Chapter 44
Under the cover of the night, Carissa successfully broke into the Ministry of Defense’s records room. It didn’t take much effort to find what she needed–all the reports from the battle at Victory Pass were neatly arranged on the top left shelf.
Using a special lamp called Night Pearl, covered with a light vell to dim its glow, Carissa hid in a corner to read the reports individually. After reading them all, she felt a chill run through her entire body as tears streamed uncontrollably down her cheeks.
Barrett and Aurora had gone to Victory Pass as reinforcements and had participated in the battles. despite their inexperience. During their first battle there, Carissa’s third uncle lost an arm while trying to save Barrett.
Meanwhile, her seventh uncle had died before the reinforcements even arrived. Carissa remembered him as a spirited young man; it was hard to imagine that he had fallen in battle.
Dominic had also been wounded by an arrow before the reinforcements arrived, leaving Barrett essentially in command for the final battles.
It was indeed Barrett and Aurora who had made the final desperate effort. They breached Fawnron City in Westhaven, where Barrett was in charge of burning the military supplies and provisions, while Aurora led the capture of several young Westhaven commanders and soldiers.
It was these captured commanders who had declared Westhaven’s surrender, with the peace treaty being signed at Fawnrun City. After that, Aurora led the troops back to Victory Pass and released the captured commanders.
The reports made no mention of the massacres and killings that Aurora had allegedly carried out. Dominic had either concealed them or genuinely had no knowledge of them. But as commander, regardless of whether or not he knew, he would surely be held accountable once Aurora’s actions were discovered.
Carissa returned the reports to their original places and used her Lightfoot Skill to leave the Ministry of Defense unnoticed.
When she returned to Exquisite Pavilion, Lulu was still waiting for her.
Seeing Carissa return in her night clothes, Lulu didn’t ask questions. She simply handed the note to her mistress and said, “Your second senior’s pigeon delivered this.”
Carissa immediately took the note and read it. She couldn’t help but gasp in shock. Her guess had been
correct.
Her second senior wrote that three hundred thousand troops from Westhaven had taken the route through Sandoria. Disguised as Sandorian soldiers, they were heading towards the Southern Frontier with Provisions.
Or rather, Westhaven was going all out to assist Sandoria in Westhaven had indeed allied with Sand their battle against Starhaven–for revenge and to obtain part of the Southern Frontier territory.
After contemplating, Carissa said, “Lulu, pick out an outfit for me. Tomorrow, I will seek an audience with the king.”
“Understood, my lady. Please rest first, it’s late now. I’ll prepare some chicken soup for you,” Lulu replied
+15 BONUS
without asking further questions.
There were some matters she couldn’t assist with, so she focused on taking care of Carissa’s daily needs.
“No need to stew it further. You should go to sleep too, said Carissa, her voice hoarse from crying.
She took off her night clothes and placed them back in the cabinet. These clothes were made before she got married and hadn’t been taken to Valor Estate. Now, they fit loosely as she had lost weight over the
past year.
Lulu nodded and left. But instead of going to bed, she headed to the small kitchen to continue stewing the chicken soup. Come early in the morning, Carissa could add some milk and have it for breakfast.
Lulu sighed. Carissa was so pitiful and must be having a hard time!
The next morning, after the court assembly, Salvador went to visit the empress dowager.
He had received reports from the Southern Frontier indicating that his younger brother had already recaptured many territories, leaving only Ilyrian City and Simonton City under enemy control. He believed they would be reclaimed within a month, restoring the entire Southern Frontier to Starhaven.
Because of that, Salvador was in high spirits today.
Before he reached the empress dowager’s chambers, Derek came to him and reported, “Your Majesty, Lady Sinclair seeks an audience. She’s waiting outside the palace gates.”
“Is she here to visit the empress dowager? Let her in,” the king replied.
Derek shook his head. “Your Majesty, Lady Sinclair isn’t here to visit the empress dowager. She claims to have urgent matters to discuss with you.”
Salvador remembered that yesterday was Barrett and Aurora’s wedding day. Despite it being a disastrous ceremony that embarrassed the Warren family, they had successfully wed. Was Carissa’s visit to the palace today due to lingering discontent?
If so, why had she sought a divorce edict? Salvador had even made sure to make all the necessary post- divorce arrangements for Carissa. If she were to cause trouble again out of discontent, it would truly be Immature of her.
Salvador didn’t want to deal with their romantic entanglements. He felt annoyed, but then recalled. Carissa’s youthful appearance from her last visit to the palace. Seeing her back then had made him soften and allow her to seek him out if she had any concerns. He had meant it as mere comfort, but she seemed to have unexpectedly taken it seriously.
Though Carissa’s visit disturbed Salvador’s good mood and irritated him, he suppressed his anger and said, “Lead her to the study.”
He wanted to see what she would demand this time. If it was too unreasonable, he would reprimand her sternly.
