Filed To Story: Queen of the Battlefield Her Return to Glory Novel Online Free
Hearing this, Salvador’s expression softened noticeably. “Good. Remember what you’ve said today. The other officials have heard it as well.”
Connor’s eyes brightened as he looked up. “I understand, Father. I won’t fail again.”
“Rise, then.” Salvador’s lips curved slightly. “Set your attitude right. Learning takes time, but as long as you’re willing to work hard, progress will come.”
“Yes, Father. I will learn,” Connor responded earnestly, bowing low again before standing up with Ryan’s assistance.
Kylie watched this with a flicker of confusion in her eyes, though she felt a quiet relief deep within.
She had expected the matter to pass, but little did she know, after the Verdant Hunt and their return the palace, Lydia rushed in with ot urgent news. Dorian had been summoned to Salvador’s study for questioning.
Kylie shot to her feet, her face paling. “That day… Did Mr. Judd realize anything?”
“Most likely, he did,” Lydia replied, concern lining her voice. “After all, the poison in the powder is different from food poisoning. He should have been able to tell the difference. And the prescription he gave along with the medicine, was correct.”
A wave of panic swept through Kylie. “What should we do now? Will he speak?”
Lydia paused, thinking carefully before answering, “He took the bribe, so he wouldn’t say anything willingly. But if His Majesty figures it out, Mr. Judd might be too frightened to keep silent.”
Kylie’s thoughts drifted back to Salvador’s attitude on the hunting grounds by the lake—he hadn’t seemed suspicious at all. In fact, he had appeared quite satisfied.
Could someone have said something?
“Prince Connor said he saw Chief Lewis and Lady Sophie after he ran off. Could they have said something to His Majesty?” Kylie said.
Lydia hesitated, her brow furrowing. “I don’t think so. They didn’t know anything about it.”
She paused again, then added,
“Actually, the day Prince Connor went to the hunt, he seemed full of energy and didn’t show signs of being unwell. Maybe His Majesty thought something was off, and that’s why he called for Mr. Judd to question him?”
Kylie sank back into her seat, her mind racing. The use of the poison had been a hasty decision, a quick fix without much consideration. So, she hadn’t thought it through.
At the time, she figured it would be enough to deceive everyone.
Now, looking back, she realized it couldn’t withstand even the slightest suspicion.
Overwhelmed with regret, she muttered, “If I had known this would happen, I should have just followed my mom’s advice. It would have saved us all this trouble!”
The queen waited anxiously for two days, but nothing happened.
Lydia secretly went to the Royal Medical Department to see Dorian, but he was on leave due to family matters, so she couldn’t find out if he had said anything to Salvador.
However, with no order for house arrest issued, Kylie’s concerns were eased considerably.
As days passed without any further developments, she relaxed entirely, convinced that Dorian had said nothing to the king. It seemed unlikely that the royal physician would ever speak up. After all, he had been paid handsomely.
Yet, over time, something began to feel off.
Every day, Kylie had Lydia deliver food to Connor, but he wouldn’t touch it. At first, he claimed Victoria had advised him to stick to bland meals because his stomach was still bothering him. Though Kylie found that reasonable, it had been many days since the incident, and there was no sign that the young prince was in poor health.
So, why was he still refusing to eat?
With a sense of unease slowly creeping over the queen, she decided to visit Victoria later that evening. At the same time, she would bring some food for her son herself, hoping to have a word with him.
By the end of the evening, she arrived at Serenity Palace. She knew that at this hour, Connor should have finished his dinner and been preparing to study. Upon arriving at the gates, she encountered Keith, who informed her that the prince had gone to the riding grounds to practice horseback riding.
“His Highness now spends time at the riding grounds every day after lessons. He practices riding before returning for his meals,” Keith explained.
“He waits until after practice to eat? Won’t that starve him?” asked Kylie, taken aback.
“Do not worry, Your Majesty. The queen dowager sent me to bring His Highness refreshments during the late afternoon, so he won’t go hungry,” Keith reassured her.
The queen furrowed her brow. She had also sent Connor snacks at that hour but he had refused them, claiming stomach discomfort as an excuse.
“Well then, I’ll go to the riding grounds to see him.”
“Your Majesty, the queen dowager has ordered that His Highness be undisturbed while in the study or at the riding grounds, including by you,” said Keith, calmly stopping her.
“Why?” Kylie’s brow furrowed further, her tone suddenly sharp.
“This is the order of Her Majesty, the queen dowager,” Keith replied, unruffled. “If you wish to know more, you may ask Her Majesty directly.”
Since she was already here, it was only natural for Kylie to offer her greetings to Victoria. Yet, the thought of questioning the queen dowager made her uneasy.
Upon entering the hall, she found Victoria holding a scroll of parchment, her attention absorbed in reading. The dim, yellow light cast an almost haunting glow on the strands of silver in the queen dowager’s hair, making her appear much older than Kylie remembered.
She curtsied respectfully, but Victoria made no move to acknowledge her, acting as if she wasn’t aware of the former’s presence. The queen dowager wasn typically a harsh ovel mother-in-law who enjoyed tormenting her daughter-in-law, so this attitude made Kylie extremely anxious.
Unable to remain calm and wait for Victoria to acknowledge her, Kylie straightened up slightly and asked, “Mother, Cheard from Mr. Finley that from now on, no one is allowed to visit Connor during his studies and training, not even me. Is that truly your wish?”
Victoria’s gaze shifted from the parchment in her hands, and a coldness settled on her face as she replied, “Yes, it is my wish.”
Hearing that the queen dowager was at least willing to respond, Kylie quickly said, “But when he returns from training, he’ll be busy eating and washing up. If I come to talk to him, wouldn’t that…”
Before she could finish, Victoria interrupted, “Then, don’t come.”
Those icy words felt like a bucket of cold water poured over the queen’s head.
She blinked rapidly, her eyes welling with tears.
Her voice quivered as she said, “Mother, do you mean to sever my bond with him? You’re also a mother. How could you bear to do this?”
Victoria set the scroll aside, her weary gaze settling on her daughter-in-law. “Kylie, have you ever truly listened to a single word I’ve said to you?”
Tears filled the queen’s eyes, and her lips quivered as she struggled to hide her grievance. “I don’t know where I’ve gone wrong. Please, Mother, enlighten me.”
“The king will speak to you about your mistakes,” Victoria replied.
Unwilling to say more, she waved her hand and dismissed Kylie.
Kylie returned to Everspring Palace, but her unease did not last long.