Chapter 156: Pillar of the Crown

Chapter 156: Chapter 156: Pillar of the Crown

The carriage had barely reached the palace courtyard when Elysia noticed a cluster of late-blooming roses climbing along the stone archway.

She slowed as they passed.

The flowers were small, their petals soft against the dark green leaves, but they had somehow survived the approaching cold.

Cassiel followed her gaze.

"Pretty?"

Elysia nodded.

"They’re lovely."

Cassiel glanced at the flowers, then back at her.

"They are."

Elysia smiled faintly, thinking he was agreeing with her.

Then he added, almost casually, "Still not as beautiful as you."

Elysia stopped.

For a moment, she simply stared at him.

Cassiel’s expression remained perfectly composed, as though he had said nothing unusual at all.

She had expected him to tease her, but there was no amusement in his eyes, nor any trace of deliberate flattery.

That somehow made the words more dangerous.

Her ears warmed.

"You’ve become rather good at saying things like that."

A faint smile touched his lips.

"Have I?"

Elysia looked away.

She had no answer to that.

Cassiel did not tease her further. He simply continued walking beside her, matching his pace to hers.

Yet Elysia’s heart remained strangely unsettled.

It was not only his words.

Over time, Cassiel had shown her again and again that his concern for her was not something he said merely to please her. He had protected her, cared for her, and stood beside her without asking for anything in return.

Perhaps, little by little, she had begun to believe him.

Perhaps she and Cassiel really would not part ways after all.

By the time they reached the carriage, Elysia had still not entirely recovered.

Neither of them noticed how quickly the palace servants began whispering after their departure.

---

The news of Vaelen’s punishment spread through the palace faster than anyone could contain it.

It was not merely the punishment itself that caused the stir. The Crown Prince had been made to kneel in a place where members of the royal household, officials and servants could all see him.

Such discipline was rarely made so public.

Naturally, no one dared discuss it openly.

By the time Vaelen had been kneeling at the Imperial Zenith Gate for an hour, nearly every important household within the palace had heard what had happened.

Queen Ilara was among them.

The moment the report reached her, the cup in her hand struck the table with a sharp crack.

"What?"

The maid standing before her lowered her head.

"They say His Highness caused the Duchess of Draevenor to fall at the army camp. Her old knee injury was aggravated, and she also scraped her palm. When His Majesty learned what happened, he became furious. He ordered His Highness to remain at the Imperial Zenith Gate for two full hours and forbade anyone from speaking on his behalf."

"The Duchess of Draevenor again."

Ilara’s brows drew together.

Whenever Elysia was involved, trouble seemed to follow.

She rose sharply, her skirts sweeping across the floor as she turned towards the door.

"Take me to His Majesty."

Her attendants hurried after her.

---

King Zephyrus was seated behind his desk, reviewing a stack of state reports.

When the servant announced Queen Ilara’s arrival, he did not even raise his head.

"I said two hours. No one is to plead for him, including Ilara."

Ilara stopped.

"Your Majesty, Vaelen is your own son. Two hours on his knees at the Imperial Zenith Gate... what if he injures his legs? What if he cannot stand properly afterwards?"

Only then did Zephyrus look up.

"Because he is my son, and because he is the Crown Prince, I must discipline him."

His voice was firm.

"Today’s punishment is for his own good."

Ilara clenched her fingers.

She tried to suppress her frustration, but the words escaped before she could stop them.

"Or is it not about discipline at all? Is it because you fear angering Duke Cassiel?"

The room went silent.

Zephyrus’s gaze sharpened.

"What did you just say?"

Ilara realised immediately that she had gone too far.

She pressed her lips together.

Zephyrus stared at her for several moments.

"You believe I punished Vaelen because I do not dare offend Cassiel?"

Ilara did not answer.

Her silence was answer enough.

The King leaned back slightly.

Then he gave a cold, humourless laugh.

"Yes. I fear Cassiel."

Ilara’s expression changed.

"If not for Cassiel, the unrest would not have been settled so quickly."

His voice hardened.

"The moment he fell unconscious, the garrison descended into chaos. Those cousins and distant relatives you recommended—was a single one of them capable of taking his place?"

