Salvador paused the movements of his quill, his voice cold as ice as he said, "That statement wasn't wrong. I do intend to cultivate new generals, but I am no fool. Even if I want to raise new blood, I would never abandon the veterans who have served the country loyally for half their lives."Doesn't Rafael understand why I want to cultivate new generals? Though the Hell Monarch Army no longer answers to him, his prestige still commands respect. His unparalleled achievement in reclaiming the Southern Frontier stands as an immovable mountain, one I cannot shift by even a single inch. Yet, he dares threaten me."With a sharp snap, the red quill in his hand broke, the sound cracking through the tense silence. He threw it onto the desk, his expression darkening."I bet Rafael doesn't want to be accused of being a traitor, but what can I do about it if he truly has ambitious designs?" Salvador added.Anxious, Derek hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, I am certain the Hell Monarch harbors no
Patrick's voice turned harsh, "You're the reason for General Sullivan's return to the capital for questioning. Are you really trying to make him carry all your crimes? How can you say such a thing?""Someone is making excuses for General Sullivan! I'm sure of it!" Aurora snarled, raging like a cornered beast.Had she not been shackled, she would have lunged forward."It's not fair! General Sullivan is the leader of Victory Pass, so he should bear the heaviest responsibility. You all flatter Prince Rafael and Carissa, trying to take down Barrett, but he had no idea about how I massacred the villagers or killed the prisoner. He's being unjustly accused!" she yelled."If Commander Warren didn't know, then General Sullivan definitely wouldn't have known." Patrick scoffed, turning to the scribe. "Write this down—Aurora has confessed that both Commander Warren and General Sullivan were unaware of the matter.""No! I never said that!" Aurora shouted in protest.Patrick's voice cut throu
The scribe meticulously recorded Aurora's words, which once again pieced together the truth as told by Zeke and the others.Aurora had proposed returning to Victory Pass to finalize the details of the treaty, but Liam had dismissed the idea and said it wasn't necessary. The terms had already previously been discussed between the two kingdoms, though neither side had agreed on them.Aurora had indeed seen the terms in question before. They were Starhaven's demands—a ceasefire, as well as the pushing back of the border to its original demarcation, using the base of the mountain outside Fawnrun City as the boundary."I was momentarily tempted by my desires. I thought that if I signed the treaty, I would claim all the credit," she confessed. "So, I had Marshal Liam pull his forces back about six miles and leave only 12 men behind. This served two purposes. First, it helped Barrett with his plan to burn the supply depot. Second, I needed to ensure my own safety and that of my soldiers af
The confession was presented to the king. After Salvador read through it, he furrowed his brow as he listened while Patrick detailed Aurora's admission.The king was well aware of the entire Fawnrun City affair—the massacre of villagers and the killing of the prisoner. The entire matter was soaked in blood.However, he didn't know the specifics. The confession didn't detail the grisly events of the massacre, but Patrick had described them. Hearing these bloody details, even Salvador, despite his position as king of Starhaven, couldn't help but slam his fist on the table in a fit of anger as he cursed Aurora.Patrick could understand Salvador's fury. Even he felt a chill run down his spine. Fortunately, someone like Aurora had asked for a marriage based on her military merit. If she had served in court or as a military officer, she would have been a huge threat, just like how Carissa currently was."Has the Hell Monarch seen these confessions?" Salvador asked after his outburst.Pa
Around noon the next day, the Westhaven envoys arrived in the capital. The Protocol Department and the Diplomatic Affairs Department made the arrangements for their reception and provided lodging at Concord Lodge.Westhaven's government system was similar to Starhaven's, though they did not have a position equivalent to the prime minister. Instead, they had a cabinet and various ministry departments that were similar to Starhaven.This delegation to Starhaven was led by Lisandra, along with Leroy, Westhaven's Defense Minister. They were accompanied by various cabinet members—Garrick Horton and Amos Bailey, both Secretaries of State; Klaus Reed, the Diplomatic Affairs Department Minister; and Icarus Mendez, commander of the Sovereign Guard.Also present was Harlan Fitzgerald, the guard captain of Lisandra's household soldiers, as well as two interpreters and three female officials. Since the names of the female officials had not been announced, their identities remained unknown. The
The next day, Winona's sources gathered information that after the Westhaven envoys had checked into Concord Lodge the day before, Harvey had secretly returned to his estate. Early this morning, he had disguised himself and left again, apparently mobilizing some people.Winona thought for a moment, then seemed to understand Harvey's intentions."Be careful. If he's working with Leroy, he might try to make a move against you," she said.Carissa nodded. "Got it."In fact, Rafael had already informed her the night before, having spotted someone amongst the Westhaven guards who resembled Harvey. So, the two of them had spent the whole night speculating, coming up with various possibilities.The royal banquet hall glittered under the lights, as bright as daylight, its beams twinkling like stars in the sky.By the time Rafael and Carissa arrived, the Westhaven envoys had already entered the palace and were seated to the right of the hall. The guards and palace attendants waited outside
