Filed To Story: Queen of the Battlefield Her Return to Glory Novel Online Free
She numbly returned to arranging the flowers, tears streaming down her face as she did so.
Sophie and the others made their offerings of flowers and candles then sat nearby, also arranging the flowers. Before leaving, they asked Lulu and Pearl to stay behind to help and keep Chaya company.
Violet had been staying at Glimmering Tower over the past few days. With both her father and mentor in the capital, she wanted to be with them as much as possible.
When she had time, Sophie would also head to Glimmering Tower. She hoped to keep Adrian around a little longer and not let him return to Meadow Ridge so soon. But she was often too busy.
There were many details to take care of, and with the battle having resulted in heavy casualties for the Mystic Army, the follow-up compensation had to be handled properly.
After a discussion with the court ine officials, Salvador decided to find a suitable burial site for Hayden near the Royal Mausoleum, though it would not be within the grounds. Ultimately, Hayden could not be buried in the Princes’ Mausoleum.
The burial site, chosen by the Royal Astronomer, was indeed a place of serene beauty-lush mountains and clear waters, with two villages nestled nearby. Though it was said to be next to the Royal Mausoleum, it was actually ten miles away.
After the funeral, Chaya came to bid farewell to Sophie and Violet. She told them she planned to stay in one of the nearby villages and build a small hut, in order to guard the grave of her godfather.
Violet asked if she needed financial help, but Chaya said she didn’t. She explained that selling the jewelry she had purchased would provide enough for her to live comfortably on her own and still have some wealth to spare.
The day she left, Thomas arrived in the capital, with Yuvan and the others in his custody.
Standing at the city gates, Chaya watched the prisoner cart carrying Yuvan and Harvey. A surge of hatred rose within her, but as she saw the common people angrily throwing rotten vegetables at them, her anger faded.
They had brought this upon themselves-karma had caught up with them.
As for herself, she was finally free, no longer bound by anyone or anything.
Along with Yuvan and the others, some officials from Nerovia, as well as Clifford, were being escorted back. To Sophie’s surprise, Celeste was among them as well.
Sophie and Matthew, the deputy minister of the Supreme Court, had come to oversee the transfer of prisoners. When asked if he had seen Oliver, Thomas replied that he had not. It was only after the city was sealed and reopened that they had tracked down Celeste and arrested her.
No one had questioned anyone for information yet. Salvador had issued an order to transfer the most serious criminals to the Supreme Court. What would happen to the rest was to be decided by the Capital Guard.
Yuvan, Harvey, Clifford, Wayne, Saul, and Samson-these six were undeniably the most severe offenders. They were to be handed over directly to the Supreme Court and imprisoned in Astral Prison. Whether they would be interrogated depended on Salvador’s will.
As for the remaining officials from Nerovia and Valken, as well as Celeste, they were to be questioned first by the officials at the Capital Guard headquarters. If their involvement proved serious enough, they would also be sent to the Supreme Court.
After bringing Helen and Ryan back to Hell Monarch Estate, Sophie immediately threw herself into the interrogations. She started with Celeste, hoping to extract any information about the crimes Oliver had committed, as well as his current whereabouts.
Celeste had arrived in the capital in a prisoner cart. She was no longer the proud, aloof woman she once was. She looked weary and haggard, her hair sticking to her scalp in tangled strands, giving her a disheveled appearance. After days of traveling under the scorching sun, her face was reddened and peeling, the skin raw from the exposure.
Beauty, after all, needed careful upkeep. Without the resources to maintain it, it faded quickly, losing its former luster and vitality.
She denied all accusations, her voice cold and detached as she said, “I am but a plaything, like all my other sisters. Since His Majesty pardoned them, I should be pardoned as well.”
Sophie was already aware that Celeste would never admit to her actions easily, so she didn’t rush her. She calmly followed protocol and asked the necessary questions.
“Who instructed you to approach Mr. Prince?”
Celeste raised her chin slightly, her gaunt appearance giving her a sharp, almost cruel edge.
She spoke with a hint of sarcasm, “When life in the capital became unbearable, sought other opportunities. It was no secret that Oliver had an eye for women. I knew that with my beauty, I could make him-forget his old hag of a wife. As it turned out, I was right.”
“And after his escape, did you continue to be with him?” Sophie asked, flipping through the notes provided by Thomas, already aware of Celeste’s lavish home in Nerovia. “Did you purchase that house together? Where is he now?”
