Her Graceful War Song novel Chapter 1353

News arrived from Nerovia—the imposter posing as Nicholas had been uncovered. It turned out he was just a common man, someone who bore a striking resemblance to Nicholas. After being noticed by Nicholas, he had been taken in and trained to mimic his every move.

After Nicholas left Nerovia, this man had assumed his identity, visiting the places Nicholas was known to frequent. This explained why earlier investigations had suggested that Nicholas rarely left his fief. In reality, he had long since disguised himself and moved about freely.

"Has the man been secured?" Carissa asked quickly.

"Don't worry, he's been taken care of," Jacob replied.

Carissa let out a small sigh of relief. "Good. Prince Nicholas cannot appear in Nerovia again. I've come to understand his intentions. He's been hiding under the guise of Gordon, sending orders from Willowbrook Estate. Everyone would believe that the so-called rebel leader is Prince Hayden. Meanwhile, Prince Nicholas would have been known to be in Nerovia this whole time, never once involved in the rebellion."

Jacob nodded. "Yes. If the rebellion fails, it won't concern him. He can even claim righteousness by killing Prince Hayden. If the rebellion succeeds, all of it would have been his to claim."

"Then what of Mr. Murphy? Is he in Nerovia now?" Carissa asked.

Jacob shook his head. "Mr. Murphy isn't in Nerovia. He's likely taken control of most of Prince Yuvan's forces. I've already sent word to General Farrell. Even if Prince Yuvan surrenders, we must remain cautious. There could be a trap."

Carissa recognized Clifford's cunning, but she knew Thomas was facing challenges of his own. She turned to Jacob and said, "Shouldn't you consider going to General Farrell's aid?"

"No," Jacob refused firmly. "The siege at Valken is critical. Even if Mr. Murphy is manipulating Prince Yuvan's feigned surrender, General Farrell will be prepared. The capital, however, is our primary concern. Their end goal is to force a palace coup. I cannot leave."

"Then please keep an eye on the situation and send a carrier pigeon to General Farrell immediately," Carissa said.

"Of course," Jacob agreed. "But do be cautious during your patrols, Your Grace. Prince Nicholas hasn't made a move yet, but his silence is unsettling. I fear he may be planning something—especially against you."

In the past few days, Michael had noticed several martial artists entering the city. While this wasn't unusual, they typically avoided confrontation with the gate guards. So, a simple document check was all that was needed to allow them entry. But now, he would personally question anyone dressed as a martial artist.

Just today, for example, there had been a group with an air of arrogance. To be precise, only one person was arrogant—a middle-aged scholar with a silk scarf. His beard was meticulously groomed, each strand combed with care, and his demeanor was cold and aloof. When asked for his papers, he ignored the question. He didn't even bother to meet Michael's gaze, as if Michael wasn't even worth a glance.

Fortunately, one of the men with him quickly explained that they were from a household registered in the capital, presenting their residence papers as proof. He kept apologizing and bowing, trying to smooth over the situation.

The group didn't look like typical martial artists, nor did they seem to be merchants. They resembled wealthy travelers, more likely aristocrats on a journey. Michael felt they looked familiar, but he couldn't place their names. Looking at their address, which was in one of the wealthier districts of the capital, he guessed his suspicion was probably right.

After checking their documents and confirming there were no issues, Michael allowed them to pass.