"Brother, do you know where Victoria lives now?" Crystal, who had just been talking about Isolde's pregnancy, suddenly switched to Victoria.
Sylas was immune to her disjointed conversational style by now.
He could only follow the girl's train of thought and ask, "Where? Either the Marquess's manor or the Chancellor's residence."
He had refused to see Victoria even before his death.
It wasn't out of hatred, but sheer embarrassment.
He was Victoria's husband, yet he had actively given his vital essence to the Empress within the palace walls.
Even if he was seeking death, it was still dishonorable.
Now, he had assumed Isolde would deal with Victoria, or that Victoria would turn against Isolde.
But unexpectedly, the two coexisted peacefully.
Crystal laughed, "Victoria has moved into the palace now!
I heard she's even tending to Isolde's diet.
Those two are as close as real sisters.
Ah, it's a pity the actual younger sister, the Duchess of Arbor, is now exiled.
By the way, brother, which of the three did you like best?"
Sylas's face darkened with lines of exasperation.
First, his thoughts were thrown into disarray by this shocking news, then he felt utterly uncomfortable being asked such a question by Crystal.
Victoria actually held no grudge and was even serving Isolde?
Your cuckold's horns are planted firmly and squarely.
Could it be that you love the house and its crow, and want to care for the unborn 'Sylene' too?
"Let's not talk about this anymore..." His breathing grew somewhat labored.
After all, no man could accept three women.
If you added Jade into the mix, that would be four different households.
Crystal giggled, "Oh, it's fine! Just consider it practice."
Sylas's expression grew even uglier.
He took a deep breath and said angrily, "Lyn, why don't you go die?"
Crystal certainly wouldn't die.
Shameless and thick-skinned, she pestered Sylas daily with her nonsense.
One moment she made him angry, the next she left him speechless.
But by dragging things out like this, she managed to manipulate his emotions.
Over time, he actually found it harder to muster the will to end his life.
Moreover, his longing for the unborn child grew stronger.
He wanted to touch Isolde's belly.
He ultimately couldn't bear the thought of dying.
His body finally regained the ability to walk.
Although his steps were soft, like willow tendrils in spring, at least he could move.
He helped Crystal with her official duties every day.
It helped pass the time.
Celestia Ridge developed better and better.
A small boat is easy to turn.
A small county town naturally improves with clean governance.
Sylas judged that if Isolde launched troops from Northspire, the most critical factor would be supply routes.
Therefore, Celestia Ridge also proactively built a road.
Not too long, not too short, it just ran through the entire county town.
As for areas beyond, that was beyond the county's jurisdiction.
For Sylas, this was just going through the motions.
But even just going through the motions, Celestia Ridge's performance was exceptionally outstanding.
Sylas had overestimated the awareness of the Heartland Prefecture.
None of the surrounding counties had built any roads.
This was very awkward.
By the time he realized he might have stood out too much, it was too late.
He was used to playing in the major leagues; suddenly coming to a county town felt unfamiliar.
Even his half-hearted efforts were far better than others'.
Still, he comforted himself that it was fine.
Crystal was, after all, Jade's daughter.
It was normal for her to anticipate the imperial will ahead of time.
What was there to worry about with building a road?
However, Crystal was personally appointed by Chancellor Victoria, with strong connections.
Her performance in Celestia Ridge was held up as a model by the Prefect of the Heartland Prefecture and reported directly to Isolde.
The summer heat was intense.
Isolde sat quietly in the imperial study, spaced out.
The room naturally had cooling arrays.
Many files lay before her, but she hadn't looked at a single one.
She just propped her somewhat rounder face on her arm, resting on the desk, and gazed out the window.
It was very quiet outside.
No cicadas were allowed in the palace, lest they disturb Isolde's rest.
The palace maids nearby were also eerily quiet.
Her Majesty was pregnant, and her temper was worsening.
Or perhaps it wasn't a bad temper, but sporadic bouts of madness.
When she was sane, she did some work, then stared at her swelling belly.
Staring too long would bring tears.
It was only after the physicians told her not to cry during pregnancy, as it was bad for the fetus, that she reduced the frequency of her tears.
Perhaps due to the pregnancy, she would sometimes fly into a rage for no apparent reason.
Then she'd issue decrees to the Governor of Xiangping, ordering her to deal with Celeste.
She hated this younger sister intensely.
Yet she didn't want her to die too easily.
She had to give birth, raise the child, and then have her daughter humiliate this aunt.
Victoria was now running Aethelred smoothly; the nation's power was growing further.
But Isolde found herself uninterested in all of this.
The memorials before her seemed boring.
She flipped through them casually.
Nothing but reports of minor achievements here and auspicious signs there.
Ah. What auspicious signs?
The only true auspicious sign was already dead...
Then, she saw the memorial from the Heartland Prefecture.
It mentioned: "Celestia Ridge has constructed an official road. Should be rewarded."
"Celestia Ridge..." Isolde seemed to have some impression.
That daughter of Jade, whom she had sent back to her hometown, was now the magistrate of Celestia Ridge.
"Crystal? Hmph, detestable." Isolde grew angry again.
She quickly patted her chest, telling herself there was no need for such anger now.
Wasn't she just Sylas's fiancée?
They never married.
Being angry with Crystal was worse than being angry with Jade.
The Memory Orb she had made with Sylas was still in Isolde's possession.
Thinking of this, Isolde was filled with regret.
Why didn't I make a few more?
Now, every time she wanted to reminisce, the female lead was always Jade.
It was infuriating.
"Ah..." She sighed, put down the memorial, supported her lower back, and slowly stood up.
The maids nearby hurried over to assist her.
Isolde told herself she couldn't dwell on it; thinking too much made her cry.
"Your Majesty, these memorials today..." The female official gently reminded her.
Isolde glanced at them, lacking interest, "Send them all to the Chancellor's residence."
"But Chancellor Victoria is attending to you tonight..."
Isolde: "Then leave them here."
Agitated and distracted, she picked up the memorial she had been reading and slowly made her way to the Hall of Serenity.
In theory, pregnant women shouldn't visit places where people had died.
But only here, where Sylas's lingering presence remained, could her heart find peace.
She lay on the bed, closed her eyes, and the maids massaged her legs.
After a long while, she asked softly, "Is it hot in Northspire?"
"Reporting to Your Majesty, Northspire is warm in winter and cool in summer. It is most suitable for avoiding the heat."
Isolde looked at the memorial on the bed, feeling that something was off.
She suddenly touched her belly and muttered to herself, "'Sylene', do you also find it strange?"
Crystal was notoriously useless.
Everyone in Lyonesse knew Chancellor Crystal had a hopeless daughter who couldn't learn no matter how she was taught.
Her fame was also due to the stark contrast with the son of the General's household of Lyonesse, Sylas.
And coincidentally, they had a verbal marriage agreement.
This made it even more dramatic.
An intelligent and virtuous unattainable flower, destined to marry a utterly useless good-for-nothing—it was truly sigh-inducing and lamentable.
So, did this good-for-nothing suddenly understand the grand strategy of Aethelred upon arriving in Celestia Ridge?
Was Jade advising her daughter?
"Send someone to Celestia Ridge to investigate this Crystal. Do not alert her."
Isolde thought that if someone could truly discern her plans three or four years in advance, this person must be heavily utilized.
Even if it was Jade, she would have to be recalled.