Staring at the steaming coffee, Malcolm had no desire to drink it. It didn''t matter that his throat was dry and his mouth felt like it was on fire.


    Noticing that Carissa didn''t respond to his mention of Gracewood Women''s Academy, his eyes shifted. "I''ve heard that His Highness has a few capable men around him. Perhaps I could rmend someone..."


    Carissa raised her hand to stop him. "Lord Malcolm, let''s not stray from the topic. Rest assured, Lord Gerald''s identity hasn''t been revealed to anyone. When he left the gentlemen''s retreat, I covered his head with a cloth. Even now in prison, he is still covered."


    Her directness caught Malcolm off guard, making his face flush with heat. He didn''t know how to respond. If he looked at it objectively, the matter was deeply embarrassing.


    If it had been anyone else from the family-any cousin or nephew-he would have ordered them beaten within an inch of their life and tossed to a remote estate to fend for themselves.


    Once the truth wasid bare, he had no leverage left. He lowered his voice and quietly asked,


    "Commander Sinir, is there any way you could release my dad? He''s old and in poor health. He cannot endure this punishment."


    Carissa replied, "Lord Malcolm, to be frank, this operation was carried out under His Majesty''s orders. The Capital Guard and the Garrison Unit were sent to raid the gentlemen''s retreats. Those detained will only be held for two days, as the focus isn''t on them, but rather on the Sandorian spies hidden in the retreats. You may not know this, but there were over a dozen Sandorian spies concealed in the retreats, all brought here by Eleanor. Your dad himself has spent time with them."


    The blood drained from Malcolm''s face, and he sat frozen in shock.


    If that was the case, this was far more serious than a mere breach of propriety.


    How could his dad have been so reckless?


    Carissa''s straightforward approach had thrown himpletely off bnce. He took a sip of coffee to steady himself, his hand trembling slightly as he ced the cup down.


    "Commander Sinir, does this mean His Majesty knows my dad visited a gentlemen''s retreat?" he asked, his voice low.


    Carissa shook her head. "No, he doesn''t know. His Majesty didn''t want to know the names of those involved. He only issued the order to imprison everyone present at the scene for two days."


    A glimmer of hope appeared in Malcolm''s eyes. "Then, is it possible to have him imprisoned separately?"


    "There''s no ce to hold prisoners


    separately at the Capital Guard headquarters, Lord Malcolm. The real issue now is that His Majesty didn''t ''t want to know the namesz initially, but I will be reporting to him tomorrow. Whether he chooses to know then, I cannot say.


    Carissa nced at Malcolm''s pale face. He really did resemble Gerald.


    She continued, "Also, after two days, everyone except the spies will be released. Before the raid on the gentlemen''s retreats, no one knew anything. But now that we''ve sealed all the retreats and uncovered Sandorian spies, this matter has be huge.


    "There will be many rumors. Lord Gerald didn''t visit once or twice-he''s been going every few days for years. Over time, someone was bound to recognize him. I think the damage to your reputation is the real crisis for the Quinton family."


    At least, it was a bigger crisis than Malcolm keeping a mistress.


    Malcolm knew this all too well. Even if Gerald had taken a few concubines, it could easily be spun as him surrounding himself with learned women to assist and inspire him while he worked on his writings.


    But now, how could he exin any of this? No matter what he said, it would be impossible to spin this story in a way that would save their family''s dignity.


    "Your Grace, I beg you to show me a way forward."


    Malcolm''s voice faltered, his face drawn with desperation. He no longer addressed her as Commander Sinir, but with the proper respect, lowering himself in a way that signaled he was truly pleading. Carissa shook her head again. "I have no specific advice for you, Lord Malcolm. But if I were you, I''d first find out how many people at the gentlemen''s retreat know about Lord Gerald''s identity. The more who know, the more likely rumors will spread.


    "It would be wise to go to the pce early tomorrow and beg for His Majesty''s forgiveness. No one can control this situation better than His Majesty, and no one values King Sigmund''s reputation more than he does.


    "As for Lord Gerald''s time here, I won''t allow anyone to lift the cloth from his head. No one will see him." Looking at her, Malcolm could tell that she was genuinely offering a solution.


    His mind was a whirl of confusion. Until now, all he had focused on was how to negotiate with Carissa to free Gerald from the prison.


    He fell silent for a moment before


    asking in a strained voice, "Your Grace, you''ve advised me and protected my dad. What do you wish to gain in return? Please speak frankly. As long as it doesn''t go against my conscience or thew, I Will do everything in my power."