Filed To Story: Queen of the Battlefield Her Return to Glory Novel Online Free
The things she could not have were the most unforgettable.
She threw the cup to the ground, and it shattered with a loud crash.
Staring at the broken pieces of porcelain, her eyes were filled with hatred. If only her father had agreed to let her marry Hector! If he did, she wouldn’t now harbor such extreme resentment toward him, the late king, as well as toward the current king.
‘Oh, Father, did you know? You’ve ruined your daughter’s life!’
At Hibiscus Lane, the side gate of a house creaked open, and a maid ushered in Henry as she said, “Don’t worry, Your Grace. Mr. Langley returned to Gracehold Estate today and won’t be back until tonight at the earliest.”
Henry nodded. “Take me to see her.”
The manor in Hibiscus Lane was a property of the Earl of Gracehold, arranged by Dorothy for Samuel and Ruby to stay in.
Today, Dorothy had sent for Samuel.
With his status as heir apparent stripped away, Samuel was beginning to panic. The situation grew even more dire when he heard that there was a petition to have his name removed from the National Examination Register. Overcome with fear and anxiety, he felt compelled to return to the estate and seek his grandmother’s intervention.
Henry met his daughter in the sitting room. Ruby, now going by Celeste, stood up and curtsied. “Greetings, Your Grace.”
Henry looked at his daughter’s bowed head and sighed softly. “I’m your father. There’s no one else here, so just call me ‘Dad’.”
Celeste lifted her head. “Alright, Dad.”
Henry sat down, his clothes rustling as he settled into the chair. “How was your identity discovered? Your mother is quite upset and has asked me to find out if you’ve been in any private contact with Lady Sophie.”
Celeste’s eyes were cold and contained a hint of disdain, even when addressing her father.
She replied, “How could a mere concubine in the Earl of Gracehold’s family possibly have any private dealings with the Hell Monarch’s princess consort? If Mother doesn’t trust me, I don’t mind drinking a glass of poisoned wine to alleviate her concerns.” Henry frowned. “What nonsense are you talking about? If she wanted you to drink poison, why would she spend so much money on your upbringing? Don’t forget your mission-your mom is still in her hands.”
Celeste’s eyes glinted with mockery and bitterness. “If you truly loved my mom, why didn’t you stand up to Mother? Instead, you let me suffer and be mistreated just to keep her by your side.”
Henry’s face darkened. “You’ve thrown the Earl of Gracehold’s family into chaos. Grand Princess Eleanor is pleased with the turmoil. She’s merely displeased that your identity was exposed. Your sister has already set out and will encounter the Hell Monarch on the road. With her exceptional beauty and her skills in martial arts, which the Hell Monarch favors, she will likely gain his favor. If she can enter the Hell Monarch’s estate, our plan will be halfway successful.”
“Let’s hope my sister can successfully kill Lady Sophie.” A ruthless glint flickered in Celeste’s eyes.
Hector was the source of her tragedy and that of all her sisters. Hector was dead, but Sophie still lived.
Henry fell silent, his eyes reflecting a mix of complex emotions.
Finally, he sighed. “Your sister’s martial skills are not as good as Lady Sophie’s. She can only try to poison and sabotage from within after entering the estate. But if she’s discovered, she’ll lose her life.”
“As long as she is favored, she won’t die.” Celeste smiled derisively. “The Hell Monarch and Lady Sophie have no real affection for each other. Didn’t Mother say so? Their marriage is merely a political alliance. The Devin family needs the Hell Monarch to maintain the public image of the Duke of Northwatch’s reputation, while the Hell Monarch needs Lady Sophie’s military power to support him. Although Lady Sophie is only an honorary deputy commander of the Mystic Army now, if she truly returns to command the Mystic Army, she will still have many followers.”
Henry frowned, and instinctively wanted to avoid the topic. “That has nothing to do with us. In fact, I opposed your sister approaching the Hell Monarch. It’s too dangerous.”
“Does it matter if you oppose it?” Celeste nearly spat the words “useless coward” at him. Her eyes brimmed with unmasked disdain and contempt.
Henry’s hair was already graying, and he looked at his daughter. He couldn’t blame them for their resentment. He had fathered them, only for Eleanor to use them as tools. And he himself was just another tool.
