Her Majestic Battle Cry

For several days, Carissa had attended the court meetings. In doing so, she began to understand the truth behind Jeremiah’s words that in matters of state, everyone had their own opinion, each with its own merit. The debates went on endlessly, with no clear direction given.

Arguments were made for and against, yet nothing was resolved.

Carissa felt she could no longer be a part of these discussions. Over the past few days, she had been swept up in the tide of conflicting opinions, unsure of which step to take next.

Moreover, Salvador’s health had not improved. He continued to cough persistently, trying to hold his composure despite his weakening body.

Some people took advantage of the situation and suggested it was time to designate the crown prince. It was brought up by a group of young officials, students of Malcolm, who had been won over by Kylie.

They had been working hard to support Connor. Seeing Salvador’s worsening health and the growing troubles both inside and outside the kingdom, they suggested it was time to settle the matter of the succession sooner rather than later.

Malcolm was livid, his face turning a shade of red with anger. Despite his strong objections in front of Salvador, it only made people think he was trying to retreat strategically or distance himself from the issue.

The whole situation pushed Salvador to the brink of collapse, leaving everyone in a state of chaos and confusion, desperately scrambling to resolve the mess.

Seeking a way to remove herself from the chaos, Carissa made an excuse to focus on military training and withdrew from the court discussions.

She returned to speak with Jacob and Kyle about the matter.

Jacob furrowed his brow and said, “Isn’t the queen under house arrest? How can she still be stirring up trouble? If she’s making a fuss at a time like this, she’s only throwing herself and the Quinton family into danger.”

Carissa had little interest in the Quinton family and Kylie, but it was undeniable that what had once been a unified court was now being divided by this issue. noveldrama

Kyle spoke up. “I have a suspicion. What if the one pushing to name the crown prince now is actually Prince Nicholas? The people the queen has gathered–could they be his people instead? He’s always been good at winning people over.”

Jacob thought for a moment.

“It wouldn’t be surprising. Prince Connor is mediocre at best. If he’s named, His Majesty will surely oppose it, but he hasn’t abandoned him either. Now, he has Lord Ryan studying with Prince Connor, and he even brought Mr. Young back to help. It’s clear they intend to groom him. But now, with things so urgent, bringing this up could anger His Majesty. If he issues an order to stop the queen’s plans, everything the queen has done will be for nothing.”

“And it would drag the Quinton family down with her,” Kyle added with a sigh. “I used to hear that the queen was a very intelligent and sensible woman. Her reputation as a talented lady was renowned throughout the capital. But now, in the face of the nation’s crisis, all she cares about is naming the crown prince. It seems hunger for power can truly change a person.”

Jacob nodded. “Perhaps her reputation was just a facade crafted by the Quinton family. But that’s no longer our concern.“

The matter of the crown prince would be settled by the court officials, with Salvador and Jeremiah making the final decision. Carissa had no place in such deliberations–er role was to address the situation at hand. All else was secondary.

Winona also sent word from various fronts, updating them on the latest battle reports. Thomas had not launched a direct assault on Valken yet, choosing instead to lay siege and enter negotiations.

The strategy served two purposes. First, it delayed matters, buying time for Chester to swiftly eliminate the bandits and join forces. Second, Thomas feared that cornering the enemy could provoke the indiscriminate

slaughter of Valken’s citizens, which would only sen the situation.

Meanwhile, Chester had made remarkable progress. With Valken no longer a concern, his army had surged forward, winning several decisive victories. However, the rebellion had spread across a vast area, reaching even the distant Nanyara region, stretching his forces thin.

On the Southern Frontier, three consecutive victories had been secured. To date, the Sandorian forces had failed to breach Simonton City. These reports came from Winona’s network of spies, mixed with rumors of a scandal within the Sandorian camp. It was said that Victor was furious, angrily denouncing the Starhaven people for their lack of honor.

It was almost laughable. After withdrawing previously, the Sandorians had signed a pact promising not to invade. Now, they had the audacity to demand the rebels uphold some kind of honor and open Simonton City’s gates to allow them to march in unhindered

The Southern Frontier’s situation wasn’t as dire as it seemed. The Sandorians, after all, had traveled from far away, and a prolonged stalemate would strain their resources. Meanwhile, the Southern Frontier had already developed. Crops were plentiful, and the Sandorians simply couldn’t sustain a prolonged campaign. Victor was now in a precarious position and was unable to retreat. It seemed he had made a binding vow when he took command, promising to return victorious or face death upon his return. So, he dug in, unwilling to relent. Meanwhile, Leroy pressed forward in Victory Pass with great intensity, but his forces were limited in number. Still, it would be unwise to underestimate him. The king of Westhaven had sent Leroy, and he was driven by a thirst for revenge and the ambition to conquer Victory Pass. His troops fought with fervor, seeing themselves as the righteous army, and their morale was high.

However, Leroy and Edmund had never seen eye to eye, and each had their own agenda. With Lisandra’s balancing influence, Edmund’s support for Leroy was limited.

At this moment, the greatest danger lay within the capital itself.

After all, the situation in the capital was still far from clear