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“The king’s illness… is worse than we thought,” she muttered.
“Since they also called Healer Dalton… It doesn’t look good,” Lydia added softly. Kylie’s thoughts were jumbled with worry. “But why hasn’t His Majesty appointed the crown prince? Shouldn’t he be securing the succession for the kingdom first? “Moreover, I’m still under house arrest, and Lady Grace’s son has started attending classes in the study. Although he’s not taught together with Connor, it’s clear His Majesty is intent on nurturing him.”
“Your Majesty, why not invite your mom to the palace? Prince Connor cannot be left without support,” Lydia suggested.
Kylie’s eyes filled with resentment.
“Having my mom come to the palace won’t help. Only by meeting my dad and explaining the stakes to him will ke assist me. Our family should rise and fall together. I am already the queen. With just a little effort from them, Connor could secure the position of crown prince. But they’re too timid and always hesitating, which truly disappoints me.”
“It’s not easy for your dad to enter the inner palace casually. Better to invite your mom and speak to her openly. What mother wouldn’t feel for her daughter?” Lydia said.
Kylie’s emotions were tangled, but she knew her only option now was to turn to her family. In her current position, locked away with no real power, they were her only source of support.
Marjorie entered the palace with a quiet determination, having been sent by Malcolm to make his position clear.
Kylie’s fury flared when she learned that her father intended to remain neutral.
“I’ve always supported our family when asked, without hesitation. But now, when I need help, you all retreat. I don’t understand. If Connor becomes king, doesn’t that benefit the Quinton family? Does Dad really believe everything will be smooth sailing for our family in the future?” Kylie said, her voice sharp, her eyes cold.
Marjorie sighed. “Your dad wishes to remain a loyal subject, to follow His Majesty’s wishes.”
Kylie’s anger was so intense that she almost barked a laugh. “A joke! He’s knee- deep in filth and still dares to talk of loyalty? Why didn’t he say that sooner? It would have saved me from being sent into this royal family, left to fight and struggle all alone.”
“Your dad’s private life may be in question, but in his years of service in the Civil Department, he has served the throne faithfully. He has never been involved in bribery or corruption,” Marjorie responded.
“Whether he’s been corrupt or not, he knows the truth. What do you know? He’s kept a mistress and even had children with her. Don’t pretend you didn’t know,” Kylie said with a sneer, her words laced with bitterness.
She knew how to hit her mother where it hurt the most.
“Your Majesty!” Lydia interjected quickly, sensing the escalation.
Marjorie’s face remained unchanged, though the words stung. That betrayal, though painful in her past, would not define her forever.
She calmly replied, “Your dad believes that the matter of the crown prince is one the Quinton family should not meddle in. His Majesty is already tightening his grip on our family. It could make matters worse if your dad were to intervene. His Majesty would grow more suspicious and resentful. That would only further diminish Prince Connor’s chances of claiming the throne.”
Kylie’s frustration boiled over. “Excuses! Dad has many students and allies in court. All he needs to do is speak, and many would follow him. There’s no need for him to intervene directly.”
Marjorie didn’t respond to that. Anyone with a bit of reason would understand the precarious position the Quinton family was in, as well as Kylie’s own.
How could Salvador not be wary of the Quinton family? He was even wary of his own brother.
As pointed out, Malcolm had sat at the head of the Civil Department for the years. Countless officials, both in court and in distant provinces, were his and Gerald’s students. Moreover, as the father-in-law of the king, Malcolm’s involvement in the matter of the crown prince would immediately cast the Quinton family as a threat in Salvador’s eyes.
As for Kylie herself, she would face severe consequences and likely be eliminated if she meddled.
The best course of action was to avoid any interference and let Salvador make his own decision. If Connor were appointed crown prince, the Quinton family would then take the initiative to prune their own influence to ease the king’s suspicions.
