Her Graceful War Song

There seemed to be no end to the debate over appointing a crown prince. Nearly every morning court session saw officials raising the matter.

Finally, on the 18th of December, Salvador made an announcement-he had already chosen a crown prince. However, as the prince was still young, the decision would not be made public just yet. Instead, he had written an edict and secured it high upon a beam in the royal chapel.

During a court session, he declared that he alone knew who the crown prince was. According to him, he had not disclosed the decision to anyone, not even to Jeremiah or Rafael. With that, Salvador spared them from further scrutiny.

However, it was no great mystery.

Connor had long since abandoned his former laziness and arrogance, becoming diligent and eager to learn. His temperament had also grown more refined. Furthermore, Ryan, the future Duke of Northwatch, was his study partner. With all those facts, many believed it was all but certain that Connor was the chosen crown prince.

The reasoning was sound.

Not only was Connor Salvador's firstborn son with the queen, he had also shed his past shortcomings and was being personally guided by Victoria. Though Caden also enjoyed the queen dowager's protection, his circumstances were different. Connor no longer returned to Everspring Palace, while Caden was now permitted to return to his mother's residence.

Among the court officials, many suspected that Malcolm must know the truth. As a result, his household quickly became overwhelmed by visitors, with streams of guests arriving to pay their respects and offer their congratulations. Lavish gifts poured in, including rare treasures from all corners of the empire.

Yet, Malcolm felt no joy, only deep unease. After all, the more prominent one was, the more likely they were to attract trouble and criticism.

If Connor had truly been named crown prince, then Salvador's next step would undoubtedly be to weaken the influence of the royal in-laws. These eager visitors weren't simply offering gifts, they were presenting him with a double-edged sword.

However, to refuse them all outright was impossible. To do so would be to offend every one of them beyond measure. Should Salvador ever turn against the Quinton family, they would be left without a single ally to call upon.

With no better option, Malcolm feigned illness and submitted a request for leave. That way, he could justifiably turn away guests while also making his stance clear to Salvador.

His request was swiftly approved. Salvador instructed him to focus on his recovery, and to delegate his ministerial duties in the meantime. Besides, with the new year approaching, court sessions would soon be suspended for the holiday.

At last, Malcolm breathed a sigh of relief. With his leave secured, he embraced a life of leisure at home, shutting himself away from the affairs of the outside world. Yet, Kylie was far from pleased.

She was certain that Connor was the crown prince. Now was the time to make it known, to allow the court officials to show their support and demonstrate that this decision was what everyone wanted.

But Malcolm had shut his doors under the guise of illness, making it clear he had no intention of building alliances for Connor. It wasn't the first time the queen had been disappointed by her family's lack of support, but this time, she found it truly unbearable.

Fuming, she vented, "I could never count on them, and I still can't count on them now! Do they not wish for my son and me to prosper? Will they only be satisfied if we suffer? If this is what it means to have a family, I'd rather not have one at all!"

Lydia tried to reason with her, explaining, "Your Majesty, Lord Quinton's actions do have merit. With the crown prince now decided, Lord Quinton's residence has become a place of great interest.

"Prince Connor may be the eldest

prince, but he's still young and has yet to fully mature. His Majesty has always been wary of his in-laws' influence, and will make a move against them should they make themselves too visible. Even if it were not His Majesty's desire, he would still act if Lord Quinton's household continues to rise in such a high-profile manner."

Kylie's expression darkened. "They fear this, then fear that what good does fear do? If half the court were under our influence, would His Majesty dare act against us so easily? It's precisely because our power isn't secure yet that we should be seizing every opportunity to strengthen it."

She cast an irritated glance at the ever-cautious Lydia and snapped, "Instead of worrying about the Quinton family, you should be

thinking about how to bring Connor back to Everspring Palace. What kind of mother is kept away from hernoveldrama

own son? Letting him stay in Serenity Palace day and night-what nonsense is that?"

Lydia's face tensed with unease. "Your Majesty, it is difficult enough just to see him, let alone bring him. back. The queen dowager has stationed her own people to watch over him. Whenever he goes to his studies or training, guards escort him. All of them are skilled fighters. Also, they are unwavering in their duty and immune to bribes."

Kylie clenched her fists, her irritation boiling over. "What kind of queen dowager meddles in the affairs of the harem, even taking it upon herself to raise a royal prince? Does she want him to think of her as his true mother and cast me aside? That old woman is far too calculating."

Lydia gasped in alarm. "Your Majesty, please be careful with your words!"

"What is there to fear?" Kylie scoffed. "The crown prince has already been chosen. Find a way. If nothing else, bring Connor back for just one visit."