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Davis sighed. “I worry, though. His Majesty’s health is poor. If he gets angry now and is forced to name Crown Prince, there will
Connor as be whispers about his incompetence and arrogance. Those who plot against us will claim that His Majesty is senile, and then they will have a reason to act.”
“His Majesty won’t name a crown prince at this time,” Sophie said. “His health is failing, and if he rushes to name one, it would be tantamount to admitting… Well, net won’t speak those treasonous words. Regardless, you
On’t need to be too concerned, Mr. Lloyd.”
Davis was a man of action. After venting his frustrations, he headed straight to the armory to oversee the progress.
Isaac had taken to living and working at the Ministry of Defense. He often said he didn’t know much, yet when it came time to roll up his sleeves, he seemed to know just what to do.
The afternoons had been marked by sudden downpours lately, with floodwaters rising. The riverworks project was nearing completion. The reservoir was finished, and the last stretch of the foundation dam was almost done.
This was the most crucial part, as the final section of the dam had been badly damaged for some time. During an inspection, the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Waterworks Department had agreed that the dam could break under the pressure if the waters rose too much.
Edwin had originally planned to begin repairs here, but given the extent of the damage across the entire dam, it had been decided to overhaul the entire structure from the ground up.
The riverworks project was nearing its conclusion, but the rain made it difficult to work, and the workers were growing restless. Cameron had spent the last few days calming their spirits, and he had reported the situation to Edwin.
Edwin had come out in person, umbrella in hand, to reassure the workers that the project would wrap up in less than ten days. A quick finish meant they could return home sooner.
Among the workers were actual conscripted laborers and hired hands, and it was them who were causing the real trouble-though, of course, there were people behind the scenes stirring things up.
Thanks to Cameron’s efforts, the actual conscripted laborers were filled with resentment toward the court as well.
Edwin’s presence had done little to ease the tension. That was because someone had already told the workers that the court would send someone to say a few empty words, all to get them to work through the rain.
As a result, rather than calming the workers, Edwin’s visit only fueled their anger.
By evening, tensions finally erupted.
The Waterworks Department had stationed soldiers to oversee the workers, ensuring work continued on schedule. Yesterday’s heavy rain had halted all progress, but with today’s rare overcast skies and no rain, Cameron ordered the workers to make up for lost time. In fact, he demanded they finish the project three days ahead of schedule.
The workers were already agitated, and they refused. Tempers flared, and heated arguments broke out between them and the Waterworks Department officials.
In a fit of rage, Cameron picked up a club and struck one of the workers.
That single blow ignited an uncontrollable fury among the workers. Over a hundred men turned on the officials, attacking them in a chaotic melee.
Fortunately, Sophie had already stationed people nearby to keep an eye on the situation. Word was immediately sent to Max.
Max was wary, suspecting this might be a calculated ploy by Nicholas. However, based on their investigation, not all the workers were connected to Nicholas. The group causing trouble appeared to be ordinary workers who had been provoked.
Balancing caution with urgency, Max led a group to intervene and break up the fight while also sending someone to report the situation to Sophie.
Sophie watched the daylight wane and knew the city would soon enforce the nighttime curfew. If the unrest continued into the night, it would be the perfect opportunity for Nicholas’ people to exploit the chaos.
Without hesitation, she ordered Michael to lead the Capital Guard to the site and sent a message to Edwin, instructing him to recall Cameron immediately and place him under temporary custody.
“This is clearly Cameron’s doing,” Violet said with a frown. “I can’t imagine what he’s trying to achieve.” Sophie’s expression darkened. “Perhaps Prince Nicholas is growing impatient. Or maybe this is a trap to draw me out.”
Violet glanced at her, worry etched in her features. “Then let’s stay at the Capital Guard headquarters tonight. We won’t return to the estate.”
Sophie’s mind worked quickly. “If they fail to draw me out, they might come here instead. With all these workers causing trouble, we need to send people out. We can’t pull guards from every checkpoint, so we’ll have to send those nearby or from the Capital Guard.”
She had anticipated this possibility and had discussed it at length with Jacob and Kyle.
But the reality remained: skilled fighters were in short supply, and there were too many critical locations to protect. Hiding in Hell Monarch Estate forever wasn’t an option. Whatever would come, Sophie was ready to face it.
Violet’s grip tightened on her sword hilt, her eyes steeling. “Then let them come. At least we’ll stop wondering when they’ll make their move. It’s just a shame Cynthia, Bun, and Rod aren’t here-we could’ve fought them together.”
Sophie held her Rose Spear and ran a cloth over its sharpened tip. “It’s just speculation for now. Don’t let your guard down. But if something does happen, your first priority is to leave and get reinforcements. Don’t try to fight them off on your own.”
Violet glanced at the dimming sky, her expression uneasy. She turned back to Sophie and said firmly, “I’ll stay and fight. You should go and find reinforcements. It’s the same either way.”
The wind howled through the city, and the darkened sky seemed poised to burst into a storm. It was hard to tell if it was the approaching twilight or the prelude to torrential rain.
Suddenly, the distant thunder of hoofbeats broke through the gloom, growing louder and more chaotic by the second.
The two women exchanged a quick glance and stepped outside. A Capital Guard officer hurried toward them. “Commander Devin, it’s Mr. York and Mr. Spencer.”
Sophie and Violet exhaled in relief and strode to the gate to greet them.
Three figures dismounted at the cel.ne entrance, handing off their reins and riding crops to a waiting guard. Jacob, Kyle, and Travis entered briskly, their clothes fitted for movement, ideal for combat. Each carried weapons, their attire dusty and windswept from a hard ride.
Jacob’s hair was slightly disheveled, evidence of the speed with which they had traveled. He looked at Sophie and said, “We heard about the unrest at the riverbank. We feared those causing trouble might have ulterior motives, so we came to meet you.”
Kyle stepped forward, his tone calm and reassuring. “Don’t worry. The five of us together can handle anything. No matter how difficult it gets, we’ll fight our way out.’
Sophie felt a wave of warmth rise in her chest.
They must have been worried about her lately, huh?
She nodded firmly and smiled at them. “All right. If no assassins come tonight, we’ll drink and feast. But if they do show up, we’ll give them the fight of their lives.”
They moved into the main hall. The Capital Guard headquarters had its own kitchen, and Sophie ordered the cooks to prepare a meal as it was about time for dinner.
By about 11 in the evening, rain began to fall.
It wasn’t heavy, just a persistent drizzle that seeped into everything and grated on the nerves. A messenger arrived from Michael, reporting that the unrest at the river was escalating. The number of rioters had grown, and they were becoming harder to control. Michael had already sent requests for reinforcements to the Royal Citadel and the Supreme Court.
Violet was restless and frustrated. She wanted to go out and check. But the thought of assassins potentially targeting Sophie stopped her, and she sank back into her chair.
“Do you think they’ll act tonight?” she asked.
Jacob shook his head. “No. If they act tonight, it’ll be a wasted effort. They wouldn’t stand a chance.”
The Mystic Army had fortified every critical checkpoint in the city. Even if Nicholas’ forces attempted a coup, they wouldn’t make it past Royal Street.
So tonight, they were likely just trying to stir up more conflict-either to create an excuse for future action or perhaps to target Sophie.
The damp, oppressive heat of summer seemed to weigh heavily on the spirit, stoking an inexplicable irritation in the air.