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
When Salvador heard that Kyle sent the letter, he was quite surprised. He quickly ordered Derek to hand it to him.As he read the letter, he recognized the handwriting—it really did seem to be Kyle's. When he was the crown prince, he had the honor of receiving a calligraphy piece from Kyle, so he was familiar with his script.The letter mostly described Kyle's travels, but the last part was different.[After climbing Rocky Mountains, I saw thousands of Westhaven soldiers all dressed in Sandoria uniforms. They were also carrying provisions. Sandoria's third prince personally welcomed them into the territory. [This puzzles me greatly. Was Westhaven allying with Sandoria? But why would they bring nearly 300,000 soldiers into Sandoria? I trailed them quietly, and found that they were heading towards the Southern Frontier battlefield. [I fear they might be planning to attack our troops in the Southern Frontier. This is a serious matter. Please consider whether to report this to the k
Carissa couldn't fight the royal guards. Otherwise, the king would be even more convinced she was causing trouble over Barrett and Aurora's marriage.As she watched the king's retreating figure, she quickly said, “Your Majesty! My father was a great general of Starhaven, and my brothers were formidable junior generals who struck fear into our enemies. I may not be as capable as them, but I won’t let personal feelings interfere with matters of the state. Since I divorced Barrett, it’s a clean break. Please believe me this once!”Salvador stopped, but didn’t turn around.“If you know that the Duke of Northwatch and the junior generals were great heroes, then don’t do things that tarnish their names. I can grant you honor, and I can also take it away. Go back. I will pretend you weren’t here today. Take care of yourself,” he said coldly. With that, he strode away.Carissa lowered her hands in frustration. Tarnish their names?Did others, even the king, see her as someone who only
"Elise, must your mouth run on without end?" Carissa frowned at her daughter, who had been chattering away beside Ryan from the moment he stepped through the door.The little girl's face was flushed from the sun, her hair tangled into a messy nest that made it clear she had only just returned from playing outdoors. She hadn't stopped talking since Ryan came back from his travels, pestering him with questions about what he had seen and done.Elise turned to Carissa with wide eyes, looking up with a face so innocent it could soften stone. She truly had inherited the best features from both her parents."Mom, I haven't seen Ryan in such a long time. Every moment without him felt like an eternity. We've been apart for so long, so of course I have a lot to say to him."Carissa's frown deepened. "And who taught you to speak in such a ridiculous manner? An eternity—where did that come from?""Sage Isaac said it to Aunt Violet. He went back to Meadow Ridge for a few days and said it to her
Though Ryan had told Cecil he was going on a journey, he didn't stay long at Eldermere Keep. After just seven days, he left and made his way to the Pathfinders Guild.He had initially planned to return to the capital to seek out Claire, but soon reconsidered. Instead of troubling her, he thought it best to directly ask Winona to teach him the art of disguise.It was not difficult to learn, but to do it well—to the point where no one could tell—was another matter. Such skill could not be acquired in just a few months.The simpler form of disguise involved merely altering one's features with makeup and slight adjustments to the face. This was fine for ordinary situations, but could easily be seen through in more challenging circumstances, like on a rainy day for instance.Therefore, Ryan knew he couldn't settle for such a basic method.The more advanced form of disguise involved creating a mask as a false face. However, these masks had their own set of problems. They were thick, unco
That evening, Ryan and Clarence sat by candlelight and spoke quietly. They avoided discussing court politics as Clarence had no interest in such matters. As long as the kingdom was peaceful, that was enough for him.He was no longer the eldest prince of Starhaven, and only had himself to look after now. Everything else had faded into the past.It was better not to speak of politics; it was too sensitive a topic. In his younger years, Clarence hadn't understood why his "death" was so tied to such matters. But over the years, Sebastian had explained everything to him, bit by bit, including the risks and consequences.The bond between Clarence and Cecil was not without affection. However, to gamble with one's life and future for the sake of family might not be the wisest choice for any of them.Clarence had come to terms with it. Life had to go on; it was better to live it well today than to wonder about tomorrow."Aunt Carissa said you're no longer able to stand, but you were walking
