Richard had spent the past few days investigating the polo field incident. Ever the mild and affable man, the royal stable servants, trusting his sincerity, confided in him freely."I've discovered that the original person in charge of preparing the grounds fell ill unexpectedly, and the responsibility was reassigned to someone else," he reported. "The person who ultimately oversaw the field's preparation was Trevor. "After the incident, he denied any knowledge of the stones' origins and even claimed to have heard noises of things being moved in the dead of night, attempting to mislead others."But eyewitnesses stated that, in the days leading up to the polo match, Trevor returned late every night and forbade anyone from approaching the field. This makes him highly suspicious."Lacking the authority to manage palace affairs, Richard had promptly come to report the findings to George."Arrest Trevor and interrogate him thoroughly!" George immediately ordered Karlsen."Yes, Your M
Two royal guards were on duty outside Trevor's room. At nightfall, a maid brought over a meal.The royal guards noticed that the tray included a bottle of wine, and they were quite surprised."Her Majesty the queen instructed this as a reward for your diligence in guarding him," the maid explained.The guards accepted the wine, saying, "Thank Her Majesty for her kindness!"However, as soon as they took a few sips, they began to feel dizzy.Thud!Thud!The guards collapsed to the ground.The maid carrying the food and wine then stepped into the room.Trevor, who had been asleep, was startled by the noise."Who are you?"Before he could act, the intruder pulled out a dagger.Just as the maid was about to make a move, the area outside was suddenly illuminated by torchlight.Trevor clenched his jaw."Run! It's a trap!" he hissed.Before he finished speaking, several royal guards stormed into the room, surrounding both Trevor and the maid.Realizing the situation, Trevor q
The king's voice was low, carrying darkness and frustration, seemingly about to condense in the air."You're suggesting that Helena was the one orchestrating everything behind the scenes?"Jane staggered slightly from being yanked, but she quickly steadied herself. He was indeed protective of Helena, unwilling to tolerate even the slightest accusation against her."I'm merely speculating. Whether to believe it or investigate is entirely up to you, Your Majesty."George's cold, thin lips curved into a mocking smile. She always appeared outwardly respectful, but what did she truly think? Did she really believe he couldn't read between her words?"Have you visited Helena to see her injuries? Because of your medicine, she had to endure the pain without complaint, yet you suggest all of this was her doing?"Do you think she's stupid enough to harm others and end up harming herself instead? I, on the other hand, suspect you to be the true culprit!"Jane's pupils contracted slightly. S
The man was dragged in front of the king. George immediately recognized him — this was a servant from Helena's palace!"Pour water on him."Splash!A basin of cold water was thrown over Luigi's head, forcing him awake. The first thing he saw was the imposing king, and cold sweat instantly covered him."Greetings, Your Majesty!" Luigi trembled uncontrollably.If the king found out he had been sent by Helena to spy on Faith Palace, he would be finished! However, since he had been knocked out, it was clear that the king had already discovered him.Luigi was shaking all over.George's jawline was as sharp as a knife, his thin lips slightly parted."Remove his arm.""As you wish!" Karlsen moved swiftly and ruthlessly.A piercing scream echoed, and a severed arm was left on the ground.-At Cloud Palace, Helena was about to settle in when Clara suddenly rushed in, her face full of excitement."Your Highness, the king has arrived!"The king had come so late; it must have been be
Jane burned the secret letter. The flame reflected in her eyes, resembling hellfire, ready to consume all sins when the time came."Helena handles matters flawlessly and has a knack for manipulating people. From Timothy to Trevor, even when exposed, these people would rather die than betray her."So in the bandits' case, at most, we could suspect her but not produce solid evidence. It's understandable that George chose to trust Helena."What we need to do is gradually gather her incriminating evidence. Drip by drip, it will become a river. This time, it was the maid. Next time, there will be someone else."One day, when the chain of evidence is complete, Helena will have no way to defend herself. At that time, even George won't be able to shield her."This approach would take more time than killing her outright. However, letting Helena die so easily wouldn't quench the hatred in Jane's heart or clear Wendy's name.Jane intended to destroy everything Helena had and cherished, maki
At Cloud Palace, Gloria sat in a warm chamber, the doors and windows tightly shut. The room was filled with smoke from candles. It was so thick it made her eyes sting and her breathing labored.Helena had summoned Gloria to the palace under the pretense of a discussion, but instead, she was left alone in this stifling chamber. The servants claimed the candles were meant to invigorate and clear her mind, but to her, the scent was cloying and of inferior quality.An hour passed, and the air grew heavier. Smoke swirled in the confined space, making Gloria increasingly uneasy. She rose to open the window, only to find it sealed shut, as if locked from the outside. She then tried the door—it wouldn't budge.A sense of dread washed over her. Was she being deliberately trapped?Sweat began to bead on her back as she coughed violently. The oppressive smoke seemed to claw at her throat like an invisible hand, choking the air from her lungs. Tears welled in her eyes as dizziness overtook her
