Chapter 713

In Harmony Palace, several matriarchs and Rosalind gradually departed, leaving only Natalie. With numerous women requiring treatment, strong leadership was essential, especially since Eleanor remained at large.

After Barrett and the others completed their treatment, they waited for the capital and garrison guards to finish their work before being sent back. They were placed on a raised platform, separated from the women in the building.

Once Michael had secured the household soldiers and Harmony Palace servants, he assembled the stewards. He ensured the situation was under control before attending to Barrett and his group.

"How are you holding up?" Michael asked.

Of the five, two were critically injured. Their bleeding had been stopped, but their condition remained dire. The physician advised against moving them, so they were covered with thick blankets. Barrett and the other two had also suffered serious injuries, but their wounds were less critical; no vital areas had been affected.

Only then did Barrett feel the full extent of the pain. When Michael inquired about his condition, he gritted his teeth and replied, "I'm managing."

Michael nodded. "Good. That's what I like to hear."

Barrett hesitated before asking, "Sir, have the assassins been caught?"

"All the assassins escaped. None were apprehended," Michael replied.

Anger surged through Barrett as he recalled his near-death experience in the dungeon.

"Sir, I suspect we were used. I faced one of the assassins. Although masked, I recognized him."

Michael chuckled softly and patted Barrett's shoulder reassuringly. "Do you know how I found the dungeon where you were held? Barrett, you've done well."

Barrett froze. Had he done well? He hadn't considered it, nor had he the time.

Barrett pondered Michael's words. How had he been found in that dungeon? After Eleanor's entrance, the door had been locked. Without knowing the entrance, access was impossible.

Had Rafael, the Hell Monarch, returned to unlock the door and allow Michael and the others to rescue him? But with so many Capital Guard and Garrison Unit soldiers present, wouldn't it have been incredibly dangerous for Rafael to return after escaping? There would be no way to clear his name if caught or recognized. It would be impossible, even if he sacrificed himself.

Barrett was skeptical, but the thought of having accomplished something ignited a surge of excitement. Regardless of whether the man was truly the Hell Monarch or simply returned to unlock the dungeon door, Barrett had achieved something and been saved.

He desperately needed to prove himself. Initially, he'd expected a mundane life as a capital guard. Now, however, he felt a glimmer of hope. Perhaps it was his usual bad luck, but fortune seemed to have smiled on him.

Meanwhile, Harmony Palace blazed with light. Eleanor Sanford—a name given by Augustus, not the Ministry of Protocol—meant "benevolence," reflecting Augustus's wish for her to be open-minded and cultured. Unfortunately, she hadn't lived up to his expectations.

Harmony Palace echoed with her furious roars.

"Why are you following me?! Get away! I'll kill you!"

Her voice was hoarse, yet she screamed, her rage echoing from backyard to front. Everyone she saw was an outsider. Only she was free to roam Harmony Palace.

"Where's Florence? Where is she?!"

Stepping back into the main hall, Eleanor's hair was disheveled; she appeared utterly deranged.

The battered and injured women in the courtyard trembled in fear. Their terror of Eleanor was palpable; her voice alone made breathing difficult.

Natalie ignored Eleanor, focusing on the physician treating the injured women. She had spoken to those able to communicate and learned they had all been abducted. Almost all were not from the capital. Only one, a pitifully thin woman named Melanie Lester, was a capital resident. So weak she could barely sit up, she coughed relentlessly, nearly spitting blood.

Eleanor grabbed Melanie's hair, her eyes wild with fury. "You wretched girl! Who permitted you to come out? Get back to the dungeon!"

No one anticipated Eleanor's outburst. She had walked through the hall several times without acknowledging them.