Everyone looked at him with sympathetic eyes, but at the same time, they were also reminded that their own wives might have married someone else in their absence.Among the group, only Ivan was unmarried. He was the maternal nephew of Thomas' mother, a young soldier on his first battlefield experience.Scott and Wilfred were from Stonebrook District. Like Ivan and Tobias, they were just ordinary soldiers.Felix was Logan's elder brother. He had been adopted by Audrey, and was not her biological son. Lacking success in his studies and with a passion for martial arts, he had ended up on the battlefield. After several years of service, he had become a centurion before being captured.Before Felix went to war, he was engaged. But with news of his death reaching home, it was likely that his fiancee had found another suitor. The head of the Quinton family was kind and virtuous. He would never ask someone to remain a widow and condemn her to a lifetime of misery.Felix also hoped his fia
The weather grew hotter, and the people in Hell Monarch Estate had already begun using ice on a daily basis to keep the place cool.Rafael still hadn't sent any letters back, and Carissa was growing worried. Although he had gone with her martial uncle, the mission to rescue the hostages in the Sandoria border city was extremely dangerous, especially with Sandorian soldiers stationed there.According to the information Claire had gathered, there were plainclothes guards stationed around Valor Estate. They changed shifts day and night. It seemed the king was aware that someone intended to harm Aurora.The situation in Westhaven remained unclear. However, the special investigator, Patrick, had returned to report on the case in Brightmoor District. The massacre of Lola's family had been clarified—someone had used a Soulgrip Threadworm on Lola, causing her to lose her sanity and murder her entire family. The culprit was a local small merchant named Mason.The murderer had already confes
When Carissa indicated that something was wrong, Violet naturally sought confirmation. Violet approached Claire, asking her to assign someone to keep an eye on Harvey. Violet also instructed Claire repeatedly to avoid leaving any traces, and to ensure that no one discovered she was monitoring the people in Hartstone Estate.When assassins had infiltrated Valor Estate, Carissa had stepped in to help and had been summoned to the palace to explain the situation. Salvador had grown suspicious of Rafael, so everything must be done carefully.On the day Serena was to enter the Marquis of Ironridge's family, a sudden downpour arrived unexpectedly.Through the heavy rain, a small carriage entered through the side gate of Ironridge Estate. Serena had brought no noteworthy dowry, and cast a resentful glance at Barrett before stepping into the carriage.Once inside the estate, Serena greeted Jessica respectfully and served her a glass of wine, as was customary. However, Serena didn't even g
Violet and Travis both understood the implication of Carissa's words.The situation in Westhaven was bound to change drastically. Once the current crown prince, Edmund, ascends the throne, the first order of business would be a thorough investigation of Fawnrun City. There were three reasons for that—revenge, consolidating his own political power, and redrawing the borderlines.If Barrett still had any sympathy for Viola, he should let her return to her family.But if he kept Viola with him to force Oliver to stand up for the Warrens, then he and Aurora were essentially the same—utterly selfish.Feeling playful, Violet said, "Let's make a bet. Will Barrett give Viola a divorce letter? I think he won't."Though he held Barrett in low regard, Travis still remembered the man's bravery on the battlefield and was willing to give him a small measure of support. "He might. At least he showed responsibility on the battlefield."The two looked at Carissa. "What will you bet on?"Carissa
On June 19th, Oliver dispatched Timothy and Louis with three thousand soldiers to the mountains outside Simonton City. They were there to wait for the Hell Monarch and Septimus.While Oliver chose not to concern himself with the rescue operation's details, it was crucial that the pickup went smoothly. To secure his position as marshal, everything had to be executed flawlessly. If the Hell Monarch’s rescue attempt failed and they fell into the hands of the Sandoria forces, it would spell disaster for Oliver. He couldn’t afford to send troops to the Sandoria border city.Louis and Timothy reached the highest mountain outside Simonton City, and left a thousand men behind to stand by. They led the remaining two thousand further, hoping to intercept Rafael as soon as possible. However, after crossing another mountain, they ceased advancing. Beyond lay the nomad grassland tribes, where bringing two thousand soldiers would likely result in a battle.In truth, once Rafael reached the gras
In the end, Louis and Timothy decided to go together. After all, their troops were stationed here and hadn't crossed the border nor entered the grassland tribes' territory. Only a hundred soldiers in teams of ten would be going in.As expected, passing the grassland in small groups didn't draw the attention of the grassland sentries. They reached the top of Crow Mountain, and waited there. Although Crow Mountain was vast, they occupied the high ground and could see any movement from afar.They couldn't just rush down blindly, as Crow Mountain was divided between Sandoria and the grasslands, and a misstep could lead to conflict.They knew this, so they left some people behind to keep watch and call for help if needed. Then, Louis and Timothy continued on with a dozen or so people.-Meanwhile, Rafael and his group had already reached the base of Crow Mountain. Once they crossed it, they would be on the grassland. They were only a small group of people entering the grassland, whic
