Rafael pulled his wife to stand in front of him and gently rubbed her bruised eye. "Does it hurt?""Just a little," Carissa replied, pulling his hand away and glancing back, wary of any onlookers."Don't worry. No one's coming in. What happened?" he asked, concern etched across his face.After maintaining her composure for so long, Carissa finally relaxed. She sank into a chair and rubbed her eye, realizing it was indeed a bit more swollen than earlier.That wretched Travis!"I was sparring with Violet this morning, and then Rod jumped in. Both of us ended up getting accidentally hit by his fists.""Let's dock his pay," Rafael said, both amused and sympathetic.Though Travis was typically well-behaved, he tended to revert to the playful demeanor of a youth when he was with Violet and Carissa.Carissa chuckled. "Docking his pay might cost him his life. Money is one thing, but if Alana finds out and tells his master, she'll certainly send orders for further punishment.""Just sc
Florence, who was advanced in age, was kept in a small and relatively clean cell. She was also separated from the other Harmony Palace servants. Since being taken to the Supreme Court, she hadn't eaten or drank anything, nor had she spoken a word.Matthew had personally questioned her and urged her to eat, but she just lay in her cell, appearing resigned to death.Rafael was well aware that Florence wouldn't speak ill of Eleanor. After all, she had raised the grand princess, and their bond had long since transcended that of a mere servant and her mistress. Over the years, while people came and went from Eleanor's side, Florence had remained steadfastly loyal.As a result, she was privy to all of Eleanor's secrets—many of which were quite sordid."Matthew interrogated Kurt today. We learned that Aunt Eleanor initially ordered that your uncle's face be ruined and his entire family be killed. It was Florence who intervened and told Kurt not to carry out the order. Otherwise, your uncl
Florence's cold and hollow gaze was fixated intently on Carissa, who returned her stare.She had seen Florence during her visit to Harmony Palace, where the old woman had worn a stone-blue silk gown. Authority had been etched into every wrinkle of her face, instilling fear in many who crossed her path.However, Florence was dressed in a wrinkled indigo outfit now, and her hair was a mess. Her eyelids sagged and dark spots marred her once-proud visage, revealing the toll of age and hardship. She looked painfully thin, her frailty accentuated by worry and her refusal to eat, making her appear near skeletal.Though Florence seemed indifferent, caught in a state of waiting for death, the truth was that she was anxious—otherwise, she wouldn't have aged so dramatically in such a short time.Matthew had spoken to her, but she hadn't uttered a word, not even sparing a glance in his direction.Now, when facing Carissa, she spoke first, saying, "Don't think you'll hear a single word against
Carissa didn't find Florence's words ridiculous. Instead, she felt a twinge of sadness. Regardless of the old woman's current thoughts, it was clear she had once held those beliefs deeply.Carissa chose not to counter Florence's claims. From the way she secretly spared Daniel and his family from Eleanor's wrath, it was evident her mindset had changed. The things she said now weren't meant to persuade anyone else—Florence was merely trying to convince herself."Alright, since everything was done by you and Kurt and has nothing to do with Grand Princess Eleanor, why don't you tell me how many women you've brought into Harmony Palace over the years, how many have died, and how many baby boys were killed?" Carissa asked.Florence fell silent, her expression growing increasingly grim."They're already dead. You owe them some justice and should let the families of the abducted women know they don't have to search anymore. Besides, Grand Princess Eleanor has committed the heinous crime of
As Carissa listened to Florence's words, the rage inside her nearly consumed her.It was the details of everything that had happened that truly shattered one's heart.Carissa fought to keep her anger in check and not let it show. She pretended to be unaffected as she listened calmly and rationally. The more Florence revealed, the more Carissa would have to use as evidence. When the time came to interrogate Eleanor, be it for the charge of treason or the crimes against those women, all of this would seal the grand princess' fate."I know there's no way Grand Princess Eleanor can escape what's coming now." Florence sighed. "But she used to be such a lively, cheerful girl. She was so noble, and she had the world at her feet. She could've had any man in the kingdom, so many of them would've lined up for her."And yet, she fell in love at first sight with General Sinclair, a mere military man. Of all people, it had to be him, who didn't even care for her... At first, all I wanted was t
Rafael and the scribe walked in from behind the partition screen. The prince first embraced Carissa before instructing someone to take Florence away.Carissa remained composed and calmly instructed, "Go to the apple tree and find that box. She noted down the origins of those women.""Understood!"The scribe left to carry out the task.As Carissa leaned against Rafael, it felt as if her heart and throat had clogged up, leaving her with an indescribable discomfort."Let's not dig any deeper," Rafael said, concern etched on his face. "Don't hold onto what she said. Your dad is blameless. It was Aunt Eleanor's own obsession that harmed both herself and others."Carissa's face had turned pale, and it took a while for her to finally find her voice again."I'm fine. I can continue the interrogation. Once Florence is better, I'll question her again. At least we now know the origins of those women. We can send someone to inform their families. There's no need for them to keep searching o