“I have opposed it,” he said. His voice was barely a whisper, fraught with weakness and guilt. “But I was powerless.”
Celeste’s expression remained impassive. “Enough with the useless talk. What instructions does Mother have next? What do I need to do?”
“The Earl of Gracehold’s family has been ruined. Samuel is expendable. You need to find a way into the Earl of Silverstone’s household. The current Earl of Silverstone net
Oliver, only has a concubine, but he’s leading troops outside. You won’t be able to reach him, so you’ll have to deal with his younger brother.”
Henry produced a sheet of paper detailing information about Kenneth Prince, the Earl of Silverstone’s younger brother.
Celeste took the paper with a pinch of her fingers. The fact that so little could be written about Kenneth showed he was also a useless person.
She was thoroughly disgusted with these ineffectual individuals. She would rather approach someone like the Hell Monarch, someone truly capable and influential. Such a person was worth her effort.
She had hoped Samuel, as a top scholar, would amount to something. Unfortunately, he turned out to be just a pampered and inept figure, unable to discern right from wrong. It was truly disappointing.
“Can you sever ties with Samuel cleanly?”
Celeste’s tone was indifferent,
“Although he redeemed me, I never received the proper status of a concubine, and I’ve already reclaimed my freedom with the necessary paperwork. All that’s needed is for you and Mother restore my status as a free person. As for severing ties with him, that’s a simple matter. Now that has lost his title, he’s in a state of panic. If my departure will allow him to return to the earl’s household to manage his affairs again, he would be happy inwardly, even if he outwardly opposes it.”
“Alright, then.” Henry had nothing more to say. He only lingered for a moment in thought before asking, “Do you want to visit your mom?”
“No need!” Celeste replied coolly. “She can enjoy her life with you.”
Henry wanted to retort that she was not enjoying herself but was confined in a dungeon, but the words died on his lips.
When Samuel was summoned back to Gracehold Estate, he continued to maintain a haughty attitude. He insisted that he had done nothing wrong, and claimed that the reprimand and the stripping of his title as heir were signs of the king’s folly. The young man was arrogant and self-righteous. He looked down on everyone around him, including his own parents and family. He was convinced that he alone was in the right.
Seeing Samuel’s obstinate attitude, Noah was enraged and slapped him across the face.
“Go and apologize to the duchess immediately! If you dare to voice any more dissatisfaction with the king, get out and never set foot in our family’s residence again. And that includes the manor on Hibiscus Lane!”
Samuel had returned home with a lingering sense of unease. After losing his status as heir, he had hoped that his family would support him through his protests. If they had, he would have reluctantly yielded and brought Ruby back with him. However, no one sided with him when he returned home. Even his grandmother, who had always favored him, remained silent. Now, after being slapped and forced to apologize to Leona, his rebellious spirit only intensified.
He covered his face and roared angrily, “Fine, take everything back! You want me to apologize to her? Never! She’s the one who was jealous and couldn’t stand Ruby. She’s the reason Ruby got hurt, and she even complained to her cousin! She’s why the Hell Monarch brought trouble to our family! Are you really okay with this? Or are you just bowing to power? If you’re going to buckle under pressure, that’s your issue, but don’t expect me to lack spine like you do. That will never happen!”
“Ungrateful wretch! Are you trying to ruin the entire family?” Noah trembled with rage.
Samuel’s other relatives present also criticized him.
“Samuel, this is your fault! You can’t blame others for coming to demand an explanation.”
“This isn’t about fearing authority-it’s about acknowledging mistakes and correcting them.”
“Exactly! You study moral teachings, so why can’t you discern right from wrong? Favoring a concubine over a wife was wrong from the start. If you’re willing to correct your ways, we’re willing to accept you…”
Samuel interrupted them coldly, “Be quiet. I don’t need your approval!
You’re a bunch of petty, inept individuals, and here you are pointing fingers at me. You may look down on Ruby’s status, but you heard for yourselves that she is Grand Princess Eleanor’s daughter. If Grand Princess Eleanor were to acknowledge her, wouldn’t you all be currying favor with her then? In the end, you’re all just opportunists.”
Dorothy was deeply hurt to hear such harsh words from the grandson she had favored so much. Thinking of the prestige of the Earl of Gracehold title, she took a firmer stance.