There was no time to hesitate—their pursuers were close behind.Everett and Rafael exchanged a glance. Even if it was stupid and risky, there was only one method they could use—flying while carrying their burdens.Dylan and Jacob could fly on their own, but the other eleven men needed to be carried. That meant Everett and Rafael needed to do at least five or six trips back and forth.Under extreme fatigue and with their internal force severely depleted, it was a life-threatening task."Sir, I'm truly sorry for the trouble," Rafael said, his eyes full of remorse.Everett sighed. "You're my only apprentice, and you've married the most troublesome girl in all of Meadow Ridge. If I don't feel for you, who will?"Rafael wanted to say he was happy, but under his master's compassionate gaze, he swallowed his words. They would just have to carry their burdens. He knew that his master had a stubborn streak—if Everett disagreed with Rafael, the former would have made it clear. There was
Everyone covered their mouths, watching in terror as the scene unfolded. Oh god, it looked like Rafael and Lawrence would fall any minute!At this critical juncture, Everett and Dylan rushed forward, each grabbing one of Rafael's hands. Their other hands held onto the small trees. However, the distance between them was too great for them to pull Rafael up.Additionally, the two small trees were bearing the weight of four people, which was extremely perilous.At that moment, Thomas quickly lowered a grappling hook and rope, just long enough to reach Rafael's right hand.Dylan exchanged a look with Rafael. As they nodded to each other, Dylan let go. Rafael quickly grasped the rope with his right hand. Then, Everett released his grip, allowing Rafael to grasp the rope with his left hand as well.With both hands holding onto the rope, it meant the people above could only pull up Rafael and Lawrence.The rope wasn't long enough to secure to a tree above. Thomas had lowered it with o
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
In the royal study, the braziers still hadn't been lit, and the cold crept in like a quiet intruder, spreading its chill across the room.The reports had been reviewed and signed long ago, yet Salvador lingered, his hand resting idly on the pile of documents. His gaze was fixed on the dim flickering of the lamp's flame, his mind adrift.He read the letter Rafael had written to Carissa, filled with endless longing and heartfelt emotions. It was as if they had just gotten married, and they were deeply in love and inseparable.This wasn't the first time Salvador had read their letters. While there had been expressions of longing in the past, none were as bold and reckless as this.Such words would feel awkward to say out loud, let alone write down. Salvador thought his younger brother's actions were inappropriate and too careless.There were far better ways to win a woman's affection—why resort to this?And yet, despite his disapproval, something within him stirred, like a stone t
Balin entered the city with just a dozen men. They were all strong and sturdy, with curved blades at their waists, looking fierce and intimidating.But when they sat down to eat and drink, their tanned faces broke into wide, radiant smiles.Balin was in his fifties, with skin as dark and shining as his men's, his eyes sharp and intelligent. He was a man of great wisdom and was meticulous in his thinking. In other words, he remained cautious and never fully trusted the Hell Monarch.His one demand was simple: this would be a one-time alliance. After driving back the Sandorians, the Southern Frontier Army was to withdraw from the grasslands swiftly. No one was to step foot in the heart of the grasslands again without permission.Rafael agreed, and the treaty was signed immediately.Once the agreement was made, they didn't linger any longer than necessary and left.The grassland tribes held little fondness for Starhaven, as the endless warfare often spilled over into their territori
After the lively wedding banquet, Carissa returned to Hell Monarch Estate, only to be struck by an unexpected chill in Orchid Hall. Her thoughts turned to Rafael, who was far away in the Southern Frontier. She hadn't counted the days since they had parted, but it felt like an eternity.She was about to head out to the Glimmering Tower as usual to see Adrian, but then she remembered that he had returned to Meadow Ridge.A pang of emptiness settled in her chest.She thought back to how Rosalind had seemed tonight. Carissa realized that when a woman got married, her heart was filled with so much joy, excitement, and bashfulness. The happiness just radiated from Rosalind.Carissa thought back to her own two weddings—both had been too calm and quiet.Lulu helped remove her makeup and was about to prepare a bath, but Carissa stopped her, pulling her down to sit beside her instead."Lulu, I've mentioned before that we need to talk about your marriage. Have you thought about anyone in