After Jacob's investigation into Willowbrook Estate, he discovered that a few servants had indeed gone missing over the past few months.He inquired at every pawnshop in the capital, but found out that none of the missing servants had been purchased there, meaning they must have come from elsewhere. He even went to the government offices to check the slave registration records, but found nothing.Ultimately, after much discussion, it was Violet who decided she would stay at Willowbrook Estate. She told Carissa, "After all this time with Prince Hayden, I trust him. If he truly is the one who would deceive me, then I have no more to say."However, Carissa wouldn't let her go alone. She insisted that Violet bring Bun and Cynthia along. That way, they would be there to offer protection if anything happened. Besides, if Hayden truly felt threatened, he wouldn't have refused their company. After all, the more people to help, the better. On the other hand, if he had called Violet there
Violet observed the group before her. Two of them were shorter in stature, stocky and muscular. They had arms that appeared unusually thick, and their necks had visible veins bulging slightly. The other three were taller. Though their breathing seemed normal, Violet couldn't help but notice that their shoes were nearly spotless, showing no sign of dust. This suggested they practiced Silent Force, a type of internal martial arts.Those who mastered Silent Force could control their breathing, making it shallow or deep at will. Judging by their composure, Violet suspected their skills were considerable."Do you know martial arts?" she asked.The group all shook their heads, their faces looking notably sincere. "No."Violet took another look; in a sudden motion, she threw a punch at the shorter man.His eyes flickered with alarm, but then he quickly shut them, his face showing a look of fear.Violet retracted her fist. From the brief flash of light in his eyes, it was clear this
Violet smiled and muttered something about the dullness of it all, then checked in with Bun and Cynthia before leaving the estate.She made her way straight to the Capital Guard headquarters, where she found Carissa waiting for her.Carissa pulled her inside and asked, "Well? Did you find anything?"Violet replied, "There's movement at night—almost like patrols—but I never see anyone during the day. It's as if they vanish the moment the sun rises. I checked most of the courtyards in Willowbrook Estate, and there was no sign of anyone living there. I even looked in the servants' quarters, and the number of beds matches what Chaya told me about the staff."Carissa thought for a moment. "Could there be hidden passageways or secret rooms? The curfew is in place now. No one's supposed to be out after nightfall. If what you heard is true, then these people must be living at Willowbrook Estate.""If there are hidden rooms, that's another matter altogether," Violet said. Then, remembering
Salvador's investigation matched Winona's findings. Nicholas had not left his fief; he spent almost every day taking his wife and children to see plays or listen to music.In Nerovia, there were a few orphanages that Nicholas had established. They were dedicated to caring for orphans and the elderly who had nowhere else to turn. He would often attend a play and then visit one of these orphanages afterward.However, Winona uncovered something that Salvador had missed.It was the fact that Nicholas had once saved Eustace's life.This event occurred seven or eight years ago, when Eustace was not yet the head of the Spencer family. He had been ambushed during a routine inspection of his estates. By chance, Nicholas and his men had passed by, and he rescued Eustace from certain death.Nicholas was a modest man, and he had no desire for recognition or further dealings with the Spencer family. He had asked Eustace not to make a public fuss over the incident. To Nicholas, saving someone
The next day, Carissa went to the palace to meet Salvador. She suggested that all the Mystic Army soldiers in the Nightsteel Guard be placed back under her command.Upon hearing this, Salvador fixed her with a piercing gaze. "Are you suggesting that I hand over all the forces in the capital to you?""The Mystic Army, Your Majesty," Carissa replied, lifting her chin, her eyes unwavering. "The troops stationed outside the capital, including 15,000 men of the Sacred Fire Regiment, are being sent to Valken. The capital's only remaining line of defense is the Mystic Army, and it cannot be split any further."Salvador repeated the question, his tone flat but tinged with skepticism. "You want me to place all the forces in the capital, including my personal guards, under your command?"Carissa didn't hesitate or even consider whether he might suspect her. She simply nodded firmly and said, "Yes, Your Majesty!"Salvador looked at her for a long moment, then smiled. "Your husband commands
Back at Hell Monarch Estate, Kyle tried to comfort the fuming Carissa. "Sending Lady Helen and Ryan to the palace isn't so bad, is it? If the rebels really manage to break in, the palace guards are the most formidable. They'd be safer there than if they stayed at the academy or here at the estate."Carissa drank down an entire jug of cold water, the chill in it only deepening her frustration. "I know. That's why I agreed, but agreeing doesn't mean I'm not angry. He's not doing it to protect Mother and Ryan. He's using them as hostages. He knows that with Mother and Ryan in the palace, I'll have no choice but to protect it with my life, even if it means sacrificing everything."If the rebels broke into the capital, the first thing they would do was surround Hell Monarch Estate, capturing anyone useful to control Dominic and Rafael. Carissa wasn't unaware of this—she just hated the thought of Salvador's motives. Besides, if Helen and Ryan weren't in the palace, she could still fi
