Semua Bab Her Graceful War Song: Bab 361 - Bab 370

As Rafael packed the gifts, his mind wandered to the matters concerning the Pathfinders Guild.He was naturally pleased that so many people were looking out for Carissa. Still, he also wanted Adrian and the others to know that he would protect Carissa from now on, and they no longer needed to worry.Most importantly, he had to tell Adrian one crucial thing today—from now on, he would ensure that Carissa sent at least two letters back to the guild each month. No matter what happened, whether it was something good or bad, the guild members would be informed, so they wouldn't have to trouble themselves by sending people down to investigate.After filling three carts to the brim with gifts, he saw Carissa leading Ryan and Lulu out.Carissa's face was serene and composed, her calm demeanor only enhancing her beauty. She was dressed in a deep purple dress that accentuated her fair, translucent skin. Two peonies were pinned in her hair, but even the flowers seemed less radiant than she wa

Rafael and Carissa paid their respects to Adrian, Everett, and the various senior apprentices of the guild in accordance with etiquette.Everett's eyes were half-squinted and half-open, making it difficult to tell whether he was merely squinting or actually looking. But Carissa knew that this was when the man was the most intimidating, as he was scrutinizing for any mistakes.Thus, Carissa performed her traditional salute with the utmost seriousness. Her posture was straight, and her spine was upright as she bowed at the perfect angle.Everett had trained Carissa on the proper way to perform a salute after she had initially been too hasty in paying respects to Adrian. That night, her head had become so dizzy from the repeated salutes she performed that she almost passed out. It was only at that point that Everett slightly opened his eyes and gestured for her to leave. She had been so dizzy she could barely walk, and Winona had to carry her back to her room.Reflecting on those pa

Winona wiped away her tears. "I won't leave. I'll stay in the capital with you. I'll stay in Northwatch Estate. Whenever you miss me, just come back to visit.""We'll stay too!" Hearing Winona's words, everyone echoed the sentiment.Carissa hid in Winona's embrace, feeling a sense of security she hadn't experienced in a long time. She wanted to cry. She was reluctant to see them go.However, Adrian spoke up with a stern expression, "Can you stay with her forever? Everyone has their own life to live. Besides, the capital is no easy place to live. Even if it were, it's not somewhere people from the Pathfinders Guild can reside for long."Adrian had no fondness for the capital or the royal family, but Rafael's character was impeccable. He had recovered the Southern Frontier and restored the kingdom's territory, so Adrian reluctantly accepted him. However, whether people's hearts would change remained to be seen.Rafael initially had wanted to become his apprentice, but Adrian w

In the carriage, Rafael relayed Winona's words to Carissa.Carissa rested her head on his shoulder. Despite holding back her tears for a long time, they eventually began to fall.Rafael held her close, resting his chin on her forehead. "Winona truly regards you as her own sister.""Yes," Carissa said, her voice muffled. "When I went to the Pathfinders Guild, Winona took care of me a lot. She dotes on me quite intensely."Rafael wondered—who didn't dote on Carissa at the Pathfinders Guild? Even Everett, when speaking to him in the side hall, had reminded him to take good care of Carissa and had fondly referred to her as a mischievous little monkey.Everett had shown a hint of sorrow when talking about Rafael's in-laws, his eyes filled with melancholy and regret.Everyone was moved by the sacrifices made by the men of the Duke of Northwatch's family for their kingdom.Wiping away her tears, Carissa asked, "Rod is going to stay in the capital. Do you have any arrangements for him?

Carissa decided not to address the issue immediately. She instructed the staff to prepare a meal for Helen first.After Helen had finished eating, Carissa said, "Let me see the contract. We need to check for any hidden traps. If there are any, we must prepare in advance."Helen blinked through her tearful eyes. "What can we do if there are traps?""There are ways to deal with them. Just bring the contract to me first," Carissa replied, not meeting Helen's gaze, especially not when she was crying. So, Carissa turned to find Gillian and asked her to retrieve the contract.Gillian knew exactly where the documents were kept. She quickly found the contract, and brought it to Carissa.Carissa read through the contract three times from start to finish and found no issues with it—it was fair and impartial. As for the parties involved, Helen had used Gillian's name, while Jessica had used Eric's name. Surprisingly, Eric was a household servant of the Winchester family.For a lady from