Barrett rushed back to Valor Estate in a panic. The moment he heard that Cyrus' men had come with news, his heart skipped a beat. He knew Aurora too well—her personality was a mess of contradictions. She was proud and stubborn, but also afraid of dying. Even when pushed to the edge, she would always struggle one more time.He wasn't so sure she would surrender without a fight this time.With the way things had ended between them, he couldn't predict what Aurora might do to survive. For all he knew, she might go to extreme lengths.Lately, Aurora had been talking about leaving the capital, but she was terrified of being ambushed outside Blessed Haven. The assassination attempt on her had shaken her deeply. She likely thought through the possibilities repeatedly and decided how to handle things in case of trouble.Hence, Barrett hadn't told her about the Westhaven envoy. He didn't want her preparing ahead of time. When he arrived at Blessed Haven and saw Aurora standing with her
Aurora was roughly dragged to her feet, her hands shackled behind her back. When she was slammed to the ground, her face scraped against the sharp stones, drawing a few thin lines of blood.She first shot a look at Barrett, her eyes filled with nothing but disappointment. Then, her gaze turned to Carissa, sharp and unrelenting. Carissa's official uniform was everything she had ever dreamed of, yet here she was, never even having the chance to touch them, let alone wear them.Carissa pulled the whip back and stood directly in front of Aurora. The two locked eyes—one pair filled with resentment, the other brimming with unabashed hatred.For the first time, Carissa's hatred for Aurora was unmasked. Even in front of her parents' memory plaques, Carissa had tempered her feelings, unwilling to let the spirits of her family see her consumed by such hatred. But now, with everything coming to a head, there was no holding back. The resentment that had festered in Carissa's heart boiled over
Carissa was still present. Viola, having been insulted, was naturally furious. "You watch your mouth, Alistair!" she snapped. "Don't think you've become untouchable just because you're the commander of the Royal Guard. You're still being controlled by a woman, aren't you?"She knew how proud and arrogant Alistair was, and she also knew that he had never gotten along with Carissa. She intended to provoke him by flaunting their discord and humiliating him in front of Carissa.However, it was obvious Viola wasn't aware of the entire situation.After Alistair became Violet's apprentice, he had witnessed his mentor's martial prowess firsthand. He had also listened to her talk several times about how she had been effortlessly defeated by Carissa when they were at Meadow Ridge, leaving her powerless to fight back. Having sparred with Carissa himself, Alistair understood just how laughable his past arrogance had been.With a smug smile, he said sarcastically, "Oh, being commander of the
Barrett fell into thought, his mind wandering back to past events. "It was my idea to burn the supply depot in Fawnrun City. At the time, Westhaven had already suffered several defeats in a row, and it looked like they were about to retreat. "General Shane said that our battles with Westhaven have always been sporadic skirmishes. But when it comes to real fighting, both sides tend to hold back. So, when Westhaven retreated, we grew complacent. We didn't expect them to launch such a fierce offensive. It was during that battle that General Dominic was injured...""No," Carissa interrupted him once more. "When you first arrived at Victory Pass, my third uncle lost an arm in the chaos of war, proving that the battle was already intense. If both sides were holding back, there wouldn't have been a need for your reinforcements."Barrett explained, "The fighting had always been somewhat restrained. The reason it suddenly escalated was because Marshal Liam pulled back from the frontlines,
When Carissa left, Alistair naturally followed behind her.Alistair had a big mouth, and today, the topic of Carissa and Barrett's conversation—Aurora's massacre of civilians—was no longer a secret. What bothered Alistair the most was Dominic's involvement. He knew Dominic was innocent. The man had been gravely injured at the time, nearly dying. It was no wonder the treaty had been signed by Aurora.Alistair felt a deep sense of injustice for Dominic. Upon returning to the Royal Guard headquarters, he couldn't help but voice his thoughts.Who in the Royal Guard didn't respect the grand generals, Hector and Dominic? So, when Alistair spoke up, more people started to speak out on Dominic's behalf. The Royal Guard wasn't one to openly plead for justice, but they would certainly discuss it in private.This was Carissa's first move—she had to stabilize the foundation of her grandfather's credibility and the respect he commanded among the people. Additionally, the admiration of the mil
Rafael shifted closer and took Carissa's hand in his. "Don't worry too much. We won't let things get to the worst possible point."Carissa knew that his assurance, though strong, didn't have much solid ground to stand on. People's hearts were the hardest thing to control, especially the new king of Westhaven. Since becoming crown prince, Edmund had used the Fawnrun City massacre to stir up public anger. Now that he was king, he could do whatever he wanted unchecked.Jacob compiled the gathered information and summarized it, "King Edmund doesn't seem to care much about the throne. He's using his immense power to seek justice for his brother and the massacred civilians, pushing us to give up our borderlines."He's even considering war, but Westhaven's military is still recovering from their previous conflict with Sandoria. They've lost soldiers and resources, and they've been stuck in a stalemate with us for years. We've also had major battles with them at Victory Pass. They need time