Carmen was taken aback when she saw Violet. Then she recalled that Carissa and Violet had deceived her, and it left her feeling somewhat disgruntled. Even if their actions were for the sake of the plan, deception was still deception. So, Carmen could only muster the bare minimum of politeness. "Is there something you need, Ms. Spencer?"Violet wasn't one to ignore subtle cues. Seeing that Carmen was probably upset, she asked softly, "Can I come in and talk?"Carmen stepped aside. "Please go ahead."Carmen had just acted on impulse. After all, she knew that if Carissa and Violet hadn't kept the plan from her, she would definitely have told Henry. Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined that her own dad would betray her.The little cabin was modest. It had a tiled roof, and one could see the entire place in one glance. A small kitchen was outside, while the interior consisted of a small hall and a single room. Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the crumbling roof, clearly i
Violet was puzzled. "But why? Your mom is a daughter of the Lester family, and you're their granddaughter. Why won't they take you back?"Carmen shushed her. "Keep your voice down. My mom might hear you."Violet suggested, "Let's step outside to talk. I need to wait for Ivy anyway. She thinks you're still at Lester Estate, so let's go wait for her over there."They opened the door and stepped outside. As Violet walked a few steps away, she turned back to look. "Is this cabin really where they let you stay?"Carmen replied coolly, "It was originally rented out, but since it fell into disrepair, no one wanted to rent it anymore. They haven't fixed it and said we can stay temporarily until the case is settled. Then, they'll bring us back to the family's residence.""Do you believe that?" Violet asked."I don't. But for now, we have no other place to go. I plan to go out and look for work in a couple of days. Once I earn some money, I can find a better place.""You're going to loo
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
Thomas and Rosalind's wedding had been postponed time and time again, but finally, they found a favorable day to celebrate. The event wasn't extravagant, but as the granddaughter of the royal chancellor, it still carried the necessary dignity.Victoria led the way, and the other palace ladies followed suit, each offering generous gifts to Rosalind for her trousseau. The students of Gracewood Women's Academy also rallied to show their support, presenting Rosalind with handmade wedding gifts. Most of the girls at the academy came from humble backgrounds. Though their gifts weren't costly, the thought and effort they put into embroidering and crafting the items was the most meaningful part.Rosalind's wedding dress had been commissioned long in advance from Camila. The gown had previously been displayed in Skye Embroidery, where it had caught the eye of many young women. They all dreamed of wearing such a beautiful dress for their own weddings. Camila was already well-known, but now
Salvador summoned Eustace to the palace for an audience.Eustace had come prepared. Though he had led his bodyguards and the merchant convoys to quell the unrest, the connection between the Spencer family's collateral branch and Nicholas couldn't be easily dismissed. Even if Salvador publicly declared their merits balanced with their faults, it was not something that could be swept aside without consequence.However, Salvador's attitude towards Eustace was surprisingly warm. The former even praised him for his loyalty to the throne and his patriotic spirit, noting that he resembled his late father in his unwavering commitment. The previous head of the Spencer family had been generous to the court, contributing substantial funds during times of war.Eustace understood the underlying message and quickly offered, "With both the Southern Frontier and Victory Pass embroiled in battle, the Spencer family is willing to contribute in whatever small way we can. We will donate 300,000 silve
Adrian had been in the capital for some time now. In the past, he had been consumed with his studies on sacred firearms, leaving little room for anything else. But now, with some free time, he used the excuse of being unable to let go of the business in the city to extend his stay.The truth was, he was concerned for Carissa.His interest in sacred firearms had begun with his trip to Nerathia to study their methods. He had done it for the Southern Frontier, then Hector, and ultimately, for Rafael and Carissa.As a mentor, Adrian knew that they each had their own paths to walk. He couldn't prevent them from forging their own futures, but he could help them however he could and act as their support.Adrian often claimed he wasn't cut out to be a teacher. But the truth was, his apprentices were exceptional. Each one of them was a person of great character. None of them needed his constant concern—except for Carissa.She had always been wild and carefree. But even so, she had mast