Filed to story: Queen of the Battlefield Her Return to Glory Novel Online Free
At least Dominic wouldn’t be locked up in the Ministry of Justice.
*The Griffinblade Unit is overseeing him now. If you wish to visit General Sullivan, I can speak to Commander Jaffe about it,” Michael offered.
Michael and Blake had a decent relationship-at least when Michael had served as Blake’s superior, he had been well taken care of.
Sophie appreciated Michael’s offer. She was definitely going to see Dominic. No, she wasn’t just going to see him, she would speak with him too.
After Michael left, Rafael looked around at the group, his voice steady as he announced, “From now on, we do what we should do. We don’t need to worry about anyone’s opinions, and we shouldn’t hesitate. We’ve earned this strength by surviving cautiously and carefully, day after day. Now, we’ve built it up, and it’s time to use it. The strength we’ve built up can sustain us for a good year or two of freedom.”
Sophie exchanged a glance with Violet. They both visibly relaxed, the tension in their shoulders melting away.
Violet let out a soft, triumphant shout and threw a fist into the air. “This frustration has been building up for too long. It’s time to let it out.”
“Your Highness, there’s still no word from Lord Edwin,” Jacob reminded them, his tone grave.
That one line spoke of potentially deadly consequences.
‘Right now, His Majesty still holds General Sullivan in some regard for old times’ sake and for his merits. But if those words reach His Majesty’s ears, all that goodwill and merits will be wiped away. Everything will be erased.”
Rafael nodded, his expression thoughtful. “I believe Lord Edwin can help. The key is, Kevin knows the king better than anyone. He won’t choose this path.”
‘That’s what we hope, but with no news yet, we don’t know the situation. It’s worrisome,” Jacob replied, always meticulous in his approach. Any information gap made him uneasy.
“No need to worry. Lord Edwin is here!” announced someone, rushing in.
It was Travis, who had already changed back into his clothes. His throat was raspy from all the shouting earlier, a clear sign of how hard he had worked.
Edwin arrived alone, without a single attendant. His plain green attire was paired with a thick black cloak. To anyone unfamiliar, he could have been mistaken for a steward from some noble house.
Rafael and Sophie were the first to rise to greet him, with everyone else following suit. They all felt a deep gratitude for Edwin’s silent assistance.
After the formalities, Edwin got straight to the point, saying, “I’m ashamed to say I couldn’t get that brat to agree unconditionally. He set a condition, so I had to come here first to ask Lady Sophie and Ms. Spencer’s opinion.”
The word “ashamed” caught everyone off guard, but when they heard the rest, they finally breathed a collective sigh of relief.
However, Violet was confused. “Why would you need my opinion? What does he want?’
“He said he wants you to be his mentor, Ms. Spencer. He wants to be one of your direct apprentices, like Commander Lewis, Deputy Commander Brown, and Commander Prince,” Edwin said, finding the situation strange.
Violet blinked, momentarily thrown off. “Huh? He wants me to teach him martial arts?”
She didn’t fully understand Kevin’s reasoning. He was an official in court and could attend the lessons with everyone else, so why would he need to become her apprentice? She had only agreed to take on three apprentices.
“He said he wants to advance based on his strength,” Edwin explained. “Military officers are judged on martial prowess and cunning. The kid’s sharp, but his martial skills aren’t up to par yet.”
Violet understood now, nodding in thought. She glanced at Sophie, who was also watching her.
This decision would largely depend on Violet’s feelings. After all, accepting an apprentice wasn’t something to be taken lightly. Even with Max and the others, it had been a challenge for her.
“Fine. I’ll take him on,” Violet said without much hesitation.
Normally, though, with her usual temperament, something like this-which felt like a threat to her-would have been impossible for her to agree to. However, since it involved Sophie’s grandfather, some principles could be set aside.
Sophie’s gratitude was immediate. “Thank you, Vivi.”