Leroy grew increasingly frustrated as he realized Salvador was deliberately ignoring him. To make matters worse, Rafael continued to exude an oppressive aura beside him, which only deepened his irritation. He could hardly suppress the urge to bring up the Victory Pass situation and settle it once and for all.As his anger burned, his thoughts were interrupted by Rafael's voice, "I heard Marshal Liam was injured. Is he fully recovered now?"Leroy broke his glare and replied stiffly, "Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. My brother is no longer in any danger.""I thought he would be accompanying you today," Rafael said, his tone casual.Leroy's gaze turned icy. "Though my brother is no longer seriously injured, he sustained heavy wounds and is not fit for travel.""General Sullivan also suffered severe injuries. He was struck by arrows twice within a year, and has just recently turned 70. Yet, for the sake of our two kingdoms, he has come back to the capital from Victory Pass,
Carissa listened closely to Leroy and Rafael's conversation, taking in every word.It was true that they were doing everything they could to avoid war. However, they couldn't let Westhaven be so certain that they didn't want to fight. In particular, Leroy needed to think that it was only the Sinclair and Sullivan families who didn't want war, while the Hell Monarch was eager to reclaim his military authority through battle.Carissa shifted her focus back to Lisandra, who was speaking fluent Stellish with ease."I've long wanted to meet you, Lady Carissa," she said, her tone sincere. "So, I made sure to be assigned to this mission. One of the main purposes of my trip is meeting you."Lisandra had already said this once before, but now it seemed more genuine. It was as if it came from the heart, instead of the diplomatic flattery they had exchanged earlier.Carissa smiled. "It's also a great honor to meet you, Your Highness."Sitting close, Lisandra didn't appear as exhausted as sh
Having failed to convince my mother, I went to my father. However, his response was even more severe.They thought I opposed the marriage because I hadn't spent time with Phineas. They were also convinced that since the match was already being arranged, it would be best for him to take me out and build some rapport between us.I didn't want to go, but my mother's maid forced me into the carriage. The maid was also told to watch me closely to ensure I didn't speak out of turn.Phineas looked all polished up, with shiny hair and a face like he had powdered it that morning. He initially showed me some respect, but soon enough, his true nature began to show. He made crude comments about my appearance, saying that if it weren't for my looks and the fact that I was from the Spencer family, he would never have considered marrying me.His condescending attitude made me uncomfortable. If that had been the worst of it, perhaps I would have simply let it go. But on our way back, he pinched me
Startled, I quickly turned around. Not far behind me stood a man, half-hidden in the shade of a tree. He wore a simple black outfit, his figure thin and unkempt, with dark circles beneath his eyes.It was him—the scholar from the bridge who sold paintings, the one Mr. Klein had called a hopeless case, a student who had dropped out to care for a woman."You're speaking nonsense," I exclaimed, wide-eyed, a shiver running through me at the thought of his strange words. "I've never heard of any water demons here. You're just trying to trick me."Though I had no fear of death, I was uneasy at the thought of demons, particularly if they were going to trap me beneath the mud."I'm not lying to you." Cassius stepped forward, his frail frame seeming even more fragile against the breeze. "If you look around, you'll see no one is here. Why else would such a lovely place be devoid of visitors?""That's because the people who come here are not tourists. They come to pray, and they leave once t
After a while, my cousin and her maid returned to find me. I asked the maid to hand thirty copper coins to Cassius. He smiled and thanked me kindly.I thought our meeting was just a chance encounter and I would never see him again. However, to my surprise, during Grandma's birthday celebration a month later, I saw him again.Our family was hosting a grand dinner, and Leonard Klein, a renowned scholar, had come with his apprentices. And there Cassius was, standing among them.In Ebonflow, the rules for social gatherings weren't as strict as in the capital, with women being allowed to be in the front hall during a banquet. Of course, Cassius didn't recognize me. After all, I had been wearing a veil when we first met, so he had only seen my eyes.He didn't stay long. After presenting Grandma with a beautiful painting, he quickly excused himself, saying he had business to attend to at home.Once he left, Mr. Klein spoke of him with a tone of regret, explaining, "He's a clever young man
