Sylas tried to control his emotions. He pointed at the letter and said to Mirabel, "Your Majesty... please look..."
Seeing his expression, Mirabel didn't dare fool around anymore.
She leaned over and examined it carefully.
Then, she seemed to collapse, slumping back into her chair.
"No... Auntie Gwendolyn... No, no... Stonewold cannot be without Auntie! I can't be without Auntie Gwendolyn...
Auntie ...
Auntie... Wuu wuu... I want Auntie..."
All thoughts of play vanished from Mirabel's mind. Panicked, she covered her face and began to cry.
Suppressing his own worry and fear, Sylas hurried to the door, intending to call the two messengers back.
But at that moment, Mirabel suddenly broke down completely.
She rushed to the doorway, crying out, "Guards! Guards!
By Imperial Decree!
Summon Auntie Gwendolyn back immediately!
Quickly!
Wuu wuu..."
She was the ruler of Stonewold.
Naturally, there were ladies-in-waiting waiting outside.
Upon this order, several officials hurried over, preparing to draft the decree.
Hearing this, Sylas was horrified.
He grabbed Mirabel's arm in alarm. "Your Majesty! Absolutely not!
This is top secret!"
Mirabel cried and made a scene: "I don't care, I don't care! I want Auntie ! Auntie Gwendolyn, she...
Mmmph!"
Sylas clamped a hand over her mouth.
The terrified ladies-in-waiting rushed forward to protect their sovereign.
But Mirabel was much stronger than Sylas. With one move, she twisted his arm away.
She yelled furiously, "Sylas! Are you insane?!
Why are you stopping me from recalling Gwendolyn?
Do you plan to rebel?!"
Sylas's arm felt like it was about to break.
Gritting his teeth against the pain, he said with difficulty, "Mirabel!
Do you want to destroy the nation?!"
"Destroy what?! I just want my Auntie!"
She shoved Sylas away and said to the official, "Draft the decree! Order the army at the Jade Wall to escort Chancellor Gwendolyn back immediately! Do not err!"
The official was also baffled by this.
She was an official chosen by Gwendolyn, so she retained some composure.
She hurriedly advised, "Your Majesty's longing for the Chancellor is understandable.
However, the front lines are critical, and the Chancellor is at the Jade Wall.
Recalling her now—might it affect military morale?"
"I DON'T CARE!! You do it now!" Mirabel had lost all reason.
Sylas slowly got up from the floor.
Leaning on the wooden door, he said nothing. Then, he silently walked towards the main hall of the Chancellor's Manor.
Seeing this, Mirabel chased after him, saying urgently, "You're not allowed to be angry with me. But Auntie Gwendolyn is in great danger now. She's unconscious..."
Slap!
Sylas slapped her with all his might.
The slap stunned everyone present.
Mirabel froze on the spot, speechless.
Sylas looked at her coldly and said gravely, "Chancellor Gwendolyn's safety is paramount and assured! Your Majesty must not joke about such matters!"
After speaking, he strode purposefully towards the main hall.
It took a long time for Mirabel to react.
She was furious: "You! How dare you hit me! You!"
Extremely angry, she chased after him.
When she reached the main hall of the Chancellor's Manor, she saw that the Chancellor's Marshal, the Chancellor's Chief Secretary, and others—Gwendolyn's right-hand men and women—had already gathered in the hall, listening quietly to Sylas's arrangements.
Gwendolyn held the rank of Councillor of State in Stonewold.
She had her own administration.
These people were upright in character, outstanding in ability—all wise ministers and capable generals.
Before Gwendolyn left, she had instructed everyone in the manor that if an emergency arose, Sylas had the authority to mobilize all the Chancellor's resources, and everyone was to follow his orders.
After Gwendolyn's departure, everyone had discovered that this son of the Lyonesse General's household was also a talent.
So, they had cooperated with Sylas's work reasonably well.
Now that Sylas had suddenly summoned everyone, it meant something had happened at the front, something very serious.
No one would ask what had happened.
They only knew they must now be vigilant and maintain the status quo.
If the Aethelred side detected anything, Stonewold would face catastrophic disaster.
Sylas sat upright in the main seat. He called forward two individuals, tasking them with overseeing the situation at the Pass.
Using the Chancellor's authority, he sent military supervisors to the Pass to monitor the defending generals and prevent rash engagements.
Gwendolyn was unconscious. The Jade Wall needed a leader.
He lacked the seniority; going there would be useless.
After consideration, the Chancellor's Marshal, Severa, was calm-headed and highly experienced, making her the most suitable to go to the Jade Wall and take charge.
His arrangements were reasonable and appropriate, and everyone expressed agreement.
But at that moment, just as everyone set to work, Mirabel stood at the entrance to the hall and said petulantly, "We do not agree."
Seeing she had followed him, Sylas could only turn his head away.
This girl had no sense of priority or the bigger picture!
Gwendolyn's situation had to be handled with utmost secrecy.
What kind of person was the Aethelred Empress?
The slightest hint of unusual activity, and she would detect something wrong.
If the Jade Wall fell, the Aethelred Phalanx could water their horses in the river and point their swords at Ironpeak.
Mirabel stormed towards Sylas. She said loudly, "We are the Empress of Stonewold! We will issue the orders now!
We command—"
"Your Majesty!" Just as Mirabel prepared to rant, a cold voice interrupted.
Mirabel's words died in her throat.
She turned her head awkwardly and managed a strained smile. "Lady Keeper, what are you doing here?"
A woman with a severe expression walked forward.
High cheekbones, a hooked nose, thin cheeks.
She looked extremely stern.
Sylas knew this person's name.
She was Severa.
Currently the Keeper of the Privy Seal, concurrently holding the rank of Commander of the Imperial Guard, leading the palace guards.
Of course, everyone in this room was part of Gwendolyn's faction.
If asked who Mirabel feared the most, it wasn't Gwendolyn, but this Lady Keeper.
Gwendolyn was affectionate and somewhat indulgent towards her.
But Severa was like a strict schoolteacher.
She supervised Mirabel extremely harshly, reprimanding her for the slightest mistake.
The reason Mirabel didn't want to stay in the palace was because Severa managed it.
She had been throwing her weight around the Chancellor's Manor, focused on bullying Sylas, never expecting to be caught red-handed by Severa.
Seeing Mirabel, Severa was furious. She scolded, "Why is Your Majesty not studying diligently in the palace? What are you doing lingering in the Chancellor's Manor?!"
"We... We..." The courage Mirabel had mustered vanished into thin air.
She looked around and suddenly felt like she had stumbled into a teachers' office.
Everyone in this room, while not as harsh as Severa, would all submit files admonishing her if she made any mistake.
She didn't dare imagine how many files scolding her would be piled on her desk tomorrow.
It had to be said, these past few days, Sylas had been handling the files. She had almost forgotten what they looked like.