Chapter 1335
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It was a dark red brocade box, thick with dust. Edgar blew on it, then wiped it with his sleeve. With a snap, he opened the clasp and took out a malachite pendant, gesturing for Jeremiah to take it.
The prime minister hesitated before accepting it. Upon a closer look, he saw an intricate carving of a griffin encircling the malachite. It was unmistakably a personal iten of Sigmund’s.
“Look at the back, Mr. Murray,” Edgar said.
,
As soon as Jeremiah flipped the pendant over, he froze. On the back, there was a circle of griffin patterns, but they coiled around a single maple leaf. Carved beside it, in delicate script, were the letters ‘S.C‘. The maple leaf and the ‘ S.C‘ were placed on opposite sides–one large, one small.
Carissa also saw it, but she didn’t understand its meaning.
Jeremiah let out a heavy sigh and spoke softly, “The late king’s first and middle names are Sigmund Constantine. As for Mr. Murphy, he spent some time wandering the martial world and earned the nickname ‘the Iron Maple“.”
Edgar explained, “This pendant was a gift from King Sigmund to Commander Murphy. The griffin carving was originally all it had, but Commander Murphy added the maple leaf and the letters ‘S.C‘ himself. He carried this pendant with him, wrapped in a silk pouch.
“Somehow, King Sigmund discovered it. In a fit of rage, he threw it into a corner. I picked it up with the intention of returning it to Commander Murphy, but there was never a proper time. After he left the capital, it stayed with me.”
Carissa stood there, stunned.
What… What did this mean?
Did she understand this correctly?
But hadn’t Clifford had some kind of unresolved entanglement with Gerald? How did Sigmund fit into this?
She had always assumed that Sigmund had discovered some improper conduct between Clifford and Gerald, or perhaps that Clifford had acted out in some way, which led the late king to cast him out of the capital. After all, Sigmund despised homosexuality. Since Clifford served in court, Sigmund would think he was deliberately ignoring the rules.
“Mr. Whitley, did King Sigmund strip Mr. Murphy of his title because of that?” Carissa asked.
Though she realized the question might seem redundant, she couldn’t help but ask.
Edgar paused for a moment, choosing his words carefully before saying, “Perhaps it was indeed because of that. After the incident, King Sigmund was furious. After stripping Commander Murphy of his title, the late king recalled their past bond and the merits of Commander Murphy’s ancestors. So, he granted Commander Murphy the title of earl instead. As for why Commander Murphy left the capital… Well, it seems no one spoke up for him at the time.”
“Did Lord Quinton not plead for him?” Carissa asked.
“None of them did, and Lord Quinton certainly didn’t,” Edgar replied, giving Carissa a brief look, realizing she and Jeremiah knew quite a bit.
Unable to hold back her curiosity, Carissa voiced her thoughts, “But wasn’t there some kind of bond between Mr. Murphy and Lord Quinton?” 1
Edgar’s brow twitched. Even after all these years, he felt as though Sigmund’s gaze was still upon him, warning
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Chapter 1335
him not to speak of such matters. But tonight, with Jeremiah having visited personally, he felt the need to speak.
“Lord Quinton married and had children,” Edgar said.
He then claimed he was feeling unwell and needed to rest early, signaling that it was time for the guests to leave. He had said all he could and believed he had made himself clear.
What Carissa understood was that perhaps in the past, Clifford had feelings for Gerald. But Gerald, pressured by the responsibility to continue his family line, got married and had children. His actions perhaps caused him to break the promise he had once made to Clifford.
While Clifford was heartbroken, he continued to spend every day in Sigmund’s company. The late king’s exceptional appearance was undeniable, evident even in the features of his descendants like Salvador, Kendrick, and Rafael.
In his fragile state, Clifford eventually fell for Sigmund, and that was when he crossed a line with the late king. So, was this the root of the resentment–unrequited love?
While the exact details remained unclear, one thing seemed certain: Clifford must have felt betrayed, which affected his loyalty to Sigmund. As a subject, he was bound to be loyal to his king. But when that loyalty became entangled with other emotions, it was no longer pure. He was no longer bound by the simple loyalty expected of a subject to his sovereign.
And with Nicholas having Clifford’s support, it made sense why the former had never felt the need to reach out to the Spencer family.
Of course, it could also be that he hadn’t needed to yet, but would do so when the time came. It was likely because he understood that a life debt shouldn’t be wasted, and had to be used at the right moment.
While Carrisa’s end of the investigation was cleared up, Jacob had also gathered a full understanding of the situation with the river project.
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Chapter 1336
