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“He cherishes his reputation too much. He won’t tolerate even the slightest stain on it. But with that kind of personality, combined with his scheming, he’s bound to fail. I’m just a woman who doesn’t know much about the world, but even understand that great achievements require letting go of small things. If you want to pull off grand schemes but still crave a spotless reputation, you’ll end up losing both in the end.”
Oscar quickly shushed her. “Your Grace, please! You mustn’t say such things. These are treasonous words. If someone overhears them, it could be disastrous!”
Ruth waved her hand weakly and gave a bitter smile. “Do you still think it’s a secret? Now that Eleanor has been sent to the Heritage Bureau, many things have come to light. He didn’t want me to know, but do you thinkt don’t understand my own son? Or the daughter I raised? Why did Eleanor scheme and plot like that? Wasn’t it all for her brother and for her ridiculous revenge?
“I won’t meet a peaceful end. I should’ve passed last year. Instead, I’ve wasted so much of the palace’s fine medicine, not to mention the rare herbs and treasures Yuvan brought back from Valken to keep me alive. Was that really being dutiful? No, it was just a message to the king-to remind him that Yuvan wouldn’t dare act rashly because he still has his old mom here in the capital. But do you think such petty schemes fool anyone?”
Oscar knelt on the ground, his face pale. “Your Grace, please stop thinking about these things. It will only cause you more pain. You’ve already cried yourself blind in one eye over the former grand princess.” Tears streamed down Ruth’s face. “She’s in the Heritage Bureau, living a life worse than a dog’s. Thank goodness she has Florence by her side. Think of a way to send her some food, or maybe a few pieces of clothing. Let her live a little more comfortably, won’t you?” “It can’t be done, Your Grace. It’s far too dangerous to risk such a thing.”
“What is there to fear?” Ruth said with a hollow laugh. “I’ve stopped caring whether I live or die. I know I won’t be able to see her again. While I felt a bit stronger these past two months, I made her two sets of clothes. If you can send them to her, it would at least let me fulfill this one last duty as a parent.”
She looked at Oscar intently. “I heard you have a younger sister who works with Lady Helen. Go and beg her for help. We don’t need to meet Eleanor-just ask your sister to deliver the clothes and some pastries for us. Since she’s at Hell Monarch Estate, it should be easier to get Prince Rafael’s help.”
Oscar knew it was almost impossible, but the pleading in Ruth’s eyes softened him. He nodded.
“Yes, Your Grace. I’ll speak to her soon.”
He thought to himself that whether or not Gillian agreed to help, he would return and tell Ruth the clothes and pastries had been delivered.
When Yuvan brought his family to the queen dowager’s chambers to bid farewell, Salvador was also present.
The uncle and nephew each harbored their own thoughts, though neither voiced them. Victoria was aware of the underlying tension, but chose to act as if nothing was amiss. She chatted with them about ordinary matters, reminiscing about the past. With a deep sigh, Victoria began to speak about the late king’s fond memories of Yuvan and his brothers in their younger days.
“During the autumn hunt one year, you brothers accompanied King Sigmund,” she said, her voice tinged with nostalgia. “You were so full of youthful energy back then, Yuvan. You insisted on riding a fiery horse that was as tall as you were.
“Who would have guessed the horse would go mad and nearly throw you off? King Sigmund rushed to your side, whipping his riding crop around you to keep you steady, but you both ended up falling.”
Her gaze distant, she continued, “Luckily, he shielded you with his own body. You didn’t suffer serious injuries, but his back was cut open by the rocks, leaving several deep wounds that bled profusely.”
She paused, her expression softening. “He always said that among all his brothers, he cherished you the most. You were clever, considerate, and dutiful. Whenever he had something good, he always made sure to set aside a share for you. When it came time to divide the lands, he gave you Valken, hoping you could live a peaceful, prosperous life as a man of leisure.”
Victoria smiled faintly as she spoke, though deep down, she knew these words wouldn’t change anything. Still, Sigmund’s intentions deserved to be voiced. Whether Yuvan chose to acknowledge his brother’s affection or not was entirely up to him.
For his part, Yuvan adopted a look of deep reflection. He even shed tears at the emotional moments.
However, Salvador remained detached, almost like an outsider. He suddenly turned his attention to Randall and asked, “I’ve heard you’re well-read and knowledgeable. Have you ever considered entering court as an official?”
Randall froze, clearly caught off guard by the king’s question.
Before he could respond, Yuvan quickly interjected, “Randall, thank His Majesty for his kindness!”
Randall immediately knelt and said, “Your Majesty, I humbly thank you for your gracious offer. If there is any way I can serve you, I would gladly oblige. But as for becoming an official, I must confess that I lack both talent and skill. I fear I am unworthy of such a responsibility.”
“Skills can be learned,” Salvador said firmly. “If you think you lack ability, then you should stay in the capital and learn. In the meantime, you can also fulfill your duty by caring for your grandmother. And since you’re still unmarried, I’ll have someone Keep an eye out for a suitable match for you.”
With that, Salvador settled the matter, leaving Randall no choice.