That night, Rafael held Carissa quietly as they slept. Her breathing was steady, as if she had drifted off to sleep.Rafael knew she hadn't. Curled up in his arms, she lay still with not a single movement, each steady breath so controlled it seemed deliberate.She didn't want him to worry.-At the Sullivan family's residence in Victory Pass, the royal edict had arrived. The messengers sent were Felix and Homer from the Septimus Tetra reconnaissance team. Naturally, they were accompanied by people from both the Crown Guard and Royal Guard.Felix and Homer were both fourth-rank generals, but had yet to be assigned significant duties by the king. This task, delivering the royal edict to Victory Pass, was their first real assignment. If they performed well, Salvador might start using them more frequently.Yet, this task felt like an impossible burden. Most of the soldiers and officers still looked up to Dominic and Hector. They were here under the guise of delivering an edict, but i
Cindy's heart was a mix of anger and sorrow. Her husband had sacrificed his arm to save Barrett, losing half of his martial skills in the process. Luckily, there was no war, so Wyatt could still train his one-handed sword techniques. However, he would never be able to wield a spear again.Wyatt saved Barrett, but what for? That ungrateful wretch! He dared to get involved with Aurora right under their noses! How could they have been so blind back then? How had they not seen it coming?It was their fault for not being more careful. If they had known, they would have punished Barrett and Aurora right there at Victory Pass. How could they have let them go back and harm Carissa?Cindy doted on Carissa deeply. When she was born, Cindy had been in the capital, and she had never seen such a soft and adorable baby. Carissa was like a precious angel. There was no child in the world more beautiful than her.Before Carissa turned three, Cindy would visit Northwatch Estate every few days just t
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
As Nicholas was paraded through the streets, the weight of his downfall crushed him entirely. His sanity fractured and he screamed curses at the people, accusing them of ignorance and foolishness. He raged at the masses, claiming they had been deceived by the court, that they had mistaken a foolish king for a wise ruler. He claimed that only he was the true sovereign—the one destined to bring justice and prosperity.His hoarse cries were drowned out by the roar of the crowd. The people shouted for his death, calling for him to be torn apart. They said that the execution by Torso Cleaving was far too merciful. They demanded he be cut into pieces and slowly tortured to death, as punishment for his evil deeds.On the other hand, Yuvan stayed silent the whole time. Inside, he was filled with resentment and hatred for Nicholas. He believed that if Nicholas hadn't turned his people against him, he could have succeeded.Nicholas was like a poisonous snake, hiding in the shadows. When Yuv
Now that everyone had been gathered, the long-awaited reckoning could finally begin.After thorough investigations by the Supreme Court and the Ministry of Justice, in cooperation with the Capital Guard, it was confirmed that Yuvan, Nicholas, and his associates were indeed guilty of treason.The charges were indisputable. After such a long delay, it was time to list all their crimes for the world to see.Yuvan's entire family—except for Randall, who had provided valuable information—was sent to Astral Prison. However, Randall was also removed from the royal registry. He remained in his post at the Supreme Court, still serving as warden. Despite that, it was clear that any prospects for promotion were now out of reach for the next ten years.Matthew had ordered Randall to take a temporary leave, telling him to stay away from Astral Prison and reflect quietly at home while the matter was sorted.Matthew thought Randall was a bit slow, but at least the latter was honest and willing t
Clifford's eyes gleamed with a sharp light. "Very well. Let's hear some of your self-righteous words."Salvador, ever the suspicious soul, had always been wary of the Hell Monarch's household. Even if Carissa hadn't risen for women's rights, Salvador would still remain cautious of her.How could Carissa not know Clifford's intentions? From the moment he asked, she knew it was a trap.Before she could respond, Clifford sneered and added, "You can always start by flattering King Salvador. Praise him for how he treats women under his rule. As long as your conscience is clear, feel free to do so."Carissa was infuriated, but she wasn't willing to be baited. She met his mocking, challenging gaze. "Don't make assumptions. That's not the same thing at all. You think people are ignorant and narrow-minded as they can't understand your preferences, so you resort to extreme measures to gain their approval. But that's your personal problem. You can't speak for others like you, and you're not