Filed To Story: Queen of the Battlefield Her Return to Glory Novel Online Free
Due to Sophie’s wedding, Violet had first returned home to help her family, then gone to assist the Inferno Guild with the gifts to add to Sophie’s trousseau.
Though this had occurred more than a month ago, Yuvan would have had to travel from Valken to the Spencer family’s residence in Ebonflow if he had gone to propose marriage. Considering the time it took to travel, Yuvan likely arrived to propose shortly after Violet’s return to the Inferno Guild.
The Spencer family had sent people to help with the gift preparations just a few days after Violet’s return to the Inferno Guild. That meant that by the time Violet met with the other Spencer family members in the capital, they probably hadn’t heard the news yet.
“How shameless can Prince Yuvan be? How old is he? How dare he come to propose marriage to me? When was the divorce agreement sent? It’s possible he came to propose first, then sent the divorce agreement. That old scoundrel-I’ll have him chopped up!” exclaimed Violet, outraged.
Perhaps it was because Yuvan’s name was repeatedly mentioned, but the tears in Avis’ eyes began to fall. Then, her dull eyes finally focused, and she looked steadily at Sophie.
Recognition dawned on her face.
With a sob, Avis began to cry. Her tears flowed uncontrollably, and her cries were piercingly sorrowful. Her weeping was so intense, it seemed like she might choke. She gasped for breath but could hardly catch it. Soon, she was coughing and vomiting blood, the bright red droplets staining the floor.
A horrified Sophie gently patted her aunt’s back and wiped away the blood. Yet, the blood kept coming up in steady streams until Avis eventually lost consciousness.
Ivy and Jasmine, seemingly accustomed to such emergencies, helped Avis lie down and began administering acupuncture. They crushed pills and forced them into her mouth. The attending maids cleaned up the blood and attended to Avis with practiced efficiency.
Sophie stood frozen. Even when a maid brought water to clean her blood-stained hands, she remained unresponsive.
Violet tapped her lightly. “Wash your hands. We’ll see how she is after the acupuncture.”
Only then did Sophie finally submerge her hands in warm water, her whole body trembling uncontrollably. She was aware of her aunt’s illness, but hadn’t realized it was this severe.
A chill of fear and dread settled in Sophie’s heart-a fear she knew all too well, the kind that came with the thought of losing a loved one. Her heart seemed to sink into darkness.
After the acupuncture and another dose of medicine, Avis gradually began to regain consciousness. She looked even more frail than before, but she recognized Sophie. Avis reached out for her niece’s hand, her eyes welling with tears once again.
Sophie hurriedly reassured, “Aunt Avis, I’m doing fine now. I’m married to Prince Rafael, and he treats me very well.”
“Is that true?” Avis’ eyes widened in disbelief. “Are you sure you’re not… lying to me?”
“No, it’s true. You can ask them.” Sophie gestured to Ivy and Violet. “Ask them.”
Violet looked at Avis and nodded. “It’s true.”
Violet was conflicted.
Yuvan, that old scoundrel, had caused Avis so much suffering, and now, he wanted to cast her aside and marry someone else. Just thinking about it was revolting.
Violet wondered how her grandfather and father would refuse him-would they scold him fiercely and chase him away? Probably not. Her grandfather and father always cared about their reputation. No matter how awful Yuvan was, he was still a prince. It wouldn’t be proper to openly confront him.
But if Violet had been present, she would have pointed a finger at him and berated him.
Who cared if he was a prince?
Violet felt that this situation was the most disgusting thing she had ever encountered in her entire life, bar none. Yuvan was in his forties by now, wasn’t he? What on earth was that old man thinking, trying to marry her?
Meanwhile, Sophie focused on comforting Avis. Once the older woman’s emotions had stabilized a bit, Sophie began to tell her about her current situation.
Avis grasped her niece’s hand, crying as she spoke, “I know about your divorce. I also know you went to the battlefield, and I worried every day that you would… I’m so relieved that everything is well now and that you’ve found a good husband. It eases my heart.”