Carissa couldn't bring herself to tell Rafael about Helen and Ryan moving into the palace—she feared it would upset him.She received a letter from Rafael, which came along with the report of their victory in the second battle. Salvador had specifically summoned her to the palace to hand it over.Carissa knew Rafael had intentionally sent the letter through Salvador's hands, signaling that they hid no secrets. It was a gesture of transparency, even if it was a mere formality. But it seemed to please Salvador, who didn't put on the usual fake smile. Instead, he told her not to worry too much about the situation at the Southern Frontier. Victory was within their grasp.After her audience with the king, Carissa went to Serenity Palace to offer her greetings to Victoria and check on Helen and Ryan.However, she didn't find Ryan or Evan there. They were in class; as they were Connor's study partners, they had to follow him to the study.Moreover, Connor's tutor had changed. Trevor wa
The city was under curfew, with the Capital Guard and the Garrison Unit taking turns patrolling. The Royal Citadel had also sent over officers to assist in the efforts.At the city gates, Carissa had arranged for additional personnel to conduct thorough checks and stop any suspicious individuals.Since Alistair had fallen out of favor with the king, the Royal Guard had temporarily been placed under Kevin's command. Meanwhile, Ivan was now a trusted bodyguard to the king. He could still pass information between Alistair and the others.Homer, Felix, and the other scouts from the Septimus Tetra reconnaissance team had also been integrated into the Mystic Army. They were given general ranks and were tasked with guarding the city. Salvador was intent on turning the capital into an impenetrable fortress.He knew these people had the skills, though he hadn't dared to put them to full use before. Now, with the situation critical, all those with titles but no real positions were brought
Back to me—Violet—again, and I had to complain a little.About my husband, Isaac Prince, of course.Heavens help me, but that man truly had a talent for being infuriating!Before our marriage, we had come to an agreement. In the future, whatever I chose to do, he would not interfere, would not advise, and most certainly would not involve himself.Well, it had only been a year since our wedding, and that agreement had already gone out the window. Now, he insisted on doing everything with me.But could he even be part of the work I did? Of course not.The Pathfinders Guild had strict rules, and there was even a rather fearsome man—Sage Everett—keeping watch. If they ever discovered I had taken Isaac with me to personally punish people in my own way... Wouldn't they grind my bones to dust?Yet, Isaac claimed he was a man of the martial arts world, and that in such a world, one settled debts of gratitude and grudges alike. And yes, that included other people's grudges too. He argued
At times, I taught my students to face life with courage and own up to their mistakes. Yet, I had not done so myself.All these years, I had hardly seen Thomas. If there was an event where he might be present, I would quietly avoid it.Back when I was still stubborn, Zoey had scolded me, saying I owed Thomas an apology. At the time, I didn't quite agree. In fact, I felt rather aggrieved.But thinking back now—what was I so aggrieved about? Who truly owed me anything? Had the heavens not already treated me kindly enough? Everything I lost, I brought upon myself.More than once, I had unfolded a sheet of parchment, intending to write him a sincere apology from the heart. Yet, each time I put a quill to paper, the ink would fall, but not a single word would follow.I feared the letter would seem sudden and out of place, that it might stir suspicion in his wife's heart, or in Barrett's. Even though Barrett and I were husband and wife in name only, I still didn't wish to disturb the pe
It had been a month since I arrived at Victory Pass, and I began to wonder what I ought to do with myself.Though I was Barrett's wife in name, in truth, we had very little to do with each other. He spent most of his time at the camp, only returning now and then. As such, I had plenty of time on my hands and thought I might start a little trade.Victory Pass was not quite as I had imagined. I thought a border town like this would surely be cold and short on supplies. But to my surprise, one could buy almost anything here—save for things like the finest jewels and luxurious brocade.That was not to say they couldn't be found at all. When merchant caravans brought such treasures, they were quickly stored away and sent on to Orivenia, where they would be sold to nobles and the wealthy.The common folk in Victory Pass bought ornaments for their prettiness rather than their worth, and no one really cared whether they were costly or not.I had been thinking about what sort of business I
I heard Franklin endured quite a few rejections from Isaac. In the end, Franklin had no choice but to release Merrick and send him to plead on their behalf—only then was Gabriel rescued.With the matter settled, they were deeply grateful to Isaac, though they all knew it had been a calculated move. What else could they do? After all, their son had behaved badly and been caught in the act.When Merrick learned of his mother's mistreatment of Courtney, he kept quiet for a time. However, once they were married, he made it clear that he wished to live separately. He didn't want to cause a rift in the family, but in Starhaven's official evaluations, being dutiful towards family mattered more than talent. A single accusation of being disloyal could end a person's career.Merrick's reason for wanting to live separately was perfectly reasonable—he said he needed peace and quiet to prepare for his upcoming exams. His family was too large, so the distractions would make it difficult to focus.