The royal guards at the entrance of Cloud Palace blocked the way."Your Majesty, please forgive us! Lady Helena has decreed that she is receiving an important guest, and no one is to disturb—"Before the guard could finish, Jane's calm gaze, cold and sharp as a blade, interrupted him."If you value your life, step aside."Just then, a composed and sultry voice came from within the hall. "Is it Her Majesty the queen? Please forgive me for being unable to greet you properly due to my injuries."And you — how blind must you be to block even the queen? I'll be sure to have you punished later!"The royal guards immediately moved aside, bowing respectfully to Jane."Your Majesty, please proceed."Inside the hall, Jane's gaze first landed on her mother, Gloria, before turning to Helena, who was seated in the center. Helena smiled faintly, but the chill within her eyes was as venomous as a serpent's."Your Majesty," Helena began, "I was just discussing with Mrs. Foster how best to rais
The great queen dowager, Teressa, was George's grandmother. She had been living in seclusion on Mount Yalen for many years, focusing on her meditative practice. She rarely returned to the palace. Even during George and Wendy's wedding, she had remained absent. Helena had been in the palace for four years and had only seen her twice.Teressa was a critical person. Although she practiced meditation, she was harsh and strict when it came to dealing with people. Even Dina found her intimidating. If Teressa discovered that the queen wasn't perfect, she would certainly be furious and demand that the king divorce her.When Clara heard that Helena planned to invite Teressa back to the palace, she was immediately concerned."Your Highness, is that really a good idea? Lady Teressa has a deep prejudice against you. She once publicly reprimanded you, and when she's outside the palace, your life here has been easier. It's easy to invite a god, but difficult to send one away."Helena looked do
Cameron was held in solitary confinement in a cell. When he saw Caleb, he dropped to his knees and began to plead."Caleb, please get me out of here! I beg you! I know I was wrong. For the sake of all the years we've known each other, please let me go. If… If you can't save me, at least give me a quick death! Being dismembered is too horrifying. I don't want to die like that!"The man who once humiliated Caleb now knelt before him, begging for mercy. Caleb should have felt vindicated, but instead, he only felt a deep sadness."You don't want to be executed by dismemberment, and you don't want to die. But did Calvin and the others want to die?"They were completely innocent! If I let you go, how could I face the souls of the dead?"Cameron, you climbed to the top by sacrificing those who were as close as brothers to you. Was it really worth it?"We were once so close. I thought we shared a mutual respect. Why did you do it? Why?!"Caleb gripped the iron bars of the cell, his eyes
Helena fainted and was taken back to Cloud Palace.Despite the physicians' efforts, she remained unconscious.George's expression showed a hint of concern as the physician explained, "Your Majesty, Lady Henela's injuries have not yet fully healed. The lack of proper blood circulation is inevitable but not alarming. She simply needs to rest."At Zen Palace, Jane sat before a mirror, carefully removing the jewelry from her hair.Lily, attending to her, still seemed shaken."Your Majesty, are you…are you really unharmed? Ursa was so strong. Shouldn't you let the physicians take a look?"As soon as she spoke, Lily realized her mistake. If the physicians discovered any injuries, it might expose Jane's actions.Jane remained calm, her gaze tinged with cold determination. "No one is to know that I participated in the fight."Lily immediately nodded. "Yes, Your Majesty! I understand."She knew better than to say more.Shortly after, a chamberlain arrived with a message. "Queen Jane,
The mention of dismemberment sent a shiver through the officials.According to the law, the crimes of Cameron and Wallenby didn't warrant such a severe punishment.The two were in utter shock and terror."No! Caleb was merely demoted back then. Why are we to be executed in such a cruel manner?""Your Majesty, have mercy! Spare us, Your Majesty!"Cameron crawled to Caleb's side, clutching his leg desperately."Caleb, save me! We once fought side by side and risked our lives together as comrades…"Yesterday, Cameron had been arrogant and domineering. Now, he was reduced to a pitiful state.Caleb, who loathed Cameron and Wallenby to the core, wished nothing more than to kill them with his own hands. Facing Cameron's pleas, his expression remained cold."You betrayed your comrades, using their lives to pave your way to promotion. Did you think about us as your comrades back then? Cameron, you're even more deserving of death than Wallenby!"Cameron's face turned pale. "No, no! You
