Filed To Story: Queen of the Battlefield Her Return to Glory Novel Online Free
The atmosphere was tense-so different from the lighthearted feel of the day.
Violet didn’t know where this heavy atmosphere came from, but it felt like there was an invisible killing intent even while she was lying in bed. During the day, they got up and observed everyone in the estate.
The staff all appeared well-rested, including the five individuals Violet had observed the night before. They gave no indication of working through the night.
It seemed that Willowbrook Estate housed quite a few people, after all.
The group split up to carry out their tasks.
Violet wandered through the gardens, curious to see how many unfamiliar faces she might encounter. Meanwhile, Bun made his way to the kitchen, inspecting the provisions. When he saw the large quantities of grains and meats set aside-enough to feed over a hundred people-he turned to the cook and asked, “Why are there so many supplies? How many days worth of them are this?”
The cook smiled and replied, “Just for today, my lord. His Highness always prefers fresh food.”
Bun raised an eyebrow. “Then why buy so much?”
“The servants must eat too,” the cook answered.
Bun couldn’t help but feel confused.
The servants ate the same food as the master?
Everything-vegetables, meats, even fish and shrimp was the same in both quantity and variety.
As Violet strolled through the various courtyards, she noticed that each one of the gates was meticulously clean, as though they were regularly used. Yet, all the gates were closed. She asked Chaya if they could open them, but Chaya explained that she didn’t have the keys and couldn’t unlock them.
Without a second thought, Violet nimbly climbed the courtyard wall and peered inside. She saw that the doors to the inner rooms were also tightly shut. The gardens had no flowers but were overrun with weeds, some nearly waist-high. The only clear path was a stone-paved road, but the rest of the area was almost swallowed by the wild growth.
“Ms. Spencer, what are you doing?” came a worried voice from behind.
It was Gordon, the elderly steward. His back was hunched as he hurried toward her, followed by Hayden’s trusted man, Sonny.
Gordon looked genuinely concerned, even extending his hands as if to catch her. “Quickly get down. Be careful not to fall.”
Violet sat on the wall with a faint smile, and she turned to look at him. “Gordon, can this gate be opened?” “Of course,” Gordon said with a warm smile. “If you wish to enter, simply ask me for the key. Why climb over like this? It’s far too dangerous.”
With that, he trembled as he pulled a set of keys from his pocket and handed them to Chaya.
“Here, open the gate for Ms. Spencer and let her have a look.”
Chaya took the keys and went to unlock the gate. The heavy creak of the hinges echoed through the courtyard, as if the door hadn’t been opened in years.
Violet jumped inside. Even without the keys, she could have entered.
Once inside, she pushed open the main door to the courtyard. The musty scent inside confirmed her suspicion-it had clearly been abandoned for quite some time.
Next, she checked several other rooms, all of which she selected on the spot, and the conditions were mostly similar to the first one.
She even checked each room individually; they were all in much the same condition, with no signs of occupancy.
Violet smiled and muttered something about the dullness of it all, then checked in with Bun and Cynthia before leaving the estate.
She made her way straight to the Capital Guard headquarters, where she found Sophie waiting for her. Sophie pulled her inside and asked, “Well? Did you find anything?”
Violet replied, “There’s movement at night-almost like patrols-but I never see anyone during the day. It’s as if they vanish the moment the sun rises. I checked most of the courtyards in Willowbrook Estate, and there was no sign of anyone living there. I even looked in the servants’ quarters, and the number of beds matches what Chaya told me about the staff.”
Sophie thought for a moment. “Could there be hidden passageways or secret rooms? The curfew is in place now. No one’s supposed to be out after nightfall. If what you heard is true, then these people must be living at Willowbrook Estate.”
“If there are hidden rooms, that’s another matter altogether,” Violet said. Then, remembering what Bun had found in the kitchen, she added, “The kitchen is preparing food for over a hundred people every day.” Sophie’s eyes brightened. “Then we just need to keep an eye on where these meals are being sent, and we’ll know, right?”
“That’s a good idea,” Violet replied, feeling a bit foolish for not thinking of it herself. “Bun should be keeping an eye on that now. He’s reliable these days.”
Sophie smiled with pride. Everyone had grown up.
“Has there been anything odd with Prince Hayden or Chaya?”
Violet answered, “Nothing unusual from what I can tell. But yesterday, when we were walking through the courtyards, five men were watching us. They definitely know martial arts. I asked Chaya, and she said they’re here to protect Prince Hayden.”
“Do they live in the servants’ quarters?” Sophie asked.
“Yes, they live with the staff,” Violet replied. “Aside from them, I didn’t notice anything strange. As for Prince Hayden’s confidant, Sonny, I heard he’s been with him for years. He has no family left in the countryside, so he’s staying on to take care of Prince Hayden in his old age.
“Oh, right. There’s also a new steward. His name is Gordon. He looks to be about 50 to 60 years old, and he’s quite kind and amiable.”
Sophie nodded. “I know of Sonny. He’s worked with Prince Hayden for a long time. But this new steward doesn’t sound familiar. Does he look like he knows martial arts?”
Violet thought for a moment. “I don’t think so. He seemed frail, and his hands were shaking. Chaya told me he’s treated like part of the family here, though.”
“Go back and find out more about Gordon,” Sophie said. “What’s his background? How is it that he was able to step into the role of steward at Willowbrook Estate so easily?”
Violet nodded, then asked, “Has Winona sent any news? What’s the situation with Nicholas now? Has he made any moves?”
Sophie shook her head. “Prince Nicholas is still in his fief and hasn’t left at all. Prince Yuvan did send a messenger with an invitation, but he didn’t go.”
Violet frowned, deep in thought. “Could we be looking in the wrong direction? If he were the mastermind, he should be running around by now, shouldn’t he?”
Sophie considered this, then shook her head. “There’s something off about Willowbrook Estate. If it’s not him, it could be Prince Nicholas’ son or even Prince Hayden himself.”
Violet let out a soft sigh, her expression clouded with worry. “I really hope it’s not Prince Hayden. He’s such a good man, but I also know that sometimes the least likely person is the one to watch out for.”
–
Sophie shared her thoughts. Neither of them wanted to believe it, but they couldn’t completely rule it out.
In the royal study, Salvador listened in surprise as lan relayed the report. “You’re saying Violet has moved into Willowbrook Estate?”
lan nodded. “Yes, Your Majesty. Ms. Spencer moved in yesterday. She also brought along two companions from Meadow Ridge.”
Salvador pondered this new information. What was Sophie thinking, sending Violet there? Could it be that she suspected Hayden?
Willowbrook Estate had no household soldiers, and Nicholas rarely came to the capital, preferring to stay quietly in his fief. He had been thoroughly investigated and found to have little connection to the current situation. His interactions with Yuvan were few.
Both of them had royal blood, but they only communicated on the rare occasion of weddings or funerals, never for the New Year or other festivals. After the death of Yuvan’s former princess consort, Nicholas hadn’t even visited Valken, and he had certainly not attended the wedding when Yuvan married Molly. Still, Salvador couldn’t afford to trust Nicholas completely. The man was highly respected in Nerovia, where his fief was located. That was why years ago, Salvador had issued the command for Hayden to return to the capital and retire.