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Chapter 232
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Her Graceful War Song Chapter 233
Margaret insisted on accepting only one silver coin. No matter how Carissa tried to persuade her otherwise, the older woman simply refused to take more. In the end, Carissa had no choice but to accept Margaret's gesture of goodwill.As Margaret was about to leave, she said, "I feel a connection with you, my dear. If you ever find the time, you're welcome to visit my humble home. Or perhaps, I could come to your residence and we could have a chat."This was a clear indication that Margaret wished for their two families to maintain a relationship in the future.Carissa understood that this wasn't an attempt to curry favor. She was well aware of the traditions in the Marquis of Ironridge's household. They had no need to ingratiate themselves with anyone. After all, they were a prestigious family with a hundred-year legacy, with many of their members holding high-ranking positions at court.Regardless, it was always better to have more friends than enemies, especially when there was a
Her Graceful War Song Chapter 234
Jessica returned to Harmony Palace, where she and her mother now faced the backlash of the insults they had once reveled in when they were directed at Carissa. The more satisfaction they had felt then, the greater their anger was now.Eleanor was especially angry since the rumors about the concubines in Harmony Palace had spread. She began to suspect that someone close to her had leaked the information. She started a thorough investigation, which caused turmoil within the residence.Adding to the chaos, Jessica, frustrated and unhappy at her marital home, took out her anger on the maids at Harmony Palace every day.Jessica had assumed that staying at her mother's home for a few days would prompt Leopold to come and take her back. To her surprise, not only did he not come, but even the servants from the Winchester residence didn't come to invite her back.Instead, Jessica heard that her mother-in-law had gone to Northwatch Estate to apologize to Carissa.That realization made her h
Her Graceful War Song Chapter 235
In the blink of an eye, it was already mid-August, and the Starlight Harvest Festival was approaching. Even so, Rafael still had not returned.Carissa found it strange that he had not come back yet, especially since it had been over a month since he left. Initially, he had said he would just drop in for a greeting, then return immediately.The journey to Meadow Ridge should have only taken two or three days. Even with a few days of rest and accounting for the round trip, he should have been back within ten days.Could something have happened at Meadow Ridge?Coincidentally, Carissa received a letter from Violet. It was several pages long, filled with amusing stories from Meadow Ridge. Violet mentioned that Travis had ended up being confined by his master as punishment for the cosmetics he had bought—though thankfully, not beaten.Carissa couldn't help but smile.The letter also congratulated her on her upcoming marriage, saying that her friends at Meadow Ridge were preparing a gr
Her Graceful War Song Chapter 236
The midday meal was light—Carissa had only a bowl of chicken soup before she went to the family chapel to pay her respects.The Sinclair family was a prominent clan with their own sanctuary hall, where memorial plaques of Carissa's parents, brothers, and in-laws were enshrined. However, as a woman, she was not permitted to enter the hall to worship and could only bow her head outside.The only way for a woman to "enter" the sanctuary hall was after their death, through the placement of a memorial plaque. As Carissa was a daughter, she would marry out of the Sinclair family eventually and could never enter—only the women who married into the Sinclair family had that right.Thus, after her father and brothers fell in battle, Carissa had a small shrine set up in the family chapel, where she placed their plaques to facilitate seasonal rites. After the massacre, she had also moved the plaques of her mother, sisters-in-law, and nieces and nephews to the shrine.Frederick had prepared the
Her Graceful War Song Chapter 237
Dylan continued to speak, sometimes with hiccups as he recounted the events in fragments.As the group of beggars scattered, Rafael happened to look up and see a child beggar who looked a lot like Carrisa's nephew, Ryan. The child beggar had a limp and moved slowly. When Rafael attempted to approach and catch him, a cart suddenly appeared and crashed into several people.While helping others in the aftermath of the crash, Rafael glanced at the limping child beggar. A burly man soon picked him up and loaded him onto a horse cart.Instinctively, Rafael called out, "Ryan!"The child beggar's head jerked up, and he stared at Rafael in disbelief.Rafael immediately tried to pursue, but the same cart that had crashed earlier came rushing at him. It blocked his path and knocked several people to the ground. Rafael leaped over obstacles and finally reached the horse cart, only to find that both the burly man and the child beggar had vanished.The streets of Greenbrook County were crowded
Her Graceful War Song Chapter 238
When Lulu handed over the bag to Carissa, her hands were trembling.No one wanted to believe the news was true because, during the initial headcount following the massacre, no one had been missing. The household's young servants and young masters and mistresses, especially the children, had all been accounted for.Carissa's mind refused to accept it, though her heart clung to a sliver of hope.The scene that haunted her was not just the severed head, but also the clothing of the body. Though it had been stained with blood, Carissa had recognized the outfit as Ryan's. It was the same one she had made for him when she returned to her family home and prepared clothes for all her nieces and nephews.Carissa took the bag, her gaze vacant as she murmured, "Lulu, I'm just going to see for myself. I know it's probably not him, and I don't hold out much hope, but... but please fetch Ryan's favorite toy from Azure Hall. It's the slingshot I made for him, engraved with his name. I even painte
