Chapter 1225  +25 BONUS  The chamber doors creaked open, and Derek quickly called out, “His Majesty is departing!”  Lydia hurried inside, rushing to Kylie’s side and helping her to her feet.  “Your Majesty, your hand is injured.” Lydia gasped. She immediately pressed her handkerchief to the bleeding cut, then motioned for the maids to bring water and bandages.  Kylie sank into a chair, her body trembling as though her strength had left her entirely. Fear lingered in her wide eyes, and her voice was shaky with disbelief. “He said he would depose me. His Majesty said he would depose me,”  “His Majesty is just angry for a moment. How could he really depose you? Don’t worry.”  Lydia sent the maids who had come to assist back out, then sighed as she looked at Kylie.  “Your Majesty, you shouldn’t have said those things to the queen dowager. And as for Lady Ruth’s situation, I advised you about it, but you didn’t listen.”  “I don’t understand! What was my mistake?” Kylie’s eyes burned with indignation. “It was just two incidents. Even if there were faults, they were trivial–nothing worth mentioning!”  Lydia sighed heavily. It was clear that neither Victoria’s warnings nor Salvador’s fury had made any impression on Kylie. Her thoughts were consumed entirely by undermining Carissa and securing advantages for her son.  But this was the wrong path to thread on.  Lydia began with patient determination, “Your Majesty, you could ally yourself with Lady Carissa instead of opposing her. She’s not one of the harem’s concubines.”  “But His Majesty has always been wary of the Hell Monarch. What good would it do for me to win them over? Wouldn’t it bring more trouble for Connor?”  “My dear queen, you can’t keep focusing on the past. You must adapt to the changing situation. and evaluate things wisely. His Majesty now heavily relies on the Hell Monarch. Though there- are conflicts between the brothers, His Majesty depends on him for state matters. The Hell Monarch and his princess consort are capable, and they will become His Majesty’s best allies.”  Kylie sighed heavily. “This is exactly the outcome I dreaded. Carissa and I are both women, yet she overshadows me in every way. I am the queen–how can she, a mere duke’s daughter, be better than me?”  Lydia saw the despair and resentment circling in Kylie’s mind, a storm she couldn’t escape.  She had seen cases like this before, and the outcome hadn’t been good. Take the third daughter of the Earl of Silverstone’s family, Viola, for example.  Carissa’s abilities surpassed many women’s. She was skilled in martial arts, had strategic thinking, and could carve out a path for herself, corning victories on the battlefield. She  -1/2  +25 BONUS  Chapter 1225  wasn’t the kind of woman one could compare to the average lady.  But why compare at all?  Everyone was different, with their own strengths and weaknesses. Carissa wasn’t perfect, either.  Moreover, Carissa had been criticized and scorned before because of her involvement in Skye Embroidery, a thankless task that left her ridiculed. Whatever goodwill she had gained on the battlefield was nearly lost, yet she refused to compromise and continued doing things her way. She never compared herself to anyone.  Lydia was conflicted. After the issues with the workshop and the academy, she had come to admire Carissa. But the more she admired Carissa, the more she felt that Kylie wouldn’t let things go easily. The truth was, Kylie was no match for Carissa.  In the end, the one who would be hurt most was her mistress.  Lydia wasn’t able to rise above her personal feelings and put reason before her mistress. She was loyal to the queen and could only think of what was best for her.  As the sun dipped lower in the sky, the golden light fell across the tranquil halls of the Serenity Palace.  Inside, Salvador attentively served Victoria at the table. Outside, he was the all–powerful king. But here, he was merely a dutiful son.  “Sit down and eat. I didn’t ask you to hover over me like a servant,” Victoria chided, though. her tone lacked any real harshness.  “Of course,” Salvador replied, his grin boyish and wide. “This soup smells divine–I’ll have some too.”  With that, he drank half a bowl of soup in a single go.  Victoria gave him a brief glance, saying nothing for the moment. It remained that way until the meal was finished and the servants had cleared the table.  Then, she dabbed the corners of her mouth with a cloth and asked casually, “Did you visit Kylie today?”  “I did,” Salvador answered without hesitation, sitting up straighter. His expression turned serious. “I scolded her. Her mistakes were too severe, and she hasn’t shown a hint of repentance.”