When Verdant Monastery was mentioned, the faces of Yuvan's family members changed immediately. Yuvan's eldest son, Randall, was about to sit down when he heard it.He abruptly asked, "Verdant Monastery? Do you know how our mother is faring?""Not well!" Carissa looked directly at Randall. "If you care about her, why didn't you go see her yourself?"Randall glanced at Yuvan, who remained indifferent and said nothing."I... I was at the academy and couldn't leave," Randall replied awkwardly."Is that so? With so many people in Horizon Estate, no one could leave? Only two maids were sent to attend to her. If it weren't for Sebastian's apprentices, Jasmine and Ivy, how long could she have lasted at Verdant Monastery?"Sabrina, who never thought much of Carissa because she had been divorced, was displeased by her words and said, "I didn't realize that my cousin-in-law had a penchant for meddling in other people's affairs."Carissa's gaze cut through Sabrina like a knife as she retort
Yuvan's face went ashen. The divorce agreement was still in existence? Every one of those responsible was unreliable!Randall took the letter with trembling hands. How could he not recognize the handwriting? It was his father's handwriting, written by his own hand.He lifted his gaze to Yuvan, clenching his fists. "Dad, how do you explain this?"Yuvan pursed his lips, his displeasure evident. The once gentle and unassuming expression on his face had been replaced by a cloud of gloom.Fiona quickly intervened, "How could your father have written that? It's clearly an imitation of your father's handwriting. Why would your father divorce your mother?"She looked around, but did not dare directly address Carissa. Instead, she turned to Violet. "You must have produced this document, right? Do you have some deep-seated grudge against Yuvan and his family? Why use a fake divorce agreement to provoke Lady Avis and cause her to fall ill?"Violet replied coldly, "Don't you know who I
Randall wiped his tears and approached Rafael, wanting to ask something. However, Yuvan cut him off with a loud command. "Didn't you hear them? They think we bring bad luck because we're in mourning! Hurry up and leave!"Tears streamed down Randall's face again. He gave Rafael and Carissa a salute, his tall, thin figure swaying as he staggered away.Yuvan's other children all made a noise of discontent and left. Only Fiona managed to maintain her composure. She bowed to Helen, and said, "Take care, Lady Helen. I'll be taking my leave."As Fiona left, she cast a few significant glances at Violet, who responded with a dismissive roll of her eyes.Helen remained in a state of bewilderment throughout the encounter. She had just been conversing pleasantly with them. They had appeared polite and well-spoken. How could they turn out to be so heartless?Avis was dead, and only Randall had shown any sign of grief. The others wore faces devoid of any visible sorrow. Especially the two y
After bathing and donning her formal attire, Carissa exuded an air of unrivaled elegance and majesty. She touched up her makeup lightly, trying to conceal her pallor and the dark circles under her eyes, to hide her weariness from view.The royal family banquet was clearly a time for family reunion, but it came with its own set of rituals and decorum that had to be observed.She took a deep breath before the mirror, striving to suppress the grief of losing a loved one. She told herself that she had become accustomed to it, that familiarity would make it less painful.In the mirror, she saw a figure dressed in splendid attire, with an elaborate hairstyle and adorned with pearls and jewels. A necklace made of Mystic Pearls shimmered with a lustrous sheen, cascading gracefully down her chest.This was part of the dowry given by Adrian. The jars of pearls alone were worth a fortune, and they were stored separately in another box.Her earrings, also made of Mystic Pearls, covered her en
Carissa knew she couldn't let Helen comfort her any longer. The latter's attempts at consolation were heartbreaking.Carissa squeezed Ryan's hand. "It's alright. I was just feeling a bit down, but my spirits are already lifting after I think about tonight's palace banquet and all the delicious food."Her tone was light, managing to deceive both Kiera and Ryan, as well as Helen.Though Helen was distressed by Avis' passing, the palace banquet was a lively affair. Such excitement was rare—who wouldn't enjoy it?The palace was indeed bustling with festive cheer. The atmosphere was thick with New Year's spirit, with lights and decorations adorning every corner. Star-shaped lanterns lined the corridors, casting a bright light that made the palace appear as if it were bathed in daylight.Yuvan was currently taking his family to pay their respects to the queen dowager and the queen. Victoria wasn’t fond of Yuvan, who was the late king's younger brother. Naturally, it was due to his rec
