Filed To Story: Queen of the Battlefield Her Return to Glory Novel Online Free
Hearing this, Kylie realized he had not given up on the idea of taking Sophie as a concubine, and smiled gently. “I proposed this because I have a genuine affection for her. If you disapprove, then please disregard my suggestion, Your Majesty.”
Salvador did not respond. He merely lowered his head, and continued reading through the documents.
After waiting for a while and hearing no further comments from him, Kylie stood up. “I shall not delay your work any longer, Your Majesty. I will take my leave.”
“Very well, you may go,” Salvador replied, not even lifting his head.
Kylie bowed and exited, her eyes betraying her disappointment.
Salvador’s demeanor towards her was always so detached. In public, they maintained an air of mutual respect, but in private, he seemed to show no interest in her. He was often impatient, and unwilling even to look at her when they spoke.
In the matters of the harem, she held the reins, and Salvador did not intervene. Even if disputes arose among the concubines, whether they were excessive or malicious, he would not get involved.
Since marrying him, the only real task he had given her was to ask Sophie if she was willing to join the palace. It was clear Sophie held a special place in his heart. He genuinely cared for her.
Despite the many beautiful women in his harem, his heart remained unmoved. Yet he placed such importance on a woman who had left her previous marriage, valuing her to the point where even she, as queen, was rebuffed when suggesting Sophie as an adopted sister.
Kylie’s mood soured further. Her own chances of conceiving were slim, and while she had a legitimate son, Salvador’s concubines also had children.
With her family backing her, her position remained unshakable, but how much did it matter if Salvador did not favor her? Would he see her in a new light if she fulfilled his wish and brought Sophie into the palace?
But if Sophie joined the harem and became his favored concubine, Kylie would be left in a most awkward position.
The thought of this only deepened her frustration.
Just as Sophie reached Northwatch Estate, Derek came personally to deliver Salvador’s edict.
Sophie was stunned. If she couldn’t find a suitable husband in three months, she would have to enter the palace?
She quickly asked Derek to stay, and dismissed everyone else. “Mr. Walker, can you tell me what exactly His Majesty means?”
If Salvador was determined to have her enter the palace, there was no need to give her three months to find a suit. With the edict out, no one would dare to marry her. It seemed like another form of coercion, leaving her with no option but to enter the palace.
However, if he had used his authority and still granted these three months…
There was something odd about this edict.
Derek pondered momentarily, and said, “Perhaps His Majesty thinks that if someone dares to propose to you within these three months and challenge his will, he would believe that person truly cares for you.” “But why is the king so concerned with my marriage?”
“Didn’t you say it yourself? Since you consider His Majesty as an older brother, it’s only natural for him to plan a marriage for his sister,” Derek replied.
Sophie was frustrated by these twisted explanations.
“In that case, why marry me directly if he fails to find a suitable match for me?”
Derek sighed. There were things he didn’t know how to explain and couldn’t express. Salvador’s mind was as inscrutable as ever.
Seeing Derek’s sigh, Sophie felt that the matter was not so simple. Ind she couldn’t grasp any clear answers. Her relationship with Salvador had been unclear from her youth.
After she returned from Meadow Ridge, she discovered her father and brothers had died in battle. When she followed her mother into the palace, Salvador had always been kind to her, maintaining the same attitude as in her youth.
Why was he now insisting on marrying her after her return from the battlefield? And why choose her, a divorced worn, instead of selecting a new concubine through the court’s usual methods?
Moreover, if Salvador had any genuine interest in her, he could have had her enter the palace back when her mother was arranging a marriage for her.
Why did he only issue this edict after her divorce and a stint on the battlefield?
The edict itself was peculiar. Instead of directly summoning her to the palace, he had first sent the queen to test the waters and then given her three months to find a suitor.
Salvador seemed to be pressuring her into marriage, as though her remaining single was somehow inconvenient for him.
After Derek left, Violet and the others finally woke up. After washing their faces, they devoured the meal set before them as if they hadn’t eaten in days.
Bun slumped into a chair, his hair in disarray, clearly having made no effort to tidy up. Rubbing his stomach, he said in a tired voice, “I slept for a long time and dreamed for a long time too. In my dreams, I was either fighting on the battlefield or returning triumphantly to the capital. In short, it was exhausting.”
Violet added with a gloomy expression, “I felt the same way. In my dreams, there was nothing but bloodshed and the clash of blades. While I was on the battlefield, killing was like harvesting chives there wasn’t any real emotional impact. But now, reflecting on the number of people I’ve killed, I feel so distressed. Being a warrior is no easy task. I don’t think I’ll go back to the battlefield again.”
Travis and Cynthia nodded in agreement, clearly sharing the same sentiment.
Sophie suggested, “Think of it this way: if yo hadn’t killed them, they would have killed our soldiers, Is it better for them to die or for our soldiers to die? And besides, they invaded the Southern Frontier and have killed many of our soldiers. They oppressed the Southern Frontier’s people for years. To show them mercy would be like turning the knife on our own people,”
Violet nodded, “That’s true.”
Though they understood the reasoning, they were still young and had only recently begun to fully grasp the brutality of battlefield slaughter. The horror was starting to dawn on them. “Sophie, we need to return to Meadow Ridge,” Cynthia said.
Despite their significant achievements, the depth of their involvement in the slaughter weighed heavily on them. To resolve their inner conflict and uncertainty, they needed to return and explain everything to their masters.
Sophie didn’t mention Salvador’s strange edict to her friends. Instead, she simply thanked them for their help in the Southern Frontier.
“The Sandorian soldiers killed my father and brothers. My trip to the Southern Frontier was primarily for revenge. You’ve helped me achieve that, and I will remember this kindness.” Hearing this, everyone felt a lot better.
Indeed, Sophie’s father and brothers had been killed by the Sandorian soldiers. According to the martial world’s code, a life for a life was a matter of principle. They had merely assisted Sophie in avenging her family, and need not dwell on anything beyond that.
Putting aside her own troubles, Sophie said, “Now that everyone’s well-rested and well-fed, how about we go out and shop? Also, please help me bring some items back to my master.”.
“That sounds good,” Violet replied. “But we don’t have any money. The king hasn’t given us our reward yet.”
Travis looked at Sophie blankly. “Do you think the king might have. forgotten?”
Sophie smiled. “He certainly hasn’t forgotten. The king promised to reward the army personally. Since we’ve achieved military merits, the rewards will definitely be generous.”
“I hope we get a hundred gold coins! That would cover our annual rent for ten years,” Travis said with a grin.
In the Lunar Guild, Travis was the only male member. Though the guild was based in Meadow Ridge, the land was owned by the Pathfinders Guild. Every year, the Lunar Guild had to pay rent to them. However, the Lunar Guild had little business, and Travis’s master was quite traditional, so the apprentices focused solely on martial arts and weren’t allowed to engage in trade.
And I want to buy some makeup for the girls in the guild. They always dress so plainly, and their clothes are patched up repeatedly. If I bring back some fine silk, my master surely won’t scold me for going to the battlefield… Oh, and need to buy some hairpins and accessories…”
Violet interrupted, “Your master won’t blame you for going to the battlefield, but if you dare to bring those things back, a good thrashing would be the least of your worries. He might just chop off all ten of your fingers.”
Everyone laughed. It was indeed a real possibility.
Before they could leave, Dylan arrived and informed them that it was time to collect their rewards.