Anyone who knew me, Liana Spencer, spoke of me with scorn. Even strangers who heard my story would spit on the ground and say I had no shame.Everyone knew that running away with a man was worse than theft or murder. It was a disgrace no family could easily bear.Many asked me the same question: Did I regret it?I never regretted marrying him, but I did carry guilt in my heart. Because of me, the Spencer family's name was dragged through the mud. My brothers, sisters, nieces, and nephews had a much harder time finding good matches because of my choices.As a daughter of the Spencer family, I lived in comfort from the moment I was born. I wore fine dresses, ate the best foods, and was showered with love. My parents doted on me, while my brothers spoiled me terribly.But there was something wrong with me.By the time I was fourteen, I still hadn't gotten my monthly courses. We consulted physician after physician, and I drank countless doses of bitter medicine, day and night. Yet, no
Snow fell softly in the dead of winter, blanketing Victory Pass in white. At that moment, the world seemed to have been made pure again.For years, I wore nothing but a tattered priest's robe. I carried a broken bowl and wandered from place to place, asking for food. I stopped only briefly at temples along the way to rest for a night or two and kneel before the statues to beg for forgiveness.I could have stayed at the first monastery I was sent to. Life there wasn't easy, but it wasn't so hard either. I had warm meals and shelter from the cold. But I knew if I stayed in comfort, I would never wash away my sins.Only by suffering, by staying on the road and bearing the cold, the hunger, the pain, could I find peace in my heart.And so, I came to Victory Pass.My sandals had long since fallen apart. Thick calluses had grown on my feet; I could walk barefoot over rocks and barely feel a thing. Even with every piece of clothing I owned layered over me, the winter cold still cut throug
It was during the Verdant Hunt that Connor fell out of favor with Dad, who scolded him harshly before we left the hunting grounds. Once we returned to the palace, Connor fell ill. Ryan and I were both terribly worried, but Mom was delighted.She held me close that evening, her smile sharper than usual. "After this, your father is sure to be tired of your brother."She told me I must work harder than ever, and to listen closely to the royal chancellor and my uncle."Study better than anyone. Earn their praise. And most importantly, outshine your brother," she said.My heart felt torn. Mom often spoke of the rewards that came with being crown prince, and I won't lie, I was tempted. However, those were all distant things.At the time, I was close to Connor, Ryan, and even our youngest brother, Cecil. We all got along so well. How could I possibly hate my older brother?Those thoughts tangled inside me, day after day. I lost focus. My studies slipped. I made mistakes during riding pra
Before I took the vows and entered the monastery, my name was Caden.From the time I was young, I often heard the same praise whispered around me: "This child is sharp beyond his years—clever, quick-witted, the finest of the three princes."I heard it so often that I came to believe it myself. At times, I even felt proud. But whenever I let that pride rise too high, Mom would bring me back to earth.She would look at me, her eyes soft but filled with something I couldn't quite name—pity, perhaps. And then, she would sigh and say, "What a pity you were born of my womb. If not, you might have risen above that foolish one. But fate favored him, not you."That "foolish one"—I knew well enough who she meant. I had heard her say it so many times in private, though never once in public.It puzzled me greatly as a child. Mom clearly disliked my eldest brother, Connor, more than anyone. Yet, whenever he came near, she would smile warmly and speak kindly. She would even flatter him, calling
Two childhood friends were now each giving their all on very different paths.Clarence had started with herbs, then medicine, and in time, healing became his entire world at Eldermere Keep. At first, it was merely something to pour his heart into, because he knew he would never be allowed to leave the mountain and open a medical hall of his own.But then Ryan came, and afterward, sent Clarence a letter.That letter changed everything.For the first time, Clarence began to hope that maybe, just maybe, he could go down the mountain after all. And once that hope took root, he threw himself into his studies with more energy than ever before. He barely slept, rarely left the apothecary, and sometimes forgot to eat.Because of the pain he had once endured, he focused his efforts on curing injuries and chronic pain. Of course, a good physician had to know more than one thing, so he studied every field without neglecting any.There was a fire inside him now. A quiet flame that had not bur
"Elise, must your mouth run on without end?" Carissa frowned at her daughter, who had been chattering away beside Ryan from the moment he stepped through the door.The little girl's face was flushed from the sun, her hair tangled into a messy nest that made it clear she had only just returned from playing outdoors. She hadn't stopped talking since Ryan came back from his travels, pestering him with questions about what he had seen and done.Elise turned to Carissa with wide eyes, looking up with a face so innocent it could soften stone. She truly had inherited the best features from both her parents."Mom, I haven't seen Ryan in such a long time. Every moment without him felt like an eternity. We've been apart for so long, so of course I have a lot to say to him."Carissa's frown deepened. "And who taught you to speak in such a ridiculous manner? An eternity—where did that come from?""Sage Isaac said it to Aunt Violet. He went back to Meadow Ridge for a few days and said it to her