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
There were four threadworms in total. The last two were a different color—their first half was red while their second half was a faint pink, perhaps from having absorbed blood."If all four threadworms had their fill of blood, Grand Princess Lisandra would have been beyond saving," Sebastian said calmly.He placed the incense burner aside, and everyone instinctively took a step back. They had never seen anything so horrifying, and couldn't help but feel a chill run through them.Carissa and Violet exchanged a look, both feeling a wave of disgust, their skin crawling.Penny was so frightened, she could hardly stand. She braced herself against the table, her lips trembling and her eyes wide with disbelief.Sebastian remained calm. "Her Highness will wake soon. Mr. Glover, check on her and see if you can detect any stagnation in her blood now."Leroy nudged the stunned Javier. "Go."It took a moment for Javier to snap out of his daze. He moved to the bed, checking on Lisandra for a
The poison worms hadn't been taken away. They remained in the incense burner, drawn to the bloodied scent of the medicine. They would stay there and feed off the aroma until they died. However, the poisonous worms that had been expelled wouldn't live much longer either."They're in the incense burner," Sebastian replied. "You can take it to Her Highness."Though small, the poisonous worms were disturbing. Javier hesitated before reaching out, his hand hovering in the air.He finally asked, "Can these worms… enter the human body again?"Seeing his reluctance, Winona stepped forward. She lifted the incense burner, carefully removed the lid, and presented it to Lisandra.At the sight of the worms, Lisandra's stomach turned. She fought the urge to vomit as a wave of nausea surged through her. The sight alone was enough to make her feel faint. Her body flushed with heat and her blood surged with anger. She closed her eyes, forcing herself to regain composure. The effort took much longe
The slap not only struck Penny's face, but also released the pent-up frustration and anger she had buried deep within.Penny clutched her cheek, her voice thick with sorrow as she cried, "Your Highness, have you forgotten how terribly Prince Arthur died? It will forever be a wound in the hearts of the people of Westhaven! How can we not avenge him? How can we not? He was your brother! How can you be so heartless and disregard the bond between siblings?"Lisandra clenched her fist, her palm wet with sweat. The light cast a ghostly pallor on her face, and her eyes were filled with a deep, dull despair."So, do you all think that the reason I don't want to go to war is because I don't want to avenge him?"She took a deep breath, her anger flickering in her eyes. Though still weak, she pointed an accusing finger at Penny."Penny, others may think that, but I have made my intentions clear to you every step of the way. You know exactly what I am thinking and what I am considering. You s
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
Gerald and Clifford met in the Supreme Court's interrogation room. They sat across from each other, an old wooden table between them. Carissa sat behind the scribe's desk, not far from them. Even if they spoke in hushed tones, she could hear every word clearly.The only sounds in the room were the quiet rustle of breath, the steady beat of hearts, and occasionally, the almost imperceptible sound of a sigh.Yet, no words passed between them.Neither of them exchanged even a fleeting glance. It was as if they were two strangers who were forced to sit together—distant, indifferent.Carissa wondered if it was her presence that made things so strained, though she could not leave. All she could do was endure the awkward silence alongside them.At last, Gerald asked, "Why?"Gerald was truly baffled, struggling to reconcile the person before him with the image of someone he thought he knew. No matter how he looked at Clifford, he could not align the two.Clifford clasped his hands tog
As Carissa returned to the Capital Guard Headquarters the next morning, Heather intercepted her at the door.It had been a long while since Carissa had last seen Heather. In fact, it seemed Heather had kept herself mostly secluded lately.Since Harvey had been brought back to the capital, his son Lennon Sanford had not been captured, but Chester's forces continued their search. It was almost certain that the boy would be caught soon enough.Heather, anxious that Lennon might be implicated and face the same brutal punishment of beheading, rushed to Carissa for help.Carissa knew Heather had already tried appealing to Leona when Harvey was first brought back. She had asked Leona to talk to Carissa on her behalf. Yet Leona had refused, and she never mentioned the matter to Carissa. Carissa only learned of this from Alana."Carissa!" Heather hurried toward her, her face frantic with worry. "I need to speak with you. Could we find a quiet place to talk?""I have matters to attend to.
In her study, Carissa wrote a letter. Then, she handed it to Jacob with instructions to have it delivered to Rafael in the Southern Frontier.She knew the situation in the Southern Frontier. Victor was amassing troops but neither attacking nor retreating, keeping things in a stalemate.Everyone knew that Victor was just stalling. He had been given a military order to invade the Southern Frontier, but since Nicholas had failed, he could not return with any captured cities or military achievements to report.If Victor made a hasty retreat now, he would likely lose more than just his position—his life might be forfeited as well. He attempted to forge alliances with the nomads, hoping to find a way out—perhaps a way to secure his future or an escape from certain doom.The nomads, tired of conflict, had no interest in picking sides. Caught in the middle, they were doing everything they could to remain neutral, refusing to aid either side. If they really had to choose, they would choos
At precisely three in the afternoon, the long execution block was brought forward. The block was forged from ironwood, solid and unyielding. It was the only one of its kind in Starhaven, used solely for execution by Torso Cleaving.The block had been kept in storage for years.Augustus had once deemed the act of Torso Cleaving too brutal. Even those who committed the most grievous offenses were spared this form of execution. Yet, the punishment had not been abolished. It remained a tool to strike fear into the hearts of would-be traitors.The cruelty of Torso Cleaving lay in the fact that after a person was cleaved in two, the upper body could still crawl, struggle, and leave behind a bloody trail.Normally, Torso Cleaving wasn't meant to be witnessed by the public. But treason, betraying the kingdom, and plotting to overthrow the throne were considered unforgivable crimes. Salvador didn't know how many people had dealings with the traitors, and some conspirators were too deepl