In the study, Salvador gazed at Carissa, who was kneeling on the white marble floor.
She wore a plain white dress cinched at the waist, with a blue cloak draped over her shoulders. Unlike her previous visits, her hair was tied up in a high ponytail with a simple white silk ribbon, not styled in the elaborate manner of a married woman.
Her complexion was pale, and there was a faint redness under her eyes as well as a hint of dark circles. She looked as if she hadn’t slept all night. There were also remnants of tears on her eyelashes.
Despite all that, she still looked stunning. Her eyes seemed sorrowful, yet lacked any hint of vulnerability. Instead, they harbored a sense of strength and determination.
“Greetings, Your Majesty!” Carissa said hoarsely.
After Lulu went to bed last night, Carissa had cried under her covers for a long time.
“Have you been crying?” Salvador frowned slightly, a hint of displeasure in his eyes. “Is it about Barrett and Aurora’s wedding?”
Carissa shook her head.
Before she could speak, Salvador continued, “You sought the divorce edict yourself. Since the divorce is final, their marriage is no longer your concern. Why worry over past matters? If you can’t let go, you shouldn’t have asked me for the divorce in the first place.”
Salvador’s voice sounded gentle, but there was a hint of annoyance.
Fearing the king would interrupt her again, Carissa quickly said, “Your Majesty, I didn’t cry because of Barrett. Since we’ve divorced, I harbor no emotions for him.
“I cried because I received a letter from my senior, and I learned of the sacrifice of my seventh uncle, the loss of my third uncle’s arm, and my grandfather’s arrow wound that has yet to heal.”
She naturally didn’t mention she had learned this from sneaking a peek at the military reports in the Ministry of Defense‘ records room.
Taken aback, Salvador sighed softly. “I intended to keep all that from you. After all, your family was wiped out just six months ago,
“Carissa, your seventh uncle sacrificed himself for the country. He is a hero of the kingdom. I have already decreed to posthumously honor him as a heroic divine general. Don’t grieve too much, lest it harm your health.”
Tears welled in Carissa’s eyes, but she forced them back. “I understand that they were warriors, like my father and brothers. Serving the country in war was their destiny.
“Today, I seek an audience for another matter. My eldest senior discovered that three hundred thousand soldiers from Westhaven have entered Sandoria. They’ve disguised themselves as Sandorian soldiers. and are heading towards the Southern Frontier battlefield.”
Upon hearing this, Salvador immediately frowned and exclaimed, “That’s nonsense! Utterly ridiculous!”
Westhaven had just signed a peace treaty with Starhaven, establishing borders neither side would cross. If Westhaven dared to break the treaty immediately, wouldn’t they lose all credibility? Who would still
want to trade with or have any dealings with Westhaven?
+15 BONUS
Moreover, just yesterday, Salvador had received reports from the Southern Frontier saying the war was nearing its end, which was a monumental achievement
Reclaiming the Southern Frontier was a lifelong aspiration of Salvador and his younger brother since childhood. It was also an important matter that Salvador’s grandfather and father never forgot about, even on their deathbeds.
With the battle in the Southern Frontier having dragged on for so long, Sandoria was already weakened. Victory was imminent, yet Carissa claimed three hundred thousand soldiers from Westhaven were on the way to aid Sandoria.
How could that be possible?
While Sandoria and Westhaven were friendly and engaged in cultural exchanges and trade, they had never formed a military alliance.
Carissa knew Salvador wouldn’t easily believe her, so she presented a letter. “My eldest senior wrote this letter. Your Majesty, please read it and decide for yourself whether to believe it or not. My eldest senior’s name is Kyle Spencer.”
Kyle had naturally not written this letter, the information Carissa spoke of had been discovered by her second senior.
However, Kyle had become a wandering swordsman at the age of eighteen. Starhaven Chronicles, the book he wrote recording the famous mountains and rivers in the kingdom, had gained a great reputation In Starhaven.
Carissa had imitated Kyle’s handwriting to create this letter. If she had said it was information from her second senior’s investigation, the king certainly wouldn’t have believed her.
Last night, she thought it over after calming down. She believed those at the Southern Frontier would soon face a dire situation. If the court didn’t send reinforcements, the Hell Monarch would almost certainly lose the battle, and the soldiers stationed there wouldn’t be able to return.
It was an urgent situation that needed to be dealt with immediately. Westhaven’s large army had already entered Sandoria and was heading straight for the Southern Frontier. Even if reinforcements were sent now, they might be too late.
As for how to settle what had happened at Victory Pass and Fawnrun City, and whether her grandfather would be implicated, that could be considered later.
Everyone in Starhaven keenly felt the loss of the Southern Frontier.
When Hector was alive, he often said he would be able to die with no regrets if he could reclaim the Southern Frontier. And he had indeed reclaimed it once, but unfortunately wasn’t able to hold onto it to the end.
Ultimately, Sandoria had come back and reclaimed it.
Now, Starhaven needed to focus all their efforts on the Southern Frontier and the lives of the two hundred thousand soldiers fighting there!
