After Solomon and the other Sinclair family members moved all the dowry items back to Northwatch Estate, Carissa came out to thank them and invited everyone in for tea.Solomon shook his head. "We've got other important matters to attend to, so we can't stay for tea. By the way, Barrett asked me to give you a message. He hopes you won't regret your decision.""I have nothing to say to him in response to his message. Since you have important matters, I won't keep you," Carissa replied calmly.Pleased with her response, Solomon and the others left.Even if the Sinclair family lost everything, they couldn't lose their dignity.It wasn't that Solomon didn't want to stay for tea, but Northwatch Estate was still in chaos. He was certain the new servants had yet to learn all the necessary rules and mannerisms.Solomon would have been okay with it, but he had brought along other family members. Too many people seeing the situation at Northwatch Estate might lead to gossip, and Carissa co
The problem was no one had told Rebecca that soldiers would be coming. And with over a hundred of them arriving, they took up many seats, leaving several other guests without a place to sit.These guests were prominent civil and military officials, esteemed figures in court whose goodwill could greatly benefit Barrett's career. But now, how were they to be accommodated? They were left standing in the cold, shivering and resentful.Rebecca urgently turned to Amelia, demanding she find a solution. Amelia was equally stunned and at a loss, as she had arranged the seating based on the official guest list and no one had informed her about the additional guests.The invited guests were equally shocked when they saw over a hundred unruly soldiers immediately sit down and start eating and drinking, laughing and joking loudly with the bride.The scene looked bizarre and out of place. Many of the wedding guests were from prestigious families and had attended out of respect for the king. They
Aurora felt Barrett's accusations were unreasonable.She scoffed and said, "We just got married today, and you're already yelling at me. What will it be like in the future? These soldiers have fought alongside you and witnessed our love."Even if I didn't tell you beforehand, who doesn't prepare extra tables for a big wedding? And about them leaving their posts, that's not for you to worry about. General Lane is an understanding person."Aurora's strong stance made Barrett back down a bit. He didn't want to argue on their wedding day.He asked, "So, they left the barracks with General Lane's permission?"Aurora hadn't actually asked the general, Gideon Lane. She had simply ordered the soldiers to attend. But she thought this detail wasn't important and believed Gideon would understand.Avoiding the question, she retorted, "It's your poor planning that's the issue. Go ask around, who doesn't prepare extra seats for a big wedding? I don't know who organized this wedding, but it's s
All the guests had left, leaving only a bunch of rowdy soldiers behind.Rebecca was so angry she almost had a heart attack. The other family members looked at each other in disbelief. They had never seen a wedding, especially one granted by the king, turn into such a disaster.News of this would surely make the Warren family the laughingstock of the capital.When Barrett found Amelia, he was unable to contain his anger any longer."Amelia, if you didn't want to help with the wedding, you should have told me! Now, a perfectly good party has turned into a joke, and all the guests have left. How am I supposed to hold my head up in court after this?" he ranted, slamming the table.An aggrieved Amelia let her tears fall freely."I made all the preparations according to the guest list. How was I supposed to know so many extra people would come? Was it my fault? Besides, this is the first time I'm managing the household!"Whenever we had celebrations or tea parties, Carissa handled eve
Barrett stood silently for a moment before turning to summon someone to clean up the mess.This was the woman he had fought so hard to marry. The wedding had indeed been disgraceful, and regardless of whose fault it was, her grief was genuine.He decided to endure it. He couldn't afford to feel even a hint of regret; he still wanted to see Carissa regret her decision!If Carissa knew how embarrassing his and Aurora's wedding had turned out, she'd probably laugh in secret.-Meanwhile, at Northwatch Estate, Carissa had just finished working up a sweat at a martial arts practice session. After soaking in a hot bath, she asked Lulu to bring her a bottle of wine and proceeded to drink alone.This had been her routine for the past month—reading during the day and practicing martial arts at night. During her year at Valor Estate, she had neglected her martial arts training. Although she wasn't entirely out of practice, her skills were not as sharp as before. She had to regain her stren
Carissa needed to get her hands on the battlefield report Dominic sent back.The reports first went to the Ministry of Defense, where a copy was made before the original was presented to the king. So, the Ministry of Defense should have copies of the battle report from Dominic as well as the victory report.She would have to sneak into the Ministry of Defense.There weren't many people at the ministry at night, but all the ministry offices were located on either side of Thousand Street, which was adjacent to the royal palace. The royal guards didn't patrol Thousand Street, but the guards from the garrison unit did.But no matter what, Carissa had to see the battlefield report and the post-war memorial Dominic submitted.One thing was certain—Dominic must have affirmed Aurora's contributions, otherwise the Ministry of Defense wouldn't have credited her.The people of Westhaven were known for seeking revenge at all costs. If Aurora had massacred the villagers who surrendered, Westh