In the past, Augustus had been very fond of Chloe. By extension, he had also cared deeply for Eleanor. While Ruth was raising Eleanor, Augustus showered them with continuous gifts and rewards.Now, Ruth had become the grand concubine of Augustus' concubines. Compared to Sigmund's concubines, they were nearly inconsequential. Their primary concern was merely to continue living. Those of lower status who had not borne children were either consigned to be buried with the deceased or sent to nunneries.In terms of seniority, Augustus' concubines were indeed among the oldest in the palace. Unfortunately, seniority did not hold much weight in the harem.Sigmund had sent Yuvan to his fief, but he had kept Ruth in the palace as a way to restrain Yuvan.Over the years, Yuvan seemed to lack ability. He was foolish and infatuated with beautiful women, leading to him abandoning his wife for a concubine.So, Salvador had considered granting Yuvan a favor by allowing him to bring Ruth to Hori
Yuvan was also furious. "It wouldn't have mattered when she died. I would have kept it a secret and only revealed it after the New Year. But now, with Carissa stirring things up, the queen dowager and the king both know. How can I possibly stay in the capital any longer?"Eleanor gritted her teeth, but had no choice but to urge him to be patient. "Let it go for now. Don't provoke them. They’ve just returned after a significant victory, and have garnered respect both in court and among the common folk. They're formidable now, so it’s best to avoid them. Stay low-key and quickly gather troops. "As for your marriage alliance with the Spencer family, you need to expedite it. Violet once fought on the Southern Frontier battlefield. If you can marry her and bring her under your control, recruiting soldiers will be much easier. Besides, with the Spencer family as your support and the Inferno Guild assisting, given time, your great cause will surely succeed."Yuvan frowned and shook hi
One by one, the members of the royal family and their relatives who were in the capital began arriving at the palace.Harvey and Heather, along with several of the grand princesses, arrived together. The grand princesses came with their spouses and children, creating a bustling crowd that immediately filled the hall with lively chatter.Next to arrive were the two high princesses who had recently descended from their elevated positions of grand princesses, Meredith and Henrietta. Both were the king's sisters. Meredith, the elder, was born to the queen dowager and was Salvador's elder sister. Henrietta was the daughter of Josephine, and was Salvador's younger sister.Meredith was married to Levi Wright, the second son of the Oversight Department's minister, Irvin Wright. Levi was an optimistic and easy-going man, holding a nominal position in the Protocol Department. The Wright family was Natalie's maternal family, known for its scholarly traditions. However, Irvin, known for his s
Kendrick didn't wake until well into the afternoon the following day, his body heavy with exhaustion and hunger. When his eyes finally fluttered open, he felt as if his entire body had been shattered. Every muscle ached, and lifting even his arm seemed like a Herculean task.The weariness sank deep into his bones, and he had no energy to move. His attendant, a trusted servant by the name of Avery, stood at his bedside, awaiting his attention. He said quietly, "Your Highness, Lady Carissa has been waiting for you for half the day. She wishes to speak with you."Kendrick had initially planned to stay in bed, have all his meals brought to him, and then drift back to sleep. He was simply too tired to move. But when he heard that Carissa had waited so long, he immediately threw the covers off and commanded, "Prepare me, quickly."Over the course of the journey, Kendrick had come to understand just how formidable Carissa was. As a woman, she had never once complained about exhaustion
After lighting a candle for Edith, everyone returned to the backyard. They wiped away their tears, set aside their grief, and gathered around Carissa to ask about her married life. The most frequent question was about how well Rafael treated her.That was how families were. They knew she was capable, yet they couldn't help but yearn for her spouse to treat her with genuine love and care.Carissa had many cousins, all daughters of her uncles, but most had only met her a handful of times. Still, when they saw her, they were all overjoyed.Her cousins were all married, and many had returned to Victory Pass with their husbands and children. Having heard so much about Carissa, they couldn't help but feel a mix of admiration and sympathy.Among them was Shayla Sullivan, the eldest daughter of Carissa's second aunt. She had married Chase Hudson, one of Dominic's subordinates. But within a year of marriage, Chase died in battle before their child had even been born.Now, the child was 12
After nearly twenty days of grueling travel, they finally arrived at Victory Pass on the third of August.The heat had been unbearable along the way, causing many in the party to fall ill. Fortunately, Carissa had come well-prepared with plenty of medicine. They had also brought along a royal physician, Dorian, who was able to manage the illnesses without any major issues.But Kendrick, having never endured such hardship, was exhausted beyond measure. By the tenth day of their journey, he could barely speak. His face and lips were pale, and the exhaustion was evident in every line of his features.When they finally reached the outskirts of Victory Pass and saw the Sullivan family and the troops come out to greet them, Kendrick collapsed. The sight of him fainting right there gave everyone a fright, and they quickly rushed to carry him back.However, Carissa barely noticed Kendrick's condition. As soon as she saw her family, she ran straight into her grandfather's arms, tears stream
