This pattern continued for nearly ten days.

Back at the estate, Carissa discussed it with Jacob and Kyle, but no one could make sense of Salvador's intentions.

At first, they assumed the king was trying to gather information about the Pathfinders Guild. After all, Adrian had not only modified the six-barreled matchlock and red cannon for this battle, but had also rallied numerous martial arts guilds to defend the capital.

Given Salvador's naturally suspicious nature, it wouldn't have been surprising if he harbored doubts. But the more time passed, the more it seemed like that wasn't the case. The king didn't show much interest in the specifics of Meadow Ridge or Adrian's actions. Instead, he seemed more entertained by Carissa's childhood escapades.

In recent days, Salvador's favorite stories were those of her mischief at Meadow Ridge-brawling, causing trouble, and forcing her mentor to go door-to-door apologizing and paying reparations. Whenever she recounted those tales, Salvador laughed uncontrollably. He would lean forward with tears in his eyes from how hard he laughed.

Carissa couldn't understand what was so amusing. Those incidents had all ended with her being punished: scolded by Everett, grounded, forced to balance a heavy jar on her head, smacked on the palms, or made to kneel on nails.

In one particularly harrowing instance, she was forced to squat in a horse stance for two hours while a candle burned beneath her. It was a common occurrence for her pants to catch fire during those punishments.

She thought those humiliating stories would bore the king, given that he disliked unruly behavior. After all, when Connor had acted out in his youth, Salvador had been furious.

Yet, he seemed oddly addicted to these anecdotes. Just this morning, he had even asked if they had ever blown up cow dung in the mountains. He claimed it was the most entertaining thing a child could do. Carissa's lips twitched for a long moment before she responded, "We did, but why do you find that amusing, Your Majesty? Surely, you aren't telling me you've done it yourself."

Salvador laughed. "It was your second brother who taught me about it. He was always too slow to run and ended up covered in dung every time."

Carissa knew that Nathan never ran slow. It was likely that Salvador had been slow, and Nathan was protecting him.

As the king laughed, the light in his eyes dimmed and his expression softened. He sighed and murmured, "I miss Nathan dearly. I've dreamed of him several times lately."

Her eyes reddening, Carissa's heart ached as though an old wound had been torn open. The pain was sharp and piercing.

In a quiet voice, she asked, "What did you dream of him saying, Your Majesty?"

"It was all old memories. Nothing worth mentioning." Salvador's tone was distant now, his earlier mirth

gone. He waved a hand dismissively, signaling that he was done talking. "You may leave."

Carissa bowed and excused herself.

As she turned to go, she glanced at the king one last time. She was unsure if his mention of her brother was genuine or if it carried some hidden meaning. She didn't want to guess, nor did she want Salvador to use Nathan as a pretense for anything. If this was a matter of manipulation, what was his goal?

After leaving the royal study, Carissa didn't immediately depart the palace. Instead, she lingered, waiting until Derek emerged. Quietly, she followed him.

It seemed he had expected her. At the bend of a corridor, he paused and turned back. His expression was calm as he looked at her.

"Your Grace, why are you still here?"

"There's something I wish to ask you, Mr. Walker," Carissa said, stepping forward with a respectful nod. Her expression betrayed her unease. "There are matters I hope you can clarify for me."

"His Majesty's recent behavior has left you perplexed, hasn't it?" Derek asked, his tone gentle.

Carissa glanced around. In the distance, a few palace attendants moved about, but no one was near enough to overhear.

Lowering her voice, she asked, "Will speaking to you in private cause you any trouble?"

"It won't," Derek assured her,

unconcerned as he began speaking freely. "His Majesty's unusual behavior stems from his headaches, which have worsened lately. He's been sleeping poorly, often needing medicine just to manage an hour or two of rest. Perhaps it's his health that stirs up memories of the past. In private, he's spoken to me about many trivial things these days."

"Headaches?" Carissa's brow furrowed. "I've never heard of His Majesty suffering from such an ailment."

"They started this autumn, likely brought on by exposure to the cold wind," Derek explained.noveldrama

"I see..." Carissa nodded slowly before hesitantly asking, "Has His Majesty ever mentioned dreaming about my second brother?"

"He has," Derek admitted with a quiet sigh. "Sometimes, he even calls out for General Nathan in his sleep. Since the rebellion was quelled, His Majesty has rarely visited the harem. He used to avoid idle chatter, but he now speaks of trivial things often.

"More than anything, he mentions General Nathan. The truth is, General Nathan was the only friend His Majesty ever had. When he died, His Majesty was deeply saddened."

Carissa stood frozen for a moment, taken aback. So, the king truly thought of her brother as a friend. Derek continued, "Though the kingdom isn't entirely at peace, victory is within reach, and the internal unrest has been settled. His Majesty is pleased, but this joy feels hollow-there's no one to share it with. He is alone.

"The court is full of ministers who are his subordinates, not his equals. He can't speak freely with them. But you're different. You're General Nathan's sister. That's why he seeks you out, to ease the loneliness in his heart."

Carissa pondered for a moment.

If Salvador were just a man and not a king, wouldn't he turn to his wife or concubines for comfort instead? But she said nothing. After all, she was only his subject.