Under the cover of the night, Carissa successfully broke into the Ministry of Defense's records room. It didn't take much effort to find what she needed—all the reports from the battle at Victory Pass were neatly arranged on the top left shelf.Using a special lamp called Night Pearl, covered with a light veil to dim its glow, Carissa hid in a corner to read the reports individually. After reading them all, she felt a chill run through her entire body as tears streamed uncontrollably down her cheeks.Barrett and Aurora had gone to Victory Pass as reinforcements and had participated in the battles despite their inexperience. During their first battle there, Carissa's third uncle lost an arm while trying to save Barrett.Meanwhile, her seventh uncle had died before the reinforcements even arrived. Carissa remembered him as a spirited young man; it was hard to imagine that he had fallen in battle.Dominic had also been wounded by an arrow before the reinforcements arrived, leaving Bar
In the study, Salvador gazed at Carissa, who was kneeling on the white marble floor.She wore a plain white dress cinched at the waist, with a blue cloak draped over her shoulders. Unlike her previous visits, her hair was tied up in a high ponytail with a simple white silk ribbon, not styled in the elaborate manner of a married woman.Her complexion was pale, and there was a faint redness under her eyes as well as a hint of dark circles. She looked as if she hadn't slept all night. There were also remnants of tears on her eyelashes.Despite all that, she still looked stunning. Her eyes seemed sorrowful, yet lacked any hint of vulnerability. Instead, they harbored a sense of strength and determination."Greetings, Your Majesty!" Carissa said hoarsely.After Lulu went to bed last night, Carissa had cried under her covers for a long time."Have you been crying?" Salvador frowned slightly, a hint of displeasure in his eyes. "Is it about Barrett and Aurora's wedding?"Carissa shook h
Kylie had always looked down on Grace.The latter's family lacked distinction, and her beauty could scarcely be considered remarkable. Her rise to the position of higher-ranked concubine seemed nothing more than the result of fortunate circumstances, particularly her giving birth to Caden.Kylie guessed that Grace also must be aware of her limited connections and support, which was why she had long exercised caution and humility. However, there were times when she could not resist harboring a few selfish thoughts. Yet, she dared not plot too aggressively.Such had been the case when Grace had sheltered Jeanette—likely in an attempt to solidify her position and strengthen her influence in the harem by using the other woman as a pawn. Despite Grace's attentions, Jeanette had remained ungrateful, resenting the way she constantly placed Caden in Salvador's presence.Grace always had a habit of making things harder for herself, which was why Kylie had never held her in much regard.Now
Sitting in front of her vanity table, Sylvia suddenly recalled that the dress she had once asked her mother to order from Camila had been delivered. She had intended to wear it at the New Year's Eve banquet.The dress was a rich shade of sunset yellow, embroidered with delicate camellia flower blossoms. Charming and vivid, the hem of the skirt flowed in graceful waves, the brightness of its color giving it an air of both beauty and refinement.Sylvia asked Heidi to bring the dress over and help her into it. She gazed into the mirror, entranced by her own reflection. While doing so, she noted that although she looked a little haggard, she remained as stunning as ever. Her skin was still pale and smooth, free from the slightest sign of age or fatigue.Her slender, pale fingers traced the intricate embroidery as she murmured softly to herself, "Ms. Moore's needlework is indeed extraordinary. This dress surpasses even the finest dress I own. How truly exquisite."Heidi knelt at her sid
The next morning, Rafael announced Connor’s death, leaving the entire court in shock and mourning."His Majesty is overcome with grief and has fallen ill. For the next few days, matters regarding the kingdom will be handled by myself and Mr. Murray. The arrangements for Prince Connor's funeral will be overseen by the Royal Management Department and the Protocol Department," Rafael said solemnly.Malcolm staggered, barely keeping his balance. His eyes were bloodshot from a sleepless night. Even though he had mentally prepared himself, the news still hit him hard.The news reached the inner palace at the same time. Since returning last night, Kylie had been wailing inconsolably, demanding to see Connor. Upon hearing the dreadful news, she fainted once more. Thankfully, a royal physician had been stationed at Everspring Palace and was able to revive her.Once the queen was conscious again, her screams echoed throughout the entire area.At Iridescent Palace, Grace felt a mix of relief
