Carissa bowed deeply, her shoulders relaxing as she sighed in relief.The royal edict had come at last."I thank His Majesty for his grace," she said gratefully.Barrett's face turned pale; he was frozen in shock.When Carissa went to the palace, she had actually sought permission from the king to divorce him? Not to obstruct his marriage to Aurora?Had she planned to divorce him ever since she learned about his and Aurora's marriage?!Barrett thought Carissa had done all those things to possess him exclusively. So, he had seen her as jealous, petty, selfish, narrow-minded, unable to tolerate others, and even despicable.But it wasn't like that...Barrett felt an indescribable feeling in his heart as he watched Carissa receive the edict. A warm smile appeared on her face, radiant and captivating.Suddenly, he remembered the first time he saw her. Captivated by her beauty, he had even forgotten how to breathe. But then, he met Aurora...Rebecca was also taken aback. She had ne
"Alright!" Theodore replied as he wiped tears from his eyes.Though he couldn't see the young girl before him clearly, he could feel her spirited determination and was deeply relieved."Let's not linger here any longer. You might pick up some bad luck. I'm leaving now; you should also depart soon," Theodore added."I will, Granduncle Theodore," Carissa replied respectfully.Standing up, she walked her great-granduncle and Solomon out of the manor.Beatrice also decided to leave. Initially, she had planned to speak with Carissa. But since the older woman had stayed silent while the Warren family gave Carissa a hard time, Beatrice didn't have the nerve to say anything now. So, she would act like she hadn't come today.The Warren family remained rooted in place, seemingly unable to accept this outcome.Carissa was suddenly the legitimate daughter of a duke, and her husband could even inherit the title. This was unprecedented. How was it possible for someone with a different surname
In the evening, Aurora had someone tell Barrett to meet her by the lake. As they walked, Barrett remained silent.Aurora was still unaware of the situation. She had expected him to explain the divorce voluntarily when they met up. But to her surprise, he didn't say a single word. Also, there were scratches on his face, as if a cat had clawed him.After walking for a while, she stopped and couldn't help but ask, "Did you divorce her? Did you take half her dowry?"As the dusk gently illuminated Aurora's somewhat tanned face, Barrett suddenly thought of Carissa's bright and beautiful face. His heart twinged with pain.Seeing how Barrett remained silent with a pained look, Aurora couldn't help but get angry."You didn't deduct it? Didn't I ask someone to send you a letter, telling you to deduct half of her dowry? The Warren family has minimal funds left. If you didn't keep some of her dowry, how are we supposed to live in the future?"Barrett looked at her and replied, "But that was
Barrett fell silent. He had suffered a thorough defeat in today's battle against Carissa, and it was embarrassing to talk about it."Is it really true?" Aurora pressed.Barrett sighed. "Forget it, let's not talk about this."Pouting, Aurora punched him playfully. "I knew you were lying to me. Anyway, it doesn't matter how she left. As long as everything's settled, it's fine."Since she said it's not worth sharing the position of your wife with me, I actually feel the same. The cunning methods she learned while managing the household affairs are beyond my ability to match. That's also where her real talent lies."She tilted her head and faced Barett. "I can't learn her skills, but if you want me to sweet-talk you like her, I can manage that."Aurora held her hands to her chest, smiled gently, and called in a cute voice, "Honey!"She shivered dramatically. "Oh my god, that was so disgusting! How does she act like that?"Barrett shivered too. Aurora's deliberate act had reminded h
Solomon came over to Northwatch Estate, bringing some of the younger members of the Sinclair family along with him to help Carissa unload and arrange everything. After they all hustled for a while, Solomon walked around the estate with Carissa.Once bustling with life, the mansion now felt desolate."You're the only lady of the duke's estate now, and the servants you have are those who followed you from your natal home."You should find a steward to manage the household affairs and hire more servants for the rough work in the kitchen, garden, and stables, as well as to handle the carriages. If it's inconvenient for you, I can help find some people for you," said Solomon."Uncle Solomon, you're busy with business. I wouldn't want to trouble you. Holly and Lily will take care of it," replied Carissa gratefully.Solomon looked at his niece and sighed. "Family should never talk about not wanting to trouble each other. In the past, your father used to invite us to gather after returnin
Although the Duke of Northwatch's family was known for their military background, Carissa was well-read, so she wanted her attendants to be literate as well."Alright, all of you can stay. Serve Lady Sinclair well. She will name you later," said Holly.The four were overjoyed."Thank you, Ms. Holly!""Don't thank me yet. Serving Lady Sinclair comes with rules. If you don't follow them well, you'll end up as second- or third-tier maids," Holly warned."We will definitely learn and follow the rules properly," the four replied, bowing respectfully.After Holly and Lily picked more servants to join the household, they instructed the agent to find coachmen, carpenters, stablemen, and gardeners. However, the positions of steward and accountant were too important to be left for the agent to procure."Rest assured, we will have some people tomorrow for your selection," the agent promised.After receiving his payment and handing over the contracts, the agent smiled and presented Holly a
