Carissa interrupted, "You mentioned that the performance troupe was repeatedly disrupted a few years ago. How exactly were they disrupted? Did she say anything about it?""Yes, some scoundrels smashed up their equipment. They bought replacements several times, only to have them destroyed again. It made Lucas so furious, he was nearly foaming at his mouth.""When did this happen?" Carissa pressed."She said it was five years ago, and it went on for about six months.""I see. Make a note that Eleanor might have visited Stonebridge County five years ago, or she could have sent someone there," Carissa instructed Jacob.Jacob nodded. "Thank you for reminding me, Your Grace. I was so focused on Ms. Spencer's story that I completely forgot we still need to investigate Grand Princess Eleanor's so-called rescue."Jacob had never been so careless before. He realized he was too excited this time.Violet continued, "After the performance troupe disbanded, everyone scattered for a few months
The pressing issue at hand was how Thomas intended to delay the engagement.The Marquis of Grovehill's family would undoubtedly push hard for a resolution, and it would depend on how Thomas handled the situation by dragging things out.According to their speculation, Jaina would become a pawn for Eleanor if Thomas refused. There were two options—either Jaina would be married off as a concubine to Henry, or wed to an elderly man as a secondary wife or a concubine in his household.As for asking Thomas to agree to the engagement first, that wouldn't work either. Thomas clearly had no interest. Alice might have liked the idea at first, but once she realized it was a setup, she certainly wouldn't agree.Even if the two families ultimately saw eye to eye and genuinely wanted to arrange a marriage, Jaina's representative for her family should be Jacob, not someone from the Marquis of Grovehill's family. Jacob would never allow his sister to be mistreated again.After the emotional rol
Henry emerged from the dungeon of Harmony Palace, dragging his heavy feet toward the side hall where Eleanor awaited him.After meeting Carissa and learning about their plans, he shared them with Eleanor, which gave him the opportunity to visit the dungeon. He managed to bring some food and clothing for Melanie Lester, and even took her on a stroll in the courtyard outside the dungeon. However, informing Eleanor of Carissa's plan meant he had already abandoned Carmen.Henry had no choice but to proceed this way. Initially, he had been forced into the situation, but now, he was in too deep to turn back. The Marquis of Grovehill's family and Eleanor's household were tightly intertwined, leaving Henry with no option but to obey Eleanor's orders.As he entered the side hall, Eleanor dismissed those around her with a wave of her hand and said coolly, "Have a seat."Henry sat down. "Thank you, Your Highness."Eleanor sipped her coffee, and said nothing. Henry didn't say anything, eith
Eleanor waved her hand, and dismissed Henry.Did he think she couldn't see the disdain in his eyes? The more he loathed her, the more she wanted him to remember that he and Grovehill Estate would forever be her subordinates.Once Henry left, Eleanor summoned Florence. "Henry is coming tonight. Light the lamps early, and don't forget to burn the incense. Also, make sure he drinks the herbal tonic before he enters the room.""I understand, Your Highness," Florence replied.Eleanor closed her eyes, her expression uncertain. Florence hesitated before speaking again, "Your Highness, you've never been fond of getting intimate with the prince consort. Why force yourself?"Still keeping her eyes shut, Eleanor let out a barely audible sigh. "I just suddenly thought of someone.""Lord Henry is who he is, and that other person is simply that. Every time you share a bed with the prince consort, you never seem happy," Florence pointed out. Having been her wet nurse, Florence held a high posit
Eleanor smiled at Florence. "Why are you so worried? I haven't captured him yet. I've only gathered some information. On the thirtieth of September, he plans to leave for Serenvale with a coachman and servant. I'll have all of them brought back to Harmony Palace and locked up in the dungeon. Who will notice that they've gone missing? Once the Emberfest Festival is over, there'll be plenty of time for me to make my move on him."Florence felt her heart tighten. "Your Highness, General Sinclair was ungrateful and cruel to you. Why do you want to bear a child from the Sinclair family? Though Lord Henry is cowardly, he's still your rightful husband."A bitter taste rose in Eleanor's mouth, stemming from the depth of her heart.She pressed her fist against her temple and closed her eyes, hissing her next words through clenched teeth, "He was unfeeling and wanted nothing to do with me. I won't give him the satisfaction. I'll bear a child from the Sinclair family, so he'll never know peace
As the sun set and cast a warm glow over the city, Caspian stepped out of the Ministry of Infrastructure, where a carriage was already waiting for him.Before he climbed aboard, he said, "Let's head to the end of Jubilant Street first. My wife mentioned a couple of days ago that she wanted to have Harold's ravioli. I want to buy some fresh ones to cook at home.""I'm afraid he won't be set up yet," the coachman, Charles, replied.Harold's ravioli stall only opened at night. The capital was thriving, and both Jubilant Street and Beacon Street buzzed with activity when night fell."It's almost time. We can wait a bit once we get there," Caspian said with a wave of his hand.Charles chuckled. "You really care for your wife, don't you, sir?"Caspian playfully tapped Charles on the head and smiled. "She's a good woman who married me and is raising our children. How could I not treat her well? And you'd best take care of Jenny too."Charles nodded and grinned. "I understand, sir."Ch