Ilara’s face paled slightly.

"They even dared to siphon military funds for their private use."

Zephyrus’s fingers tightened around the report before him.

"When Cassiel finally woke, the first thing he did was use his own silver to cover the deficit."

He looked directly at her.

"How could I not fear that?"

"A kingdom cannot be protected by a title alone," Zephyrus continued. "A Crown Prince may inherit a throne, but an army follows the man it trusts. Cassiel earned that trust on the battlefield long before either of us began worrying about court politics."

Ilara’s expression tightened.

"Without Cassiel, I do not know whether this throne would remain secure, or whether this realm could even be defended."

Her confidence faltered.

"Even so..." Her voice softened. "The punishment was too severe."

"Severe?"

The King’s expression turned colder.

"He caused the Duchess of Draevenor to fall, aggravating an old injury and leaving her with scraped palms, then refused to admit what he had done."

"He slipped back into the palace ahead of her."

"When I summoned him to answer for it, what did he say?"

Zephyrus’s eyes narrowed.

"He told Elysia not to regret marrying Cassiel. He called Cassiel a gossip."

Ilara stared at him.

"A Crown Prince speaking like that."

He leaned back.

"Tell me, should I punish him or not?"

Ilara’s lips parted, but no answer came.

"He truly said she would regret marrying Cassiel?"

"I heard it myself," Zephyrus replied. "Do you think I would lie about something like that?"

"I would not dare."

The King let out a quiet breath.

"As compensation, I bestowed the gilded gemstone regalia upon the Duchess."

Ilara’s eyes widened.

That set.

She had seen it before.

It was one of the most exquisite collections kept within the royal treasury, its goldwork and gemstones so elaborate that even the highest-ranking noblewomen could not easily compare with it.

For years, she had assumed that such a set would eventually find its way to someone within the royal family.

Instead, Zephyrus had given it to Elysia.

It was more than jewellery. Every piece carried the weight of the imperial court that had existed before Zephyrus took the throne. Whoever wore it would inevitably attract attention, regardless of whether she sought it.

And yet Elysia had tried to refuse it.

"She is young, yet sensible," Zephyrus said.

"She even tried to decline the gift."

His gaze returned to the reports before him.

"Unlike Vaelen. He is no longer a child, yet he still acts without thinking."

Hearing her son criticised again, Ilara felt a sharp sting in her chest.

Still, she forced herself to lower her head.

"Your Majesty is right."

"From today onwards, the Crown Prince will be instructed directly by me."

Zephyrus’s tone left no room for argument.

"You will focus on preparing his betrothal to the Corvis Family."

Ilara bit down on her frustration.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

She should have left.

Yet after taking two steps towards the door, she stopped.

"In a few days, it will be the day of Vaelen’s formal betrothal."

Zephyrus did not look up.

"I wish to ask Your Majesty for permission."

"Speak."

"Allow Sylrienne to attend her brother’s betrothal banquet."

The refusal came instantly.

"No."

Ilara’s fingers tightened around the edge of her sleeve.

She had expected that answer.

Still, she was unwilling to give up so easily.

"Then what of Melissa?"

Zephyrus finally lifted his eyes.

"She may be foolish and has offended Your Majesty before, but she is your uncle’s lawful wife. She bore him children, and she is family by marriage."

Ilara carefully measured her words.

"For Vaelen’s betrothal, I believe she ought to be invited."

Compared with Sylrienne, Melissa was far less troublesome.

Zephyrus barely paused.

"Since I have entrusted this matter to you, decide as you see fit."

Ilara lowered her head.

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

The King returned his attention to the documents before him.

The conversation was over.

Ilara understood the dismissal and turned towards the door.

But as she walked out, her expression remained troubled.

The Crown Prince had never been disciplined so publicly before.

Ilara had come hoping to lessen her son’s punishment. Instead, she was leaving with a clearer understanding of the balance within the royal family.

Cassiel’s position was not something the King intended to compromise.

And now that Elysia stood beside him, any slight against the Duchess was no longer merely a personal matter.