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“It seems likely that the border situation between the two kingdoms will change sooner or later,” Rafael said.
Sophie felt a weight in her heart because her maternal grandfather and his family were stationed at the border.
Her seventh uncle was already dead, and her third uncle had lost an arm. Only the adopted eighth uncle could still assist her grandfather. The entire Sullivan family was enduring hardships at the border. She had not seen them for a long, long time.
If war broke out again…
Sophie shuddered at the thought.
Westhaven was a formidable force. Though Starhaven was not lacking, the Southern Frontier battle had resulted in severe losses and depleted troops.
Moreover, both the Hell Monarch Army and the Devin Army were now under Oliver’s command. Although he was a competent general, he might struggle with large-scale warfare.
Rafael said, “Previously, Westhaven was concerned about its reputation and would never publicly reveal the crown prince’s disgraceful fate at Fawnrun City. Additionally, they had signeda border and ceasefire ?
agreement to appease Freya. For the sake of their national reputation, they wouldn’t easily breach the accord.
“But the problem is, we don’t know how long the old king can hold on. If the third prince ascends the throne, it’s hard to say he won’t disclose the truth, given his feelings about the late crown prince.” The situation in Fawnrun City was like a brewing storm, ready to unleash at any moment.
When a new regime begins, the new king must solidify his power with decisive actions. The demarcation of the border might be a sore spot for the people of Westhaven. Intelligence reports showed that the people of Westhaven harbored resentment towards Westhaven’s marshal, Liam, believing he was unworthy of his position.
Sophie pondered, “Why is what happened to Freya spreading so quickly? Could there be spies from Westhaven in the capital?”
The Westhaven spies had previously revealed themselves and annihilated the Duke of Northwatch’s family, after which, most were killed. The Royal Citadel and garrison units in the capital claimed that even if some had escaped, they had returned to Westhaven.
Rafael considered this and said,
“Perhaps Edmund had already made arrangements against Starhaven. He might have set up a network of spies, As for Freya’s case, it’s likely the king will order that it be kept under wraps and prevent further public speculation.”
Sophie nodded. “That must be done.”
The world was filled with clever minds. Given the nature of Freya’s capture and humiliation, it was easy to speculate that there might be hidden details in the Victory Pass peace treaty. Salvador’s reign was still relatively new, and his foundation wasn’t solid. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be so wary of his own younger brother. So, if there was any way to suppress dissent, he would use it.
After a moment of silence, Rafael said, “Now, I’m worried that the news might not have come from Westhaven spies.”
Sophie looked up sharply. “Are you thinking that Prince Yuvan is behind this? But how could he know the details of what happened in Fawnrun City?”
Their eyes met, and they spoke almost in unison, “He might have someone at Victory Pass.”
Sure enough, within a few days, the rumors about Freya ceased to spread.
The storytellers in coffeehouses and taverns had quickly changed their tune. They now claimed that while Starhaven soldiers had indeed been captured at the Southern Frontier battle, Starhaven’s army had also taken many Sandorian soldiers as prisoners. In the end, both sides exchanged their prisoners, and there were no instances of mistreatment or abuse of the captives.
To outsiders, it might seem like a minor issue. However, those sensitive to the situation could sense that something was off.
The general populace was unaware that Westhaven soldiers had also been sent to assist Sandoria on the battlefield-such military matters were kept confidential. Even if a few knew, it was a minority, and the information would not spread widely unless someone intentionally spread it.
Meanwhile, Rafael’s household army had been established, including over two hundred men from the Hell Monarch Army, whom Rafael had recovered from the king. These men had originally been Rafale’s personal guards and hadn’t received the court’s rations, so Salvador granted his approval. And anyway, the two hundred or so men were not considered a significant number.
Additionally, there were over a hundred men from the Devin family’s army. These hundred or so men had once been personal guards to Sophie’s father, Hector, and had been gathered back into service. Jacob and Travis gathered more people and, along with the men already in the estate, assembled a force of five hundred troops.