On the twelfth day of July, the Starhaven envoy delegation departed the capital in a grand procession, heading toward Orivenia.Rafael rode alongside the group for five miles, only reining in his horse reluctantly when Dylan and Jacob both insisted it was time to stop. Carissa turned back to wave at him, her smile as bright as ever. There wasn't a hint of sadness on her face.Rafael gazed after her, his eyes filled with longing.But under his breath, he muttered, "She's heartless, truly heartless."The sun had risen high, and the road was still and stifling with the lack of wind. Still, Rafael waited until the last of the procession had disappeared from view before reluctantly turning his horse around and heading back.This journey to Orivenia was a significant one. Carissa had brought along three hundred men from the Mystic Army, as well as Travis, Violet, and the others.Though the two kingdoms enjoyed a temporary peace after the last conflict, Leroy had made public what happen
The evening before the trip, Carissa, accompanied by Rafael, made her way to bid farewell to Helen. Since she was leaving early in the morning, before her mother-in-law would be awake, Carissa chose to say her goodbyes the night before.Helen had known about the trip to Orivenia for some time. At first, she hadn't fully understood the situation and felt Salvador's order was a bit much. Why did it have to be Carissa, of all people, who had to undertake such a long and tiring journey?But after hearing from Violet that the real purpose of the journey was for Carissa to visit her maternal family, Helen only sighed quietly."The greatest pain in life is the separation from loved ones, whether by life or death. And the greatest joy is the reunion with loved ones after a long time apart."Of course, those words were spoken to Violet, and would never be said in front of Carissa. To say them to her would be like rubbing salt in an open wound. After all, Helen had come to love and cherish h
In the blazing heat of July, a letter from Westhaven arrived.Westhaven's king, Edmund, had abdicated. Grand Princess Lisandra was now queen. She had taken the throne and assumed control of the kingdom, and its name was officially changed from Westhaven to Orivenia.The new queen invited Starhaven to send an envoy delegation to attend her coronation and to discuss the long-standing border disputes. Lisandra had already ascended the throne, so attending the coronation was merely a formality. The true purpose of the visit was to negotiate the border issue.When the Westhaven envoy delegation previously came to Starhaven, their primary goal was the border—an issue that had been put on hold due to internal unrest. It was also the matter that had weighed most heavily on Lisandra's mind. So, with her coronation behind her now, she wasted no time in reopening the talks.At the morning court session in Starhaven, there was unanimous agreement that old grudges were behind them. Both kingdom
At Hell Monarch Estate, Carissa and Cynthia were busy teaching Roxana and Courtney martial arts. Mostly, it was Cynthia who took charge of Roxana's lessons, while Carissa kept company with Courtney, observing but not actively participating.Work at the Capital Guard headquarters was actually quite busy, but time seemed to slow down, bringing a sense of calm to everyone's hearts. No matter how long this period without suspicion would last, they decided to cherish each day as it came.But there was one thing that weighed heavily on Carissa's mind—Rafael's health.Although he was gradually recovering, his vitality had been severely damaged. Working tirelessly every day, leaving early and returning late, with irregular meals and inconsistent medication, he wasn't able to rest properly, which was always a worry.Bun came down the corridor and approached Carissa, saying, "Vivi says she won't be home tonight."Carissa nodded, her expression unchanged. She didn't need to ask. She knew exa
Nowadays, Salvador would discuss matters concerning his sons with Rafael, especially since he often taught them in the evenings. After finishing his lessons, he would come over to accompany Salvador during his needle treatment sessions.As the brothers talked more, the barriers between them lessened, as did the suspicion.Of course, this varied from person to person. Rafael spoke sincerely and rarely held back, as long as the topic didn't involve Carissa.Up close, Salvador could always see things clearly. Any issues between them were now discussed openly, unlike before when they relied solely on assumptions.Salvador credited this change to Carissa's sharp words. It was as if she had shaken him awake, making him see things differently. Now, he could see Rafael as a brother, not just as a subject under his rule.After Sebastian finished his needle treatment, he excused himself to rest. Rafael helped Salvador up and walked with him, with Derek trailing behind at a distance. The roy
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