Salvador announced his decision before asking Rafael about the investigation.The king knew the colt wouldn't go wild for no reason. He had asked about the horses before—some had a bit of a temper, but the children had already tamed them.Rafael didn't hide anything and handed over the caltrop. "Someone placed this under the saddle. When the saddle was empty, the thorn caused only a mild discomfort to the horse. But once Prince Connor got on, the sharp spikes stabbed into the horse's flesh, causing it to go berserk from the pain."Salvador's gaze grew cold as he looked at Carissa. "Did no one inspect the saddles beforehand?"Carissa hurriedly responded, "Your Majesty, we checked thoroughly. The horses were under constant guard, and aside from the three princes and Ryan, no one was allowed near them. They led their own horses; no one else handled them during the journey."Victoria's expression was equally grim. "I gave strict orders to the guards. The horses, the three princes, and
Salvador's question hung heavy in the air, and for a long moment, Sebastian remained silent. His brow furrowed as he pondered, considering every possibility, weighing the odds.The only sounds that filled the room were strained, shallow breaths and the pounding of hearts, creating a silence so profound it was suffocating and seemed to echo with despair.At last, Sebastian slowly said, "There isn't really a solution. At best, there's a desperate gamble. But the chances of success… are very, very low.""Tell us. Just say it," Victoria urged, even more anxious than Salvador.Sebastian let out a deep sigh. "Even this gamble depends on him surviving the next three days. If he makes it through, I'll take him to Eldermere Keep. There, we will soak him in a brew made from the Everbind Herb, which grows only on those grounds. It might save his life. But the chances are slim. He may not last long enough to even get there.""Can't we gather the Everbind Herb and bring it here? How would we m
Connor was transferred to a smaller palace within the royal gardens. It was impossible to return him to the main palace at the moment, with the only choice being to treat him nearby.As for his condition, everyone could guess by looking at Sebastian's face. It seemed like it wasn't looking good.Rafael had the room cleared of any unnecessary witnesses, though he did not yet report the findings of the investigation. There were still questions to be answered, and the search for answers continued.All the concubines, as well as Kylie, returned to the main palace. The queen had initially refused to leave her son's side, adamant in her decision to stay with him. But upon seeing Connor's condition, she fainted once more. It was then that Salvador gave the order to have her escorted away.Ryan had also resisted leaving. He wouldn't abandon his friend, no matter the circumstances, and insisted on remaining at his side. Seeing the boy's resolve, Rafael allowed him to stay.Salvador remaine
The guards were unable to restrain Kylie, who rushed past the partition screens. One glance at her blood-soaked son was enough to make her release a piercing scream of horror before collapsing in a faint.Thankfully, royal physicians were also present. The servants quickly ushered the queen out, allowing a royal physician to attend to her. Once revived, Kylie's sobs were unrestrained, her cries echoing with raw anguish.Leading some men, Rafael took swift action to restore order. He intercepted the frenzied horse and set the wheels of investigation in motion, determined to uncover what had caused such madness.Inside the makeshift room, Salvador knelt beside Connor. As his trembling hands gently brushed the bloodied face of his son, his palms became stained with crimson.Telling the king to move aside, Sebastian quickly administered needle treatment, meant to simply keep Connor alive for a little longer. The priority now was to stop the bleeding in the eldest prince's head.The bo
Carissa ended up with a mouthful of dust. The sandy ground was nothing like the grassy fields. It had no beauty at all, just clouds of dust flying everywhere. Even standing inside the racetrack, she could hardly see who was in the lead.It looked like Joseph's youngest son, Ingram Carter.As the horses cleared the hurdles, it became clear that it was indeed Ingram. His horse had pulled ahead by a full length, and he continued to extend his lead with impressive speed.While lively, the race was not a formal contest. It was merely a display to flatter the royal princes, so the position of first place held little significance.None of the riders were willing to push themselves too hard, lest they raise the princes' anxiety by excelling too greatly. Thus, the others refrained from catching up. However, the pace was swift, even if it was not their peak performance.By the time the current riders reached the third lap, Ryan and the three princes were preparing to mount their horses. Onc
Carissa was especially busy today. Her presence was felt throughout the palace grounds, as she hurriedly moved from one task to the next. Now, she was back at the racetrack, overseeing the arrangements and ensuring everything was in order.The equestrian competition was set to begin shortly. A large group of military officers and young men from noble families had already gathered outside the track. All of them held their horses, eagerly awaiting their turn.The event itself was straightforward—each rider was to complete three laps around the track. At intervals, two-foot-high hurdles would be placed in their path, and each rider would need to leap their horse over the barriers without knocking them down. The winner would be the first to complete all three laps.In truth, calling it a "competition" was somewhat of an exaggeration.For well-trained horses and skilled riders, the two-foot barriers posed little challenge. But the height had been chosen specifically for the three royal