The burial site, chosen by the Royal Astronomer, was indeed a place of serene beauty-lush mountains and clear waters, with two villages nestled nearby. Though it was said to be next to the Royal Mausoleum, it was actually ten miles away.
After the funeral, Chaya came to bid farewell to Carissa and Violet. She told them she planned to stay in one of the nearby villages and build a small hut, in order to guard the grave of her godfather.
Violet asked if she needed financial help, but Chaya said she didn't. She explained that selling the jewelry she had purchased would provide enough for her to live comfortably on her own and still have some wealth to spare.
The day she left, Thomas arrived in the capital, with Yuvan and the others in his custody.
Standing at the city gates, Chaya watched the prisoner cart carrying Yuvan and Harvey. A surge of hatred rose within her, but as she saw the common people angrily throwing rotten vegetables at them, her anger faded.
They had brought this upon themselves-karma had caught up with them.
As for herself, she was finally free, no longer bound by anyone or anything.
Along with Yuvan and the others, some officials from Nerovia, as well as Clifford, were being escorted back. To Carissa's surprise, Celeste was among them as well.
Carissa and Matthew, the deputy minister of the Supreme Court, had come to oversee the transfer of prisoners. When asked if he had seen Oliver, Thomas replied that he had not. It was only after the city was sealed and reopened that they had tracked down Celeste and arrested her.
No one had questioned anyone for information yet. Salvador had issued an order to transfer the most serious criminals to the Supreme Court. What would happen to the rest was to be decided by the Capital Guard.
Yuvan, Harvey, Clifford, Wayne, Saul, and Samson-these six were undeniably the most severe offenders. They were to be handed over directly to the Supreme Court and imprisoned in Astral Prison. Whether they would be interrogated depended on Salvador's will.
As for the remaining officials from Nerovia and Valken, as well as Celeste, they were to be questioned first by the officials at the Capital Guard headquarters. If their involvement proved serious enough, they would also be sent to the Supreme Court.
After bringing Helen and Ryan back to Hell Monarch Estate, Carissa immediately threw herself into the interrogations. She started with Celeste, hoping to extract any information about the crimes Oliver had committed, as well as his current whereabouts.
Celeste had arrived in the capital in a prisoner cart. She was no longer the proud, aloof woman she once was. She looked weary and haggard, her hair sticking to her scalp in tangled strands, giving her a disheveled appearance. After days of traveling under the scorching sun, her face was reddened and peeling, the skin raw from the exposure.
Beauty, after all, needed careful upkeep. Without the resources to maintain it, it faded quickly, losing its former luster and vitality.
She denied all accusations, her voice cold and detached as she said, "I am but a plaything, like all my other sisters. Since His Majesty pardoned them, I should be pardoned as well."
Carissa was already aware that Celeste would never admit to her actions easily, so she didn't rush her. She calmly followed protocol and asked the necessary questions.
"Who instructed you to approach Mr. Prince?"
Celeste raised her chin slightly, her gaunt appearance giving her a sharp, almost cruel edge.
She spoke with a hint of sarcasm, "When life in the capital became unbearable, sought other
opportunities. It was no secret that Oliver had an eye for women. I knew that with my beauty, I could make him-forget his old hag of a wife. As it turned out, I was right."
"And after his escape, did you continue to be with him?" Carissa asked, flipping through the notes provided by Thomas, already aware of Celeste's lavish home in Nerovia. "Did you purchase that house together? Where is he now?"
Celeste sneered. "He's a spineless
coward. How could I ever truly care for him? He ran when things got tough, sol had no use for him. His subordinates were after his money, so they stole from him and ran off in the night. Naturally, I ran as well. The house was mine and mine alone."
"Where did the money to buy it come from?" Carissa asked.
"I earned it myself," Celeste replied.
"How?" Carissa pressed.
Celeste glanced at her with a mocking smile. "Obviously, with my looks and body. A woman's beauty is
her biggest asset. You're also quite pretty, Your Grace. I imagine you could make a fortune if you chose to sell yourself."
"How dare you?!" Michael shouted angrily from the side.
Celeste smirked. "Oh, that's right. Inoveldrama
almost forgot. Lady Carissa comes from a good family and married well. She'll never run out of money. She can live a hundred lifetimes and still live be rich. Naturally, she doesn't have to sell herself to make a living like I do."
Michael felt a surge of anger. This was the first time he ever had the urge to hit a woman. But when he saw Carissa motion for him to calm down, he restrained himself. Instead, he simply let out a cold snort. Celeste's words were meant to be an insult, but Carissa just smiled and nodded. "You're right. The things you struggled so hard to achieve, I can have with a snap of my fingers. As for your residence in Nerovia, I can buy as many residences like that as I please."
To strike at the heart-who couldn't do that?