The quarters for the household soldiers had been established in the open space of the estate, a significant distance away from the main house and the rear courtyard. The patrols and defenses within the estate were organized by Travis.
Apart from the household soldiers on daily duty, all others were required to undergo training with Travis. While referred to as training, it was actually a martial arts instruction. Most of these men had been to battle, but experience in combat did not necessarily mean proficiency in martial arts.
Though five hundred men were not many, they could become elite troops if properly trained, and thus could alleviate immediate difficulties.
As Sophie began taking charge of the household affairs, Luke summoned the heads of various estates and shopkeepers to Hell Monarch Estate to meet the princess consort. From now on, they would be under her management.
Sophie didn’t just go through the motions; she asked each person detailed questions. It was clear that Jacob and Luke had chosen their staff well-all of them were skilled and respectful.
After the inquiries, she rewarded them with gifts and instructed them to manage their affairs diligently, promising them rewards at the end of the year. The estate managers and shopkeepers saluted in thanks before streaming out one after another.
Sophie buried herself in the account books for several days, scrutinizing the records for any discrepancies. She tallied each item of income and expenditure, discovering that the estate was indeed vast and prosperous. The king had previously sought to suppress Rafael, which resulted in substantial rewards and grants of land.
After the battle at the Southern Frontier, additional mountain lands had been acquired. Luke had sent people to inspect these new lands finding that they were suitable only for farming and growing fruit. They had little other use and were situated in rather remote areas, making them difficult to manage.
“By the way, Grand Princess Eleanor suggested exchanging these mountain lands for prime farmland. I reported this to His Highness, but he refused the exchange,” said Luke. Sophie looked up. “Exchanging prime farmland for mountain lands?”
“Yes,” Luke confirmed. “We asked twice, but His Highness declined both times.”
Sophie’s lips curved into a thoughtful smile. “How intriguing. What does Grand Princess Eleanor hope to achieve with such a swap?”
“His Highness believes there must be an ulterior motive. He has already dispatched people to keep an eye on the people in Harmony Palace,” Luke added.
Sophie nodded. “I got it. Next month is Mother’s birthday. It’s her first year out of the palace, so she will undoubtedly want to host a grand celebration.”
“We’ve asked Lady Helen about it. She said it was fine to do a small one and invite just a few people,” Luke said with a smile.
Sophie chuckled. “That won’t do. There must be a proper level of decorum.”
Recently, Helen had gone on a shopping spree, buying expensive flowers and decorating the garden She even had the theater refurbished, all in preparation for her birthday celebration. She was intent om making it a grand affair, so how could they only invite a few people?
“Please draft a guest list for me, Luke. I need to review who should be invited and who shouldn’t,” Sophie instructed. “Certainly,” Luke replied respectfully before leaving.
This was the first banquet Sophie would be organizing since marrying into the royal family.
If it were poorly executed, it could become a laughingstock, especially given how Helen was so concerned about her own birthday banquet. Sophie was certain her mother-in-law wouldn’t want any embarrassment to mar the celebration.
Thus, Sophie personally consulted Helen on whether there were any essential guests who needed to be invited.
Helen pretended to ponder for a moment before saying, “If Dakota and Josephine can come out of the palace, then invite them. As for the others, you can decide.”
Sophie knew that these two women were indeed necessary guests, especially Dakota.
It was curious, though. The concubines favored by the late king, Sigmund, weren’t those two, but rather the deceased Shelby and Wanda. So, why had Helen ended up at odds with Dakota and Josephine? The marriage alliance with the Quinton family had improved Helen’s relationship with Josephine, but her interactions with Dakota remained strained.
Sophie couldn’t help but ask, “Did Dakota ever offend you?”
Helen snorted. “Don’t be fooled by her appearance. She seems straightforward, but she’s actually quite scheming. I was frequently fooled by her when the late king was still alive, and often scolded by him for it.”
Seeing the anger on Helen’s face, it seemed that she was telling the truth. She was the type to be easily provoked by a bit of manipulation-she could be easily defeated by even the smallest amount of scheming.