Chapter 1277  When Barrett arrived at Victory Pass, he made his way to the marshal’s residence, Stormwatch  Keep.  He had braced himself for a harsh reception–to his surprise, the Sullivan family merely sent someone to collect the gift and ushered them to their quarters. No one came out to berate him or discipline him. He stood in stunned silence for a long moment before dragging his weary feet back outside,  “The marshal’s residence here is nothing like ours at the Southern Frontier,” remarked Glen, one of the soldiers accompanying him. “It’s grand enough, but it’s so bare and simple- there’s not a single fine thing here.‘  “Don’t compare General Sullivan to Marshal Prince,” Barrett said.  Inwardly, he thought that Oliver wasn’t worthy of being compared.  Thinking Barrett was cautioning him against criticizing Oliver, Glen quickly fell silent. For the moment, they had been settled in the large camp, sleeping in the communal barracks. Of course, if they wanted to return to the Southern Frontier sooner, they were free to do so. None of them dared say that returning to the Southern Frontier wasn’t an option. When they left, Oliver sent someone to inform them that they were to stay here and learn from the Sullivan family’s military training methods, then return after the new year.  While Oliver had said this, he had not provided any formal documentation. So, they were still soldiers of the Southern Frontier. Even if they stayed here, the local commanders would likely never truly accept them.  Barrett knew full well the reputation he had at Victory Pass. For now, there was no choice but to settle in and figure something out. As soon as spring came the next year, they would immediately set off to return to the Southern Frontier.  Meanwhile, Rafael, Carissa, and the others had made it back to the capital by 15th March, after the Spring Remembrance Festival. The people from Meadow Ridge had already returned home. Everett had originally intended to stay in the capital for a few days, but knowing that everyone was busy, he decided against it as he didn’t want to make things uncomfortable for them. Once they arrived, Rafael first had Tiberius imprisoned at the Supreme Court, then went to the palace to report in, while Carissa was free to return to the estate on her own.  Jacob saw how weary they all were and quickly ordered hot meals to be prepared. There were more pressing matters to deal with later. First, he assured Carissa that Solomon and Ryan had already visited the Sinclair family’s graves during the Spring Remembrance Festival, so she didn’t need to worry.  1/2  +25 BONUS  Chapter 1277  Carissa was relieved to hear that, knowing the rituals had been completed. Tomorrow, she would visit the family chapel at Northwatch Estate to offer flowers herself.  Everyone was exhausted, so after the meal, they quickly bathed and retired for the night.  But Kyle and Carissa, after eating, washed their faces and immediately joined Jacob in the council hall. They shared the basic details of the situation with him.  After hearing their account, Jacob didn’t say much. He had already expected as much.  In the royal study, Salvador listened to Rafael’s report, his brow furrowing as he asked, “When do  you think they’ll make their move?”  “I suspect there will be activity within a month,” Rafael replied.  “Should we strike first?” Salvador said. Then he shook his head, clearly frustrated. “The problem is, we don’t even know who they are. We still haven’t located the private army from Stonebridge County, and we have no idea how their forces are growing.”  Rafael found that odd as well. The private army in Stonebridge County had been developing for quite some time. At this point, it likely numbered at least 20 to 30 thousand men. “The rebellion itself isn’t what worries me,” Rafael said. “What I’m truly concerned about is the possibility that the person behind Yuvan has ties to Sandoria. Sandoria may not be a threat now, but if they attack the Southern Frontier while we’re dealing with internal turmoil, it could deal a crippling blow to us.”  The Southern Frontier was what Salvador cared about the most. If he were to lose it again, any achievements from his rule would be erased, and he would be condemned by the people.  Though he considered the chance of Sandoria rising again to be slim–at most, they might stir up some unrest along the border–just the thought of it made his heart race. The possibility, no matter how remote, was enough to unsettle him.  He absolutely could not allow anything to happen to the Southern Frontier again.