The triumphant news of reclaiming the Southern Frontier spread back to the capital.
When Salvador read the report, he was moved to tears.
During the morning court session, all the civil and military officials knelt and shouted, “Long live the king!” 1
This monumental news spread like wildfire. First, to the officials‘ families, then the entire capital, and soon, the entire country.
The nation rejoiced!
A famous storyteller, who had connections everywhere, heard snippets of information from the servants and maids in officials‘ households and sold these stories.
Thus, everyone knew that the primary credit of reclaiming the Southern Frontier belonged to the Hell Monarch, Rafael. However, it was a female general who had consecutively breached Ilyrlan City and Simonton City. Leading the Mystic Army, she had crushed the Sandorian forces!
The storyteller was adept at creating heroes. His passionate and dramatic retellings depicted this female general as a divine goddess of war.
The battles were also exaggerated as more complex than they were. The female general under the marshal’s command was portrayed as brave and strategic, outwitting the enemy commanders despite facing hardships.
The more fantastic the story, the more the people believed it.
In their mundane ordinary lives, the people craved exciting stories about heroes. So, whether in coffeehouses, taverns, on the streets, or at family gatherings, everyone was talking about this female general.
However, the female general’s true identity remained a mystery.
But who else could it be? Naturally, it had to be Aurora.
She had previously distinguished herself at Victory Pass and was the one who, along with Barrett, led the reinforcements to the battlefield. Among the reinforcements was the Mystic Army. Therefore, the female general leading the Mystic Army to victory was undoubtedly her.
The common people celebrated these rumors as the truth.
The aristocratic families and officials of fifth rank and above didn’t take these rumors seriously. They saw it as mere speculation from people who frequented coffeehouses and taverns. Perhaps there was a grain of truth in the stories, but most of it was likely exaggerated or distorted.
Ironically, the people of the Warren family believed the rumors and thought Aurora had indeed achieved great merit.
Since Barrett and Aurora departed for the war, Rebecca had given up eating meat and prayed for their success. Now that they had achieved glory, her joy and excitement significantly improved her health.
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+15 BONUS
She immediately ordered preparations for a grand ceremony at Radiance Temple to thank the gods. The people of the Warren family paraded through the streets, carrying livestock and offerings and celebrating with fireworks. This spectacle further convinced the townspeople that the female general in the stories was indeed Aurora.
Sitting inside a carriage, Rebecca peeked out at the cheering crowd, her vanity fully satisfied by their admiration and celebration.
After the ceremony, she instructed Amelia to organize a tea party. Rebecca wanted to invite the families of court officials to build connections in advance. That way, when Barrett and Aurora returned to court and received official positions, their path would be smooth.
Rebecca believed Barrett and Aurora had once again distinguished themselves, and would soon become new favorites of the court, with many eager to visit and congratulate them. So, she ordered the tea party to be grand and dignified. She even brought out a set of fine white porcelain tea wares she had brought as part of her dowry to entertain the noblewomen.
As for the pastries, the household cooks were not skilled enough, so they bought them from Serene Confections, a renowned pastry shop known for its delicious, albeit expensive, treats. Due to the large number of guests, they spent over three hundred silver coins on pastries alone. Serene Confections‘ staff personally delivered and arranged the pastries on exquisite plates.
In addition to the pastries, they also bought premium caviar, ensuring each guest had a serving. According to Rebecca’s guest list, that alone cost over a thousand silver coins.
Amelia silently lamented. The Warren family’s finances were already in deficit, and now they were hosting such an extravagant tea party.
Where would the money come from?
She had no choice but to pawn off the remaining valuable items in the estate. But at this rate, the estate was bound to be emptied sooner or later.
