Spring Myles cradled the child, as if calculating something.

  "I’ll go to Braedon. If he’s truly in trouble, I can still save him."

  I immediately stood up.

  "I’ll send people to escort you."

  She stared at me in shock.

  "Autumn, I never expected you to become so gentle after becoming a mother."

  Hearing that, I froze for a moment, narrowing my eyes as I observed her and the baby.

  After what happened with Arianne, I had come to understand many things.

  Women like them always had their own thoughts—neither reasonable nor irrational, but impossible to argue with.

  "Eldest Sister, I have a favor to ask of you."

  I took the baby from her arms and lowered my voice.

  "Actually… this is my child with Elias. I didn’t mean to kill Corwin. But when the truth was exposed, he wanted to kill this child. He ran into my sword by accident. And in the chaos… he set fire to the house, and Arianne died with him."

  Spring’s eyes filled with shock.

  I knelt before her, holding my baby close.

  "I beg you, take this child to Braedon and raise him in secret. When the world is at peace again, I will come for him."

  Spring Myles left without another word, departing for Braedon.

  Beside me, only five hundred men remained. Except for Liam, I sent all of them to protect my eldest sister.

  "What about you?" she asked from atop the carriage.

  I gently caressed the baby wrapped in cloth.

  "Eldest Sister, don’t worry about me. Just protect my child. If he dies, I won’t live either."

  Her expression shifted with deep emotion. She raised a hand toward the heavens and swore an oath.

  "Little Sister, does the baby have a name yet?"

  "Arthur Myles."

  Arthur—all my hopes rested on him.

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  Once my eldest sister departed, I settled Summer Myles at White Cloud Temple, then locked the gates of my courtyard.

  Then, I made my way to the palace gates.

  "I wish to see Crown Prince Alaric."

  Crown Prince Alaric was besieged from all sides.

  Thirty thousand troops led by the Duke of Braedon, Darius, were advancing on the capital from the east.

  Fifty thousand elite cavalry under Elias were crossing the river from the north, heading south, nearly reaching the River Lys.

  Inside the capital, after Corwin’s death, the court officials remained silent. The imperial court had completely stagnated.

  But within the palace, the royal family, led by Duke Rowan, had been imprisoned for days. They refused to recognize Alaric’s rule, demanding to see the Late King’s body.

  Alaric summoned me.

  "Autumn Myles, I was just about to look for you, and here you are, walking right in."

  I met his gaze, raising my head.

  "I once promised Your Highness—if you succeeded, I would follow you."

  Alaric descended the steps, his voice dripping with mockery.

  "Really? That’s perfect. You are the adopted daughter of Darius, and the woman Elias loves. If I take you hostage, what then?"

  I raised an eyebrow, the corners of my lips curving into a sneer.

  "Your Highness, have you ever seen a dynasty where a hostage standing atop the city walls was of any use? Don’t talk to me about being an adopted daughter or a lover. Even if I were Darius’s own father or Elias’s birth mother, pushing me off the walls wouldn’t cause so much as a ripple. The only thing you’d achieve is igniting the enemy’s morale."

  Alaric’s expression darkened.

  "Then what use are you?"

  I took two steps forward, my voice serious.

  "I can help you convince Duke Rowan to support you."

  "You would help me?" His eyes narrowed with suspicion.

  I smiled.

  "Your Highness, have I ever harmed you before?"

  My true purpose for entering the palace was to meet Duke Rowan.

  The others were being held under house arrest in the Hall of Jian Shui, but he alone had been thrown into the dungeons.

  When he saw me, he barely spared a glance.

  "Unless I see the Late King’s body with my own eyes, I will never support Alaric."

  I signaled for everyone to leave and sat down across from him.

  "Brother-in-law, aren’t you just trying to confirm whether the Crown Prince murdered his own father?"

  He turned to look at me.

  "You want to see for yourself? I can take you. But…" I paused deliberately, locking eyes with him.

  "There’s no need to look anymore. I’ll tell you the truth—yes, he did it."

  Duke Rowan’s hands clenched into fists, slamming against the stone walls.

  "Then you can forget about convincing me to support him!"

  I exhaled softly, remaining seated.

  "But I’m not persuading you for him—I’m doing it for myself."

  He froze.

  "For yourself?" He studied me warily, eyes filled with doubt. "And what leverage do you have?"

  Ignoring his expression, I calmly continued.

  "Brother-in-law, if you keep fighting against Alaric, this empire will fall into the hands of either the Braedon family or the Zhang family. If you won’t choose Alaric, then choose me. I have the full support of Darius’ forces…"