at all. Emerging from the shadows, his hand darted out and grabbed Carissa by the ear, twisting it until she yelped in pain. "So bold of you, wasn't it? To engage without proper defenses? Do you think you're invincible? Haven't you heard the saying that there's always someone stronger out there?"Carissa shrieked and flailed in protest as the lamps were lit by Jacob, illuminating the courtyard and revealing the bloodstains on everyone's bodies.Only then did Adrian notice the wounds on Carissa. Yet instead of softening, his grip on her ear tightened, and he hissed, "You couldn't guess what Nicholas was planning? And you didn't think to write for reinforcements from Meadow Ridge? Are you so arrogant now that you've forgotten basic caution? Just wait until your mart
Hayden gestured for her to lower the sword. "Not tonight. Neither side is ready."Chaya frowned, confused. "Why? Didn't you say Mr. Russell was formidable? If he's taking action, surely he can capture Prince Nicholas?""He won't capture him," Hayden replied, rubbing his temples. "General Farrell has Valken surrounded, but he hasn't launched an attack because he knows Mr. Murphy has already undermined Prince Yuvan's authority. "A portion of Valken's population has joined the so-called rebel forces. If the capital falls now, the officials in Valken and Nerovia will find an excuse, under the court's banner, to slaughter the townsfolk. That would spark even larger uprisings. That's why Lady Carissa can't act prematurely."Chaya hastily tossed the sword aside. "And why isn't it the right time for Prince Nicholas, then?""It's simple," Hayden said. "He needs Mr. Murphy to first defeat General Farrell in a decisive victory. Once General Farrell is dealt with, he'll move on to General Mu
By the early hours of the morning, the rain had lessened to a gentle drizzle, leaving the air cooler and the night more serene. The quiet respite lulled many into a deeper, more peaceful sleep.Seven or eight shadowy figures darted through the curfewed city, their movements light and swift. They barely left a trace as they touched down on rooftops, their steps silent.They arrived at the Capital Guard headquarters. The outer guards had already retreated for the night, leaving only Carissa and her companions waiting in the main hall, tense and alert.With a quick exchange of glances, the group gripped their weapons. The assassins had arrived!The dim light of the hall flickered, and as the black-clad figures descended, a gust of wind extinguished the lamps. Darkness enveloped the room, plunging it into an impenetrable black where even an outstretched hand became invisible.Amid the darkness, the faint sound of breathing and the subtle rhythm of movements became the only clues to
The damp, oppressive heat of summer seemed to weigh heavily on the spirit, stoking an inexplicable irritation in the air.Hayden, clearly affected by the weather, barely touched his dinner. After a few cursory bites, he set his cutlery down and announced that he was heading back to the study to practice his calligraphy to clear his mind. He gestured for Chaya to follow, and the two left the room.Before departing, Chaya made sure to take two heaping plates of snacks with her. After all, she wasn't about to let herself go hungry.Nicholas, still in his Gordon disguise, watched Hayden leave but made no move to stop him. It didn't matter where Hayden went—his every step was being monitored. Besides, Nicholas had far more pressing matters to attend to tonight.Back in his room, Nicholas locked the door behind him and methodically prepared for the night's mission. He changed into his stealth attire, then sat before a mirror. Opening a small wooden box on the table, he revealed an array
By evening, tensions finally erupted.The Waterworks Department had stationed soldiers to oversee the workers, ensuring work continued on schedule. Yesterday's heavy rain had halted all progress, but with today's rare overcast skies and no rain, Cameron ordered the workers to make up for lost time. In fact, he demanded they finish the project three days ahead of schedule.The workers were already agitated, and they refused. Tempers flared, and heated arguments broke out between them and the Waterworks Department officials. In a fit of rage, Cameron picked up a club and struck one of the workers. That single blow ignited an uncontrollable fury among the workers. Over a hundred men turned on the officials, attacking them in a chaotic melee.Fortunately, Carissa had already stationed people nearby to keep an eye on the situation. Word was immediately sent to Max.Max was wary, suspecting this might be a calculated ploy by Nicholas. However, based on their investigation, not all th