I finally understood Cari's plan.Maya had made a scene at the Prince family's residence, and would naturally have to go there and apologize. But the real plan was to use the scandal around Gabriel's disgrace to put pressure on the Saunders family. From now on, even if Courtney married into their family, they would be too scared to mistreat her.With both leverage and a secret weapon in hand, it was a solid move.But for me, today was about getting some justice, especially with Maya. I wasn't going to leave without making my point.Once Michael and the others left, I turned to Maya. "I heard you say that your family is one of high standing and noble reputation. Truly, that's a laugh. What kind of noble family would kidnap a woman and make a scene by beating up someone at another person's residence?"I was ready to tear your whole house apart and expose your hypocrisy to the city today, but you're lucky. Since Merrick genuinely cares for Courtney, I don't want to make things too ug
The reactions of the Saunders family were telling. They stood frozen, as if they couldn't believe what they were hearing. It was clear that no one in the capital had warned them, and they hadn't heard anything about it.Seizing the opportunity, I spoke again, my voice icy, "Who doesn't know that my husband, the third son of the Prince family, dotes on Courtney more than anyone? She's been wronged so severely, and he's beside himself with worry."I had to talk him out of rushing to the grand queen dowager to complain about this. But since I'm here, whoever it was that raised their hand against Courtney should step forward and accept the consequences."Isaac, while holding many positions in the capital, was most known as my husband, an apprentice of the Pathfinders Guild, the armory's overseer in the Ministry of Defense, and the owner of several enterprises in the capital. His connection to the Prince family was downplayed, but it still proved useful in situations like this.Among hi
Let me tell you about the day the Saunders family crossed a line even I, Violet Spencer, couldn't ignore.It was beyond outrageous!The Saunders family held nothing more than a minor earl's title, yet Maya dared act so arrogantly! In all my years alive, I had encountered plenty of ill-mannered women, but never had I encountered one among the powerful and influential.When I heard that they had dragged Courtney out and slapped her, calling her shameless for having feelings for a young man, I wanted to storm into Averton Estate, break down their door, and give them a taste of their own medicine.Cari was angry too, but she reminded me that we couldn't just go rushing in without thinking. The most important thing was to check on Courtney and Viola—who knew if they might do something rash?I had to admit, Cari had been in court long enough to know how to handle these things. She could stay calm when it mattered most.I rushed straight to the Prince family's residence. As I feared, I
When did I truly realize how wrong I was?It wasn't when Thomas returned, nor was it after my divorce from Barrett, nor even when the Prince family fell into misfortune.No, it was when talks were going on to arrange the marriage of my niece, Courtney.During the Prince family's fall from grace, I was imprisoned and narrowly escaped death. As I reflected on the past, I knew I had made mistakes and was willing to change. But I wasn't fully aware of just how deep my mistakes went.At the time, I thought it was all my own problem. No matter how much I suffered, it was my burden alone. No one else had the right to speak on it.I knew that my sister-in-law, Zoey, had suffered because of my stubbornness. She had worked tirelessly, running here and there, trying to help me, and perhaps I had grown accustomed to her always doing that for me. Because of that, I felt both gratitude and respect for her.Still, I wasn't ready to face the full weight of my past. I didn't want to dwell on it—i
Carissa stopped and turned back to me. "Her family treats her well. It's just that things didn't go smoothly when they were arranging for her niece's marriage. Thankfully, that niece is now married to a good man."I think Viola worries that, being unmarried at her age—twice wed, no less—she might invite gossip. She doesn't want to burden her nephews and nieces or trouble her sister-in-law."I nodded, thinking of Zoey—the fierce woman who was also kind-hearted. She had one son and one daughter, as well as more children from her late husband's concubines. She had likely faced many challenges while arranging marriages for all her children. I imagined the amount of gossip and judgment she must have endured.I truly cared for Zoey like a sister-in-law, and I felt for all she had gone through."Think it over," Carissa said.I nodded, then glanced outside, where there wasn't a soul in sight.I couldn't help but ask, "Aren't you afraid that Prince Rafael might grow jealous, you being her