Chapter 44

Under the cover of night, Carissa successfully broke into the Ministry of Defense's records room. Finding what she needed required little effort—all the reports from the battle at Victory Pass were neatly arranged on the top left shelf.

Using a special lamp called Night Pearl, its glow dimmed by a light veil, Carissa hid in a corner to read the reports individually. After reading them, a chill ran through her body as tears streamed uncontrollably down her cheeks.

Barrett and Aurora had gone to Victory Pass as reinforcements and participated in the battles, despite their inexperience. During their first battle, Carissa's third uncle lost an arm trying to save Barrett. Meanwhile, her seventh uncle died before the reinforcements even arrived. Carissa remembered him as a spirited young man; it was hard to imagine him falling in battle.

Dominic had also been wounded by an arrow before the reinforcements arrived, leaving Barrett essentially in command for the final battles. It was Barrett and Aurora who made the final, desperate effort. They breached Fawnron City in Westhaven, where Barrett burned the military supplies and provisions while Aurora led the capture of several young Westhaven commanders and soldiers.

These captured commanders declared Westhaven's surrender, with the peace treaty signed at Fawnrun City. Afterward, Aurora led the troops back to Victory Pass and released the commanders.

The reports made no mention of the massacres and killings Aurora allegedly carried out. Dominic either concealed them or genuinely knew nothing of them. But as commander, regardless of his knowledge, he would surely be held accountable once Aurora's actions were discovered.

Carissa returned the reports to their original places and used her Lightfoot Skill to leave the Ministry of Defense unnoticed.

When she returned to Exquisite Pavilion, Lulu was still waiting. Seeing Carissa in her nightclothes, Lulu didn't ask questions. She simply handed her mistress a note, saying, "Your second senior's pigeon delivered this."

Carissa immediately read the note. She gasped in shock. Her guess had been correct.

Her second senior wrote that three hundred thousand Westhaven troops had taken the route through Sandoria. Disguised as Sandorian soldiers, they were heading toward the Southern Frontier with provisions. In other words, Westhaven was assisting Sandoria in their battle against Starhaven—for revenge and to obtain part of the Southern Frontier territory.

After contemplating, Carissa said, "Lulu, pick out an outfit for me. Tomorrow, I will seek an audience with the king."

"Understood, my lady. Please rest first; it's late. I'll prepare some chicken soup for you," Lulu replied without asking further questions. There were some matters she couldn't assist with, so she focused on Carissa's daily needs.

"No need to stew it further. You should go to sleep too," Carissa said, her voice hoarse from crying.

She took off her nightclothes and placed them back in the cabinet. These clothes, made before her marriage, hadn't been taken to Valor Estate. Now, they fit loosely as she had lost weight over the past year.

Lulu nodded and left. But instead of going to bed, she headed to the small kitchen to continue stewing the chicken soup. Carissa could add milk in the morning and have it for breakfast.

Lulu sighed. Carissa was so pitiful and must be having a hard time!

The next morning, after the court assembly, Salvador went to visit the Empress Dowager. He had received reports from the Southern Frontier indicating that his younger brother had already recaptured many territories, leaving only Ilyrian City and Simonton City under enemy control. He believed they would be reclaimed within a month, restoring the entire Southern Frontier to Starhaven.

Because of this, Salvador was in high spirits.

Before reaching the Empress Dowager's chambers, Derek approached him and reported, "Your Majesty, Lady Sinclair seeks an audience. She's waiting outside the palace gates."

"Is she here to visit the Empress Dowager? Let her in," the king replied.

Derek shook his head. "Your Majesty, Lady Sinclair isn't here to visit the Empress Dowager. She claims to have urgent matters to discuss with you."

Salvador remembered that yesterday was Barrett and Aurora's wedding day. Despite being a disastrous ceremony that embarrassed the Warren family, they had successfully wed. Was Carissa's visit due to lingering discontent?

If so, why had she sought a divorce edict? Salvador had even made all the necessary post-divorce arrangements for Carissa. If she were to cause trouble again out of discontent, it would be immature of her.

Salvador didn't want to deal with their romantic entanglements. He felt annoyed, but then recalled Carissa's youthful appearance from her last visit to the palace. Seeing her then had made him soften and allow her to seek him out if she had any concerns. He had meant it as mere comfort, but she seemed to have unexpectedly taken it seriously.

Though Carissa's visit disturbed Salvador's good mood and irritated him, he suppressed his anger and said, "Lead her to the study."

He wanted to see what she would demand this time. If it was unreasonable, he would reprimand her sternly.