Chapter 189

“Really?” Rafael frowned.

Eleanor, the grand princess and the late king’s sister, was Rafael’s aunt. He knew her character well. She was like a snake in the grass—sweet in appearance but venomous at heart. She was known for her tea parties and banquets, where she mingled with the capital’s powerful families and secured many connections through social gatherings. Many noble families arranged marriages at her parties. If anyone had ever been truly wronged in her presence, it was undoubtedly Helen. Eleanor was skilled in manipulation and had committed many sinister acts. She was a sick-minded person. After giving birth to a daughter, she stopped having children and instead gathered many concubines for her husband. When the concubines gave birth, she took their children and then executed the concubines. Her methods were extremely cruel.

Once, a concubine argued with Eleanor, so she simply didn't want the concubine's child. After killing the concubine's child in front of her, Eleanor had the concubine's fingers and toes chopped off one by one, leaving her to suffer for days before she finally died.

Such cruel deeds were well-hidden. After all, few would inquire into the affairs of a princess!

Rafael learned of this when his uncle, Eleanor’s husband, got drunk and lost his way in the palace. Rafael found him hiding behind a rock, sobbing uncontrollably. When questioned, the man revealed the many cruel acts that happened within their residence. From then on, Rafael held no regard for his aunt and avoided her as much as possible.

Bonus

During the late king’s reign, Eleanor was somewhat restrained. But now, without the late king’s presence, she was likely even more unruly.

Her daughter, Jessica, was just as wicked. She frequently abused her maids and servants. Once, she even threw stones at Helen, causing her severe injuries. Helen could not complain because, as an elder, she had to endure the princess’s wrath. And after all, she was well aware of the princess’s cruel nature.

Furthermore, there was a longstanding enmity between Eleanor and Hector. Hector was once a renowned warrior who struck awe across the land. At the age of seventeen, he led eight hundred cavalrymen to defeat ten thousand Huns, capturing worldwide attention. At nineteen, he held Victory Pass against twenty thousand Westhaven troops with just a thousand men, ensuring the enemy gained not a single advantage. He outmaneuvered them in the wilds around Victory Pass, leaving them lost and disoriented. And when he was twenty-one, he was awarded the title of Wolf Lord. If not for the court officials’ concerns about his youth and fear of him becoming arrogant, he would have already been promoted to the rank of Grand General.

Who could remain unmoved by such a figure?

Deeply infatuated with Hector, Eleanor was determined to marry him. However, her father was still alive at the time, and he vehemently opposed the idea. How could such a formidable warrior be reduced to marrying a princess and becoming her consort? It seemed like a waste of his talent. Moreover, Hector was already betrothed to Melanie, Grand General Dominic’s daughter. Despite Eleanor’s efforts, she could not win Hector’s affection and only caused him to develop a deep aversion to her. Ultimately, Hector married Melanie, and Eleanor’s hatred for Hector and his wife became intense.

According to Jacob, when Carissa and Barrett divorced, Eleanor had instigated many of the scandalous rumors that had circulated. Though it was a divorce granted by the king, Eleanor consistently referred to Carissa as a discarded woman, leading to disdain for Carissa among the noble families in the capital. If not for that, how could Rebecca have made such a fuss with her meager capabilities?

Inviting Carissa to her birthday celebration was clearly a malicious act by Eleanor. Carissa shouldn’t go, but if she chose to attend, Rafael would respect her decision.

After some thought, Rafael ordered, “Go to Northwatch Estate and find out if Carissa will be attending.”

“Understood, Your Highness. I’ll go personally.”

With that, Luke turned and left.