She sighed deeply, her complexion now tinged with gray. “It’s all my fault for arranging that marriage for you. Every night, I dream of your mother coming to scold me. Her spirit must hate me deeply.” As she spoke, she began to cry once more.
To prevent Avis from becoming too agitated again, Ivy administered acupuncture to calm her nerves and instructed her to get a good night’s sleep. She also prescribed some sedative medicine that needed to be taken for the next couple of days.
Upon reading the divorce agreement, Violet became so enraged that she smashed a table.
The nuns from Verdant Monastery came to offer a simple meal. Ivy had them bring it over, and they dined in the side courtyard.
According to Ivy, the head of Verdant Monastery was a kind-hearted person who had a lot of sympathy for Avis. The other nuns did not intrude and provided plenty of food and drink, though they could not offer meat due to their dietary restrictions.
“Given Aunt Avis’ current condition, she can’t even drink a bit of broth with meat. How can she manage?” Sophie expressed her concern.
“If she were to drink it, she wouldn’t be able to keep it down,” Ivy, who was dressed in coarse cloth and thick cotton garments, replied, shaking her head. “She’s been unable to drink broth for a while now, even back when she was living in Horizon Estate. Even the smell of meat makes her uncomfortable. She’s been vegetarian for some time due to various reasons.”
The information Ivy shared was consistent with what Violet had told Sophie.
Avis had one son and two daughters. The son was not her biological child, though she had raised him. He was grateful to her, but he had yet to achieve anything significant.
The two daughters, Sabrina and Stephanie, were her biological children, but they proved to be of little help. Resenting Avis for not being favored by Yuvan, they turned their allegiance to Fiona. She provided them with fine clothing and luxurious food, as well as promised them favorable marriages. Both daughters were granted titles of nobility, but not the higher rank of duchess.
In Valken, Fiona’s family was a prominent one, surpassing Avis’ now-diminished family. Avis had always been kind-hearted, which might have appeared as weakness to others, even to her own daughters.
Ivy provided further details, “Lady Sabrina rarely pays any attention to Lady Avis. Even when Lady Avis was in the residence, she seldom came to see her.
“On the other hand, Lady Stephanie still held some respect and devotion for her mother. She occasionally helped with Lady Avis’ medicine. Still, she speaks unpleasantly and shows great disdain if Lady Avis’ medicine stains her clothes.
“Also, all the maids and servants who used to attend to Lady Avis have been reassigned by Lady Fiona. They’ve all been replaced with her own people. The maid who came to the monastery with Lady Avis is also one of Lady Fiona’s people. That’s why I needed to speak with you here.”
Sophie observed that while the maids were attentive in their care of Avis, their expressions were devoid of any concern, indicating that their efforts were merely superficial.
“What about Prince Yuvan?” Sophie asked, her eyes flashing with a cold glint.
Ivy snorted derisively. “Since
Jasmine and arrived at Horizon Estate, we haven’t seen him step into Lady Avis’ quarters more than a few times. Even when he does come his words are cold. He looks at her with utter disdain, as if he wishes she would die sooner. I’ve seen cruelty before, but this is beyond anything I’ve witnessed.”
Sophie was puzzled. “Given how my aunt is now, why does he still want a divorce? And getting divorce is not so simple for a prince. Has he submitted the divorce agreement? Even if he has, the king might not approve.”
The claim of not giving birth to sons and jealousy didn’t seem like valid grounds for a divorce.
The supposed lack of a son didn’t make sense. Since Avis had taken in a son from a concubine, that should count as her own. As for jealousy, it was even less likely. With Fiona’s constant bullying, it was
???
questionable whether Avis even had the chance to be jealous
Ivy shook her head. “We don’t know that.”
A prince’s divorce wasn’t straightforward. Sophie feared that this wasn’t a genuine divorce but rather a death warrant. Yuvan wanted Avis dead to make way for a new princess consort.
Sophie looked up at Ivy and asked, “Is there no other way to treat my aunt’s illness? Could we ask Sebastian to come over?”