But this matter was impossible to investigate now. The spies were either dead or had disappeared back to Westhaven, where they couldn’t be found.Carissa couldn't help but feel bitterness and pain as she thought of her father and brothers again.They had once reclaimed the Southern Frontier, only to lose it again and die tragically on the battlefield. If the Hell Monarch could win the ongoing war and reclaim the Southern Frontier, it would fulfill the wishes of her father and brothers.On her first night back home, Carissa didn't sleep well. Her dreams were filled with scenes of her mother, sister-in-law, nephews, and nieces being killed. After jolting awake in the middle of the night, she couldn't fall back asleep. She spent the rest of the night lying in bed staring wide-eyed at the canopy, her mind racing.From the wounds on her family members' bodies, Carissa could see how ruthless the assailants had been. It was clear that they had been venting their anger.Losing a battle sh
"He took everything! From now on, the family won't even be able to afford my medicine!" yelled Rebecca.Barrett felt uneasy but could only comfort his mother, saying, "Don't worry, Mom. Aurora and I will soon be needed at the Southern Frontier again. We'll return with honor."Rebecca sobbed hoarsely. "How could she be so heartless? Wouldn't she still have been your rightful wife? Why couldn't she tolerate sharing the position? She's just an orphan girl, yet she thinks of herself as a noble lady?!"Barrett pursed his lips. Carissa was now the legitimate daughter of a duke, which meant she was naturally a noble lady."She deserved having her entire family annihilated! She deserved it! She deserved it!" Rebecca raged.Barrett also found it strange that spies from Westhaven had wiped out the Sinclair family. Why would they kill those elderly people, women, and children? It made no sense and wasn't something worth doing.But the Sinclair family's matters were no longer his concern. He
As Kylie stepped out, she caught sight of the scene before her, and a shadow seemed to fall across her heart. The feeling was difficult to describe.She approached, seizing the opportunity with the court officials present, and spoke up. "Prince Connor's failure today was indeed a disappointment. However, he had been suffering from stomach pains and weakness since this morning. I've already called for a royal physician and had medicine prepared."Salvador's brow furrowed. "What did the royal physician say?""He believes it's due to something Prince Connor ate. He's taken the medicine, and he's feeling somewhat better now," Kylie responded quickly. Salvador's response was indifferent. "Then take good care of him.""Of course!" Kylie answered, stealing a glance at the others in the room. Though their expressions were unreadable, Salvador didn't seem particularly angry. Perhaps this matter was already behind them.She smiled and was about to congratulate Salvador on hunting the
In royal matters, people seldom delve too deeply. Especially since Connor was still young, his failure today wasn't seen as anything of real consequence. After all, he was the queen's son, destined for great honor in the future—no one would judge him too harshly over a small setback.As everyone saw him suffering in pain, many began suggesting various remedies. Some had oils to apply on his stomach, while others offered their own suggestions of concoctions.Even Sylvia and Grace came in to inquire after him. After all, they had brought their children along and surely carried some medicine with them. Seeing Connor's discomfort, they offered their remedies.However, Kylie made no use of their offers. Her goal was simply to have them see Connor's current condition so they would report it to their families later.In short, Connor's failure needed an explanation, a reason to let everyone know that he wasn't incompetent—it was just due to his physical discomfort.After everyone had ch
After a while, Max finally arrived. Upon seeing Carissa and Connor together, he let out a sigh of relief. "Commander Sinclair, we need to get Prince Connor back right away. Her Majesty is worried, and she's already sent people looking for him. However, the attendants are too afraid to go into the fenced area, so they've been calling from the outside."Connor clearly looked conflicted and didn't want to go back."Your mom cares about you. She'll be worried. You should return," Carissa said gently.Connor pouted. "She doesn't really love me. She only scolds me. She's a bad person."Carissa looked at him, somewhat surprised. Kylie doted on him—even spoiled him—so he should have been able to feel that love.Now, after just a couple of scoldings, Kylie was suddenly the bad person?However, as Carissa thought back to her time at the Pathfinders Guild, she understood. There, no matter how strict Everett was, no matter the punishments, she never dared to complain. But if Adrian scolded
