Carissa pinched his cheek playfully. "If you stop scowling in front of her, she won't think you're going to lecture her."Rafael caught her hand and, with a playful peck on her lips, replied with a smile, "I can't help it—it's just my natural aura.""You often smile when you're with me, don't you? You should smile more at her too."Rafael nodded. "Alright, I'll do as you say."Carissa went out to give instructions, telling the servants not to bring food to Helen's room. Instead, Carissa would personally invite her to the dining hall.Helen was a bit fidgety, and asked several times how Rafael was feeling today. Carissa reassured, "He's in a good mood."Relieved, Helen followed Carissa to the dining hall. Rafael was already seated and, upon seeing her, stood up and greeted her. "Mom, you're here."His tall, upright figure, combined with his habitual calm demeanor, conveyed the imposing presence of a seasoned general.Then, in a show of obedience to his wife's advice, Rafael
Helen remarked, "That young lady from the Prince family is rather pitiable, though."Violet scoffed. "Pitiable? Hardly! They're all cut from the same cloth. You might not know this, but when Cari married the marshal, Viola's marriage was also on the same day. She tried to overshadow Cari at every turn, and even told her maids that Cari's dowry was so little. The look on her face when others came to add to Cari's trousseau was quite something.""Is that true? How do you know?" Helen asked."Of course, it's from my sources. The Prince family's management isn't great. They can't control their servants' mouths. Viola's bitterness towards Cari is quite evident," Violet said with a touch of pride. It turned out that Winona's people were indeed very useful.Carissa recalled her two meetings with Viola. The first time was uneventful, but by the second meeting, she had sensed hostility."We don't have to deal with her anyway. Let her be angry," she said."She's ungrateful," Helen spat i
Rafael waited patiently for a long time. When Carissa remained silent, he felt no disappointment. Sooner or later, she would come to truly love him and express it in her own words. Their lifetime together was long, and he was willing to wait.The next day, Carissa, accompanied by Violet and Rowan, visited Gracehold Estate with some generous gifts.The Earl of Gracehold's wife, Abigail, greeted them with her family. Samuel was the eldest legitimate son and the heir of the earl. With his noble background, accomplishments, and good looks, he was indeed someone many women would eagerly pursue.As a princess consort, Carissa was accorded a grand reception.It was known that the Earl of Gracehold, Noah Langley, had many concubines. However, none were present that day. Only the wives from the second, third, and fourth branches of the family, along with their children, came out to meet Carissa and her entourage.Abigail appeared to be around forty. She was slightly plump, but exuded the
However, it was too late. Before the maid could leave, a woman had entered. She was dressed in a begonia red brocade dress with intricate floral patterns. Over it, she wore an exquisite fur cloak.Carissa glanced at her and saw a woman with jet-black, lustrous hair, and skin as fair as snow. Her features were so refined that not a single flaw could be detected.She wore an emerald hairpin with a four-leaf clover pattern in her hair, adorned with floral decorations, and red ruby earrings hung from her earlobes. Her waist was slender and graceful, her movements both charming and elegant, with a blend of allure and cool detachment.Abigail furrowed her brow upon seeing the woman enter. The insolent woman had left her room, and was now offending their distinguished guest.The woman, Ruby, entered the sitting room. She cast a dismissive glance around, and then gave a slight curtsy. "I've heard that a distinguished guest has arrived at the estate, and I'm not permitted to enter the sit
Leona rose and led Carissa outside, just in time to see Ruby being dragged by her hair by Violet. At this moment, Ruby's arrogance and icy demeanor had vanished. Her face bore several distinct slap marks, swollen and bruised from Violet's harsh treatment.Noticing their approach, Violet pushed Ruby away with disgust. "Get lost!"Ruby struggled to maintain her balance, but defiantly raised her chin to look at Leona. "Lady Leona, your guest is truly barbaric. But perhaps I should thank her, for my lord will now cherish me even more."With that, she clutched her abdomen and was assisted away by her maids.Leona's face turned pale, and tears streamed down her cheeks.Carissa guided her back to her quarters, and offered her a handkerchief to wipe her tears. She sighed and said, "Is this how she's been treating you? Leona, you are a prince's daughter and a duchess!"Leona sobbed, "What use is being a duchess? He doesn't rely on my parents for anything. And even if my parents wanted to
Both Violet and Carissa were seething with anger. How could Samuel be so heartless? He used Nora's money to marry the woman he adored. Yet, that woman had the audacity to slap Nora for a single remark.Carissa's voice was sharp with rage as she asked, "Has he ever hit you?"Leona shook her head. "No, he hasn't."Carissa continued, "Even if he hasn't hit you now, who's to say what will happen in the future? That courtesan was already so bold in front of me today. It's likely she will provoke you further. Though she's a courtesan from a prestigious brothel, she has plenty of tricks up her sleeve."She placed a comforting hand on Leona's shoulder. "How many people did you bring with you? Do you have enough to protect yourself?"Leona replied, "I brought four maids and one old servant."Carissa considered her options. She would consult with Travis about sending a letter to his guild to see if his senior guild members could come as guards. Carissa was unsure if Travis' master would
Meredith was far from being put off by Carissa and Violet's unexpected visit. In fact, she welcomed them with great warmth and enthusiasm."I should have sent a formal notice of our visit, but it was an urgent matter. I hope you will forgive our impromptu arrival," Carissa apologized. Meredith smiled. "Why make such formalities between us? It's a pleasure to have you here. Just so happens that today, Henrietta is also my guest. She overindulged and upset her stomach. She's currently in the restroom, but you'll see her shortly.""What are you talking about? Meredith, don't speak nonsense."At this moment, Henrietta entered with her attendants. She was holding her stomach and clearly still felt unwell, but her retort to Meredith was forceful.Meredith laughed. "Oh, Henrietta, you want to keep up appearances just because Carissa is here. Even if you refuse to admit it, you're still a glutton, and Kiera's just following your lead."Carissa, Violet, and Rowan greeted her. "Greeting
Meredith said, "My father-in-law oversees the Oversight Department. Just the other day, over dinner, he mentioned that they're working to clean up the behavior of officials and restore the regulations from the previous king's reign. He insists that all officials must be honest and incorruptible. Lately, he and his deputy are discussing this matter, and it seems that Samuel is now in the spotlight."Upon hearing this, Carissa smiled and said, "Isn't that a stroke of luck? However, we might need to wait a day or two. Since that courtesan was beaten today, Samuel might be quite distressed. When I met him, he looked down on me greatly. I suspect he might come to demand an explanation. I wonder if offending a princess consort counts as a crime?"Meredith replied, "I've heard that Samuel fancies himself some kind of genius reborn, and prides himself on his exceptional talent. Since he was appointed as one of the top scholars by the king, he thinks of himself as above others because he's co
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