The azaleas of Eldermere Keep bloomed in a riot of color, spreading across the hills in a blaze of purple and red. The sight was enough to dazzle anyone who set eyes upon it, especially those who had never visited this secluded place. It was the kind of beauty that made one long to stay forever.Yet, there was one exception.A young man rode his horse to the base of the mountain, dismounted, and secured his steed. Without a glance at the dazzling scene around him, he began to walk the path up the mountain, his gaze fixed firmly on the road ahead.The vivid azaleas stretched out along either side of the path, reaching out as if to claim him, but he merely brushed them aside with a casual swipe of his hand.His pace was swift, and he occasionally used his Lightfoot Skill. Eldermere Keep was not high up, but its location was well-hidden, with many winding paths leading in. However, he had studied the map countless times before embarking on this journey, so the route to the keep was et
Rafael glanced at the robe. "Isn't that mine? Are you saying I've gotten fat? I'm not fat.""Oh, is it yours? It's too long, then. I'll have someone alter it for me," Carissa replied casually.Rafael shook his head. "If you want something loose, just have someone make it for you. Why bother altering my old clothes? It's not even comfortable.""I'm going to Meadow Ridge for a year. Wearing your clothes will make it feel like you're still with me," Carissa said with a bright smile, as if the idea of being apart for a year was no more serious than being apart for a day."A year?" Rafael looked shocked. "You're going back for a whole year? Why?""Well, of course, my mentor misses me, and I miss him too," Carissa replied, placing her hands on her hips as she handed the robe to Lulu, who was standing by with a hand over her mouth, trying not to laugh."But I won't leave right away. Since Ryan is about to inherit the duke's title, I'll wait until that's settled before I go back to Meado
On the 13th day of winter, Salvador suddenly woke up feeling clearer than before. Saying he was hungry, he specifically asked for beef stew and milk pastries.Derek hurried to make the necessary arrangements. When the food arrived, Octavia sat by the bed as she had done many times before, ready to feed him. But Salvador insisted he wanted to sit up to eat himself.Derek gently helped the king sit up, placing a soft cushion behind him to support his back. Salvador had grown so thin that he seemed to be nothing but skin and bones. His body slouched as he sat, so Derek had to kneel beside the bed, holding his waist to keep him steady.Salvador finished an entire bowl of stew, eating it all without leaving a single bit behind. Then, he picked up a small milk pastry. But after a bite, he felt a little nauseous, so he didn't eat any more.Sebastian sent word to Victoria. After a brief conversation, her face turned pale and tears started to fall almost immediately. Though she had tried to
Once back at the palace, Salvador was unable to rise from his bed. Sebastian spoke briefly with him, hinting that he didn't have much time left. If there was anyone he wished to see, it should be done as soon as possible.The first person Salvador wanted to see was, of course, Victoria."That child… When he saw me, he couldn't stop asking about you. You didn't love him in vain, Mom," Salvador murmured, his voice weak.Victoria sighed deeply. "How cruel... his life must be lived hidden away in the mountains, never able to leave. Is there truly no hope for his legs?""I believe there is no hope," Salvador replied softly, his lips pale and drained of color. "But as I was leaving, he said, 'Dad, once I've learned enough medicine, I'll cure you. I'll make you better.'"Victoria's heart ached. "What a good child."Salvador's gaze drifted to the ceiling, his voice barely a whisper as he repeated, "Yes, he is a good child."After speaking with Victoria, Salvador asked Rafael to bring in
Salvador had temporarily settled at Eldermere Keep. The place was filled with every kind of medicine, yet his illness had reached a point where no remedy could ease his suffering.Still, staying there brought him peace. It was as if he had finally set down a heavy burden and could now live as an ordinary father. He spent each day with his son, sharing simple moments together.Carissa was allowed to visit and spend some time with Connor. He asked her about Ryan, specifically inquiring whether he had made any new friends."Ryan has no other friends but you. He always thinks about you," she reassured with a smile, thinking the eldest prince might be jealous.Connor was quiet for a long while, his expression tinged with guilt. Finally, with a deep sadness in his eyes, he softly said, "I have friends now, like Otto. Ryan should have his own friends too. I always think about him, but... I don't think I'll ever see him again."Carissa gently patted his head and smiled. "The future is lon
After the sun set behind the mountains, the temperature began to drop. Salvador had been carried up the mountain, but now, he was carrying Connor on his back as they made their way back into the estate.Connor had his arms tightly wrapped around Salvador's thin shoulders, and he couldn't stop the tears from falling. This was a scene he had never even dared to dream of. Not only had he never imagined being carried by his father, but even something as simple as having his father gently pat his head had always seemed like an impossible wish.But his father was so thin; there was no flesh on his back at all. How had he become so frail?Carissa and the others waited outside the gates. Not even Galen had been allowed in. Only Salvador's most loyal attendants, those who had carried the litter, were permitted to enter. The others, of course, were kept away from Connor. They all believed that Salvador had come to Eldermere Keep solely to recover from his illness.The estate itself was full