This, of course, was not something Marjorie could admit outright. For one, Kylie would never believe it. She would dismiss it as the Quinton family’s excuse to avoid responsibility. And another reason was that if these words reached Salvador’s ears, the charge of presuming to guess the king’s intentions would be enough to bring serious trouble upon the Quinton family.
This wasn’t the first time the mother and daughter had clashed. After Marjorie left, Kylie flew into a rage. But she didn’t realize that as soon as her outburst ended, word of it, as well as of the conversation between the two women, made its way to Salvador.
Hearing it, he smiled coldly. “It seems the Quinton family understands the situation. When will Kylie finally grow a brain?”
Everspring Palace had long been under his watch, with informants planted to report every detail, no matter how small. Everything was relayed to Derek, who would sift through the information and pass on only the most critical updates to the king. Even the words Rafael had spoken to Kylie were reported to him in full.
“Her Majesty seems to be growing impatient,” Derek remarked.
“Of course she’s impatient-she’s learned of my illness. But her impatience is misplaced. What she should be worrying about is why Connor hasn’t shown any significant improvement,” said Salvador.
He didn’t expect Kylie to care for him, to fret over his health, or be consumed with worry about his condition. They were husband and wife, but theirs was no ordinary marriage. He had never offered her exclusive care or tenderness, so he would never demand such things from her in return.
Salvador returned to court, looking noticeably better than before.
Some of the older court officials couldn’t hold back their tears-especially Irvin, who had nearly caused a disaster. Now, seeing Salvador’s condition improving and knowing that Sebastian had entered the palace for treatment, there was finally a glimmer of hope.
As expected, the call to establish a crown prince was strong among the court officials.
However, Salvador didn’t immediately agree. He simply stated that his three sons were still young and that it would be best to wait a little longer.
Among those urging for the appointment of a crown prince were some of Malcolm and Gerald’s students. However, they merely echoed the sentiments of others- none of them took the lead in pushing for it.
Salvador had never truly believed Malcolm’s claim that he only wished to serve as a loyal subject.
The Quinton family had indeed been keeping a low profile lately, but that was simply the result of being put in check.
Although he didn’t agree to name a crown prince, Salvador did make a notable announcement: he appointed the Hell Monarch, Rafael, as the Deputy Royal Tutor. He would be responsible for teaching the princes equestrian skills and martial arts.
This was a clear sign that preparations for establishing a crown prince were officially underway.
The title of Deputy Royal Tutor was largely honorary-Rafael would remain in his position as Chief Judge.
Even so, everyone could sense that Salvador was laying the groundwork for the future. And within that plan, Rafael played a key role.
That realization was reassuring.
Unknowingly, the Hell Monarch had become the pillar of the nation. He was an unshakable shield-defending the kingdom from external threats while maintaining order within.
Meanwhile, the treaty signed between the Southern Frontier and Sandoria had been delivered to the capital. Sandoria pledged never to invade Starhaven’s borders. Of course, treaties between nations were often little more than scraps of paper-easily torn apart when convenient.
In that sense, their guarantee of peace meant far less than the tangible benefits they had agreed to provide.
As part of the agreement, Sandoria would compensate Starhaven each year with 5,000 cattle, 5,000 sheep, 500 fine horses, 10,000 bushels of grain, and 100,000 silver coins.
Sandoria had always been an agricultural powerhouse with fertile land well-suited for farming. However, years of warfare and constant drafts had left vast fields abandoned. Now, with war reparations to pay-both in grain and silver-they would need time to recover. For the next 10 or 20 years, they likely wouldn’t dare provoke another conflict.
Besides, the Hell Monarch was still young. No matter how ambitious others might be, when faced with true power, all they could do was prop up their pillows and dream.
Meanwhile, some of the military officers from the Southern Frontier began returning to the capital in batches. They took the opportunity to bring their wives and children back to the Southern Frontier with them.
That land was rich and fertile-surely, it would soon blossom into something magnificent.
After the busy farming season, Salvador announced that the Verdant Hunt would be held in early May.