Her Graceful War Song Chapter 239
After five days, Carissa arrived in Eldoria just past noon.Although she had stayed in inns along the way, she had barely eaten and limited her intake of water, fearing that frequent stops during the day would waste precious time. In those five short days, she had lost considerable weight.Following the address Dylan had given her, she led her horse and asked for directions until she found Unit 13 on Verdant Lane.This was a property owned by the Eldorian governor. Dylan had mentioned that Rafael and the child beggar were staying here.Carissa was parched and exhausted as she stood outside the gate. The residence was located down a spacious alley. A man was stationed at the gate, dressed in official attire. He must be a guard Rafael had borrowed from the government to stand watch.Noticing the woman with a horse who hesitated to knock, the guard cautiously asked, "Are you Lady Sinclair?"Carissa nodded. She was unable to speak, feeling as if something was clogging her throat and
Her Graceful War Song Chapter 240
Carissa pulled the child from Rafael's arms and held him tightly to her chest.It was heartbreaking to see that the boy was nothing but skin and bones. A foul odor emanated from him—a mixture of decay, filth, and possibly old blood. His hair clung in matted clumps, adding to the overall stench.Yet, Carissa embraced him as if he were the most precious treasure in the world, her tears streaming down her face uncontrollably.The child, now in her arms, ceased his struggles. He lay still, like a broken doll, his tears streaking through the grime on his face, creating yellowish trails. Gone was the fierce resistance he had shown Rafael. Now, the boy seemed lifeless, his eyes staring blankly despite the tears.Seeing this, Rafael's long-held anxiety eased as he confirmed that the child was indeed of the Sinclair bloodline. It was a relief to know that a trace of the Sinclair family remained, though Rafael was puzzled about how Ryan had ended up in the hands of traffickers after escaping
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Her Graceful War Song Chapter 1599
Back to me—Violet—again, and I had to complain a little.About my husband, Isaac Prince, of course.Heavens help me, but that man truly had a talent for being infuriating!Before our marriage, we had come to an agreement. In the future, whatever I chose to do, he would not interfere, would not advise, and most certainly would not involve himself.Well, it had only been a year since our wedding, and that agreement had already gone out the window. Now, he insisted on doing everything with me.But could he even be part of the work I did? Of course not.The Pathfinders Guild had strict rules, and there was even a rather fearsome man—Sage Everett—keeping watch. If they ever discovered I had taken Isaac with me to personally punish people in my own way... Wouldn't they grind my bones to dust?Yet, Isaac claimed he was a man of the martial arts world, and that in such a world, one settled debts of gratitude and grudges alike. And yes, that included other people's grudges too. He argued
Her Graceful War Song Chapter 1598
At times, I taught my students to face life with courage and own up to their mistakes. Yet, I had not done so myself.All these years, I had hardly seen Thomas. If there was an event where he might be present, I would quietly avoid it.Back when I was still stubborn, Zoey had scolded me, saying I owed Thomas an apology. At the time, I didn't quite agree. In fact, I felt rather aggrieved.But thinking back now—what was I so aggrieved about? Who truly owed me anything? Had the heavens not already treated me kindly enough? Everything I lost, I brought upon myself.More than once, I had unfolded a sheet of parchment, intending to write him a sincere apology from the heart. Yet, each time I put a quill to paper, the ink would fall, but not a single word would follow.I feared the letter would seem sudden and out of place, that it might stir suspicion in his wife's heart, or in Barrett's. Even though Barrett and I were husband and wife in name only, I still didn't wish to disturb the pe
Her Graceful War Song Chapter 1597
It had been a month since I arrived at Victory Pass, and I began to wonder what I ought to do with myself.Though I was Barrett's wife in name, in truth, we had very little to do with each other. He spent most of his time at the camp, only returning now and then. As such, I had plenty of time on my hands and thought I might start a little trade.Victory Pass was not quite as I had imagined. I thought a border town like this would surely be cold and short on supplies. But to my surprise, one could buy almost anything here—save for things like the finest jewels and luxurious brocade.That was not to say they couldn't be found at all. When merchant caravans brought such treasures, they were quickly stored away and sent on to Orivenia, where they would be sold to nobles and the wealthy.The common folk in Victory Pass bought ornaments for their prettiness rather than their worth, and no one really cared whether they were costly or not.I had been thinking about what sort of business I
Her Graceful War Song Chapter 1596
I heard Franklin endured quite a few rejections from Isaac. In the end, Franklin had no choice but to release Merrick and send him to plead on their behalf—only then was Gabriel rescued.With the matter settled, they were deeply grateful to Isaac, though they all knew it had been a calculated move. What else could they do? After all, their son had behaved badly and been caught in the act.When Merrick learned of his mother's mistreatment of Courtney, he kept quiet for a time. However, once they were married, he made it clear that he wished to live separately. He didn't want to cause a rift in the family, but in Starhaven's official evaluations, being dutiful towards family mattered more than talent. A single accusation of being disloyal could end a person's career.Merrick's reason for wanting to live separately was perfectly reasonable—he said he needed peace and quiet to prepare for his upcoming exams. His family was too large, so the distractions would make it difficult to focus.
