Zoey sighed. "Viola wasn't invited to this banquet. She insisted on coming along. When she married into the Farrell family, after your son died in battle, you returned all the dowry and even gave her Thomas' pension. You even gave her two more shops. Now, everything has been moved to the Warren family. On her wedding day, she even compared her dowry to Lady Carissa's."This isn't something I should be telling you, but I couldn't bear to see you worrying about her. You shouldn't concern yourself with her matters. It's more important to take care of your own health. If Thomas' spirit sees you constantly unhappy, he might not rest in peace."Alice was shocked beyond measure upon hearing this. Viola wasn't someone Alice would have imagined being like this. She understood propriety and respected her elders, but how had she become this way?Had Viola always been hypocritical, or had she changed?Zoey looked at Alice, a phrase stuck in her throat but left unsaid."Thank you for infor
Viola was anxious. "What I'm saying is the truth. The rumors were mostly unfounded, likely spread by the Hell Monarch's princess consort out of resentment. Moreover, the recent incident of dung being thrown at our residence was also orchestrated by her."Alice turned abruptly and walked away, her steps unsteady and her face pale. Viola's words had struck her deeply.After hearing Zoey's remarks, Alice had thought that even if she accepted Viola's marriage to Barrett, the affection she spoke of couldn't be genuine. But now, hearing Viola's words, Alice felt a coldness wash over her. She could hardly believe that Viola would compare Thomas to someone like Barrett.She found Opal and gripped her niece-in-law's hand tightly, fearing she might lose control of her emotions and disrupt Helen's birthday banquet.Opal took her back to the theater area, where Carissa noticed them and asked, "Are you feeling unwell? Perhaps you should go back and rest. The days are long, and you can come
All eyes were on Serena as she lay on the ground, her tears on the verge of spilling. Her knees and forehead throbbed with pain.But the pain was secondary—she had come so close to falling into the Hell Monarch's arms.She thought that although Rafael was a martial general, he would surely have a compassionate heart. Any man would instinctively reach out to help if a woman was about to fall.However, just as she believed she was about to be caught, she felt as if some force had pulled her forward. She landed on the ground while Rafael had swiftly stepped back.The speed of his retreat was so swift it was barely perceptible, as if he had never moved at all.Struggling in pain, Serena raised her head, her eyes filled with tears, only to meet Rafael's cold, icy gaze. The intensity of his stare made her shiver uncontrollably.A maid helped her up, but Serena could barely stand, leaning heavily on the maid for support. Instinctively, she looked towards Jessica, who was standing nearby
Lily walked over to Serena and said, "Ms. Warren, you have a head injury. Please come with me so I can tend to it."Lily had previously worked at Valor Estate, and she was a familiar face to Serena.Serena was aware that her forehead was bleeding. Though it was only a small amount, appearing at the birthday feast with a bloody forehead would be highly inappropriate. Thus, she reluctantly followed Lily.As Lily attended to Serena's wound, she said softly, "Never covet what's someone else's."Serena felt humiliated, and trembled all over.-Outside, Violet approached Carissa."It was Jessica who pushed her. Clearly, they planned it together. They probably intended for Serena to fall onto your man and force him into marrying her. What's odd is that Jessica seems indifferent to whether the plan succeeds or not."Carissa replied, "Yeah. When Lady Dakota came out with her grandchildren and then the topic changed to taking concubines, I knew their intentions. They want to make my moth
Ultimately, Viola didn't leave the banquet before this.The scrutinizing gazes that fell upon her face made her feel utterly humiliated. Yet, she couldn't bring herself to look away, unwilling to miss even a moment of Carissa's potential embarrassment.Such a grand banquet was bound to have some slip-ups.The next part of the event was the toasting ceremony. Although the male and female guests were seated separately, the screens dividing them were only a slight barrier.During the toasts, it was customary for the guests to bow their heads in acknowledgment. As the male guests moved to toast, they said, "Let's go, we'll toast to Lady Helen."The women paused, putting down their utensils and lifting their fans to cover their faces.Rafael led a group consisting of Harvey, Jeremiah, and Trevor, and the men approached Helen. They didn't glance at the female guests but walked straight to Helen, stopping a short distance before her and raising their glasses. "Lady Helen, we wish you
Viola was completely floored. She couldn't believe Serena would repeatedly engage in such shameless behavior. This time, Serena had even offended Leopold!Most troubling of all, Leopold hadn't merely grabbed her. He had caught her around the waist, likely an instinctive reaction.As a male guest, Leopold was unaware of the earlier commotion in the garden. All he saw was a woman who appeared to be fainting with an injured eye, and he instinctively reached out to catch her.The instinctive action had been so swift that Leopold's mind lagged behind just a moment. By the time he realized what he had done, he was already holding Serena.And it had been in full view of everyone!Carissa's expression hardened. "Guards, escort Ms. Warren back to her residence. She's unwell."Margaret cast a grateful glance at Carissa. If Serena wasn't sent away promptly, the situation would be difficult to resolve.Lily and two maids quickly entered. One supported Serena's arm, while the other helped he
