Filed To Story: Queen of the Battlefield Her Return to Glory Novel Online Free
Seth sat down, intending to lift the curtain to see Harvey’s face, but Horace stopped him.
“His Highness mustn’t be exposed to the cold.”
“It’s necessary to observe his complexion, not just his heart rate, Seth said, frowning.
What was going on? If Harvey was sick, it was only right to focus on treatment.
Keith stepped forward and pulled back the curtain with one swift motion. The figure lying in bed was trembling uncontrollably-he was clearly not Harvey.
As Horace’s face drained of color, his mind raced with several possible explanations, but none of them were plausible. They had never expected any issues with this. No one had ever paid much attention to Harvey and his family. Over the years, whenever the prince left the estate, no one had come to inquire.
“This is truly absurd,” Seth said, stunned. “You got someone to impersonate Prince Harvey?”
Horace could only smile bitterly. “To be honest, His Highness has gone to a secluded residence to rest, but Her Grace didn’t want to seem unappreciative of Her Majesty’s kindness, so… she arranged for someone to pretend to be His Highness.”
Keith nodded, his expression indifferent. “Well then, shall we report this to the queen dowager?”
Seth nodded slightly. “Lady Heather, we’ll take our leave.”
Before he left, he glanced once more at the figure on the bed. Though covered by blankets, the coarse fabric of the clothing at the neck was clearly visible-it was obvious this person was a servant from the estate.
To deceive Victoria, they had made a servant sleep in Harvey’s bed. How would Heather sleep in the same bed after this?
Keith cast a look at Heather. “Is His Highness still traveling?”
Heather, whose nerves were still on edge, instinctively nodded. “Yes, he’s been away for a long time.”
Keith said nothing more, only giving a slight nod before he and Seth took their leave.
After returning to the palace, Keith reported everything truthfully to Victoria. Upon hearing the news, she wasn’t the least bit surprised.
She simply murmured, “A silent dog can bite the hardest.”
She turned to Solana, instructing, “Go and inform the king that he’s to join me for dinner tonight.”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” Solana accepted the command before leaving.
It was not unusual for the queen dowager and the king to dine together in the palace. Salvador was an extremely devoted son, and whenever he had time, he would come to accompany Victoria. The queen dowager usually ate in silence, without discussing state affairs.
Tonight, once the meal was finished, the servants came to clear the dishes and brought them water to rinse their mouths.
It was only after they left that Victoria calmly said, “Your Uncle Harvey has been ill for some time. Today, I sent a royal physician to treat him, only to find a servant lying in his bed. That family, despite their quiet appearance, is utterly without discipline.”
Salvador’s eyes flickered for a moment.
It wasn’t just a lack of discipline. It was far worse there was something sinister at play.
How had he not seen it before?
When Salvador was still the crown prince, Harvey kept a very low profile, appearing both timid and cowardly. Salvador recalled a royal banquet where several dancing women performed a sword dance. One of them made a mistake, and the sight of it was enough to make his uncle scream and faint.
From then on, it was well known that Harvey was a coward.
His fief was located in a remote area, and because of his cowardice, he didn’t dare go there. He begged Sigmund to let him stay in the capital, and the king at the time, seeing that his brother was utterly spineless, had no objections.
Living in the capital, Harvey had to be overly cautious and was afraid of offending anyone. Even when Leona was bullied by Samuel, the prince didn’t dare step in. His timidity was so extreme that it was unmatched anywhere in Starhaven.
He had always been this way, but no one had ever stopped to consider that such excessive weakness was abnormal.
‘Sometimes, if it weren’t for the palace banquets, I would forget all about that uncle of mine,” Salvador muttered, so preoccupied with his thoughts that he accidentally sipped the water meant for rinsing his mouth.
It was the first time since ascending the throne that he felt so unsettled.
He had investigated everyone he was suspicious of, even sending people to follow them. But Harvey, who had always been right under his nose, had never seemed to pose a threat. Salvador had briefly considered that his uncle might not be as simple as he appeared, but then quickly dismissed the thought.
After all, Harvey had always been so meek and harmless-there couldn’t possibly be anything more to him. Or so Salvador thought.
After collecting his thoughts, Salvador was struck by a question-why had his mom suddenly sent someone to treat his uncle?
He paused, deep in thought, then asked, “I heard from the palace servants that Aunt Helen came by today.”
Victoria chuckled. “Yes, I asked her to come. The Treasury Office sent over a batch of new jewelry, and among them was a pure-gold and seven-colored gemstone tiara. Kylie and Sylvia both wanted it, so I was caught in a dilemma.
“Kylie is the queen, so if she liked it, it should’ve gone to her. But Sylvia is carrying your son, which gives her great merit. I couldn’t decide who to give it to, so I gave it to your aunt. Little did I know, she was like a thief-she not only took that tiara, but also snatched up seven or eight other pieces. I really regret it.”
Salvador laughed along with her. “If she likes it, then it’s good. If she’s happy, then you’re happy, Mom.”
He wasn’t concerned about material wealth. Making his mom happy was what mattered most.
After dinner, Salvador excused himself and left. Victoria went out for a walk with Solana and Summer by her side. It was a habit she had maintained for many years. No matter how cold the weather, she would always take a short rest after dinner before going for a stroll.
The cold northern wind howled through the air as she lifted her gaze to the endless rows of palace lanterns. The further the lanterns stretched, the more they seemed to dissolve into mist, their lights blurry and distant, like glazed glass submerged in water.
Solana thought Victoria might say something, but they walked all the way to the Royal Garden in silence. The only sounds were the wind and their footsteps, and not once did the queen dowager even sigh.
Solana knew that Victoria had long been worried about Salvador’s suspicions regarding the Hell Monarch, which could cause a rift between the brothers.
Though Victoria and Salvador shared a deep bond as mother and son, when it came to political matters, she had to be cautious with her words. Anything she said carried weight, and because of that, she had to speak carefully, lest Salvador think that Rafael had used some method to sway her loyalty.
Meanwhile, Helen gave Sophie the pure-gold and seven-colored gemstone tiara, while Violet received a crystal bead bracelet. Helen kept the rest of the jewelry for herself as a reward. She would use them and dress up every day.
Victoria had said it before-no matter the circumstances, a woman should always dress well within her means to please herself.
Salvador had dispatched people to keep an eye on both Blake and Hartstone Estate. Likewise, Hell Monarch Estate was keeping a close watch on both parties as well.
Blake found it strange. He had already submitted a mourning application, so why was Salvador still sending him to the Capital Guard headquarters for special training?
So many things had happened recently. His sister-in-law was gone, as was his child, and even his mom too. All the deaths left him emotionally shattered.
He thought to himself that perhaps this was just how his life would be-three years of mourning, and then either a position with the Crown Guard or back to the Capital Guard. He might even be sent to guard the city gates.
His future seemed bleak, but for some reason, he felt a strange sense of relief. However, it didn’t last long. His second aunt still insisted on splitting the family, while his dad was avoiding responsibilities. And his elder brother, having lost his wife and status, had become completely listless. Viola’s gaze nowadays was filled with hate and irony, and Freya was still hiding away in Blessed Haven, unwilling to offer any support.