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Inside, Salvador attentively served Victoria at the table. Outside, he was the all-powerful king. But here, he was merely a dutiful son.
“Sit down and eat. I didn’t ask you to hover over me like a servant,” Victoria chided, though her tone lacked any real harshness.
“Of course,” Salvador replied, his grin boyish and wide. “This soup smells divine—I’ll have some too.”
With that, he drank half a bowl of soup in a single go.
Victoria gave him a brief glance, saying nothing for the moment. It remained that way until the meal was finished and the servants had cleared the table.
Then, she dabbed the corners of her mouth with a cloth and asked casually, “Did you visit Kylie today?”
“I did,” Salvador answered without hesitation, sitting up straighter. His expression turned serious. “I scolded her. Her mistakes were too severe, and she hasn’t shown a hint of repentance.”
“Kylie wasn’t always this foolish,” Victoria remarked as she rose from the dining table, moving to the carved cherrywood armchair. She was pleasantly full, and the chair’s firm support felt just right.
“She used to be quite clever. When a clever person suddenly becomes foolish, it’s often because they’re too entangled in their own schemes. They can’t see past their own interests. And for those interests, they think any sacrifice is justified, no matter who pays the price.” “Mom, your words are absolutely correct,” Salvador agreed, nodding.
Victoria gestured for him to sit and then asked, “What are your thoughts on the current admissions policy for the women’s academy?”
Salvador replied thoughtfully, “I think it’s a good idea. It gives the common folk the impression that they aren’t so far removed from the nobility. It might even ease some of the discontent among them.”
He naturally spoke with the broader picture in mind. As for whether it offered women a chance to broaden their horizons, he cared little for such details.
“And do you believe the scholars from everywhere will rise in protest because of this?” she pressed.
Salvador chuckled. “Why would they? Some scholars don’t take it seriously and look down on it, thinking women aren’t smart enough and that the women’s academy is just a joke. Others believe women are capable of learning and understanding. Those scholars tend to be broader-minded and might even support such efforts.
“But the most crucial point is this-women aren’t allowed to take the national examinations. So, they pose no threat to the scholars’ ambitions. Besides, if any scholar causes a ruckus, they risk losing their own eligibility to sit for the exams. Apart from a few bitter cynics, who would gamble their future over this?”
Victoria let out a soft laugh. “Such simple reasoning. How could Kylie fail to grasp it? The excuses she gave me earlier were clearly meant to deceive, as though I’m some fool easily placated by hollow words.”
Salvador’s expression grew serious. Victoria rarely showed such disdain for someone, especially Kylie. She usually afforded her some measure of respect, at least outwardly.
Kylie had meddled with Gracewood Women’s Academy and had ruined the reputation of others. Salvador knew that Victoria wasn’t happy that Kylie had gotten away with only being under house arrest. She had been looking for a reason to punish Kylie further, and the latter had practically handed her the perfect opportunity.
“The Quinton family is large and well-established, with deep, far-reaching connections,” Victoria continued, her voice calm but firm. “That gives Kylie her confidence. I won’t interfere in other matters, but there are two matters she must never touch: the foundation of the kingdom, and the women’s academy and workshop. She mustn’t interfere with either of them, not by so much as a hair.”
“I understand. I’ll have a word with her,” Salvador replied solemnly.
Victoria paused briefly before continuing, “Since we’re speaking openly as mother and son, allow me to say a bit more. After the incident with Ms. Young, even though General Farrell came forward to propose, the Young family’s reputation has been all but ruined. “Mr. Young no longer holds the same respect he once had, and his position has fallen sharply. Mr. Young was your teacher, and he has done much for you. Also, the Young family has remained loyal and upright-such pure loyalty is rare and invaluable. “You should look to the Young family for promising young talents to cultivate. Otherwise, the Quinton family will continue to grow unchecked, commanding the loyalty of nearly all the scholars in the realm.
“If more than half the court ends up coming from the Quinton family, even if they cause no harm for the next ten or twenty years, trouble will eventually arise. Pruning a few of their overgrown branches would benefit both the Quinton family and the court as a whole.”
This was a concern Salvador himself had pondered often. The Quinton family was unquestionably loyal for now, and their older generation often taught their younger members to stay humble and modest. But when a family became too large, it was hard to control everyone. When some members of the family swelled with pride, others naturally followed suit.
Many things that would be unreasonable to others would seem perfectly fine to them, and some things that should be normal would seem unreasonable to them.
“If-heaven forbid the eldest prince doesn’t become Crown Prince, what do you think the Quinton family would do?” Victoria said slowly, voicing Salvador’s deepest fear.
The Quinton family’s current humility and restraint were based on the assumption that Connor would become Crown Prince. If the Quinton family continued to grow in power, the decision of who to name as Crown Prince would, in essence, fall into their hands.
“Use your brother wisely,” Victoria advised. “He can act as a counterbalance to the Quinton family, while you can secure your position and maintain balance between the two sides. A truly wise ruler doesn’t need to fear either side. You simply need to know how to use them.”
