Chapter 227
Margaery hugged her and said, “I’m fine now. Don’t cry, everything is over now.”
Yes, it was over.
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From now on, the Wallen family had no reason to hold her back, and the others had no reason to call her unfilial.
Finally, she could be herself.
She felt as if the past sixteen years had been in vain, but every day from now on would be wonderful.
Amber released her with a sob, embarrassed, and greeted Dashnell, “Hello, Prince Dashnell.”
Dashnell nodded gently and entered with Margaery.
“You’re back. Not bad,” Craig said.
He stood up, sized up Margaery for a moment, finally breathed a sigh of relief, and placed two books on the table. He added, “One is a sword manual, the other is a medical book.
“Let go of the past. Today can be considered a conclusion.”
Margaery noticed that although Craig hadn’t gone to the Icy Pool, he seemed to know everything that had happened.
“Thank you, Craig,” Margaery said.
She stepped forward and picked up the sword manual and the medical book, glancing at them.
She did not understand much about matters of society.
Instead, Dashnell glanced at the sword manual, his gaze toward Craig turning peculiar. He said, “Southcroft King, you hide too deeply. Who in the world would have thought you were feigning madness and foolishness here?”
Though he spoke thus, his eyes were filled with respect.
He had known Simon for many years, and Craig for just as long. In retrospect, some things seemed to happen by chance, yet also appeared to be inevitable.
The day he met Craig, he had accompanied Serena out of the palace to Cloudveil Abbey to pray for prayer. On the way back, they encountered a landslide. It was Craig, together with Margaery’s mother, Wrenna, who saved them.
That day, Craig claimed he was merely passing by.
Wrenna had just arrived in Sinderin City to look for Raul, and she was passing by as well.
Thinking back now, it was most likely that Craig had been tailing Wrenna all the way, protecting her as she came to Sinderin City.
Afterwards, he settled in Sinderin City and became the High Priest of the Hall of Divinity.
The Southcroft King, who in his era was the unrivaled, uncrowned king of the skills world, concealed his identity and entered the court for the sake of a woman.
Many years passed. Dashnell pondered these matters, wondering what love truly is, that it could make one pledge life and
death.
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Chapter 227
In this world, there were indeed many things that cannot be obtained.
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He subconsciously tightened his grip on Margaery’s hand. Having missed her once before, this time, he would never let go.
This time, he must be together with Margaery.
“Southcroft King?” Margaery was somewhat surprised. She looked at Dashnell, then at Craig, feeling completely confused.
“Pay no heed to Prince Dashnell’s nonsense.”
Craig chuckled, “All those past titles are but names, not worth mentioning.”
Before Margaery completed her studies, he did not wish to return to his original position.
The reason was simple. He was Margaery’s master, and he had known Dashnell for a long time, so they were close. If it were further revealed that he was the Southcroft King, then Dashnell, among all the princes, would be too conspicuous.
At that time, Dashnell would become an easy target.
Dashnell naturally understood and said, “Thank you, Craig, for considering me.”
Seeing that Amber was not present, Craig sighed and said, “It’s something that can’t be helped. You are one of the younger princes. Even if the throne is passed down in turn, it would take time for it to reach you.
“If it were as usual, you could still compete for it.
“But now, it’s not possible. The King is both wise and skilled in warfare. He is not an ordinary monarch. You princes fight for succession, battling to the death. But as I see it, even if your elder brothers joined forces, they would not be a match for the King.”
Dashnell nodded and replied, “That is exactly the point.”
If they continued fighting like this, the result would be that Marcus killed Nathaniel, Callum killed Marcus, Isander killed Callum…
But in reality, all of this was just a chess game in the King’s palm.
Dashnell recalled the last chess game he played with the King.
The King made it very clear. He could overturn the chessboard and still win, but those in power couldn’t overturn the board. It must advance step by step. Overturning it would cause upheaval, and once the court and the nation were shaken, foreign enemies would encircle, and the people would be displaced.
That time, it seemed as if he was talking about chess.
In fact, he was talking about the political situation and also about the struggle for succession.
Dashnell was not foolish. Besides, the King was his father, and he had never been treated unfairly since childhood. He had no reason to go against him.
Not everyone in the world was Raul.
Listening to the conversation between Dashnell and Craig, Margaery probably understood the situation as well.
Just as she was about to speak, someone rushed in from outside, “Craig, someone wants to meet you!”
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Chapter 227
After speaking, he ran off quickly.
Dashnell glanced at Craig and said, “The Wallen family is finished.”
Craig nodded, stood up, saying, “Well, I’ll come see you another day.”
As he spoke, he reached out and gently touched Margaery’s head, then left the inn in a hurry.
“Craig, is there… Something very important?” Margaery was somewhat puzzled.
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Dashnell pulled her to sit down, leaned close to her ear, and whispered, “He is Simon from the Hall of Divinity. Don’t overthink it. After Chamberlain Warren returns to the palace today, the King will surely summon him, and he will be stretched too thin.”
“What?” Margaery was astonished, her eyes wide. “Then, does that mean he’s always been by my side?”
When she was seven, it was Simon who delivered the message to her, asking her to pass it to Raul, so Raul could go suppress the bandits.
Even before that, she had met Simon.
They always met by chance, but never had any real interaction.
Dashnell said, “He has always protected you from afar. It’s just that, for reasons unknown before, he was forced to leave Sinderin City.”
During that period, he went to the border to fight, and Simon left.
Margaery died at the hands of the Wallen family.
The past was too painful to recall. Only the future could be pursued.
Upon hearing this, Margaery felt a pang in her heart. “It’s my fate,” she said.
Looking at the wind and snow outside the door, she took a deep breath and continued, “Dashnell, I wish to enter the palace and meet the King. When do you think would be appropriate?”
Dashnell replied, “Wait until the King issues a notice for you and Nathaniel to annul the engagement.”
Margaery understood and said, “Alright. If I go in now and run into Nathaniel, he might regret it.”
Dashnell nodded and handed her a golden mask. “Use this. You’ll need to hide your disfigurement,” he said.
“Thank you, Dashnell. Margaery accepted the mask with great joy.
The mask was exquisitely crafted, with pomegranate–red lines along the edges. It matched perfectly with her jeweled hairpin, fitting her face just right.
Dashnell said, “Use it when there is no one around. If Nathaniel comes, you’ll need to cover up even more.”
If this marriage could be annulled, do it as soon as possible.
With that, he called Adam to prepare some food to warin Margaery up.
Dashnell picked up the sword manual from the table, sat down with Margaery in his arms, and continued, “Let me explain it
to you. Craig may look like a beggar, but he is always busy. He likely doesn’t have much time to teach you skills.
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Chapter 227
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“This sword manual is called the ‘Nine Sovereigns Sword. It is Craig’s signature technique and one of the top sword manuals. If you master it, even if you are not the best in the world, you will be the second best.”
Margaery raised her brows at his words and asked, “Then, if I become the second best in the world, who is the best?”
Her bright gaze fell on Dashnell’s face.
Her heart beat rapidly, and the corners of her mouth lifted uncontrollably. “The best in the world should be senior brother, you, right?” she asked.
She had only this one senior brother, who was Dashnell.
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
