Chapter 103 +15 Bonus

Rafael summoned Carissa to the command tent. A cup of hot coffee was placed before her; its steam hazy, blurring her vision. She picked up the cup and took a sip. It was bitter—but on a battlefield, any drink was a luxury.

“Do you want to kill her?” Rafael asked.

“I’ve considered it,” Carissa admitted candidly.

“The scouts we sent have reported back. Westhaven has even hidden the fact that Starhaven destroyed the villages. They’re claiming a fire destroyed the entire area, and everyone was burned alive. Do you know what that means?” Rafael continued.

Carissa held the cup tightly. The warmth of the drink contrasted sharply with the coldness in her heart.

After a long pause, she finally replied, “I understand. Westhaven wants to conceal the humiliation of their crown prince.”

“Even if the king discovers the truth, he can’t punish Aurora publicly. At the very least, you can be assured that your grandfather won’t be implicated because of her,” Rafael said.

Since Westhaven denied the destruction of the villages, the king would be unlikely to force Aurora into admitting it. It wouldn’t make sense to pressure Westhaven into confessing and then send emissaries to apologize.

Carissa understood this well. If Westhaven launched a retributive campaign, Aurora wouldn’t be seen as a hero, but as the chief culprit. Her grandfather, Dominic, would also be implicated.

However, Westhaven kept the truth hidden. They established a border, signed the treaty, and granted Aurora military honors.

Suddenly, Carissa thought of something and looked at Rafael.

“So, Liam’s assistance to Sandoria on the Southern Frontier is to force the court to send reinforcements. Aurora, having achieved military merit, will definitely be chosen as one of the commanders for the reinforcements. Liam’s goal is solely Aurora and her troops.”

Rafael nodded slowly.

“Exactly. Although the two kingdoms have superficially reached peace, the hatred between them remains. In the battle at Simonton, Westhaven will undoubtedly spare no effort to avenge themselves. For us, it will still be a difficult fight. If you kill Aurora today, and Liam cannot take his revenge personally, I fear all his hatred might be directed towards the civilians of Simonton.”

Carissa was startled. “Are you saying that Liam might order a city massacre?”

“Not right now, but it’s highly likely he would if Aurora dies. Liam is Westhaven’s crown prince’s maternal uncle,” Rafael explained.

Carissa felt a wave of anxiety. If she had killed Aurora today, the consequences would have been severe.

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Thankfully, she hadn’t!

Rafael’s gaze softened a bit. “Don’t overthink it. Focus on training. Liam’s primary target is Aurora. Once the fighting starts, the main forces of Westhaven will undoubtedly pursue her. Even if you don’t kill her today and the court can’t punish her in the future, she will still find it hard to escape Liam’s grasp.”

Carissa nodded slightly. “Understood.”

She rose, gave a respectful nod, and returned to her tent.

Violet had calmed down and was chatting and laughing with Bun and the others. That was just how she was—her temper flared up quickly, but dissipated just as fast.

She looked up with a face full of joy. “After this battle, let’s see if Aurora can still be so arrogant. Hmph! She really thinks too highly of herself.”

Carissa sat down and started cleaning her spear. Her lowered gaze gave her a particularly beautiful profile. “Don’t provoke her. Focus on preparing for battle. We’ll soon be attacking the city.”

“Why would we provoke her? That’ll just give us bad luck!” Violet replied.

Upon hearing that an impending city assault was on the horizon, they all got excited, eager to showcase their skills once again. They chattered animatedly about their previous heroic battles. Carissa pretended to listen, but her thoughts were occupied with Rafael’s wisdom and strategy.

He had directed Aurora to challenge Carissa. With Aurora’s defeat, even if she fought bravely in the upcoming battle, she would gain no military merit and would face punishment.

Now that she had lost, Aurora would likely be more passive and disengaged on the battlefield. She would make an easy target for Liam. Alternatively, she might be captured by him.

If she died on the Southern Frontier battlefield, no one would investigate further into the Victory Pass battle. This would preserve Starhaven’s reputation and maintain the Westhaven crown prince’s dignity. It would hit two birds with one stone.

Rafael’s strategy was indeed a win-win. It seemed he truly was as wise and capable as rumored.

Was it possible that he had requested Aurora to lead the troops when sending the appeal for reinforcements to the court?