“Why are you thanking me? I’m just getting another apprentice to boss around,” Violet teased with a smile, though her thoughts were far less friendly.
Inwardly, she was seething. How dare Kevin use Dominic as leverage? Once she took him on, she would make sure to make his life miserable!
Rafael, who had previously claimed he wasn’t worried, finally let out a deep sigh of relief after hearing Edwin’s report. “You’ve done us a great service, Lord Edwin. I am deeply grateful.”
“You’re too kind, Your Highness,” Edwin said with a modest smile. “Even putting aside the fact that you saved my son, I wouldn’t have let that brat speak out of turn. I went to see him alone today, so no one else knows about this. You don’t have to worry about it, Your Highness, Your Grace.*
Rafael nodded. “I know you handle things with great care, Lord Edwin. I wasn’t worried.”
It wouldn’t be appropriate for Edwin to stay long, so he stood up and took his leave.
After Michael spoke with Blake, the latter had no reason to refuse, and no courage to, either. His life had been spared thanks to Wyatt, and now, he wanted to repay that debt. The Sullivans had been good to him during the Victory Pass campaign.
Blake told Michael that Sophie should go see her grandfather the next day instead. There were two reasons for that. First, Dominic needed rest after the long and exhausting journey. Second, going tomorrow night would attract less attention.
Michael agreed. It made sense to wait until the next day. He would also let Blake arrange it, so as not to put too much pressure on himself.
Sophie felt her heart ache for Dominic. The journey had been grueling. If it meant waiting so he could rest, she didn’t mind it.
Meanwhile, Kevin arrived that evening, carrying gifts to formally request an apprenticeship under Violet.
Having served by Salvador’s side for so long, Kevin knew better than anyone that the king feared the Hell Monarch. Yet here he was, fearlessly bringing gifts and visiting Hell Monarch Estate. What’s more, he invited his parents and wife to join him.
Violet had been quite angry at first, planning to scold him when he came to ask for the apprenticeship. When she saw him accompanied by his parents and wife, however, her anger dissipated.
It was clear that Kevin’s parents were kind, warm people. They treated Violet with an especially polite and grateful manner.
Kevin’s father, older than Violet by many years, became visibly emotional as he bowed respectfully and said, “If he ever disobeys, gets lazy, or does anything he shouldn’t, feel free to discipline him as you see fit, Ms. Spencer. If you have to beat him, I won’t complain-even if it kills him.”
Kevin immediately knelt and hurriedly said, “Dad, don’t worry. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I’ll make sure to learn well from my mentor. I won’t slack off or be lazy. As for anything I shouldn’t do, I promise I won’t do it.”
He had attended Violet’s large lectures twice before, but had missed the others due to his duty shifts. Violet didn’t teach him one-on-one whenever he was free, which left him feeling quite despondent.
When he returned home, he had told his parents several times that if he could be personally taught by Violet, it would be a dream come true.
To his surprise, after all the bad luck he had suffered during the Victory Pass campaign, he now had such good fortune. He knew his actions weren’t exactly noble, but he also understood that if he let this opportunity slip through his fingers, he would never get another.
The Crown Guard, soon to be the Nightsteel Guard, would soon separate from the Mystic Army, and Violet was only teaching the Mystic Army troops in consideration for Sophie. After the Nightsteel Guard became independent, things might remain the same way. Even if the king allowed Violet to continue training them, Kevin would probably still miss the classes like he had before.
Kevin’s wife, Odette, who had been kneeling alongside him, also stood as part of the ceremony. If her husband was to be accepted as an apprentice, it was only right that she also kneel and show her respect.
After Violet drank the wine as part of the apprenticeship ritual, she gave Odette a bracelet as a gift. Odette recognized the value of the bracelet and immediately tried to refuse, saying it was far too precious to accept.
Violet smiled. “Take it. I don’t give cheap gifts.”
Odette hesitated for a moment, then glanced at her mother-in-law, Pauline, for guidance.