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Chapter 349

Author: Summer's Blaze
The queen dowager had sharp eyes—she immediately noticed her younger sister's discontent.

After Rafael and Carissa went to greet the king and queen, Victoria held back Helen and Gillian for a private conversation.

She first addressed Gillian.

"Now that you've left the palace and entered the household, things are different. Social interactions are inevitable, and any misstep in words or deeds could bring trouble to Rafael's reputation. So, you must be even more careful in your conduct, with no room for error.

"Your mistress was raised by you and has been spoiled by you, but if you notice anything amiss in the future, you must speak up immediately. If she intends to do something inappropriate, you must persuade her otherwise. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Your Majesty, I understand," Gillian replied respectfully.

However, Helen pouted. "Victoria, what could I possibly do wrong? Besides, I'll be managing the household affairs from now on, with Gillian and Luke assisting me, and Jacob
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    The king and queen received Rafael and Carissa in the Great Hall.After the formalities and greetings, Salvador granted them seats. Kylie glanced at Carissa, who was adorned with simple, elegant makeup, and let out a slight sigh of relief. At least everything was settled.Had Carissa truly entered the palace, the harem might have become her domain. Her stunning and ethereal beauty was unmatched by any of the palace concubines.Instinctively, Kylie looked toward Salvador; she saw that he, too, was gazing at Carissa. A tightness gripped her heart—she was all too familiar with that look. Whenever Salvador was drawn to a woman, there was always a trace of lingering fascination in his gaze.Once again, Kylie felt a sense of relief that Carissa had married Rafael. Kylie remembered how Salvador's edict had kept her awake for nights on end. Any other woman might have been fine, but Carissa was different—her fallen brothers and father held significant weight in Salvador's heart, and her

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    Kylie was truly at her wit's end. As Dakota's son, Kendrick, had married someone from the Quinton family, Helen was also keen on marrying Kiera to the same family. Victoria had tacitly agreed. Salvador, being devoted to his mother, would certainly heed her advice.However, among the Quinton family men, only Logan was uninterested in scholarly pursuits. He spent his days idly walking dogs and playing with cats, while the rest dedicated themselves to rigorous study, striving for a place in the court. Particularly, Kylie's fifth brother, Marcus, had devoted himself to intense study from a young age, aiming for top honors. If he were to marry Kiera and become a mere idle nobleman like Henry, what would be the point of his efforts?Kylie knew she couldn't interfere directly in Kiera's marriage arrangements, so she sought Carissa's help. She had expected Carissa to be reluctant, but Carissa's final words had shown her intentions clearly. Kylie felt a deep sense of gratitude."If

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    The carriage pulled up to Harmony Palace. The doorman went inside to report, and soon emerged with a look of apology. "I beg your pardon, Lady Helen and Lady Carissa. I forgot for a moment, but it turns out Grand Princess Eleanor has gone out today."Upon hearing this, Helen turned to Carissa and said, "In that case, we should return for now. We can leave a message and come back tomorrow."Carissa asked the doorman, "Do you know where Grand Princess Eleanor has gone? What time will she return?"The doorman replied, "I'm not sure. She might not be back until very late."Carissa responded, "That's fine. We'll wait."She then took Helen's hand, and moved to enter the residence.Seeing this, the doorman hurried over. "Lady Helen, Lady Carissa, this is Grand Princess Eleanor's residence. You cannot just barge in."Carissa smiled. "How is it barging in? We're here for a visit and will wait for Grand Princess Eleanor to return. Can't this place accommodate guests?"The doorman, wh

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    Carissa sat for a while, but did not touch the coffee or snacks. Instead, she rose and announced her intention to walk around.In Harmony Palace, guests were generally allowed to explore and enjoy the surroundings, provided that such arrangements had been made in advance. However, uninvited intrusions or requests to wander about were not permitted. There were certain areas within the residence that were off-limits, hiding secrets Eleanor would rather keep concealed.As the princess consort of the Hell Monarch, Carissa was not to be stopped by the household guards. If they dared to interfere or make a remark, they would face severe consequences.Ordinary servants could not halt her advance toward the inner courtyard. Despite several attempts to block her, she skillfully maneuvered past them and made her way with purpose toward the inner courtyard.Just as she approached one of the courtyards, someone shouted loudly, "Grand Princess Eleanor has returned!"Carissa's lips curled int

