Filed To Story: Queen of the Battlefield Her Return to Glory Novel Online Free
Lulu paused, then continued, “But sometimes, it feels like you don’t really care about His Highness’ feelings. He’s very concerned about yours. It has to go both ways.”
“Why do you think I don’t care? I do!”
“It just seems a bit off,” Lulu said as she tilted her head to the side. “Like the late Lord Nathan and Lady Yvette-they really were a loving couple.”
Sophie recalled that every time she returned from Meadow Ridge, she witnessed the affection between her second brother and his wife. They would walk hand-in-hand and sit close together. And when they thought no one was watching, her second brother would sneak a kiss. During meals, they would feed each other and occasionally share lingering glances across the table.
Sophie fell silent for a moment, then pushed away those memories. “Okay. I got it.”
Lulu realized that she might have misspoken, and she asked awkwardly, “My lady, are you hungry? Should I bring some food?”
Sophie didn’t answer. Instead, she turned sharply and headed back.
Rafael saw her determined approach, and asked, “What’s wrong? What did Lulu say to you?”
Sophie walked straight up to him, and stood on her tiptoes. Rafael understood the cue and instinctively leaned in.
‘Go on then, give it your best shot!’
Then, her soft lips touched his cheeks, and he was stunned for a long while. As her face turned a little red, he suddenly hugged her tightly. See? Even a blockhead could blossom, right?
In his arms, she murmured, “There’s something I need to tell you. My mom gave Heather a lot of medicine back in the day, including several bottles of Snowdrop and Energy Pills, and also emergency remedies. However, not a single one is left now. Those medicines aren’t the sort to be taken casually when one isn’t sick, and they’re too precious to throw away. I suspect Heather gave them away, which means she and Harvey aren’t as aloof as they appear to be and do have dealings with other families.”
Though it was a bit disheartening to discuss such serious matters now, they both knew it was important. So, they sat down to analyze and discuss the situation.
“I’m not really familiar with Sebastian’s medicines. The Snowdrop and Energy Pills are available for sale, right? If a noble family wanted to buy them, Sebastian wouldn’t refuse. How does giving away the pills help build relationships?”
Sophie shook her head. “No. Years ago, the Snowdrop and Energy Pills were rare, especially the Snowdrop pills. One of the ingredients is extremely difficult to find, and it has to be harvested in frigid conditions and can’t be allowed to dry out. It must be prepared within twelve hours of gathering it, and it’s hard to refine. Also, gathering herbs in such harsh weather is grueling. That’s why there weren’t many Snowdrop Pills available each year.
“The production only increased after Sebastian refined his formula and found a substitute ingredient. Even so, they’re still limited. He has a set quota every year. Some go to me and the Pathfinders Guild, he keeps a few bottles for himself, andhe sells the rest. If the pills run out and Sebastian is out of the capital, anyone in urgent need won’t be able to get them.”
“I see. You mentioned there were some emergency remedies as well. What are those used for?”
“Those are typically used to keep someone alive for a few days, or just a few hours. They’re mostly given to those who are already beyond saving, to help them make arrangements for their final affairs.”
Rafael pondered for a moment, then said, “That’s something we can look into.”
When Samuel’s trial began, the first ruling was to sever all ties between him and Leona, the Duchess of Everpeace. This complete break showed no regard for protecting the dignity of the Earl of Gracehold’s family.
Then, Samuel was found guilty of brutally beating his rightful wife, which resulted in the death of their unborn child. Given that Leona was part of the royal family and had the king’s royal edict backing her, the Supreme Court’s deputy minister sentenced Samuel to ten years of exile in Quarath. He would be subjected to the supervision of the local authorities there and forced to do hard labor, including farming.
The ruling was immediate and would take effect the very next day, leaving the Earl of Gracehold’s family with no chance to plead mercy from anyone.
However, Noah didn’t pursue any appeals either. He had spoken to Yuvan, who informed him that he had already interceded on Noah’s behalf with the queen dowager. Samuel would be the only one punished, and Noah’s title would remain intact. However, Yuvan warned Noah not to stir up any more trouble. If he did, things could spiral out of control.
Noah didn’t dare mention Samuel’s sentence to Dorothy. All she knew was that Samuel was in prison and safe from hardship. However, the knowledge did little to ease her heart. After all, Samuel was her beloved grandchild whom she had spoiled and nurtured. When Samuel was being escorted to Quarath, Noah and Abigail went to bid him farewell.
During that time, a servant inadvertently let slip the details of Samuel’s sentence, causing Dorothy to faint on the spot. She had already been on a hunger strike for two days, which had taken a toll on her health. Coupled with her age, her sudden anger and heartbreak caused the lower half of her body to be paralyzed. Her mouth was askew, and she couldn’t stop drool from leaking out. She could also hardly articulate her words.