When the freshly-cooked ravioli was served, the aroma wafted through the air."Thank you for letting me go first, Mr. Prince. Next time you come to my shop for coffee beans, I'll be sure to give you a discount," Ava said with a smile.Caspian regarded her with curiosity. "How much of a discount?"Ava blinked playfully, her eyes sparkling. "How much of a discount would you like, Mr. Prince?"With her sweet appearance and a hint of innocent charm, she resembled a beautiful flower in full bloom. Even the most steadfast gentleman might feel his heart flutter at such a sight. However, Caspian seemed oblivious to her beauty and was instead focused on the matter at hand."You should give me the same as whatever you give Lord Snyder," he said.Ava giggled, her eyes twinkling. "That won't do! Since you were kind enough to let me have the ravioli first, I must repay you properly. How about this—if you come in person and buy a pound, I'll throw in half a pound for free?""It's a deal," Cas
Of course, Caspian had no idea that Ava was interested in him. If he had been that astute and clever, he would have held a position far beyond that of a mere junior official in the Ministry of Infrastructure.When he returned home, everyone was waiting for him to eat. He handed the ravioli to a servant, instructing them to boil it quickly so everyone could enjoy some."I was wondering why you were so late. Was it because you went to buy some ravioli? Look at you—you've got your wife on your mind and have forgotten all about your mom. You left her hungry and waiting for you," Zoey teased.Caspian quickly apologized, but feeling a bit defensive, he explained, "I could have been home earlier, but Harold was so slow. Plus, Ms. Weaver cut in line. She claimed she was starving and asked me to let her and her servant go first. That's why I was delayed.""Ms. Weaver?" Zoey repeated curiously, raising an eyebrow.She knew her brother-in-law well—he usually didn't associate with women. Who
With Salvador having summoned the court officials to the royal study, the discussions continued late into the night. It was only when Sebastian stepped in to interrupt, informing them that the hour had grown late, that the session came to a close."Has it really gotten this late? Let's call it a night, then. The palace gates will be locked soon," said Salvador, stretching his arms with a smile.Despite the late hour, the king appeared to be in high spirits, especially with the color back in his face. He hardly resembled a man suffering from illness.Carissa waited for Rafael to finish his meeting before leaving the palace with him. Exhausted, she leaned against his shoulder and drifted into a deep, drowsy sleep.When the carriage arrived at the estate, Rafael lifted her into his arms. Carissa, half-conscious, recognized the motion but was too tired to protest. She simply let him carry her inside, finding comfort in his strong embrace.Over the past three months, she had only been
On the fifteenth of October, the envoy delegation finally returned to the capital.The Mystic Army dispersed on the spot, while Davis, Alden, and the other officials made their way to the palace to report to the king. Kendrick, who had been weak and unable to stand on his own, seemed to find strength now. He insisted that he accompany them to the palace as well.As for Carissa, Rafael had been waiting at the city gates for her. Every day, he had someone stationed there. Sometimes, during his midday breaks, he would go himself. Today, he finally caught sight of her.While Davis and the others were reporting at the palace, Carissa went to see Helen with Rafael. Seeing her daughter-in-law's fatigue, Helen urged her to hurry and bathe and change. With that, the couple returned to Orchid Hall.When Carissa emerged in fresh clothes after her bath, her lips were oddly swollen. Joy stared at her, surprised. Without thinking, she glanced at Rafael. It seemed that when Carissa was bathing, R
After resting at Victory Pass for five days, Kendrick finally recovered. Now that he was well, it was time to set off for the capital.Though Carissa was reluctant to part with her family, she could only say a tearful farewell. She bowed deeply to Dominic, nearly causing tears to spill from his own eyes.Davis, who held the utmost respect for Dominic, was the most emotional. While Carissa silently wept, Davis openly wept. He knew this was likely the last time he would ever see the venerable old general, who had served Starhaven in Victory Pass for decades.Dominic was already in the twilight years of his life, and he looked much frailer than the last time they had met. Even though Salvador had granted him leave to return to the capital, the long, grueling journey would likely be too much for him to bear, and the Sullivan family might not permit him to make the trip.Dominic spoke with Davis for a while, and the latter's sobs grew louder.Cindy had never asked about the details of