Celeste sneered. “He’s a spineless coward. How could I ever truly care for him? He ran when things got tough, sol had no use for him. His subordinates were after his money, so they stole from him and ran off in the night. Naturally, I ran as well. The house was mine and mine alone.”
“Where did the money to buy it come from?” Sophie asked.
“I earned it myself,” Celeste replied.
“How?” Sophie pressed.
Celeste glanced at her with a mocking smile. “Obviously, with my looks and body. A woman’s beauty is her biggest asset. You’re also quite pretty, Your Grace. I imagine you could make a fortune if you chose to sell yourself.”
“How dare you?!” Michael shouted angrily from the side.
Celeste smirked. “Oh, that’s right. I almost forgot. Lady Sophie comes from a good family and married well. She’ll never run out of money. She can live a hundred lifetimes and still live be rich. Naturally, she doesn’t have to sell herself to make a living like I do.”
Michael felt a surge of anger. This was the first time he ever had the urge to hit a woman. But when he saw Sophie motion for him to calm down, he restrained himself. Instead, he simply let out a cold snort. Celeste’s words were meant to be an insult, but Sophie just smiled and nodded. “You’re right. The things you struggled so hard to achieve, I can have with a snap of my fingers. As for your residence in Nerovia, I can buy as many residences like that as I please.”
To strike at the heart-who couldn’t do that?
Celeste’s fists tightened, and there was a sharp glint in her eyes. “That’s why I say the heavens are unfair. How could this happen?”
“You said it yourself-it’s all about one’s birth. Even the woman you call an old hag also comes from a noble family,” Sophie replied calmly, her voice carrying a subtle sense of superiority.
Celeste hated that attitude more than anything, for it reminded her of Eleanor-the one who stood in the clouds while Celeste could only crawl in the dust below. Her anger flared, her chest rising and falling sharply.
“So what if she’s of noble birth? She was still rejected by her own husband,” Celeste taunted.
“Mr. Prince? She never cared for him at all,” Sophie said dismissively. “It’s only you who treats him like some precious gem.”
“He’s no gem to me, he’s a waste of space,” Celeste spat, her expression hardening.
Sophie smiled contemptuously. “What I know isn’t quite like that. You even had a child with him. Knowing full well that desertion is a grave crime, you followed him without hesitation. I’ve seen enough people like you people who say one thing and do another.”
“That’s nonsense!” Celeste yelled, her face turning scarlet with rage. But then, she composed herself and laughed bitterly. “Ha, so you want to trick me? Fine. Yes, I loved him. I couldn’t stop myself from running away with him. So what?”
Sophie shrugged nonchalantly. “Alright, you caught me. But it doesn’t really matter. I was just going through the motions. The scribe will write the confession we need, and I’ll be able to file my report.” Celeste sucked in a sharp breath. “You’re trying to frame me?”
Sophie’s face darkened, her voice cold as ice as she said, “It’s not framing-it’s the truth. Mr. Prince embezzled military funds because you incited him to do so. He deserted his post, which was your idea too. After he fled, you ordered his men to steal his wealth and silence him. There’s nothing here that isn’t true.”
Celeste’s nostrils flared, her fury bubbling over. “Don’t you dare twist the truth! I didn’t make him do anything! He’s the one who embezzled the military funds because he wanted to indulge in pleasures. He’s the one who ran away from the battlefield out of fear for his life. After fleeing the Southern Frontier, he didn’t honor his promises.
“He didn’t share the money with his men as he said he would. He treated them like slaves, not even giving them decent food. They were angry and all did was help them get a bit of profit. And no, he’s not dead We didn’t take all the money. Wedeft him one hundred silver coins to raise his child. He’s in Stonebridge County! You can send someone to find him there!”
Even if Celeste had seduced Oliver, leading him to do many foolish things in the heat of passion, her crimes didn’t warrant death. But if everything was pinned on her-if- they said she had incited him, or even plotted to steal from him and murder him-then there was no way she could keep her head.
Her anger flared as she finished speaking. But as she saw the flash of light in Sophie’s eyes, she realized she had been baited into confessing. Her face twisted with fury as she glared at Sophie.
“So, it seems that high-born ladies are just as good at manipulating others. In that case, why do you look down on me?” said ?eleste.
Sophie wiped the disdainful expression from her face, returning to her usual calm demeanor. “I don’t look down on you. You’ve broken the law and I’m here to question you. That’s all.”