Chapter 311: No Punishment at All

Natasha looked at Isolde with a gentle gaze and said, “You, my dear, are the one who worries me most. Your cousins have all proven themselves capable, and while you are just as skilled, you are, after all, a woman. No matter how great a woman’s achievements, they will always be seen as lesser than a man’s. Right now, the Grand Queen Mother and the King favor you, showering you with grace and privilege. But favor alone is not enough—it must be backed by merit. If I had a choice, I would never let you set foot on the battlefield. Yet, after the battle of Zloimond, your reputation is sealed. There will undoubtedly be a second time, a third time, unless the Eryndral Empire remains peaceful forever—and that is impossible. No dynasty remains at peace for eternity.

“Our ancestors all hoped their descendants would live stable, uneventful lives—especially the women. Marry well, bear children, manage the household, and even if life is full of small struggles, at least it would be an ordinary existence. But you… you are not ordinary, and that means your path will not be either. And with that comes suffering, the kind that others may never have to endure. You must be prepared for it. Especially when it comes to Oliver—husband and wife must stand as one. If you allow small grievances to fester between you, how will you navigate the hardships ahead? How will you face them together?”

Isolde knew that Natasha had spoken these words because she had noticed the unease in her heart—she thought Isolde was still at odds with Oliver. Leaning against Natasha’s side, she whispered, “You needn’t worry. Oliver and I are fine. We have shared life-and-death moments together. We will be fine.”

Natasha stroked her hair gently and said, “That’s good.”

Isolde stayed at the Sharp family estate for a day before returning to the Langley household. During that time, Oliver had sent over gifts—mostly food. Isolde accepted them all and, in return, had some sent back to him.

The imperial court had issued a decree: the Astronomical Bureau had chosen the date. Ashley was to enter the palace on November 13th, exactly ten days after Isolde’s wedding. Queen Mother Thelma had assigned Rowena to the Valen family to serve as a teaching maid, overseeing Ashley’s daily life and routines. With Rowena and her attendants handling everything, the Valen family was left with little to worry about.

The Valen family, for their part, followed the rules strictly—unless Ashley summoned them, they would not seek her out. Those who wished to show courtesy could visit her each morning to pay their respects, but it was not mandatory. If they chose not to go, they didn’t have to. No one went.

Ashley remained unaware of how the outside world was dealing with the conspirators. Since Rowena’s arrival, all contact with the outside had been cut off, and she was forbidden from asking questions. This left her restless and anxious.

Then, on the 26th, Rowena unexpectedly returned to the palace early in the morning, giving Ashley a rare day off from her rigorous etiquette training. In truth, Ashley had mastered court protocol long ago. With her intelligence, learning palace regulations had taken her no more than a few days. But Rowena always found fault with her, insisting she needed more practice. Ashley didn’t mind—at least the lessons gave her something to do. She dreaded idleness, the long and tedious days stretching endlessly ahead.

Now, with Rowena gone, Ashley had a table set up in the pavilion and ordered some refreshments to be prepared. Most of the servants had followed Rowena back to the palace, leaving the household short-staffed. So Ashley summoned a maid from within the estate—Evie Parry, who usually attended to guests outside the main hall.

After serving coffee, Evie stood quietly to the side. Ashley took a sip of coffee and, almost absentmindedly, asked, “Has anything interesting happened outside the estate lately?”

Evie, realizing she was being addressed, bowed slightly and answered, “Nothing of great significance, my lady.”

“Any intriguing cases?” Ashley set down her teacup, her gaze drifting lazily to the sunlight beyond.

Evie thought for a moment before responding, “There is one, though I wouldn’t call it particularly intriguing.”

“Oh? Let’s hear it.” Ashley traced the rim of her cup with her finger, looking bored.

“The youngest child of the Galloway family got into a fight at Vermelle Hall and broke someone’s leg. The matter was taken to court, and he was sentenced to five years and ordered to pay three million in compensation.”

“The Galloway family?” Ashley lowered her gaze indifferently. “Anything else? That hardly qualifies as interesting.”

Evie shook her head. “Not that I know of, my lady.”

Ashley felt a growing sense of unease. How could Evie not know? If the King had truly moved to punish the conspirators, it would be the talk of the entire Argentum. Even if heads weren’t rolling, dismissals and asset seizures would be inevitable. The great houses would be abuzz with speculation and gossip. But Evie knew nothing.

Ashley could no longer sit still. “Is Oliver in the estate?”

“Yes, my lady. Lord Deangelo and several officials arrived with gifts today, and he is currently entertaining them.”

Ashley froze. “Deangelo?”

“Yes, my lady. I was just serving in the main hall—he is still there,” Evie replied.

Ashley’s cup tipped over, sending hot coffee spilling across the table.

“Careful, my lady! The coffee is hot!” Evie exclaimed.

Ashley instinctively pulled her hand back, feeling a sharp sting as the heat seared her fingers. She murmured, “How can this be?”

“You accidentally knocked over your coffee,” Evie said, quickly taking out a handkerchief to wipe the table. Glancing at Ashley’s reddened fingers, she suggested, “The wind is strong here, my lady. Perhaps you should go inside and apply some medicine. Your hand looks quite scalded.”

Ashley stood abruptly, her entire body tense. “No need. You go back and attend to the guests. I’ll take a walk.”

She needed to see for herself. Evie was just a maid. She might not even know that the man in the hall was indeed Deangelo. Ashley refused to believe that the King had done nothing. At the very least, those officials should have been dismissed.

She strode away determinedly. The attendants Rowena had assigned to her immediately moved to follow. Frustrated, Ashley snapped, “You don’t need to trail me—I’m just taking a walk.”

But the palace maids were trained by Rowena herself. They had been instructed to follow her no matter what. One of them bowed and said, “Forgive me, my lady, but the Queen Mother has ordered us to attend to you properly.”

“You dare use that as leverage against me?” Ashley’s voice turned icy.

“I wouldn’t dare,” the maid replied evenly.

Ashley knew she could do nothing about them for now. She might be Ashley, but in the Valen household, she was just a concubine—no one truly took her seriously.

“Fine, do as you please.” Annoyed, she stormed ahead, the maids trailing close behind. As she walked through the corridors, the estate servants bowed respectfully. She ignored them, her posture proud and unyielding.

Upon reaching the front hall’s walkway, she heard voices from within. Ashley had an exceptional memory—she could recognize every speaker. Her heart sank. Deangelo. Seamus. And several high-ranking officials and generals.

As she stood there, stunned, a servant spotted her and announced, “Greetings, Lady Ashley.” She instinctively wanted to turn and leave, but the voices inside abruptly fell silent. The doors opened, and Oliver stepped out. He saw her, his expression unreadable, and said formally, “Ashley, since you’re here, why not come inside?”

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