Her Graceful War Song novel Chapter 1335

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 item 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.