Chapter 984 (+25 Bonus)

Carissa was momentarily stunned. Sebastian's words seemed to carry an underlying message, one that wasn't immediately clear. When Lisandra's gaze met hers, Carissa calmly looked at the grand princess, her expression unreadable, as if she didn't understand.

Sebastian was observant and deeply perceptive. His words must have reflected his insight into the grand princess's thoughts. After leaving the medicine, Sebastian prepared to depart, and Lisandra rose to see him off. She bowed deeply. "Thank you, Mr. Dalton. If you ever come to Westhaven, I will certainly show my gratitude properly." Her eyes glistened with unshed tears.

Carissa helped Sebastian while Ivy carried the medicine box, and the three of them left together. Lisandra sat back down, watching Javier open the medicine bottle and check the contents, though her focus seemed to wander. A healer didn't just treat the body; they also healed the heart.

She had never spoken her thoughts aloud, but somehow Sebastian had seen through them. He didn't view her desire for achievement as a challenge to male authority. To him, it seemed almost natural, as if he believed in equality—something she had always strived for. She was touched, realizing that the path she wanted to take wasn't one every man would oppose. The acceptance she had longed for, a feeling that had only just begun to take root, felt like a healing balm, sinking deeply into her heart and offering relief she hadn't known she needed.

Carissa escorted Sebastian back to Arcane Sanctum. After a long silence in the carriage, Sebastian finally spoke, "Westhaven will be better if it changes." Carissa understood, though she couldn't help but feel that Lisandra's path would be incredibly difficult. She silently wished her well. If Lisandra were to become queen, at least the issues with Starhaven could be settled through peaceful negotiations—a blessing for both kingdoms.

Chapter 984 (+25 Bonus)

Negotiations continued in the afternoon. By the time Rafael received the message, he was already en route to the Diplomatic Affairs Department. Afterward, he would go to the palace to obtain Salvador's approval for their compensation plan for Westhaven, then proceed directly to the negotiation venue.

On the Westhaven side, Leroy and Amos were absent. Lisandra, with the remaining delegates, handled the negotiations. The first and second terms were no longer negotiable. The Westhaven party still insisted on the return of Dominic, but Starhaven decided to return Icarus instead. Both sides found this exchange satisfactory.

Westhaven proposed providing 3,000,000 bushels of grain, a figure Lisandra insisted upon. However, Rafael's counter-proposal was for only 800,000 bushels, delivered over two years. Considering Westhaven's recent disaster, the first year would see 400,000 bushels delivered, with the remainder given in the autumn of the following year.

They reached an impasse but eventually compromised, agreeing to 1,000,000 bushels total: 600,000 bushels in the first year, and the remaining 400,000 bushels in the following autumn, as originally proposed. Both parties consented.

Next came the border dispute. The agreement between Aurora and Liam was to be voided, and the original border demarcation disregarded. The unclear area would remain undisturbed for the time being. A peaceful negotiation would determine the final borders in a year or two.

Westhaven insisted on Aurora's return, a non-negotiable point. Starhaven did not press the issue. Regarding the two spies Winona had found, Rafael had them sign confessions detailing the extermination of the Sinclair family. Each side received a copy, and Westhaven acknowledged the matter.

With all terms settled peacefully, Rafael, along with all negotiators, apologized for the civilian deaths caused by Aurora, and for the fallen young general. Lisandra watched them rise and bow to the Westhaven envoys, a tear slipping down her cheek.

The Westhaven envoys insisted on one thing: concealing how Crown Prince Arthur had been captured, tortured, and forced to take his own life. This truth was deemed too cruel for the people of Westhaven. Instead, the official story would be that he died suddenly of illness. Lisandra would "clear up" this matter upon her return. The late crown prince would not be portrayed as having been captured by a woman, humiliated, and harmed. This, in Lisandra's mind, was unalterable.

Mentioning Arthur at the negotiating table was only worthwhile if it secured grain or a border agreement; otherwise, it was meaningless. Indeed, Starhaven's agreement to 1,000,000 bushels was due to Arthur.

The newly drafted treaty resolved all issues between the kingdoms, except for the border lines. The villager massacre, the Sinclair family extermination, and even the treatment of the fallen young general were no longer to be discussed. Once signed, the treaty was sent to the palace for Salvador's review. The king approved it without objection, stamping it with his royal seal.