Filed To Story: Queen of the Battlefield Her Return to Glory Novel Online Free
Now, without that burden, he felt light and free.
Back in her room, Zoey couldn’t shake the memory of the way Evelyn had so bitterly recounted poisoning David. The cruelty of it had lingered in Evelyn’s voice, as if years of buried hatred had finally found a retease.
Won
If what Evelyn said was true-that she poisoned David out of revenge for her son’s death-then surely, she would have simply brushed over the details when recounting it. It would have been a passing remark tinged with bitterness.
Not this repeated, deliberate emphasis.
It almost felt like Evelyn was saying it on purpose for Isaac to hear, or maybe even for herself as if repeating it aloud would somehow ease her guilt.
Zoey found herself returning to Evelyn’s room. The older woman hadn’t slept. Her eyes were wide open, tears streaming down her face.
Zoey sat beside the bed and asked gently, “Mother, you didn’t poison Father, did you? You only thought about it. Perhaps you even obsessed over it—but you didn’t actually do it, right?”
Evelyn didn’t answer, but her tears flowed even more. Her lips trembled, but she couldn’t say a word.
Zoey knew she had guessed it right.
After a long silence, Evelyn finally spoke. “Give him compensation. Do whatever you can to make up for it. Whatever he wants, give it to him.”
“I will,” Zoey replied softly.
As she rose to leave, the muffled sobs behind her grew louder, interwoven with Evelyn’s regretful murmurs.
“No matter what, husband and wife share the same rise and fall…the same honor and ruin…”
Zoey paused at the door, clenching her fists. A wave of exhaustion hit her, the weight of everything pressing down on her.
Husband and wife share the same rise and fall? Did it mean that Evelyn had known everything from the very start?
If that were true, then she wasn’t innocent at all.
At that moment, Zoey understood who Viola truly took after-they were the same, both masters of self-deception.
Sophie and the others had been waiting for Isaac and Violet’s return. When they heard that they had gone to Silverstone Estate and laid everything out, Sophie couldn’t help but feel uneasy. The situation with the Earl of Silverstone’s family was complicated right now. “Don’t worry, we didn’t reconcile or formally acknowledge each other,” Isaac reassured Sophie with a light pat on the shoulder and a brief smile. “At first, it was moving, but then it just seemed…insincere.”
On the way back, he found himself reflecting more and more on the scene with Evelyn. The more he thought about her words, the clearer everything became.
Compared to Caspian’s sincere display of emotion, every word Evelyn spoke had felt like it was meant for herself, not for him. It also explained why she never asked how he had been or cared about his well-being-she was only concerned with whether he and Zoey believed her story, not with him as a person.
Sophie frowned, confused, and looked at Violet for clarification. However, Violet simply shook her head, just as uncertain.
“Go ahead and sleep. It’s late,” Isaac said, walking away with his hands behind his back. His light-hearted demeanor made it clear that he wasn’t weighed down by the events, which seemed to put everyone else at ease as well.
Violet stayed behind to fill them in. Caspian and Evelyn had both been very emotional, crying uncontrollably. As for Isaac’s comment about feeling insincerity, she wasn’t sure what he meant either.
Sophie learned that Zoey had also been present, so she said, “I’ll ask Madam Zoey about it next time.”
Sophie hadn’t brought it up with Zoey before because Isaac hadn’t said anything. Now that it was out in the open, nothing was stopping her from asking.
The following day, Zoey herself came to visit before Sophie had the chance to go to her. She got straight to the point and presented two matters.
The first was that she needed Sophie’s help in persuading Isaac to take ownership of some of the assets of the Earl of Silverstone’s family-essentially buying them.
The second was to make sure Isaac didn’t believe Evelyn’s words. He shouldn’t reconcile with the family, and he shouldn’t engage with her at all.
Zoey didn’t try to hide anything-she laid it all out, giving the reasoning behind each request.
She knew that right now, Sophie was the only one she could truly trust. Thus, she told Sophie everything she knew about the situation at the Southern Frontier.
“There’s someone who frequently meets with Celeste. They meet at the back gate of the Redstone Manor. There’s no exchange of letters, only messages relayed verbally. I suspect that even though Celeste managed to escape blame for her involvement with Eleanor, she’s now involved with the people behind Eleanor.
“Rest assured, Your Grace, I’ve sent only trustworthy men. On the surface, they appear to be Oliver’s trusted advisors, but they’re actually people I trained. They answer only to me.”
Sophie looked at Zoey, whose anxious explanation seemed to hang in the air, and quickly reassured her, “I trust you, Madam Zoey.”
Information from the Southern
Frontier often made its way to Hell velze
Monarch Estate. However, secretive private dealings like this could be uncovered by those with connections within the marshal’s household. It required trained eyes to notice such things.
“I was originally worried Oliver wouldn’t be able to handle the situation at the Southern Frontier, so I sent my people along with him. Seven or eight of them went, all under my command. The truth is, he’s been useless—he’s accomplished nothing at the v?
Southern Frontier. He hasn’t even participated in any military drills. He just shouts orders on the field and then goes home,” Zoey said, her concern clear.
“I know all this, Madam Zoey,” Sophie replied calmly. “Right now, with no war, his lack of action doesn’t matter much. It’s better for him to do nothing than to cause trouble.” To be blunt, he was giving random orders and messing with the soldiers, which was unproductive. It would be better if he stayed in Redstone Manor and lounged around with Celeste. Timothy and Louis were stationed there. When there was no battle, they could focus on training the troops and building up fortifications.
Sophie shook her head. “I only know part of it. There’s still much that isn’t clear, but it will soon be. Don’t ask too many questions. It’s better for you not to know anything at all.”
Zoey couldn’t help but ask, “Your Grace, who is the traitor, exactly?”
Zoey nodded. “Then, do you think I’m worrying for nothing?”
Sophie paused before answering, “You can never be too prepared. Follow your instincts. Isaac is reliable.”
Having fought a lone battle for so long, this moment was supposed to bring Zoey a sense of recognition and support. Instead, it only made her heart heavier.
It meant her worst fears could very well come true.
Once the Starlight Harvest Festival passed, the weather grew colder.
Blake arrived at the Southern
Frontier. Given his current status, he wasn’t allowed to meet with the marshal directly. Instead, he sought out Timothy. With a document from the Ministry of Defense in hand, Timothy officially took him under his wing. The older man didn’t say much and simply instructed Blake to stay out of trouble.
Unexpectedly, Oliver learned that Blake had arrived at the Southern Frontier and personally appointed him as a household soldier in Redstone Manor.
Redstone Manor’s household soldiers were mainly responsible for handling all of Oliver’s travel arrangements and ensuring his safety. This was especially important because enemy assassins often tried to infiltrate and target the marshal. While such threats had never materialized during Oliver’s tenure, there had been quite a few attempts during Hector and Rafael’s time. Oliver had already learned from Evelyn that Blake had divorced Viola. Regardless of how Oliver felt about his sister, Blake’s actions were an affront to him. Given his current position, Blake’s treatment of his sister was nothing less than a challenge to his authority. Thus, he summoned Blake and immediately set the latter to menial tasks-fetching water, chopping wood, sweeping the courtyard, and even serving food in the kitchen.
Blake obeyed the orders wordlessly. He had been humbled to such an extent that his dignity no longer held any meaning.