Randall was Yuvan’s eldest son, born to a concubine but raised by Avis in his early years. His biological mom had been a maidservant. Meanwhile, Fiona had two sons of Lucian and Raymond, the latter of whom had not her own:
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accompanied them to the nital this time.
On the surface, Lucian seemed brash, reckless, and utterly useless. As for Raymond, he was greedy and obsessed with women-hardly a man to be relied upon. That left Randall. Among Yuvan’s sons, he was the only one with decent potential. Of course, Salvador wasn’t one to judge a person based solely on appearances.
Randall cast a glance at his father, hiding the bitterness in his eyes. Then, he knelt and said, “Thank you, Your Majesty.”
He understood perfectly well that staying in the capital was not a matter of learning or marriage-it was to serve as a hostage. Yuvan had never explicitly explained these things to him, but after all this time, Randall had pieced together most of the truth. And because he understood, he had never been in a rush to marry.
If Yuvan succeeded in his plans, the best Randall could hope for was to become a prince. Maybe he would even be granted the title of a county duke and be given a fief. But if Yuvan failed, Randall’s life would be forfeit. Why involve an innocent woman in such an uncertain fate?
By Randall’s assessment, the odds were heavily stacked against his father. With the kingdom stable and its military strong, Yuvan’s chances of success were slim. Yet, blinded by years of scheming and ambition, he seemed convinced victory was within his grasp. Victoria had said everything she needed to say, and Salvador had no more to add. Anything else would only be empty pleasantries, and there was no point in that now.
Salvador didn’t know the exact size of Yuvan’s private army, how much grain he had stockpiled, or what weapons and armor he possessed. But he wouldn’t act hastily.
Without concrete evidence, there was no justification to execute Yuvan. A baseless accusation of treason would tarnish the royal family’s reputation, while holding Yuvan in the capital indefinitely could backfire, giving his followers time to act.
Before leaving the capital, Molly made another trip to Hell Monarch Estate to see Violet and ask her for the letter she wanted to write to her father.
Having been warned by Sophie, Violet didn’t entertain Molly’s request. She didn’t give her the letter and quickly dismissed her instead.
Molly tried again, but only embarrassed herself. But this time, she didn’t seem angry. Instead, her eyes brimmed with tears.
“Violet, I know you look down on me, but I truly see you as my little sister. While we were in the capital, we bought so many things that we can’t take back with us. If Skye Embroidery can use them, I’ll send everything there.” Violet crossed her arms, her tone skeptical as she asked, “Are you really this generous?”
Molly bristled at the accusation. “I’m a woman too. Naturally, I want to help other women. Besides, it’s all things we don’t need anymore-grain, clothes, fabrics, embroidery supplies, and even flowers. It’s impractical to bring them back to Valken. If you don’t believe me, you can oversee it yourself as I have the items delivered.”
If Molly hadn’t been annoyed, Violet would have suspected ulterior motives. But seeing her irritation now, Violet figured her cousin wasn’t entirely insincere more likely, she just wanted to win favor.
Still, the items would be useful. The flowers from Edgeview Estate, in particular, were stunning and diverse. They would be perfect for Leona to tend to. They would surely brighten the spirits of Camila and Soraya too.
“I’ll wait until Sophie gets back and go with her,” Violet said cautiously.
Either way, Sophie usually stopped by the workshop every other evening.
Molly frowned. “Then, send someone to ask when she’ll return. We can’t wait that long, we’ll be leaving the city in two hours. Or how about this-I’ll leave you the key, and you can send someone to collect the items yourself?” “That won’t work,” Violet replied. “If something goes missing, you’ll blame me for stealing. I’m not falling for that.”
Violet glanced at the clock. It wasn’t even midday yet, but Sophie likely wouldn’t return from the Capital Guard headquarters until evening. With the Garrison Unit having just finished an overhaul and starting a new round of assessments, she was quite busy.
Seeing Violet’s stubbornness, Molly grew impatient. “Forget it. If you don’t want to watch, I’ll have someone from the household bring the items over. Stop being so fussy-it’s just some stuff. I’m giving them all to you. It’s not like I’m asking for anything in return. It’s exhausting to deal with you when you’re being so difficult.”
Violet immediately objected, “That won’t do. I can’t trust all of you to just walk into the workshop like that. I need to inspect everything first.”
Molly scoffed, “Fine! Wait at the gate of Edgeview Estate, and I’ll have my people bring everything out. You can inspect each item yourself, and once you’re satisfied, I’ll have it sent to the workshop. You can even ride along with the cart if that makes you feel better. Is that safe enough for you?”
Violet considered this. It sounded reasonable Most of the items weren’t a concern, but the flowers needed to be moved carefully. If they were left behind in Edgeview Estate without anyone to tend them, they would surely wither.
“Alright, that works. I’ll ride my horse there.”
Violet still had her guard up. She wasn’t about to ride in their carriage.
As she prepared to leave, she ran into Travis. He didn’t ask too many questions since Violet often went out, but after a moment of thought, she decided to tell him.