Carissa continued to entertain the guests, but privately instructed Violet to keep an eye on everyone, especially those with ulterior motives.Violet observed two young women who frequently exchanged glances with Eleanor. After noting their details, she approached Lily to inquire about them.Lily was assisting with the arrangements inside. After identifying the two women, she came out and told Violet, "The one in the yellow dress is from Lady Ruth's natal family, but I don't know her name. The one in the violet dress is from the late Lady Chloe's natal family, and her name is Renee. She is exceptionally talented and beautiful. People often compare her to Queen Kylie. Queen Kylie's talents were once unrivaled in the capital."Violet made a mental note of that. When Carissa emerged, Violet informed her of the two women's identities.Carissa understood immediately. Both Ruth and the late noble concubine, Chloe, had connections to Eleanor and Yuvan. They were clearly trying to insert t
And that wretched woman currently favored by Leopold was Margaret's niece. She was made his concubine and, like a breeding sow, already had a son and a daughter. Now, she was pregnant again and was expected to give birth in a few days.Returning now would only add to Jessica's grievances. But with her mother's orders, Jessica had no choice but to go back.The pride she once had, boasting about returning to her natal family, now seemed like a distant memory. No one came to pick her up, and she had to return alone, looking quite embarrassed.Taking Serena in as a concubine…That wretched woman had bore a son and a daughter, and was about to give birth again. Though Serena was foolish, her youth and beauty gave her an advantage. Jessica could let Serena deal with that wretched woman, and then benefit from the chaos.Even though Jessica thought that way, her resentment towards Serena was profound. Wretched, all of them—Jessica had brought trouble upon herself.Eleanor closed her ey
As soon as Carissa left, Salvador's smile vanished. He barely sipped his soup before dismissing Grace and Caden. Grace said nothing. She simply instructed the servants to clear the dishes, took Caden's hand, and curtsied gracefully before taking her leave.Once the hall was silent, Derek closed the door and turned toward the king. "Your Majesty, it's not yet time for the next council meeting. Why don't you rest for a short while?"In the past, Salvador had always taken a brief respite during the noon hours. But ever since summoning Carissa for these conversations, he hadn't rested at all.Salvador massaged his temples and sighed. "Very well. My head's starting to ache.""Should I summon the royal physician to examine you?" Derek offered."There's no need. Those useless quacks at the Royal Medical Department have yet to cure a simple headache, though I've taken more than my share of their remedies."Salvador stood and made his way into the inner chamber, lying down fully clothed.
Of course, Carissa couldn't share her thoughts with Derek, so she simply thanked him and left.After that, Salvador continued the same routine of summoning her for idle conversation after court meetings. Sometimes, these sessions lasted an hour, and other times, they lasted two hours.Gradually, Carissa learned to take it in stride.As his subject, if Salvador wanted her to act like a competent friend, she could oblige. Still, she couldn't help but think about how these midday breaks, a time the king should have spent resting, were now wasted on trivial chatter.During this period, Grace visited a few times to deliver soup. Sylvia also came by, as did Penelope and even Jeanette.Since the royal study was off-limits to the concubines, these women couldn't enter. Instead, they had to hand the soups to Derek, who would deliver them inside. However, if they brought along one of the princes or princesses, they were allowed to step into the study for a brief visit.Perhaps because the
This pattern continued for nearly ten days.Back at the estate, Carissa discussed it with Jacob and Kyle, but no one could make sense of Salvador's intentions.At first, they assumed the king was trying to gather information about the Pathfinders Guild. After all, Adrian had not only modified the six-barreled matchlock and red cannon for this battle, but had also rallied numerous martial arts guilds to defend the capital.Given Salvador's naturally suspicious nature, it wouldn't have been surprising if he harbored doubts.But the more time passed, the more it seemed like that wasn't the case. The king didn't show much interest in the specifics of Meadow Ridge or Adrian's actions. Instead, he seemed more entertained by Carissa's childhood escapades.In recent days, Salvador's favorite stories were those of her mischief at Meadow Ridge—brawling, causing trouble, and forcing her mentor to go door-to-door apologizing and paying reparations.Whenever she recounted those tales, Salvado
