Her Graceful War Song by Summer's Blaze

Chapter 912 Eventually, Michael and Max, accompanied by the Capital Guard and the Garrison Unit, managed to push through the crowd, gradually clearing a path so that Dominic and the Crown Guard could pass through unhindered.

The Crown Guard led Dominic into the palace to see the king. Before they arrived, reports of the uproar caused by the citizens and the chants they had shouted had already been delivered to Salvador.

The king's brows furrowed. The repeated cries of 'His Majesty is wise' had coiled around him like a noose, tightening with each passing moment.

Originally, he had planned for Dominic to be taken directly to the Ministry of Justice upon returning to the capital, where a relatively comfortable cell would be prepared for him. That way, he could also explain things better to the Westhaven envoy.

But now, could he still carry out that plan? Under Galen's guidance, Dominic entered the royal study and knelt with his head bowed.

"Greetings, Your Majesty. Long live the king!" Before seeing Dominic, Salvador had already formulated a plan for how to handle the situation. But as he looked at the man kneeling before him, so different from the imposing, powerful figure he had once known, it felt like a mountain had suddenly collapsed. The sight of him now brought a pang of deep sorrow to the king's heart.

Back when Salvador was still the crown prince, Dominic and Hector had been his strongest supporters. He had frequently visited Northwatch Estate, where he had genuinely wanted to form a friendship with the Sinclair family's sons.

Thad passed, the world had changed, and so had the people in it.

Now that Salvador was the king, his thoughts were much more complex, and his heart, no longer as pure as before, was filled with doubts and calculations.

The old friend knelt before him, and as he looked at Dominic's face, it was clear how the harsh winds of the frontier had wom him down. The once-steely general had been turned into a weathered old man, and Salvador's heart ached more than ever in that moment.

He couldn't help but stand and personally offer his support. "General Sullivan, please rise." Dominic's eyes welled with tears. "I'm a guilty official who has failed you, Your Majesty. There is no pardon for my crimes.

Salvador let out a heavy sigh. "Sit. Let's talk." Salvador helped Dominic to a seat beside him. As he did, he truly noticed just how much the once-imposing, steel-hearted general had aged. His shoulders and arms, once as hard as iron, had now grown thin and frail, a pitiful sight.

Salvador returned to his throne, unable to hide his sigh. "You've lost much weight. You must take care of your health." 'Thank you, Your Majesty, for your concern. I'm deeply ashamed," Dominic said, wiping away his tears, his voice thick with regret and embarrassment.

Salvador saw the sorrow in Dominic's eyes, and it only made his heart ache more.

Trying to comfort the man, he said gently, "I know the fault is not yours. You are the marshal of Victory Pass, and now, with the Westhaven envoy coming here, you must step forward. If the matter is to be acknowledged, it must be you who does so in front of them." Dominic nodded, his voice steady despite the sorrow, saying, "I will follow your orders, Your Majesty. Whatever you command, I will do. I only wish to atone for my mistakes." Derek listened carefully as he stood to the side. He knew Salvador's sympathy wouldn't last once Dominic left the study. The soft heart Salvador had shown in these moments would fade quickly, and the general's fate would be sealed.

So, Derek stepped forward and spoke, "Your Majesty, now that General Sullivan has returned to the capital, shall he be sent to the Ministry of Justice's prison, or is there another arrangement? If I may be so bold, I ask for a favor for the general.

"Whether he is placed in the ministry's dungeon or elsewhere, I beg that a royal physician be om summoned to tend to him. 4 suspect his frailty is due to his past injuries from the arrow, which have worsened over time. Combined with the hardships of this journey, I fear that he may not endure much longer without proper care.

Salvador was already considering how to handle Dominic's situation.

With Derek speaking up while m Salvador was amid Xis emotional softness, the king naturally didn't want Dominic to suffer in the Ministry of Justice's cells. He didn't hesitate to say, "Allow him to return hfor now. Have the Griffinblade Unit watch over him." The Griffinblade Unit was part of the Crown Guard, which now consisted of six separate units-the Griffinblade Unit, Shieldbearer Unit, Skystriker Unit, Vanguard Unit, Eastguard Unit, and Westguard Unit. All of them were now under Barrett's command.

The Griffinblade, Shieldbearer, and Skystriker units were tasked with external duties, while the Vanguard, Eastguard, and Westguard units were the king's personal guard, responsible for his protection.

The Crown Guard had officially been renamed the Nightsteel Guard, meaning that from now on, there would be no more Crown Guard, only the Nightsteel Guard.

In just fifteen days, Salvador and Barrett had restructured the former Crown Guard. They were officially separated from the Mystic Army, with sof its functions overlapping with the Royal Guard and the Capital Guard.

Anyone paying attention could see that this was all part of Salvador's plan to bring the Royal Guard and the Capital Guard under the control of the Nightsteel Guard.