The Abandoned Luna's Journey to Power Chapter 307: Building a Private Guard

Prince Adam's POV:

On the ride back, the carriage rolled slowly along the road.

The setting sun painted the sky a deep red.

Cindy leaned against my shoulder, almost asleep. I looked down at her and couldn't help telling her what they had said to me earlier.

I wanted her to know how many people truly loved her.

As she listened, tears began to fall.

She didn't speak. She just turned and buried her face in the hollow of my neck. Her arms wrapped tightly around my waist.

"Adam," she said softly, her voice muffled, "t-they really treat me like their sister."

"They do," I said, gently stroking her hair. I rested my chin against her forehead. "Fern cares about you deeply. I can tell. She's truly afraid you'll get hurt again."

"She's always spoiled me," Cindy sniffed. "Back at the academy, whenever I got into trouble, she covered for me."

Fern wasn't the only one. Even the Reaper looked full of regret and pain when he mentioned Cindy's family. These people may seem unreliable most of the time, but when it matters, they would give her their whole heart.

"Oh, right."

Cindy suddenly lifted her head and wiped her tears, as if remembering something important. "What are you planning to do about Stick?"

"Don't worry," I said with a smile. "I've thought about it. Even though I gave up command of the army, a prince is still allowed to form his private guard. I plan to appoint Stick as my captain.

"Captain?" Her eyes lit up. "That's fantastic! The position is both respectable and well-suited to his skills. And working for you means fewer strict rules."

Then she frowned a little. "What about his pay? You know he's supporting that whole group of poor monks at the monastery. That can't be cheap."

I waved my hand confidently and promised, "Don't worry! I'll give him double—no, triple—his usual salary. And holiday bonuses too! It'll be more than enough to support those monks. He might even save enough to start his family someday."

"You're so kind," Cindy said, smiling brightly. Then she added in a softer voice, "I'll secretly help him out too. The monastery's debts are still pretty serious."

After we settled those small matters, Cindy's relaxed expression suddenly changed.

She sat up straight. The relaxed warmth around her disappeared. In its place was sharp focus, like a soldier heading into battle.

"All right. Sweet moment over."

She smoothed her skirt, her eyes flashing. "When we get back to the palace, there's another fight waiting. The mess at that cosmetic shop needs to be fully investigated. It's time to confront Lily."

I couldn't help laughing at how determined she looked.

"Do you want my help?" I asked. "Teaching my mother a lesson for trusting people too easily is fine. But Lily is Aunt Margaret's daughter. If you go too far—"

"Too far?" Cindy cut me off with a cold smile. "Adam, that's being soft. A lesson is one thing. But every dollar lost was Isabella's and our family's money. Why should we let Margaret and her greedy daughter keep it? What is ours, I will take back. Not a single cent will stay in their hands."

I looked at her fierce yet careful expression and found it adorable.

"Fine," I said, taking her hand and pressing a kiss to it. "Do whatever you want. If anything happens, I'll cover for you."

Cindy looked at our fingers intertwined. She felt the warmth of my palm. The tightness in her heart slowly eased.

Having someone stand beside you and having someone who will catch you if you fall feels good.

It makes her heart race but feel steady at the same time.

However, the next evening, just as our carriage arrived at the gates of the estate, trouble was already waiting. Before the carriage even stopped, Martha came running toward us, her face pale with panic.

"Your Highness! Something terrible has happened!"

She was out of breath, her hat crooked on her head. "Queen Isabella lost her temper in the accounting office! She smashed everything! Please, you must come quickly! No one can calm her down!"