Jane presented the letters. They were handed to George, who opened and read them one by one.Cameron and Wallenby stood silently at a distance, holding their breaths and avoiding even the slightest eye contact.Cameron was especially antsy. He kept reassuring himself. 'This is fake, all fake. The queen and Caleb are bluffing!'Bang!George slammed the letters onto the desk, his sharp gaze brimming with murderous intent."Kneel!"The two men immediately felt their legs weaken, collapsing to the floor.Moments later, the royal servants placed the letters before them, allowing them to see for themselves whether they were being wrongfully accused.If they pleaded innocence, their handwriting would be examined to confirm this.Cameron glanced at the letters and immediately felt a chill down his spine, as if needles were pricking his back.'How could this be?'He had hidden those letters so well. How could anyone have found them?Still unwilling to give up, he picked up one of th
Caleb raising grievances at this moment left everyone stunned.He was bringing up a case from two years ago. After so much time had passed, how could anything still be clearly investigated?Cameron immediately rebuked him."Young Master Caleb, if you have grievances, you should present them to the High Court! Filing a complaint here as if we don't uphold the law in Nidora—do you have any idea how that looks?"This madman—what was he trying to do?Robin also hadn't anticipated Caleb's bold move. He quickly stood up and addressed the king."Your Majesty, my son has acted impulsively—"But Caleb's tone was resolute. "Two years ago, I was tasked with escorting disaster relief grain through Bourdon. On the way, we were ambushed by bandits..."Cameron immediately jumped in, feigning righteous anger."Caleb! You still dare to bring that up! If it weren't for your poor judgment, insisting on taking that route, those men wouldn't have died!"He seized the initiative, pinning the blame
George's gaze was deep and cold.The rule that the harem must not interfere in political affairs existed not only to prevent collusion between the harem and the court, which could lead to the overreach of influential families, but also because most women in the harem were shortsighted. Their petty schemes and vying for favor were tolerable, but in formal situations, they lacked propriety and understanding of boundaries.Just as George was about to intervene to restore balance to the situation, Jane spoke up with composure."Helena indeed misspoke. There's always someone better refers to individual achievement."In truth, the thousands of soldiers on the frontlines are all heroes. Victories are not achieved by a single person. For instance, earlier, if it weren't for the previous contestants exhausting Ursa and creating an opening, my brother wouldn't have been able to defeat him so swiftly."Ultimately, you only sent one person to compete, so this could be considered as Nidora w
George's tall figure nearly blocked out the sunlight streaming in through the doorway.The mask was on the table inside the room.Darkness hung over George's handsome face as his gaze locked onto the figure behind the screen.He had crossed paths with the female assassin multiple times. Her moves were deeply engraved in his memory.The motions Caleb had just displayed—he looked exactly like her.Could it be a coincidence? He needed to confirm it with his own eyes.George strode forward swiftly. Without hesitation, he moved to the other side of the screen, extending a long arm…In that instant, their eyes met.Caleb, whose arm was grabbed and whose right shoulder was partially exposed, responded in surprise, "Your Majesty!"Not bothering to cover himself, he immediately lowered his head in a bow.George's sharp brows furrowed deeply, his dark eyes stormy as though a tempest had suddenly descended. "Are you alone?"Caleb was puzzled. "Yes, Your Majesty."At that moment, Steve
At the critical moment, Jane grabbed the wooden stake, using it to perform a quick turn and somersault. Her skirt spun elegantly in the air, drawing a perfect arc.Immediately, she leaped in front of Ursa, and in the blink of an eye, tore off his belt.The female spectators immediately turned away, covering their eyes. However, from a distance, they couldn't see clearly. All they knew was that Ursa's belt was now in Caleb's hands, like a long whip.George furrowed his brows.Tearing off the belt. How clever. That female assassin had also used this move against him.Everyone was curious about what Caleb intended to do by tearing off Ursa's belt.Even the three commanders closest to the martial stage couldn't understand. Was it to embarrass Ursa? Or maybe to seize the opportunity to attack while Ursa was distracted, fixing his pants?-Jane stood behind Ursa. He couldn't care about his pants as he swung the wooden stake backward in a fierce strike. In the blink of an eye, Jane us
Ursa suddenly collapsed, like a mighty, immovable mountain crumbling in an instant.Everyone was stunned.What just happened?Before anyone could make sense of it, the man was down...On the dueling platform, Jane delivered a backward kick, landing squarely on Ursa's chest. Ursa struggled to get up but failed. His right knee felt like it was shattered, searing with pain. Clenching his jaw, he tried to force himself up.But Jane wouldn't give him the chance. She launched a sweeping kick, channeling her power into her knee, striking directly at Ursa's neck.Ursa lost his balance and fell backward.Jane bent her knee, pressing it firmly against his throat. Through the mask of the Kunlun slave, Ursa could see her eyes—cold and still as a dead pool, locking him in place."No... Impossible... How could you..."He couldn't comprehend how a single kick to the knee could generate such devastating force.Behind her mask, Jane's lips curled. Ursa suddenly realized—since the start of