Cecilia wore a simple, pale blue dress, and the wide sleeves of her outer garment made her look incredibly light and graceful.


    Despite having bome three children, her skin remained radiant and devoid of any wrinkles. Her long hair was styled into a bun adorned with hairpins. Each piece was adorned with pearls, which added to her refined and otherworldly appearance.


    It was clear that she lived afortable life within the Duke of Oakspire’s family, untouched by the hardships of life.


    She was genuinely cherished.


    Carissa had encountered other concubines‘ daughters before, but only Cecilia exuded the air of someone who had never been battered by life’s trials. There was a softness about her, a sense of being delicately cradled in someone’s palm.


    When Cecilia arrived, her demeanor <b>was </b>courteous. She performed a graceful curtsy and stood <b>to </b>the side, keeping a respectful distance from the men. When she heard Carissa call her full name, her expression remained calm, as if she had anticipated this moment.


    She knelt and lifted her head, her eyes reflecting a sense of eptance. “Yes, my name is Cecilia Kingsley. I am not without family. Lord Henry is my dad, and I’m part of the Kingsley family and Grand Princess Eleanor’s household.”


    Her statement hit the main hall with a jarring intensity, leaving everyone speechless and frozen in ce. Gareth’s eyes widened in shock, his gaze filled with fury. “What? You’re Lord Henry’s daughter?”


    “I’m sorry, Lord Gareth.” Cecilia lowered her head. Her voice was steady, and she showed no signs of tears. “I deceived you and everyone else.”


    “What?!”


    Gareth raised his hand, ready to strike her, but the anger that had red within him dissipated when he saw Cecilia’s red–rimmed eyes. Ultimately, she was still his favorite concubine and the mother of his two


    sons


    As Gareth slowly lowered his hand, Michael entered with the Capital Guard and the scribe. Carissa instructed the scribe to take notes and repeated what had just been said.


    Once she finished, she turned to Norman. “Did I make any mistakes, Lord Norman?”


    Norman was stunned, and his gaze was fixed on Carissa’s serious,posed face.


    A wave of indescribable shame washed over him.


    Norman recalled how his household had erupted into chaos from the moment Carissa first knocked on the door. They had acted like a bunch of monkeys jumping around. Only his eldest son–whom he had always disregarded–had attempted to be the voice of reason amidst the rising tide of anger.


    Yet, no one had listened to Mikhail.


    “There was no mistake,” Mikhail replied on Norman’s behalf, his expression grave. “You have an


    Impressive memory, Commander Sinir. Not a single word was wrong”


    “That’s good to hear, Carissa said. Then, she turned to Gareth and added, “Lord Gareth, you might as well take a seat. I still have a few questions for you and Lady Cecilia regarding the weapons” N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    Gareth had been so arrogant moments ago, but now he felt a chill run down his spine.


    Many blueprints for armor and weapons were stored in his study, which Cecilia could enter freely. When he workedte into the night, examining and amending the blueprints, she was often right there at his side, attending to him,


    Carissa asked, “Lady Cecilia, have you ever delivered any blueprints for <b>weapons </b>and <b>armor </b>from the Ministry of Defense to Eleanor?”


    Gareth could barely breathe, his heart racing as he stared at Cecilia, terrified she might reveal that she had stolen his designs.


    After a moment of silence, Cecilia finally spoke, “I served Lord Gareth in the study and saw those blueprints. I stole two pages and sent them back.”


    Gareth felt as if he might faint.


    Norman’s gaze shifted to his favorite són, the approval that usually filled his eyes reced by a simmering anger.


    He had always believed Gareth resembled him the most in temperament and style. But now, it was clear that only the boy’s temper matched his own–there was <b>no </b>trace of the carefulness or caution that Norman was known for. Gareth didn’t even know where the woman by his side came from, yet he had pampered her without hesitation for all these years.


    To think Gareth had even allowed her into his study, where she could see the weapon designs! Armor and crossbow designs were the most sensitive of secrets–civilian replicas didn’t evene close to what the Ministry of Defense could produce.


    With Cecilia’s confession, the color drained from the faces of everyone from the Duke of Oakspire’s family. Just moments ago, many had eximed that Carissa was merely trying to establish authority by making use of their household.


    Now, they were all silent.