Chapter 789

After a thorough comparison, they found that Harmony Palace's armor was made of superior materials and with better craftsmanship than the Ministry of Defense's. The generals' battle gear was especially impressive. Tested in Salvador's study, the armor withstood several blows without damage, while the swords' blades chipped.

However, the tested ballistae were deemed inferior to the Ministry of Defense's, which slightly eased Salvador's anger. At least it proved one thing: Cecilia hadn't lied. She hadn't stolen the designs for the ballistae or armor, as the two were clearly distinct. Still, Gareth would likely face repercussions for letting such critical weapon blueprints leak.

Fortunately, Salvador remained supportive of Carissa's proposal for unified supervision of the concubines' daughters. After all, the women had been manipulated, and no one had been truly harmed. This would earn him a reputation for benevolence.

Regarding Celeste, whose actions had thrown the Earl of Gracehold's family into chaos, Salvador concluded that Samuel's lack of decisiveness was to blame. Many women had entered noble families without causing such upheaval; therefore, the Earl of Gracehold's family would bear significant responsibility.

With those decisions made, Carissa sighed in relief. Salvador dismissed Davis and the others, keeping Carissa for a private discussion. His eyes showed no fatigue; he seemed to possess boundless energy for the treason case.

"Commander Sinclair," he said seriously, "I have a question, and I need a truthful answer."

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Carissa replied, steeling herself.

Salvador's penetrating gaze held an air of authority. "Who do you think is behind Eleanor?"

Carissa felt apprehensive. Rafael had asked this question, and Salvador was clearly investigating as well. Why now?

"Let me rephrase that. My brother mentioned Yuvan. Do you agree?"

Carissa nodded. "Yes, I believe so."

"Is there any evidence implicating Yuvan, according to the Supreme Court and Capital Guard's investigations? Excluding Fiona's involvement in sending women to Eleanor," Salvador asked, his eyes locking onto Carissa's.

"I know about the incident with Avis, which caused a rift between Yuvan's family and you. Are your judgments clouded by personal feelings? If you suspect him, there must be reasonable basis or evidence. What proof do you have? You can't base suspicions on gut feelings. This is a treason charge. Evidence is required."

Chapter 729

"Or perhaps your guild has uncovered something? Before you went to the Southern Frontier, you mentioned your senior guild members discovered Westhaven soldiers aiding Sandoria. Did they discover anything relevant to your suspicion of Yuvan?"

Carissa panicked. She couldn't implicate her guild. Her evidence came from Skywing Spire's investigations and Rafael's inquiries. They knew the situation but lacked concrete proof. She couldn't claim her guild had evidence, and Winona's findings couldn't be presented to the wary Salvador.

"There's no evidence to prove Eleanor, Prince Yuvan, or any other princes engaged in secret dealings, Your Majesty. However, investigations require a process of elimination. After ruling out others, Prince Yuvan appears the most likely suspect. I'm hypothesizing, but will be cautious in verifying it. I'm not concluding he is behind Eleanor," she replied.

Salvador scrutinized her. "Your senior guild member is adept at gathering intelligence. Didn't she provide any insights?"

"Winona hasn't investigated these matters, Your Majesty. She discovered Westhaven soldiers at the Southern Frontier and sent me a carrier pigeon because she knew this was significant."

Salvador seemed disappointed but relieved. "Very well, you may go. There's nothing more for now."

As Carissa left, she felt a dry mouth and gnawing hunger. A chill crept into her heart. This task was challenging. No wonder higher officials had less hair.

Salvador's expression revealed he hoped Winona would provide information, but also feared her formidable abilities. If Winona was powerful, so was the Pathfinders Guild—and Carissa was a member. This crisis couldn't escalate.