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    Eleanor turned to Helen with a look of confusion. "What is this about? Pearls and bets? Wasn't last night just a feast? When did you take any of her dowry? This simply won't do! Dowries are the private property of the daughter-in-law. You cannot take them, even in jest."Helen was taken aback.Over her years of interacting with Eleanor, Helen had suspected that Eleanor might not give up the three thousand silver coins. Even so, Helen had held onto a sliver of hope and thought that Eleanor, being a person of pride, would honor the bet simply to preserve her dignity.Eleanor's complete denial of both the pearls and the bet was beyond Helen's expectations.Dumbfounded, Helen instinctively glanced at Gillian, who was shivering with a reddened face, trying to shield herself with her sleeve and desperately stifling her runny nose.Helen turned back to Carissa, who remained calm and composed, as if she had anticipated this outcome all along.Helen was unwilling to be belittled by Cari

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    Once Carissa finished speaking, she gave Eleanor a respectful bow. "Aunt Eleanor, you've treated my mother-in-law with such sincerity, which moves me greatly. Though my past reputation is not the best, it is understandable that you have concerns. "However, I promise to be respectful and always prioritize my mother-in-law's wishes. As for the pearls, I had always planned to give some to my mother-in-law. After I visit my family and guild members, I will send a jar of them over. If she wishes to gift them to someone, that is her own decision. As her daughter-in-law, I wouldn't dare interfere."Eleanor understood that Carissa was providing a way out—and she had no choice but to take it.Her carefully maintained reputation for half her life could not be ruined by a few pearls. The way those martial artists favored Carissa was clear to Eleanor from yesterday. Moreover, it was better not to offend Helen too much. Since Helen was now learning to resist, it would be difficult to extrac

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    Carissa blinked, unable to believe her ears.She looked at the two thousand silver coins in banknotes that had been handed to her, feeling a mix of astonishment and disbelief. Wow, Helen really was generous with her money. It seemed so easy for her to give it out. Carissa could see Helen was truly becoming a gullible fool.No, she already was a fool."Have you finally seen Eleanor's true colors, Mother?" Carissa asked with a smile, her tone considerably softer.Helen's face darkened. "Do you think I'm blind? Even after all this, how can I not have figured her out?""I saw you speaking to her so politely, and thought maybe you were still deceived by her," Carissa replied.Helen snapped, "How can I not speak politely? One of us has to be strict and tough, while the other has to be soft and accommodating. We can't really tear down all the pretenses we have with her. She's on good terms with most of the noblewomen. If she twists things around and tarnishes my reputation, won't I

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    Helen cast a covert glance at Carissa, who appeared relaxed. A faint smile graced her lips. It was undeniable that Carissa's face was exceptionally beautiful, radiating a clear and refreshing charm.Helen's curiosity was piqued. "Aren't you afraid of Grand Princess Eleanor?"Carissa responded with a question of her own, "Why should I be afraid of her?""She’s the grand princess, the current king's aunt. Even the late king was lenient with her. She controls at least half of the political connections in the capital. Her words alone can tarnish your reputation overnight," said Helen.Carissa remained indifferent. "Didn't you say I'm fearless and lack awareness? Why should I fear a tarnished reputation? If she spreads rumors about me, the hero who reclaimed the Southern Frontier, even her status as the grand princess won’t save her from the scorn of scholars everywhere."Helen thought that while speaking about these matters might seem easy, offending Eleanor could lead to retaliatio

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  • Her Graceful War Song   Chapter 1492

    Kylie returned to Everspring Palace, but her unease did not last long.Soon, Salvador arrived. Accompanied by the Nightsteel Guard, he sealed off the entire Everspring Palace, allowing only Lydia to remain within the halls.Derek entered, carrying two items.One of them was the poison powder Kylie had given to Connor days before. When it was placed on the table for her to inspect, she stood frozen in place. A cold, piercing chill spread through her, making her body tremble uncontrollably.Witnessing this, Lydia immediately stumbled and dropped to her knees, her voice thick with fear as she cried out, "Your Majesty, please forgive me! It was all my doing! Her Majesty had no part in this!"Salvador paid no attention to her desperate pleas.Sitting down, he turned to Derek. "You may show Kylie the edict. There is no need for formalities."Derek nodded and unfurled the second item—a royal edict.The moment it was placed before the queen, her eyes caught the first few lines, and it

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