Her Graceful War Song

Obviously upset, Kylle said, “Regardless, Dad would never do such a thing. There must have been a mistake in their investigation. This hasn’t spread too far, right?”

“Only the people within the estate know. Uncle Herbert issued a strict order prohibiting anyone from speaking of it outside,” Lionel replied.

“Was Dad home when you left for the palace?”

“I left before he came back. I went to the Capital Guard headquarters to find Carissa, but when I heard she had been summoned to the palace, I rushed over ght away. I was hoping to clarify things with her so we could plan our response,” Lionel explained.

“Regardless, I absolutely refuse to believe that Dad is keeping a mistress,” Kylie stated coldly.

Lionel had initially believed it, simply because it had come from Rafael. However, after hearing Herbert’s words and reflecting on them, he felt a mix of doubt and suspicion.

This wasn’t something Rafael had uncovered–it was the Capital Guard’s investigation. While undoubtedly skilled, Carissa was still a woman in a man’s world. She might have believed some baseless rumors without proper investigation, just like any gossiping housewife.

The Quinton family had been thriving in recent years, attracting jealousy and resentment. Unsavory whispers often circulated about them. It was entirely possible that someone, unable to bear seeing Lionel’s parents so happy together, had concocted tales of Malcolm keeping a mistress.

High society was full of jealous, malicious people with loose tongues.

“Regardless, we need to find out where Carissa got her information. Otherwise, Mom will be heartbroken and Dad’s reputation will be at stake,” Lionel said, his tone serious.

Deep down, Kylie harbored a sense of animosity toward Carissa. Salvador had once wanted to bring her into the palace as a concubine, but later, it became clear that it was all part of his political maneuvering to force the Hell Monarch to relinquish his military power.

But Kylie couldn’t forget the look in Salvador’s eyes when he had been discussing it with her. There had been a smoldering intensity in his eyes that she had never witnessed before, not even when he gazed at his favored concubine, Sylvia.

Salvador’s interest in Sylvia was driven by political motives. Her dad was the Minister of Justice, and he held considerable sway within the government. As Salvador’s own military influence was limited, an alliance with someone of Patrick’s stature could bolster his position in unexpected ways.

Kylie had never been overly concerned about Sylvia’s favored status. Any affection tainted by political motives was never true love. Her intuition as a woman told her that Salvador truly felt differently about

Carissa.

Now that she had become the Hell Monarch’s princess consort, the king’s glances during the last palace banquet–filled with an unusual complexity–had been telling.

Carissa had been in the royal study for nearly two hours. Although she had been granted a seat, she was quite anxious. Salvador had inquired about Cecilia, something that hadn’t yet been reported to him. Clearly, he had sent someone to the Capital Guard to gather information beforehand. This showed just

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how deeply he was invested in the case.

When she first arrived, Salvador had said something loaded with meaning.

“Women naturally support one another. While it’s fine to assist one another, we must adhere to the truth and avoid favoritism. You are the first female official of our era. You cannot tarnish the dignity of women nor let the queen dowager down.”

Carissa reiterated to him how the concubines and the daughters had suffered under Eleanor’s rule, and that they were mere pawns being used for others‘ schemes. Most of them hadn’t followed Eleanor’s orders or hadn’t managed to comply fully. She asked whether their cases could be handled with more leniency.

Further, even if the court didn’t take action against them, most–would still be expelled from where they currently were. Those who were driven out would be placed under the Capital Guard’s supervision until the treason case was fully investigated and closed. As for those who remained, they would be strictly monitored, with the respective households held accountable.

After some contemplation, Salvador accepted her reasoning. However, he insisted on a deeper investigation into Cecilia’s case. He planned to address it personally.

Meanwhile, news had already arrived that the Defense Minister, Davis, and Tyler Xavier, a commander stationed outside the capital, had arrived. They had also dispatched someone to the Supreme Court to retrieve the weapons that had been confiscated from Harmony Palace, intending to compare them with those from the Ministry of Defense.

The primary focus was on the armor’s materials, while a separate team had already been sent to examine the ballistae. The other weapons were merely for show and brought along as part of the ongoing

investigation.