Her Graceful War Song Chapter 1595
I finally understood Cari's plan.Maya had made a scene at the Prince family's residence, and would naturally have to go there and apologize. But the real plan was to use the scandal around Gabriel's disgrace to put pressure on the Saunders family. From now on, even if Courtney married into their family, they would be too scared to mistreat her.With both leverage and a secret weapon in hand, it was a solid move.But for me, today was about getting some justice, especially with Maya. I wasn't going to leave without making my point.Once Michael and the others left, I turned to Maya. "I heard you say that your family is one of high standing and noble reputation. Truly, that's a laugh. What kind of noble family would kidnap a woman and make a scene by beating up someone at another person's residence?"I was ready to tear your whole house apart and expose your hypocrisy to the city today, but you're lucky. Since Merrick genuinely cares for Courtney, I don't want to make things too ug
Her Graceful War Song Chapter 1594
The reactions of the Saunders family were telling. They stood frozen, as if they couldn't believe what they were hearing. It was clear that no one in the capital had warned them, and they hadn't heard anything about it.Seizing the opportunity, I spoke again, my voice icy, "Who doesn't know that my husband, the third son of the Prince family, dotes on Courtney more than anyone? She's been wronged so severely, and he's beside himself with worry."I had to talk him out of rushing to the grand queen dowager to complain about this. But since I'm here, whoever it was that raised their hand against Courtney should step forward and accept the consequences."Isaac, while holding many positions in the capital, was most known as my husband, an apprentice of the Pathfinders Guild, the armory's overseer in the Ministry of Defense, and the owner of several enterprises in the capital. His connection to the Prince family was downplayed, but it still proved useful in situations like this.Among hi
Her Graceful War Song Chapter 1593
Let me tell you about the day the Saunders family crossed a line even I, Violet Spencer, couldn't ignore.It was beyond outrageous!The Saunders family held nothing more than a minor earl's title, yet Maya dared act so arrogantly! In all my years alive, I had encountered plenty of ill-mannered women, but never had I encountered one among the powerful and influential.When I heard that they had dragged Courtney out and slapped her, calling her shameless for having feelings for a young man, I wanted to storm into Averton Estate, break down their door, and give them a taste of their own medicine.Cari was angry too, but she reminded me that we couldn't just go rushing in without thinking. The most important thing was to check on Courtney and Viola—who knew if they might do something rash?I had to admit, Cari had been in court long enough to know how to handle these things. She could stay calm when it mattered most.I rushed straight to the Prince family's residence. As I feared, I
Her Graceful War Song Chapter 1592
When did I truly realize how wrong I was?It wasn't when Thomas returned, nor was it after my divorce from Barrett, nor even when the Prince family fell into misfortune.No, it was when talks were going on to arrange the marriage of my niece, Courtney.During the Prince family's fall from grace, I was imprisoned and narrowly escaped death. As I reflected on the past, I knew I had made mistakes and was willing to change. But I wasn't fully aware of just how deep my mistakes went.At the time, I thought it was all my own problem. No matter how much I suffered, it was my burden alone. No one else had the right to speak on it.I knew that my sister-in-law, Zoey, had suffered because of my stubbornness. She had worked tirelessly, running here and there, trying to help me, and perhaps I had grown accustomed to her always doing that for me. Because of that, I felt both gratitude and respect for her.Still, I wasn't ready to face the full weight of my past. I didn't want to dwell on it—i
Her Graceful War Song Chapter 1591
Carissa stopped and turned back to me. "Her family treats her well. It's just that things didn't go smoothly when they were arranging for her niece's marriage. Thankfully, that niece is now married to a good man."I think Viola worries that, being unmarried at her age—twice wed, no less—she might invite gossip. She doesn't want to burden her nephews and nieces or trouble her sister-in-law."I nodded, thinking of Zoey—the fierce woman who was also kind-hearted. She had one son and one daughter, as well as more children from her late husband's concubines. She had likely faced many challenges while arranging marriages for all her children. I imagined the amount of gossip and judgment she must have endured.I truly cared for Zoey like a sister-in-law, and I felt for all she had gone through."Think it over," Carissa said.I nodded, then glanced outside, where there wasn't a soul in sight.I couldn't help but ask, "Aren't you afraid that Prince Rafael might grow jealous, you being her