Compared to Sylvia, Grace was far more approachable—kind and friendly. Even when with her family, she was constantly surrounded by people seeking her attention. She greeted everyone warmly, often offering small gifts to the young ladies, which earned her their genuine affection.On the other hand, Kylie was no less popular. As the queen, her position commanded respect, and many came to pay their respects or simply make conversation. Yet despite her dignified stature, she still saw herself as the center of attention. She temporarily pushed aside her earlier displeasure and warmly engaged in conversation with everyone.In such gatherings, people naturally sought to build relationships, either to further their standing or to scout potential matches for their sons among the noblewomen present. Ever conscious of her position, Kylie had brought many gifts today, eager to present herself as a benevolent and approachable queen.Before long, a Royal Guard approached with news that Salvador
Kylie bristled at the continued reproach. "And what good is saying all this now? What we need to do is figure out how to turn this around! Now, His Majesty won't let Connor into the woods. Today, Lady Grace's son outshone him completely—are you satisfied now? If you have a solution, say it! If all you're doing is offering empty words, then there's really no need for that."Kylie's resentment toward her natal family was always present, always simmering just below the surface.Marjorie continued speaking softly to Connor. "When His Majesty returns from the hunt and all the court officials are gathered, you should go to him. Acknowledge that you're not the most gifted and that you've been lazy in the past. But after this failure, you've come to understand where you went wrong. "From now on, you'll change your attitude, learn diligently from Mr. Young and Prince Rafael, and never again disappoint your grandmother or your dad. You'll ask your dad and the court officials to keep watch
Kylie's heart sank at the Royal Guard's words. She turned back to the ladies and noblewomen present, noting the questioning and curious glances in their eyes. She forced a smile, though it didn't reach her eyes. "Connor is unwell. He'll try again next year."With that, she signaled Lydia to find out what had happened, then took Connor's hand and led him back to the tent to calm him down. Connor was consumed by his grievances and cried pitifully, unable to get a word out. All Kylie could make out was, "Everyone's picking on me, even Dad…even Dad…"Not long after, Lydia returned with the details, relaying them all to Kylie.Kylie could hardly believe what she was hearing.She looked down at Connor, whose swollen eyes made him appear even more pitiful. But this time, she didn't feel her usual maternal sympathy. Instead, she felt cold.No mother believed her child was truly stupid. Most would think their child simply hadn't tried hard enough. Even if he didn't succeed, she would
Sebastian's treatments were indeed effective. In just half a month, Salvador's complexion had improved—his face no longer carried that sickly, waxen pallor but instead held a faint flush of color. His strength had also returned significantly. If not for the occasional bouts of pain, he might have believed himself fully recovered.Sebastian wasn't present today, but the Royal Medical Department had sent several physicians. They claimed that since there were many people around, they needed to better guard against any unexpected incidents.However, the real reason for Sebastian's absence was obvious—he didn't want the court officials and their families to realize just how much Salvador relied on him.Connor and Caden, guided by guards from the Royal Guard, sat atop their horses. The two young boys each had a bow slung across their backs and looked remarkably serious, as if they truly belonged on the hunt.On the other hand, Felix held Cecil in his arms atop the horse. Dressed in a thi
Though Salvador had trained in martial arts, he lacked Rafael's keen eye for detail. He hadn't noticed that Caden had prior training—he only saw a son who was diligent, disciplined, and improving rapidly.A brilliant child.If only he had been born to Kylie!It would have made things so much easier. Salvador wouldn't have to hesitate—he could have simply chosen Caden.The day before the Verdant Hunt, Salvador summoned Rafael to the royal study."What do you think of my three sons?" he asked.Rafael answered bluntly. "Prince Connor has no interest in martial arts. His talent is poor, and his attitude is indifferent. Even after days of training, he still holds the bow incorrectly. Every time I correct him, he makes the same mistake again the next day."Prince Caden is strong, skilled, and takes archery seriously. He already had a foundation before this, so he's nearly on par with Ryan."As for Prince Cecil, he's just there to play."Salvador paused. "A foundation? Caden's trai
As the newly appointed Deputy Royal Tutor, Rafael spent the days leading up to the Verdant Hunt instructing the three princes in archery.Connor should have started learning long ago, but under Kylie's care, he had been coddled like a precious jewel. She couldn't bear to let him do anything too strenuous.Even after moving to Serenity Palace, where his education was properly arranged, he remained sluggish and unmotivated. Keeping up with his academic studies was already a struggle—catching up in both areas was out of the question. He lacked talent, and worse, he had no desire to work hard. More often than not, he found creative ways to slack off.His biggest improvement so far was that he no longer threw tantrums when sent to the study. At the very least, he now had a passable attitude toward learning.With Connor's laziness, it was Ryan who benefited most from the martial arts lessons. He picked up some basic skills but never pushed himself too hard—Sebastian had warned him to p