Her Graceful War Song (Carissa Sinclair) novel Chapter 1481

Salvador returned to court, looking noticeably better than before.

Some of the older court officials couldn't hold back their tears—especially Irvin, who had nearly caused a disaster. Now, seeing Salvador's condition improving and knowing that Sebastian had entered the palace for treatment, there was finally a glimmer of hope.

As expected, the call to establish a crown prince was strong among the court officials.

However, Salvador didn't immediately agree. He simply stated that his three sons were still young and that it would be best to wait a little longer.

Among those urging for the appointment of a crown prince were some of Malcolm and Gerald's students. However, they merely echoed the sentiments of others—none of them took the lead in pushing for it.

Salvador had never truly believed Malcolm's claim that he only wished to serve as a loyal subject.

The Quinton family had indeed been keeping a low profile lately, but that was simply the result of being put in check.

Although he didn't agree to name a crown prince, Salvador did make a notable announcement: he appointed the Hell Monarch, Rafael, as the Deputy Royal Tutor. He would be responsible for teaching the princes equestrian skills and martial arts.

This was a clear sign that preparations for establishing a crown prince were officially underway.

The title of Deputy Royal Tutor was largely honorary—Rafael would remain in his position as Chief Judge.

Even so, everyone could sense that Salvador was laying the groundwork for the future. And within that plan, Rafael played a key role.

That realization was reassuring.

Unknowingly, the Hell Monarch had become the pillar of the nation. He was an unshakable shield—defending the kingdom from external threats while maintaining order within.

Meanwhile, the treaty signed between the Southern Frontier and Sandoria had been delivered to the capital. Sandoria pledged never to invade Starhaven's borders. Of course, treaties between nations were often little more than scraps of paper—easily torn apart when convenient.

In that sense, their guarantee of peace meant far less than the tangible benefits they had agreed to provide.

As part of the agreement, Sandoria would compensate Starhaven each year with 5,000 cattle, 5,000 sheep, 500 fine horses, 10,000 bushels of grain, and 100,000 silver coins.

Sandoria had always been an agricultural powerhouse with fertile land well-suited for farming. However, years of warfare and constant drafts had left vast fields abandoned. Now, with war reparations to pay—both in grain and silver—they would need time to recover. For the next 10 or 20 years, they likely wouldn't dare provoke another conflict.