Victoria finally said the words she had always kept to herself. She had never spoken in favor of Rafael before because, at that time, Salvador was wary of him.
Now, however, the Quinton family loomed like a colossal beast. If there was no one to control them, relying solely on the king’s power to suppress them would only create a dangerous standoff between the Quinton family and the throne, leading to mutual destruction.
It would be far better to release
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another tiger into the field. The two tigers wouldn’t need to clash. Their mere presence would create a balance, ensuring that both sides remained committed to preserving the stability of the throne while trying to prevent the other side from growing stronger.
With a few simple words, Victoria had cut through Salvador’s hesitation and brought clarity to a matter he had long struggled to resolve.
Once the investigation into the gentlemen’s retreat was concluded, Sophie personally entered the palace to deliver her report. She was unaware that Kylie had lodged a complaint against her, intending only to report on the matter at hand before visiting Victoria.
When Salvador heard that martial-trained Sandorian spies had been hiding within the gentlemen’s retreat, he was visibly shocked. His expression immediately grew serious.
Sophie refrained from mentioning Gerald’s frequent visits to the gentlemen’s retreat. The investigation had made it clear that Gerald’s visits were purely for leisure, and he deliberately concealed his identity. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have gone to such lengths to disguise himself in that ridiculous manner.
From what she overheard, Gerald’s conversations revolved solely around frivolities, with no mention of court affairs or suspicious behavior. Thus, there was no basis to suspect any breach of security.
Claire, who had eavesdropped on the courtesans’ private discussions, noted that they referred to Gerald as “the old ghost” behind his back. They spoke of him with disdain, complaining about his frequent visits. If not for his generous tips, it was unlikely anyone would have entertained him at all.
Since it was clearly a matter of personal indulgence, Sophie saw no reason to report it. Moreover, it appeared Gerald hadn’t recognized that some of the courtesans were Sandorian. The Sandorians had been deliberate in their selections, choosing men with striking features that suggested an exotic allure without fully embodying Sandorian traits.
Most of them, in truth, were children born of unions between the people in the Southern Frontier and Sandorians. Strictly speaking, they were half Starhaven by blood.
The Southern Frontier had been under Sandoria’s control for so long and had only recently been reclaimed in the past two years. These people have been hiding in the capital for four or five years, which means their master was from Sandoria. “These individuals were smuggled into the capital when Eleanor was still around, disguised as merchants traveling with trade caravans,” Sophie explained. “Eleanor arranged for their new identities and placed them in the gentlemen’s retreat. “She believed it to be no more than a flesh trade. Moreover… The gentlemen’s retreats were established under her orders because it was exceptionally profitable. When Eleanor fell from power, Lord Schmitt couldn’t bring himself to shut it down.” Salvador felt both angry and uncomfortable hearing this. “I once heard a rumor that the Marquis of Glandale had a liking for young men. The reason he didn’t close the gentlemen’s retreats might be because of that.”
Sophie replied carefully, “That may be part of the reason. However, based on my investigation, neither Eleanor nor Lord Schmitt knew that these Sandorian spies were trained in martial arts. They likely assumed the newcomers were merely seeking fortune.
“In truth, these spies have been gathering information through the loose tongues of certain nobles over the years. However, they’ve struggled to transmit their findings back to Sandoria. This was revealed during our covert surveillance of their private conversations. Some of them have even proposed devising a plan to leave the capital and return to their homeland.”
“So, they’ve been posing as spies in the capital all this time,” Salvador said, anger flickering in his eyes. “Eavesdropping on the secrets of nobles? It seems my court has quite a few officials who enjoy visiting the gentlemen’s retreat.”
Speaking about this with Salvador made Sophie feel a bit awkward, but since it was an official matter, she knew it had to be addressed.
“According to my investigation, not many truly indulge in such preferences. Most go out of curiosity, seeking novelty.”
In essence, they were bored of ordinary pleasures and wanted something more thrilling. For those who had reached a certain level of wealth and status, everyday indulgences were no longer satisfying. They craved the extraordinary.
Another factor lay in the restrictions placed on officials. Although the court didn’t explicitly forbid visits to entertainment parlors, such activities were frowned upon as improper. Civil officials, in particular, were wary of being caught in a compromising situation. After all, many frequented wn brothels-especially the idle, undisciplined scions of noble families. These young men were the most unpredictable, prone to reckless chatter that could lead to trouble.
The gentlemen’s retreat, however, was different. It had strict standards, high entry fees, and clientele carefully screened. Those deemed suspicious were barred entry altogether. Salvador’s face darkened with displeasure. “Do you have a list of names?”
“The investigation hasn’t been ongoing for long, so we’ve only identified a few officials currently in office,” Sophie replied.
“Any former retainers from Goldencrest Palace?” Salvador asked sharply, referring to those who had served him during his tenure as crown prince.
Sophie hesitated briefly before answering truthfully, “Yes.”