The journey home began in early September. The heat of summer had passed, replaced by a cool breeze.Liam personally escorted the delegation, accompanying them all the way to Fawnrun City.The return journey was uneventful—no more attempts on their lives, and everything proceeded smoothly. Once they crossed the rolling mountains, they entered Starhaven's territory.They hadn't notified Dominic in advance, so Carissa didn't expect anyone to be there to greet them. But as soon as they crossed into Starhaven, they saw Barrett leading the Sullivan Army, waiting for them.Relief was clear on Barrett's face when he saw they had returned safely. He rode forward, then dismounted and greeted Kendrick, Davis, and the others."Your Highness, Mr. Lloyd, esteemed lords, Grand General Sullivan sent me to wait here. I will escort you back to Victory Pass."Davis raised an eyebrow. "How did Grand General Sullivan know we were returning today?""He didn't know, but he ordered us to wait here eve
"This journey was not only for the sake of Orivenia and Starhaven, but also for Nerathia. No need for thanks; relations between kingdoms are always driven by mutual interests. It is only through personal friendship that true sincerity arises," Faelan replied.Carissa nodded thoughtfully, but curiosity got the better of her. "Might I ask if you know my mentor, Adrian Russell?"Faelan chuckled. "I do. He has been to Nerathia and even stayed at my training grounds for a time. My guard commander, Shadow, is quite close with your mentor. They would often drink together.""Ah, I see," Carissa mused, thinking back to the shadowy figures she had seen.She wondered which of them was the esteemed Shadow. It would be a great pity if she couldn't meet him.As if reading her mind, Faelan chuckled. "In three or five years, we'll visit Starhaven. When the time comes, I'll introduce you to Shadow."Carissa was about to express her thanks, but Violet interjected, "Why wait three or five years? Co
After two days of touring, Liam finally spoke to Carissa."Your country has a Miracle Healer named Sebastian Dalton, right? He's been making a medicine called Snowdrop Pills. Snow Blossom is a key ingredient, but your kingdom has only a limited supply. It grows at the Southern Frontier, but only high atop the snowy mountains. It's difficult to gather and incredibly scarce."However, in our kingdom, Snow Blossoms are not so rare. It's found on many high peaks. The Snow Blossom that Healer Dalton uses now is bought secretly from Orivenia's herbal merchants at a steep price. It's so expensive that every Snowdrop Pill he sells is at a loss."Carissa knew that Snowdrop Pills were rare because some of the ingredients were hard to find, but Sebastian had never specifically mentioned which ones.However, if he was buying an ingredient from Orivenia, it made sense why he needed to keep it a secret. Previously, there was no trade between Orivenia and Starhaven, especially when it came to med
The position Faelan took at the table represented Nerathia's stance in the negotiations.They were neutral!Carissa couldn't help but marvel once more at the power of a strong kingdom.The initial stages of the talks were tedious, with the same points being repeated over and over. The translators were busy, their voices echoing with historical debates. This was inevitable, as conceding too early would only lead to further compromises.As such, the first round of negotiations yielded no agreement. It was simply a test of boundaries.The second round began the following day. Again, they emphasized the same points.But after the second repetition, Faelan spoke up, saying, "There is no point in prolonging this. The dispute over the border has lasted for decades. It will not be resolved in a day. Let us set the border issue aside for now. What I wish to know is whether both sides are committed to establishing peace and mutual non-aggression between your kingdoms."The answer was unan
Carissa noticed that the nobles and officials of Orivenia seemed unaware of Nerathia's intention to intervene in the negotiations.Their faces betrayed confusion, but after a moment, they revealed expressions of joy and confidence. It seemed they also believed that Nerathia's involvement would provide Orivenia with solid backing.Seeing this, Carissa felt a slight sense of reassurance. If that were really the case, Lisandra would have informed them beforehand. Or at least, she would have let the negotiating officials know.But why hadn't she?It seemed there was only one explanation. Lisandra was also hoping for mutual concessions. Few at court supported her, so she had brought in Faelan from Nerathia—someone whom everyone would trust.This made sense of the conversation from the previous night, when Lisandra had invited Carissa and Violet to the palace. The remarks about unmet wishes were clear now. The example of the women taking part in the civil service examinations was just t
In banquets like these, no one truly ate with much enthusiasm. Most dishes were merely tasted before being set aside, barely touched before servants whisked them away.But the Nerathians were different. They treated every dish with genuine respect, cleaning their plates entirely, no matter what was served. Their wine glasses, once filled, were immediately emptied again. The palace servants attending to them must have been exhausted, constantly refilling their glasses and replacing empty plates.Violet recalled their meal at Spring Pavilion. Just like tonight, not a single scrap had been left behind. She wanted to say something to Carissa, but the only sound in the hall was the clinking of cutlery and the quiet shifting of plates. Speaking now would be too conspicuous.Still, one glance between them was enough.Violet's thought was clear—the Nerathians' presence at this banquet must be tied to the negotiations. Carissa agreed.However, their exact role remained uncertain. Were they