Chapter 649

Harvey lowered his gaze, revealing no anger, though the veins in his hands, resting on the armrest, bulged slightly. "You're right," he said.

"Don't worry about Leona anymore," Eleanor continued. "Your daughter's loyalty clearly lies elsewhere. She would rather follow Carissa than return to your estate. Honestly, she's no great loss."

Frustration gradually clouded Harvey's silent face.

Yuvan quickly changed the subject. "The Earl of Gracehold's family matter is settled. The king won't employ officials disrespectful to their families, so their good days are over. I came regarding Aurora. I sent assassins, but Carissa interfered, costing me some of my best men."

"Killing Aurora won't be easy," Harvey replied. "The king has dispatched the Capital Guard to watch Valor Estate. They're in civilian clothing, but I've investigated; they're definitely Capital Guard. Also, Aurora is cunning and never steps outside Valor Estate."

"What about bribing someone in Valor Estate to poison her?" Yuvan asked.

"I've tried; it was useless. She has only one servant and tests all her food with silver needles. There's no way to infiltrate Blessed Haven."

Yuvan chuckled, his eyes glinting. "See, Harvey? Your efforts are less effective than Eleanor's. The assassination failed, and poisoning was a bust. Looks like you're at a loss handling Aurora, huh?"

Though Yuvan spoke lightly, Harvey understood his underlying dissatisfaction.

"I'll come up with something else," Harvey assured him.

"You better hurry," Yuvan said. "The old king in Westhaven can't last much longer. Our people are close to the Westhaven crown prince, who's fixated on avenging the former crown prince. Also, there's discontent among the common folk regarding Liam's retreat from the borders. Edmund has been spreading those rumors to pave the way for his own ascension and settle things with Starhaven."

Harvey was confused. "Isn't Liam Edmund's uncle? If he stirs things up, wouldn't Liam become a target of public criticism?"

Eleanor explained, "Edmund resented Liam for signing the border agreement with Aurora. Liam had Aurora and her soldiers surrounded, but prioritized rescuing the previous crown prince instead of eliminating the enemy. He let his emotions cloud his judgment, proving unfit for a crucial role."

She shot Harvey a sideways glance. "Do you really not understand what Yuvan wants? He wants Aurora dead. Then, when Edmund ascends and demands accountability, we can't use Aurora as a scapegoat. It would give them more leverage if she were used."

"Plus," she continued, "if Aurora is gone, all blame falls on Dominic and his family. It won't matter that he was injured or had just lost a son. Without Aurora, he'll bear full responsibility for the massacre, meaning his entire family will be sentenced to death."

Harvey replied, "But even if Aurora is implicated, Dominic still has an unshakeable responsibility as marshal of Victory Pass."

Disappointment crept into Yuvan's eyes as he looked at Harvey. "It wouldn't be the same," he said. "Aurora injured and humiliated Arthur. If that becomes public, the kingdom will loathe her. They'll be desperate to see her dead. With someone so hated, the Sullivan family will have someone to deflect blame onto, and the fallout won't be as significant."

Harvey pondered. "Killing Aurora won't be easy, especially with the king protecting her. He likely anticipates the changes in Westhaven. Besides the Capital Guard, Rafael has stationed guards to safeguard her. Still, I have an idea. Would you like to hear it?"

"Go ahead," Yuvan said, sipping his drink slowly.

A cold glint flickered in Harvey's eyes.

"Aurora likely knows her fate," Harvey said, "and that she's merely surviving day by day. Why not send someone to tell her that if the situation escalates, she should insist Dominic ordered her actions? That way, she might save herself. What do you think?"

Chapter 64 (Note: The original text seems to have a numbering error here. This chapter number is likely incorrect.)