Rafael quickly returned to Hell Monarch Estate and made his way to the council hall, where Everett was already sitting in the main seat, waiting for reports.Rafael instructed Jacob to gather information on the three female officials who had arrived this time. It was crucial to examine the details thoroughly.-At Concord Lodge, Violet had drunk a lot of coffee and was beginning to feel uncomfortable. She excused herself and told the Westhaven guards stationed there to wait as she went to the inner chamber. Carissa also stood up to accompany her.A maid who spoke Stellish was called over, and they were escorted toward the inner chamber. As they passed by the main courtyard of Concord Lodge, they noticed that the place was brightly lit. Sounds of an argument could be heard from within.Carissa took a quick look and saw that most of the envoys were present, as well as the female officials from Lisandra's side. There were easily a dozen or twenty people inside, arguing. Their voices
In the council hall of Hell Monarch Estate, Jacob laid out the profiles of the three female officials: Penny Durham, Yuna Rutherford, and Yasmine Stein."These three are Grand Princess Lisandra's close confidants. In Westhaven, women rarely hold important government positions. However, Ms. Durham was the first female official to rise to a fifth-rank position."Grand Princess Lisandra highly favors her. Next is Ms. Stein, the legitimate daughter of the head of Westhaven's Stein family. Marshal Liam's wife is her aunt. Finally, there's Ms. Rutherford. She comes from a commoner background and earned her place by topping the women's imperial exams. She's been working alongside Grand Princess Lisandra on state affairs. All three have been with the grand princess since their late king's time, and our investigation shows they are all highly loyal to her."Rafael picked up the documents, carefully scanning the details—names, ages, personalities, backgrounds, family information, when they st
Carissa hesitated for a moment before saying, "Go and bring Sebastian here. I'll think of a way to slip inside and take a look."No matter what, it was best to have Sebastian ready just in case.Violet nodded. "Alright, I'll go now."She hurried out and saddled the horse. The night air was still cold, and it would be quite troublesome for Sebastian to come out in this weather.Halfway there, she crossed paths with Travis, but it seemed like he didn't notice her. He rode straight past. She called out to him, and it took a moment before the sound of galloping hooves returned.Carissa instructed the Capital Guard to stand watch at the entrance, ensuring no one entered. If it turned out to be a trap, they had to be cautious and prepared. There was no harm in being extra careful. After that, she left the gatehouse and wandered around the perimeter of Concord Lodge. Since the area outside was filled with her men, she didn't think there would be much risk in walking around. After a whi
After a while, Winona appeared at the entrance of Concord Lodge. It was likely she hadn't come alone. When Carissa had seen her earlier, she had been dressed in stealth attire. But now, she wore her usual attire and her stealth attire was nowhere in sight.Carissa hurried over to greet her and asked, "What's the situation, Winona?" "I stayed on the roof of Grand Princess Lisandra's quarters for a while. She's unconscious. There are a few maids by her side. I overheard them talking—she came back from the Diplomatic Affairs Department not long ago and suddenly went into a fit. She even bit someone. After that, she lost consciousness," Winona replied."She went into a fit and bit someone? Could she have gone momentarily insane?" Violet exclaimed, astonished."Did you hear what they said in the main courtyard?" Carissa asked."They were arguing in the main courtyard. Some wanted to summon a royal physician or Sebastian, but others opposed it. Since I was on the roof, I couldn't tell
Although Penny was a low-ranking female official, she had Lisandra's favor and full trust. Just now, it had been her fierce opposition that had swayed others, turning supporters into opponents.Still, there were a few, like the Diplomatic Affairs Department officials, who supported inviting Starhaven's renowned physician, Sebastian. His reputation had reached Westhaven; when Westhaven's previous king had been gravely ill, some court officials had even suggested summoning Sebastian for treatment.However, the late king refused to entrust his life to someone from Starhaven, which was why the idea was abandoned.The argument raged on. Carissa and Winona, seeing the chaos, quickly moved Sebastian toward the eastern courtyard."Stop them!" Penny shrieked, her voice cutting through the tension."Let me explain. Listen to me…" Violet stepped forward, grabbing Penny's arm. "We're only doing this for Grand Princess Lisandra. There are maids by her side. If we do anything suspicious, your p
Penny stormed in and saw that Lisandra's curtain had been lifted. Her face darkened, and she immediately snapped at Yuna, "How dare you?! How could you let a man from outside see Her Highness' sleeping form?"She moved to step forward and pull the curtain down, intending to have Sebastian thrown out. However, Yuna blocked her path. "Since she's already been seen, it's better to let the physician diagnose her properly."Penny's eyes widened in fury. "Yuna Rutherford! How dare you?!"Though Yuna was of lower rank and status than Penny, she hesitated only briefly before responding firmly, "Nothing is more important than Her Highness' health. She's been unconscious for more than four hours. If we don't find the cause soon, it may do serious harm to her."The other female official, Yasmine, stepped forward to support Yuna. "Since they're already here, let them take a look. What's the harm? Why are you so against it? You've been opposing everything—seems to me you don't care much about
The Westhaven envoys first looked at Javier, then at Sebastian. In their hearts, they were inclined to trust Javier as he had treated Lisandra for many years and was undeniably loyal. His long-standing dedication earned him their trust.However, Sebastian's medical skills were also exceptional, and his reputation was highly regarded even in Westhaven.Winona translated Javier's words, and Sebastian withdrew his hand from Lisandra's wrist.He turned to Winona and said, "Tell them—it's poison.""We can understand you just fine. There's no need to translate," Garrick quickly interjected. Most of the envoys present were fluent in Stellish, with only one or two having limited proficiency."So, tell us, what kind of poison is it?" asked Garrick.Sebastian glanced at Carissa. At that moment, she recalled the case from Brightmoor District—the woman who had been infected by Soulgrip Threadworms. That frail woman had grown immensely strong, even going into a violent frenzy.However, tha
Leroy furrowed his brows. This matter had nothing to do with him. He had recognized Penny's strange behavior, but it didn't matter what she had done. As long as Lisandra couldn't participate in the negotiations, the power to make decisions rested in his hands.However, there was one condition—Lisandra's life couldn't be harmed. After all, she was his niece. Arthur was gone. Even though Lisandra didn't share Leroy's stance on the war, he simply couldn't take her life.He found it odd that Penny, who had always been Lisandra's trusted confidant, would betray her. Was Penny in favor of the war? She had opposed it previously. And clearly, she didn't want Lisandra to die, nor was she willing to give up just like that.Penny couldn't be acting alone—someone must be pulling the strings behind her betrayal.Who was it? Edmund?Questions swirled in Leroy's mind, but he had no answers.His suspicions about Penny stemmed from his ties to Harvey, but the others wouldn't have noticed anything
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