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
Penny's actions had forced Lisandra to make a decision. Summoning the rest of the envoys, she draped her outer robe over her shoulders and forced herself to sit upright in a chair."Negotiations will resume tomorrow afternoon. The terms are up for discussion. There's no need to be so rigid," she announced bluntly.Leroy's eyes widened. "Discussion? How do you plan to discuss it? Are you saying we should just agree if they demand we pull back our borders?""We'll put the border issue on hold for now," replied Lisandra, who had already made up her mind and was resolute, disregarding their objections. "We aim to reach an agreement by tomorrow or the day after, then we'll leave for home immediately.""You can't..."Lisandra gave her uncle a cold glance. "I'm not asking for your opinion. This is my decision. If you're unhappy, keep it to yourself."A furious Leroy shot back, "This is pure stubbornness! If we put the border issue aside, how are we supposed to explain it to the king and
The group unanimously agreed that Westhaven would likely lower its demands to expedite the negotiations. The most probable outcome was that the border issue would either be compromised or set aside entirely.Jacob spoke up, "Prince Yuvan's repeated schemes have all failed, which shows how difficult his situation is now. His network was probably all under Eleanor's control. Since she's fallen, he's likely running out of options in the capital.-As Jacob had pointed out, Yuvan truly had few paths left to pursue.Wayne had made several moves, repeatedly using Harvey as a front while concealing another hidden operation. Now, both layers had been completely uprooted, with the loss of more than ten of their suicide soldiers.They kept a close watch on the situation at Concord Lodge. From the fact that Sebastian had gone there, it was clear the plan had failed. Even when Lisandra fell unconscious, the mother Soulgrip Threadworm was unable to control the larvae inside her. From there, it
As dawn broke the next morning, Yuna went to find Carissa and asked her to bring Sebastian to see Lisandra. At the same time, Garrick headed to the Diplomatic Affairs Department to prepare for the afternoon's continuation of the negotiations.Sebastian knew Lisandra would request to see him, so he had gotten up early that day and was now waiting for someone to call on him. When Carissa arrived, his carriage was already ready. Without her needing to speak, Sebastian called for Ivy to bring his medicine box."Concord Lodge, right?" he said.Carissa smiled. "You already knew?""Grand Princess Lisandra's headaches are severe. Without me, she won't be able to handle the upcoming negotiations, let alone return home to deal with pressing matters."Sebastian was as confident as ever in his medical skills.Carissa sat in the carriage with him, asking, "What's going on with Grand Princess Lisandra's headaches? Is it just tension?""That's part of it. From what I can tell, it's clear she's
Carissa was momentarily stunned. Sebastian's words seemed to carry an underlying message, one that was not immediately clear.When Lisandra's gaze met hers, Carissa calmly looked at the grand princess, her expression unreadable, as though she didn't understand.Sebastian was observant, and he was always able to read people deeply. His words must have been a reflection of his insight into the grand princess' thoughts. After leaving the medicine, Sebastian made to leave, and Lisandra stood to see him off.She bowed deeply. "Thank you, Mr. Dalton. If you ever come to Westhaven, I will certainly show my gratitude properly."For some reason, her eyes glistened with unshed tears.Carissa helped Sebastian while Ivy carried the medicine box, and the three of them left together.Lisandra sat back down, watching as Javier opened the medicine bottle and checked the contents, though her focus seemed to wander.A healer didn't just treat the body—they also healed the heart.She had never sp
This outcome was favorable for both kingdoms.Lisandra had plans of her own for when she returned home, so she could not afford to back down on the border issue. If she did, all that she had worked for would be in jeopardy, and the support of the people would slip from her grasp.The day after the treaty was signed, the Westhaven envoys entered the palace to bid their farewells. Salvador had intended to host a farewell banquet for them, but Lisandra's determination to return home immediately left him with no choice but to agree to her wishes.Meanwhile, the Ministry of Justice had already placed Aurora in a prison cart and sent her to Concord Lodge.When she saw that there was no sign of Dominic, panic surged through her."Why is it just me? Where is Dominic? Doesn't he need to take responsibility too?" she shouted loudly.Lonnie quickly gagged her mouth and passed her over to Leroy.It was the first time the Westhaven envoys had seen Aurora since entering the capital. The anger
After the Westhaven envoys left the capital, Salvador swiftly dealt out punishments to Dominic and Barrett.Dominic's military leadership had been lax, but given his years of hard service defending Victory Pass and the fact that he had been on the brink of death when Barrett and Aurora headed to Fawnrun City, Salvador showed him some mercy. He allowed Dominic to retire from his post and return to Victory Pass to live out his remaining years in peace.Another edict followed, transferring command of Victory Pass to Wyatt, with Wallace as his deputy. Since the border issue had not yet been resolved, Victory Pass could not be left without the Sullivan family's involvement.With that, Dominic finally emerged from Sullivan Estate and entered the palace to express his gratitude.His family was still stationed at Victory Pass, and after his retirement, he would return there, though he would no longer be in charge. His accomplishments, despite their weight, would not earn him a noble title,
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