Filed To Story: Queen of the Battlefield Her Return to Glory Novel Online Free
“Well…” Carmen cast a cautious glance at Greta.
Pleased, Greata approached them and said with a smile, “It’s a rare sight to see that Ms. Spencer has taken a liking to my mistress. She will certainly visit your residence. May I ask where it is?”
Violet gave her a sidelong glance. “You’re just a maid, but you’re asking quite a lot of questions.”
Greta quickly bowed. “I apologize for my indiscretion. Ms. Spencer, please don’t take offense.”
“Ultimately, you’re just a servant from a merchant family. I suppose I can’t expect you to have adequate manners,” Violet quipped, dismissing her with a hint of disdain.
Greta was not offended. She merely took a few steps back and stood with her head lowered.
Meanwhile, Rafael and Sophie were speaking in hushed tones.
“I might have been a bit distracted when I looked at her earlier,” the prince said.
Sophie shot him a sidelong glance. “Raf, I’m not that petty.”
Rafael turned his head.
Raf?
He felt a strange sense of joy at the nickname, as it suggested they had been married for many years. Previously, she had always called him “Your Highness”, which left no hint of that intimate connection between husband and wife.
Addressing him by name seemed awkward, as if it were something she found difficult to say. Admittedly, his name was rather unappealing. Why would anyone name him something so bland?
The Minister of Protocol, who had provided options for his name, should have really reconsidered his choices, and his dad, who had picked this name out of so many suggestions, should have reconsidered too. Rafael shifted uncomfortably. “Actually, Rafael is my middle name. My first name is Damon.”
Sophie paused. “I know, but do you want me to call you that?”
“No, I just didn’t want you to be unaware of my full name.”
“How could I not know your full name? You’re my husband.”
He grinned, his tanned skin making his teeth appear especially white. “I never told you my first name, and no one else calls me that in your presence, as you’re more familiar with my middle name.”
Seeing his amused expression,
Sophie couldn’t help but smile.
“There was no need to tell me. Before marrying you, I investigated everything I could. Besides, I knew you from a young age. Back then, my elder brother called you Damon, Sol was already aware of it.”
Rafael considered this and asked curiously, “What else did you investigate about me?”
“Your age, height, personality, likes and dislikes, and any hidden illnesses. Besides the woman you mentioned liking, I also looked into whether you had any concubines or had visited brothels or
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entertainment parlors,” Sophie replied straightforwardly
“Hidden illnesses?” Rafael was taken aback. “What hidden illnesses? What could I possibly have? Also, why would I have gone to brothels or entertainment parlors?”
Sophie turned her face away, a smile on her lips. It was only natural that she would have asked Sebastian to investigate. After all, men with self-respect weren’t exactly common in this world.
Rafael gritted his teeth. “You actually think I’d have those kinds of diseases? I’ve been on the battlefield all this time! You didn’t really suspect me, did you?”
The soldiers swam back to shore as Sophie reached out to take Violet’s hand, completely ignoring her husband’s question. Greta noticed Rafael’s frustration and Sophie’s haste to leave, as if the two were in the middle of a spat.
The journey back to the capital was uneventful after that. By the time they returned, it was almost August.
The Ministry of Protocol had long been aware of their arrival schedule, and news of their return had spread like wildfire across the capital. Filled with the purest of sentiments, the common people were naturally thrilled to see their heroes return. Crowds filled the streets, all eager for a glimpse.
Before entering the city, Sophie handed her horse to Carmen, instructing her to return it another day.
“Thank you, Lady Devin,” Carmen said respectfully. “May I ask where you live?”
“Hell Monarch Estate,” Sophie responded.
Carmen’s eyes widened in shock. “Hell Monarch Estate? Are you… the Hell Monarch’s princess consort?”
She hurriedly prepared to bow in deference, with Greta following suit. But Sophie waved them off.
“No need for formalities. Just bring the horse back tomorrow.”
Having said that, Sophie extended her hand to Rafael. After casting a brief glance at Carmen, the prince took his wife’s hand and pulled her up with a firm tug. The two rode off together on the same horse.
Greta noticed Rafael’s lingering gaze at Carmen and felt a flicker of hope, but the real challenge was gaining entry into his estate. To do that, Carmen first had to win over the Hell Monarch’s princess consort and earn her trust.
In other words, they would need to take a roundabout approach.
However, this would actually make the blow even more devastating. If the Hell Monarch’s princess consort saw Carmen as a friend, the betrayal from both a friend and her husband would hit her even harder, increasing the chances of causing a much bigger scene. Watching them enter the city, Greta turned to Carmen and said, “When we return the horse tomorrow, bring a generous gift. We need to start by winning the favor of the Hell Monarch’s princess consort.”
Carmen let out a small sigh of relief. “Understood!”
As they prepared to enter the city, Thomas and Homer helped Lawrence onto a horse, making sure he was seated comfortably. Meanwhile, Violet, Kayla, and Sophie sat inside a carriage.
Sebastian had approved this arrangement. Thomas took charge of leading the horse to prevent it from becoming agitated by the noise and crowd. If anything went wrong, people were positioned all around to quickly pull Lawrence away if necessary.
The eleven young soldiers had thought the procession would be a simple formality, but they hadn’t anticipated how overwhelming it would become.
As soon as they passed through the city gates, a deafening cheer erupted from the crowd. The city guards and garrison units were statione on both sides of the road to control the citizens, but the people’s excitement could not be contained. In their frenzy, they broke through the lines, rushing forward to chase after the horses. They ran, shouting and calling out as they followed.
All eleven soldiers couldn’t hold back their emotions. Tears welled in their eyes as they waved to the faces in the crowd-these were the people they had fought to protect.
In that moment, everything felt worth it.
Richard was accompanied by his three sons, and they led the way ahead. The streets were filled with the sounds of drums and fireworks, smoke billowing around them. He glanced back, trying to catch a glimpse of Joshua and Benson’s faces, but the smoke made it impossible to see clearly.
He had a royal edict to announce, but the sheer madness of the crowd made it impossible. The cheers never ceased, and even the city guards couldn’t hold the citizens net back. The people ran alongside, surrounding the procession, Richard decided it would be best to wait until they reached Peace Street to make the announcement.
Peace Street was wider, and there was a circular platform in the middle. The officials led the eleven heroes to stand in that spot.
When it was time to announce the edict, Richard had to shout at the top of his lungs. Only after some effort did the soldiers finally hear him. They helped Lawrence down from his horse, but he couldn’t kneel, not even in a half-squat. So, Kayla stepped out of the carriage to kneel and accept the edict on his behalf.