Whether criticized or understood, news about the embroidery workshop ultimately spread far and wide. The official establishment of the workshop right after the New Year was thanks to Jacob's diligent supervision and the fact that the necessary paperwork had been completed early, with Luke in charge of procurement.Violet tossed a bundle of banknotes into the air and confidently declared, "If it's not enough, just ask me for more!"Luke didn't go shopping by himself. He was accompanied by the Defense Minister's wife, Hannah. They bought everything imaginable—furniture, bedding, pots and pans, looms, assorted threads, embroidery needles, and even chamber pots.Having managed a household for many years, Hannah worked seamlessly with Luke, who oversaw the daily affairs of Hell Monarch Estate. Within just a few days, they had acquired all the essentials. Any custom items would be delivered after the New Year.The embroidery workshop was named Skye Embroidery. Kyle personally wrote it, w
Barrett's eyes darkened with sorrow. "I know I've disappointed you, Sebastian. I regret my choices deeply.""When the Duke of Northwatch's family was choosing a son-in-law, they set the bar so high. Yet, they chose you. Do you know what Madam Sinclair saw in you?"Barrett's voice got stuck in his throat as Sebastian mentioned his late former mother-in-law."I do. She said I was earnest and honest, and that I promised I would never take a concubine… It was my fault. I broke that promise. I let her down.""That's part of it," Sebastian said. "The second reason is that, even though you're the second son, you were willing to shoulder your family's burdens. It showed you had a sense of responsibility. To put it bluntly, it was going to be hard to restore your family's reputation then, and even harder with just you at the helm."In the struggle to carve out a future, she believed you would have the same tenacity and focus as the late General Sinclair. People who are solid and responsibl
Barrett left Arcane Sanctum in a daze.Ivy stepped in and asked, "Sir, why did you say so much to him?"She was confused. Her mentor had always harbored a deep disdain for the Warren family. He rarely bothered to acknowledge them. Yet, Sebastian had spent his break time trying to reason with Barrett today.Sebastian sighed softly. "I don't want the world to think that Madam Sinclair was blind and muddle-headed for marrying her daughter to him. While it's true, I just don't want to hear others say it."He stood up and placed a piece of charcoal into the brazier to warm his hands."Besides, he's not truly wicked. He can tell right from wrong when it counts. General Wyatt lost an arm saving him. If Barrett doesn't wake up and continues to be led astray by his mom, then that lost arm will be a tragic injustice," he added."Is there something else?" Ivy felt there was more to it.When Sebastian loathed someone, he wouldn't waste his breath speaking to them.Sebastian's gaze darkened
On the evening of the twenty-sixth, Rebecca indeed began to hallucinate. Strangely enough, her condition seemed to improve.She could even sit up as she pointed at the air and shouted, "Get out! Go away! You're all useless, nothing but worthless trash! Amelia, how dare you touch me? You're so disrespectful…"Rebecca clutched her own throat as if struggling to breathe, her face turning a deep shade of purple.Since the physician had warned them about her condition, no one thought she was actually seeing ghosts.Barrett rushed to pry her hands away and shouted, "Mom, there's no one here! Amelia isn't here!""She's come to take revenge! She hates me!" Rebecca grabbed Barrett's sleeve, her fierce expression shifting to one of terror. "Tell her I didn't want her dead! I just wanted to enforce some rules! I needed to teach her a lesson! Ah… Stay away, Amelia! How dare you!"Rebecca swung her arms wildly, slapping Barrett across the face again and again. He stood still, letting her stri
Violet felt no sympathy for Barrett. "I heard from Claire that Serena didn't return for the funeral, but Aurora left Blessed Haven to don mourning attire for that old hag," she said.Ever since the assassination attempt, Aurora had rarely left Blessed Haven. She wouldn't even make an appearance when Rebecca was nearing death, so it was strange that she would come out now to mourn. If someone wanted to kill her again, infiltrating the household during the funeral wouldn't be too difficult.But Aurora was probably smart enough. The treason case had just happened, and it wasn't resolved yet. Who would dare to act recklessly at this time?"Who's helping to handle the funeral arrangements?" Carissa asked.Viola had been in poor health since giving birth, so she couldn't manage it. Aurora likely wouldn't be taking charge either."Madam Charlotte," Violet replied. "After all, they're sisters-in-law. It's not like they have a lot of grievances against each other. Plus, the family hasn't
New Year's was rather dull.At the palace banquet, some royal relatives, who only made an appearance once a year, came with their families. The men congregated in one area, while the women gathered in another.Carissa, along with several princesses and consorts, accompanied Kylie and the concubines to greet Victoria.The honored and noble concubines were all together, with Helen among them.Molly and Fiona stayed in Ruth's palace and accompanied her, so they didn't come over.Everyone exchanged airy pleasantries—some compliments here, a bit of flattery there—while competing in beauty and showing off their jewelry.Salvador's concubines were also present, leaving Carissa dazzled. She only recognized Kylie, Sylvia, and Salvador's other concubines, Penelope and Grace, while the rest were little more than strangers to her. Those of lower rank mostly kept their heads down, occasionally smiling apologetically or daring to glance up.Salvador only had a few offspring. Perhaps it was du
Next came the evening banquet. Yuvan arrived with Molly and Fiona. After greeting Victoria and Kylie, he exchanged pleasantries with the other nobles.From Harvey's side, only Heather came. She mentioned that Harvey had caught a chill in December and hadn't fully recovered yet. Victoria expressed her concern and ordered some precious herbs to be sent for his recovery.At the lavish banquet, Rafael sat beside Carissa. He picked out the dishes she loved, while willingly accepting the ones she disliked and pushed aside.Seeing this, Kylie suddenly smiled and said, "The prince and his princess consort are truly affectionate."Kendrick and Adelaide looked up, thinking she was referring to them, but soon realized Kylie was speaking about Rafael and Carissa. They exchanged glances.Salvador cast a cursory glance their way but said nothing. However, when he raised his glass, he shot a cold look at Kylie.Carissa sensed a hint of jealousy in the queen and remarked, "With such a deep bond
Even Carissa shot Hayden a glance.Hayden said that he now realized Yuvan was a dutiful son, which meant the latter hadn't always given that impression. At least, that was how it sounded to others.Yet, among the royal family, this revelation left everyone puzzled. After all, Yuvan had always been dutiful. Each year, he submitted a request to return to the capital to visit his mom. Sometimes, it was approved, while other times, it was denied. It had been that way even back when the late emperor was still alive.Such dedication—how could it not be moving?But on a day like today, when spirits were high, not many paid much attention to Hayden's words. Salvador, however, cast Yuvan a meaningful look.Yuvan's expression changed slightly before he smiled as usual and said, "Our ancestors ruled with kindness and devotion. How could I dare not be dutiful to my parents?"Rafael glanced at Hayden but remained silent, continuing to enjoy his meal with Carissa.After the palace banquet, th
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