Noah and Abigail were oblivious to the news as they waited outside the city for Samuel’s escort to appear. When they saw Samuel shackled, the image of his once vibrant self flickered in their minds. However, he was now a hollow shell. His eyes were vacant, and he was almost unrecognizable.
Noah rushed forward and hurriedly gave some money to the escort so he could talk with Samuel for a while.
Tears streamed down Samuel’s face as he begged, “Dad, Mom, save me! I don’t want to go to Quarath and do hard labor! I won’t be able to bear it! I’ll die! Please, save me!”
All his arrogance and pride had vanished. He was now a pitiful sight as he sobbed uncontrollably.
Abigail nearly fainted from grief, and she was unable to utter a single word.
Noah held back his tears and said,
“This is all your own doing. You had such a bright future, but you ruined it yourself. I’ll make the necessary arrangements for your journey to Quarath and ensure you get there safely. But once you’re there, whether you live or die is up to you. The king hasn’t named the crown prince yet, but when he does, there may be a general amnesty. That’ll be your chance to return, okay? No matter how difficult things get, you must endure. Do you understand?”
Samuel felt a wave of despair wash over him. How long would he have to wait until the king named the crown prince and granted a general amnesty? His exile was for ten years. With the king still so young, Samuel was afraid the crown prince still wouldn’t be named even after ten years had passed.
How could he possibly endure that long?
“Dad, if there’s any chance, please save me! I beg you!” Samuel cried, desperation seeping into his voice. “I can’t last ten years! I won’t survive until the general amnesty.”
Noah’s heart twisted in anguish. He had intended to question Samuel about whether the latter understood the gravity of his mistakes, but he couldn’t bear to press further after seeing Samuel in such a state Instead, he urged Samuel to hold onto life and promised he would find a way to rescue the latter if given the chance.
One of the escorting officers stepped forward, offering Noah a modicum of respect. “It’s time for us to set off.”
Tears streamed down Noah’s face as he pressed a banknote into the officer’s hand. He bowed deeply, and pleaded, “Please take care of him on the journey. If he arrives safely, I’ll reward you generously.” The escort officer nodded. “Don’t worry. It’s autumn now, so the weather won’t be as harsh. He’ll make it through.”
“Thank you,” Noah said, relieved to hear that his son wouldn’t die on the road.
Noah was an earl, yet he had to bow and scrape before a mere escort officer. It was a new low for him.
When had he ever felt this small in life?
He wiped his tears, and couldn’t help but turn to Samuel. “Do you finally realize your mistakes? If you do, I’ll be willing to convey your apologies to the duchess.”
Samuel’s eyes were hollow as he was pushed to take a few steps forward. Suddenly, he turned back to face Noah.
“Dad, if you see Ruby, ask her if she ever cared for me at all, even if just a little?”
At Samuel’s words, Noah felt his vision darken. It was as if something was lodged in his throat and nearly choking him. He swayed for a moment before collapsing to the ground.
Abigail burst into loud, heart-wrenching sobs, which drew a crowd of onlookers from the streets.
The turmoil between the Earl of Gracehold’s family and Harvey’s family was already well-known, and the people of the capital were now buzzing with gossip.
With Noah sitting on the ground and Abigail in tears, the spectator could only watch with detached curiosity. The sorrows of the nobility were mere entertainment to the common folk. They felt no empathy, only a desire for more gossip.
Upon returning home, Noah and Abigail learned that Dorothy had fainted and suffered a stroke. Despite quickly ordering everyone to keep their mouths shut, word still spread that her illness was caused by Samuel’s actions. The shame of disrespecting his family left a heavy stain on Samuel’s name. Even if he managed to return one day, he would be seen as worthless.
After her stroke, Dorothy could hardly speak. She spent her days murmuring Samuel’s name. In her dreams, she saw him being tormented and dying during his exile. The anxiety and emotional strain took their toll on her health, and she passed away within days. Dorothy’s death cast a shadow of disgrace over the Earl of Gracehold’s family. They now had to bear the blame for mistreating Leona, and for Samuel’s disrespectful attitude. In addition, several other family members who held significant positions in the court were reported to the Oversight Department for their involvement in the mistreatment of Leona.
In a fit of anger, Salvador demoted them all. While Noah retained his title, his family’s reputation was ruined beyond repair.
After the court session, Rafael bumped into Noah. They walked together and exchanged a few words. Noah remained fazed for a long time before dragging his heavy feet away slowly.