The Swordswoman’s Revenge Story after Rebirth

Chapter 221: It’s Dangerous

Finished

Finnian said coldly, “In any case, you’d best watch yourself. If Kamari truly harbors treacherous ambitions, I will have no choice but to cast you out of the Charlic family.”

Ashley furrowed his brows. “Grandfather, the Queen Mother once ruled in the King’s stead, disrupting the natural order. The King himself is weak-willed, his governance stagnant, and in recent years, the surrounding barbarian states have repeatedly invaded our borders. The Empire is on the brink of collapse. Now, the King has stepped forward—this is destiny at work. With your vast wisdom, if you were to guide a true ruler, imagine the heights our family could reach in the future.”

Finnian stared at her, his expression changing drastically. He did not completely believe Keith; he was testing Ashley. Little did they expect, this trial immediately revealed Kamari’s hidden ambitions. He thought, Kamari indeed harbors thoughts of rebellion.

Ashley continued, seeing that he remained silent, thinking he might be swayed, and pressed on, “Grandfather, the current Queen Mother has caused chaos in the palace. First, she became the late King’s Queen, then married the regent, who was later crowned King. Now, she is the Queen Mother, but whose Queen Mother is she? The late King’s or the regent’s? The turmoil all stems from the Queen Mother. The King seeks to restore order and expel those who have corrupted the court. He will surely earn the support of the people. Grandfather, everything I say today is for the good of our family. Please, consider carefully. If you are willing to support the King, he will respect you.”

Finnian slowly stood up, walking around the room with his hands behind his back. He then fixed his gaze on her, his eyes filled with a painful and disappointed expression, as if reproaching her for her actions. “Leave. From now on, don’t come back. Whether you live or die, it has nothing to do with the Charlic family. Consider it as if I never adopted you,” he said.

Finnian had lived his entire life without children, so he had taken in an orphaned baby girl in his later years, raising her as his own granddaughter. He named her Ashley. Sadly, she had betrayed his expectations.

After being cast out of the family, Ashley was not sad at all. Her tone was regretful. “Since you insist, so be it. However, I will wait for you to change your mind at any time.” With that, she bowed and left.

Outside the door, Halcyon happened to come over. When she saw Ashley, she was delighted. Halcyon held her hand and said, “You’re back! Stay for dinner tonight.”

Ashley bowed slightly. “No, thank you, Mrs. Charlie. Goodbye.” With that, she pulled back her hand and turned to leave with a cold expression.

Halcyon was completely stunned. Looking at her determined back, she muttered, “Mrs. Charlie? She called me Mrs. Charlie?”

Finnian walked out with his hands clasped behind his back, his face stern. “Very well. From now on, it’s as if I never raised her. In the end, she was nothing but trouble.” Halcyon’s face turned pale with shock as she looked at Finnian.

Keith also quietly left.

Ever since Doug returned, he had not stayed at the hotel. Instead, he rented a house to temporarily live with Hattie and Hazel. When Keith returned to the house, Hattie and Hazel had also returned. The three of them looked at each other and said in unison, “It’s settled.”

Keith heaved a sigh of relief. “Now, we’re just waiting for Lady Isolde.”

At Duke’s estate, after Harlan recovered, he returned to pack his things. He was recuperating at the Sharp family’s home, so he knew where Isolde had gone. Therefore, he packed his things and rushed to Zloimond. He did not even inform Geoffrey when he left. If the gatekeeper had not informed him, Geoffrey would not have known that Harlan had returned.

Geoffrey felt a deep sense of guilt toward Harlan, the man who had followed him for decades. Though nominally master and servant, in truth, they were brothers in all but blood. He had previously instructed Harlan to drug Isolde and send her back to Windermount, but she had almost been killed.

Geoffrey came to Harlan’s room. Seeing that he was packing, Geoffrey smiled bitterly. “Even you want to leave? Yeah, no one is willing to stay by my side now.”

Harlan had experienced much. He no longer hated Geoffrey as much as before. They had accompanied each other for more than half a century. He did not specifically inform Geoffrey he was leaving because the task was rushed and he had to hurry.

He put down the things in his hand and said, “I’m only leaving for a while. I’ll come back eventually. You’re my master. If you don’t chase me away, I won’t dare to leave.” There was a trace of resentment in his words, but ultimately, it was merely to vent some frustration on Isolde’s behalf. Deep down, he understood the hardships Geoffrey had endured over the years, which was why he could never truly bring himself to be too harsh.

“Where are you going?” Geoffrey’s expression softened. He knew that Harlan would keep his word, so he heaved a sigh of relief.

“To Zloimond!” Harlan continued to pack his luggage and put all the medicine in the room into his bag.

Geoffrey could not help but ask, “Why are you going to Zloimond? Zloimond is a dangerous place now. If you don’t have anything important, it’s better not to go.”

“Of course, it matters. Lady Isolde has never set foot on a battlefield—how could I not go?” Harlan assumed that Geoffrey would already be aware of this. After all, both Doug and Kolton had traveled to Zloimond together—such a thing could hardly be kept from Geoffrey.

Geoffrey’s expression changed drastically. “What? Who’s going to the battlefield? Lady Isolde?”

Harlan was stunned. “You don’t know?”

“Know what? Are you saying Isolde has gone to the battlefield? Is this true?” Geoffrey asked in shock. But that couldn’t be possible—there were countless skilled generals in the court. They wouldn’t send a woman to war, especially one who had never set foot on a battlefield. Military affairs were not to be taken lightly, and the lives of soldiers were not something to be recklessly sacrificed.

Harlan stopped and sat down. His face was pale, and his movements were not as agile as before. He knew that. He looked at Geoffrey and said, “The Queen Mother has issued a decree ordering Lady Isolde to lead 3,000 soldiers to Zloimond and defeat the rebel army.”

Geoffrey was so scared. “3,000 soldiers? And Isolde leading them?” Geoffrey lowered his voice. Once, he had held the Queen Mother in the highest regard, but now, through gritted teeth, he spat, “Has she gone mad? She’s sending Isolde and those three thousand men to their deaths!”

Whether Kamari would rebel was still uncertain, yet the King had recklessly decided to send troops. It was far too dangerous—if this move provoked Kamari into open rebellion, Isolde and those three thousand soldiers wouldn’t even be enough to satisfy the appetite of his tens of thousands of troops.

Harlan looked at Geoffrey and said, “So, I’ll pack up and go to Zloimond. Don’t worry, I’ll protect Lady Isolde.”

Geoffrey was so anxious that his eyes turned red. “It’s too dangerous. I have to go.”

Harlan was stunned. “How can you go? You were once a general, but now you serve as an official in the High Court of Parliament. Without the King’s decree, how can you abandon your post? And without a King’s edict to accompany the army, joining the battle is a crime punishable by death!”