Carissa had known for some time that Barrett had lost an arm while saving Wyatt. Cindy had mentioned it in a letter—not intentionally, but while talking about the Sullivan family's situation and the battle, it came up briefly.When Carissa read it, she didn't dwell on the matter, nor did she mention it in her reply.In the chaos of war, it was often impossible to distinguish who saved whom.She naturally wished for every soldier to return home whole and unharmed, but war was brutal and unrelenting. Blood and sacrifice were inevitable.While Carissa had acknowledged Barrett's actions, Salvador had only recently learned of them. The latest victory report from Victory Pass detailed Barrett's courageous efforts—how he had fought valiantly, saved lives, and lost an arm in the process.The earlier reports that came back on horseback had contained only critical updates on the battle's progress, with no mention of individual achievements. Only the detailed victory reports included a list
Salvador now regularly summoned Carissa to the royal study to discuss military matters, granting her a seat at the table where battle strategies were planned and debated. Her place in these discussions was earned by leading the Mystic Army to crush the rebels.It was a position forged in blood and sweat, with no one daring to challenge her right to it.The reports that shaped their discussions came from Victory Pass and the Southern Frontier. These dispatches provided the foundation for the court's analysis of the situation, guiding decisions on logistical support and strategies.Yet, even when strategies were drafted, Salvador refrained from issuing direct commands. Instead, he offered suggestions, a gesture that showed his trust in Rafael and the Sullivan family—though that trust extended only as far as their abilities on the battlefield.With winter approaching, the soldiers needed winter clothing and more weapons. Most of their discussions revolved around supplies.Leroy and V
The garden at Tranquil Palace wasn't small, but it couldn't be compared to the royal garden.If one took their time strolling along, admiring the flowers, or stood still to enjoy the view for a while, one could easily spend a good portion of the afternoon. But Carissa was accustomed to walking briskly. Flowers didn't require her lingering attention—she could glance at them and move on, seeing little difference between one bloom and the next.She had seen fields upon fields of flowers, all of which had left a lasting impression on her. These meticulously tended peonies in their pots, though, hardly stirred any great interest.By the time they finished their walk, some of the other ladies hadn't even finished their coffee. Just as Jeanette began to speak of Skye Embroidery, they found themselves back at the main hall of Tranquil Palace.Jeanette forced a smile. "Shall we go inside and congratulate Lady Sylvia?"Carissa shook her head. "I have matters to attend to, so I'll have to
When Sylvia moved to her new residence, all the concubines sent gifts. The royal relatives, upon hearing the news, hurried to send their congratulations as well.As for what to send, other households usually left the decision to the lady of the house. But at Hell Monarch Estate, the ones in charge were Jacob and Luke.They searched through the storerooms, but nothing seemed quite right. Either the items were too expensive, or they were just simple gold, silver, or jewels. Even the golden vases seemed too small and trivial.As for the larger items, such as coral trees or folding screens, Jacob wasn't inclined to part with them. The coral tree, in particular, was rare. The one in the estate had been a wedding gift from the Pathfinders Guild when Carissa married.In the end, their eyes landed on the most abundant item in the storeroom—Kyle's orchid paintings.This would certainly make a strong impression—expensive and elegant, yet not unique to the estate. If it wasn't enough, snow w
Among the harem, Kylie was most wary of Sylvia and Grace. Sylvia was caring for Cecil, while Grace was caring for Caden, the second prince.Cecil was not Sylvia's biological son and was still very young, so Kylie need not worry too much. But Sylvia had once been arrogant, with an impressive family background and a sharp aptitude for power games.In the past year, Sylvia had softened somewhat, co-managing the affairs of the harem with Grace. She had learned how to win hearts and minds, and her support for Skye Embroidery and Gracewood Women's Academy had earned her some reputation among the common folk.In contrast, Grace was far more restrained. She co-managed the harem with Sylvia and would occasionally seek Kylie's opinion, genuinely treating her with respect due to her being the queen.But Caden, a sharp and well-mannered boy, was Salvador's and Victoria's favorite.If the position of Crown Prince were to be decided now, it would naturally fall to Connor. But once the princes g
Kylie had yet to remove her hairpins, and her makeup was still untouched, her face brimming with quiet anticipation.Earlier that day, a message had arrived from the court, announcing that the king would visit the harem tonight. She had waited for hours, but had heard no news that he had sent for any concubines. In her heart, she felt a surge of joy. If no summons had come, it meant he would be visiting her chambers."Lydia, go and see if His Majesty has arrived yet," she urged once again, her third time asking that evening.Lydia was standing to the side. She smiled and said, "Your Majesty, please be patient. If His Majesty was coming, he would surely send word beforehand so you can prepare to receive him.""Yes, you're right," Kylie sighed, brushing a loose strand of hair from her temple. "It's been so long since His Majesty visited my palace that I nearly forgot how it goes." Her smile was soft and alluring. "We are husband and wife, after all. What couple do not have thei