Melody of Strength novel

Jeremiah wiped away his tears. “It’s good that he’s alive. That’s the most important part.”

Then, he stood and bowed deeply. “I’ve lost my composure, Your Majesty. Please excuse me.”

“I was also close to losing my composure, Jeremiah. Who wouldn’t be moved by

such news?” Salvador said with a broad smile.

He then recalled something, and quickly ordered, “Derek, go to the Klein family’s residence or look for the Marquis of Highcrest at the Royal Citadel. Inform him of this matter so he and his family can share in the joy.”

Derek, who had been dabbing at his eyes, immediately replied, “Understood, Your Majesty. I’ll go right away.”

With a heart full of genuine happiness, Derek left. The survival of the Duke of Northwatch’s family brought him true joy. Melanie had treated him with kindness, and he was more eager than anyone to see her family prosper.

As Jeremiah watched Derek leave, he was filled with a myriad of thoughts. Despite having a pile of official duties awaiting him, he was reluctant to return to his office so

soon.

“Your Majesty, the Victory Pass battle remains a disgrace for our kingdom. This matter has been kept secret, and Westhaven is unwilling to disclose it. However, with Westhaven’s crown prince dead and the struggle for succession beginning, factions within Westhaven might seek to revive this issue to gain public support. Should we not prepare a countermeasure?”

Salvador pondered for a moment before responding, “This issue is like a sword hanging over our heads. We know little about Westhaven’s situation, and can’t control the outcome. As for our response, haven’t we already made arrangements?This text is property of Nô/velD/rama.Org.

“For now, we won’t deal with Aurora. We’ll pretend the court is unaware of her actions in this matter. If the matter comes to light, we’ll arrest Aurora and send her to Westhaven for them to handle. That would at least be a form of resolution.”

Otherwise, why would Salvador spare Aurora’s life? He had long desired to see her suffer a thousand deaths!

Jeremiah considered this, and saw no better option.

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This is the only course of action for now. After all, Marshal Liam has already taken personal revenge. The soldiers led by Aurora at the Southern Frontier battlefield were those who committed atrocities at Victory Pass against Westhaven’s crown prince, and we’ve dealt with the survivors.

If Marshal Liam’s revenge ends here, everything will be manageable. I only fear that he might lose control and expose what happened in Fawnrun. In that case, our only option would be to send Aurora to Westhaven.”

Salvador remembered the marriage he had arranged in the past, and his frustration flared up.

“Barrett is now serving in the Capital Guards. He’s a capable person, and he had no knowledge of the Fawnrun incident at first. However, he’s been blind to many things. I’ll leave him in the Capital Guards for a few years to see if he can endure it. If he can, I might transfer him back to the military. If it weren’t for the lack of outstanding young generals these days, I wouldn’t tolerate him at all.”

“Your Majesty is indeed farsighted.” Jeremiah lamented, “If General Warren hadn’t sought marriage through military achievements, and if he were still the duke’s family’s son–in–law, his future would be boundless. At the very least, the duke’s family’s army would follow him. The current outcome is a result of his own actions, and he has no one to blame but himself.”

Salvador nodded. “That’s true, but I had arranged the marriage between him and Aurora. I recall that I granted him the status of a secondary wife, which is akin to a concubine. I’ve heard that the Warren family’s matriarch was also restless. Sometimes, she would resent Carissa and other times, she hoped to mend her broken relationship.

“Barrett might be harboring similar thoughts. Though Aurora is his second wife, she’s still considered to be a concubine. The Warren family needs a clear–headed mistress.

still have hopes of nurturing Barrett, so I don’t want these internal matters to undermine my efforts.”

Jeremiah couldn’t help but be curious. “Your Majesty, although young generals are scarce, General Warren isn’t the only option. Why are you so determined to cultivate

‘Barrett’s fault lies in his fickleness and ingratitude. Apart from his personal flaws, he has made no significant mistakes on the battlefield–only achievements. What I need are capable generals. If he can learn from his mistakes and improve, there will come

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a day when he stands out. When that happens, it will add one more capable general

to our ranks.”

Jeremiah understood Salvador’s urgent need for capable young generals, which had reached the point of keeping him awake at night. He knew the reason–Salvador feared that Rafeel would one day become arrogant and harbor greater ambitions, which would damage their brotherly bonds and destroy the peace of the kingdom.

Jeremiah dared not suggest that Salvador was overly concerned. Sometimes, when a person was fixated on something, others‘ advice only deepened that fixation. As the current prime minister, Jeremiah couldn’t afford to say anything in Rafael’s defense

Salvador then instructed, “Find someone suitable for Barrett–someone who can manage him and maintain order in the household.”