Molly replied coldly, "I am the prince's wife. There's no question of blame between us. But if this matter is troubling him, I will take it seriously. Get a carriage ready. I'll leave right away."Seeing her willingness to go, Fiona didn't care how condescending Molly's tone was. Fiona hurried outside to call for the carriage.As soon as Molly stepped out, she spotted Carissa approaching with a large contingent of Capital Guards. At first, Molly didn't recognize Carissa, but after a moment of scrutiny, she identified her.Carissa was accompanied by Michael and a dozen guards, and she had made a grand entrance. Their show of force was deliberate, as they intended to interrogate several noblewomen and titled ladies. It was essential for Carissa to make a statement, to show that if she could confront Yuvan and his household with such authority, then the other noble families could expect nothing less in terms of respect.If she didn't create a similar spectacle for the other families
Carissa didn't seem angered by Stephanie's tone. Instead, she turned to the scribe, Kirk, and said flatly, "Note that Lady Stephanie appears impatient and unwilling to cooperate. This raises concerns of defiance against royal orders."Kirk opened his book, and Michael quickly prepared the ink."Understood, Commander Sinclair."Stephanie was taken aback, her cheeks flushing with indignation. "Carissa, don't say such nonsense! When have I ever defied orders?"Carissa remained unmoved in her seat and continued, "Also note that Lady Stephanie scolded me and has displayed an extremely poor attitude."Kirk's quill flew across the page. "Noted. It's been recorded."Stephanie walked over and saw that Kirk had indeed written down Carissa's words. In a fit of anger, she reached out to tear the page, but Michael swiftly blocked her with his sword. Then, he coldly said, "Note that Lady Stephanie attempted to destroy the testimony."Stephanie stumbled back two steps. She was caught off gua
When Carissa asked the question, no one answered. Whatever they said would be recorded. Disloyalty toward one's parents or elderly relatives was a grave sin. Even if they were not held accountable, it would not benefit their future prospects if word got out. In a noble family, who would want to marry a disloyal daughter?Among them, only Randall showed a hint of guilt, but he remained silent.Carissa glanced at them and said to Kirk, "Make a note of this—Lady Avis' children, as well as the concubine's children in the household, have nothing to say. I can't tell if they are ashamed or indifferent."Stephanie quickly replied, "How can you say that? How can we not have wanted to take care of our mom? The truth is our dad was unwell at the time, so we had to take care of him. Besides, we were still young and unmarried. It wouldn't have been appropriate for us to go to Verdant Monastery."A mocking glint flickered in Carissa's eyes."So, because your dad was ill, you all stayed in
After Fiona finished speaking, she suddenly covered her mouth for a moment, looking at Carissa in terror. "Did you just say that girl died three years after entering Harmony Palace? She had her fingers and toes chopped off? Heavens, how could that happen? What did she do wrong? I thought she came from a decent family and had good character, which is why I sent her to Grand Princess Eleanor. What could she have possibly done to deserve that?""She erred by being seen by you," Carissa said. "What?" Fiona's face registered shock and innocence. "I truly didn't expect this. I had good intentions. I thought the Marquis of Grovehill's family was a noble household. Even if the girl was just a concubine, it would be better than marrying a commoner."Carissa replied coldly, "Are you saying you didn't know she would end up staying at Harmony Palace instead of Grovehill Estate? That's quite the convenient excuse."Fiona hurriedly explained, "I really didn't know! After all, Lord Henry doesn
The Quinton family had navigated the political landscape for many years, and they were now in their prime. Malcolm had gained significant favor during the reign of King Sigmund. He prided himself on understanding the late king's intentions, yet he couldn't grasp the current king's mindset.He couldn't understand why Salvador would appoint Carissa as Mystic Army's commander. This position was critical. If the Hell Monarch and his people had treasonous intentions, the power that came with that role was considerable.Thus, he convened a family meeting, where he imposed strict measures and expressed his dissatisfaction with Carissa."Causing such a commotion will turn the noble families of the capital upside down. I fear it may lead to wrongful accusations. I never realized she was such an impatient and self-serving person. She made an example out of Prince Yuvan's household right off the bat—how can we expect her to show any mercy to the other families? It's simply absurd."Felix and
Now that Viola was pregnant, her thoughts were often clouded, and she was overly sensitive. When she heard about Barrett's promotion, she felt joy. But upon learning that Carissa was his superior, tears filled her eyes.She leaned against Barrett's arm, choking on her words. "I'm not jealous of her, but how can she possibly hold power over you? You discovered the evidence of Grand Princess Eleanor's treachery. If it weren't for you, the grand princess' ambitions might still be hidden from everyone."I just can't accept it! Why are you always overshadowed by her? When it comes to contributions and achievements, haven't you surpassed her? How could the king allow a woman to be the commander? To let a woman oversee the Mystic Army, along with the Crown Guard and the Royal Guard—it's absurd! The men have lost all their dignity!"Barrett listened to her choked voice and felt a twinge of irritation in his heart. He remembered the assassin who had faced him that night—he knew exactly who
A woman shouldn't strike her husband, especially not in the face. Such behavior was unacceptable in a prestigious household like the Warren family, no matter their current status, and even ordinary people wouldn't resort to that. In moments of anger, it was more acceptable to hit someone's shoulder or arm. After all, a woman's fists didn't pack much power. A slap to the face stripped a man of his dignity.There were servants outside. How could Barrett retain his dignity in the estate at this rate? Especially now that he had been promoted to the commander of the Crown Guard. That slap had knocked out whatever little joy remained in his heart.Viola bit her lip, tears welling in her eyes. Deep down, she knew she had crossed a line, but pride held her back from apologizing."Forget it. Just leave," Barrett said, suppressing his anger.He didn't want to argue anymore. He had suffered enough from their discord, and it drained him.After hitting him, Viola felt a twinge of guilt. Ho
Evelyn was no fool. She understood her daughter's character well. However, seeing Viola come home in tears, heavily pregnant, tugged at her heartstrings. After all, Viola hadn't caused any trouble recently, and the past was behind them. What mother could truly hold a grudge against her own child?So, when she heard Viola mention that Barrett was neglecting her, even being indifferent to her returning to her family during her pregnancy, Evelyn decided to send someone to call Zoey. She wanted to see how to help mend Viola and Barrett's relationship.By the time Zoey arrived, Luna was already seated in Evelyn's room."You're here, Zoey!" Luna stood up, secretly relieved.If Zoey was any later, she would have to find a way to escape.Zoey nodded in acknowledgment. "Hello, Mother.""You arrived just in time," Evelyn said, her expression serious as she sat in her seat.Next to her was Viola, whose tears had yet to dry. Given her pregnancy, she could only choke out a greeting to her
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