Semua Bab Her Graceful War Song: Bab 891 - Bab 900

Barrett wasn't really surprised. Though his time as the commander of the Crown Guard had been short, he wasn't foolish and could sense the king's intentions to make the Crown Guard an independent unit.Salvador was wary of the Hell Monarch, so how could he allow Carissa to control all the security in the kingdom, including the king's own safety?Barrett smiled wryly. "Well, it's something beyond my control. I am in mourning for my mom and must observe the mourning period."Wayne smiled gently, pouring him a cup of coffee. He spoke quietly, "Prince Harvey can help you."Barrett blinked, taken aback. Harvey barely interacted with anyone in the capital, so how could he possibly help him? Besides, would he really do it out of guilt—if that guilt even existed? And if there was guilt, it would be for Carissa, not for him.Barrett wasn't stupid.Setting aside whether Harvey could actually help him, if he could, it would be for a reason. If he truly did assist him, Barrett would owe him,

Two days later, Kyle arrived with a carrier pigeon from Winona. His face was serious."The king of Westhaven plans to send envoys to Starhaven. An official correspondence will arrive in the next few days."Rafael's expression darkened.It had been inevitable. Sooner or later, this day would come.Before the New Year celebrations had even ended, Salvador announced that the Crown Guard would be separated from the Mystic Army and would no longer be answerable to Carissa. Also, Barrett would remain in charge of the Crown Guard.Barrett could hardly believe it. He recalled his meeting with the man the other day and privately wondered if it was really Harvey helping him. But if it was the prince, then Barrett's reinstatement came with considerable risk.He had no one to consult, so he went home and told Viola."Who cares what he wants to do? Just get reinstated as an official and be done with it. Besides, the Crown Guard isn't even under Carissa's control anymore. How is that not a go

The Deputy Minister of Justice, Cyrus Zellner, personally led a team to Valor Estate. To prevent Aurora from escaping, they first surrounded the estate.Viola was terrified when she heard the news. She hid in Grace Mansion, too afraid to step outside. It wasn't until she learned they were there to capture Aurora that she finally dared to leave her hiding place.As soon as the commotion started, Aurora had an inkling of what was happening.Standing at the entrance of Blessed Haven, she gripped her sword. As the chill wind cut across her already scarred face, an eerie, deathly stillness surrounded her.She watched the officers from the Ministry of Justice storm into Blessed Haven, then twirled her sword in a swift flourish, aiming it directly at the leading officer."Aurora Yates, surrender yourself at once!" Cyrus shouted from outside the gates of Blessed Haven."Where's Barrett?" she asked coldly.She knew about Barrett's reinstatement. Now that he was serving at the king's side

Aurora was roughly dragged to her feet, her hands shackled behind her back. When she was slammed to the ground, her face scraped against the sharp stones, drawing a few thin lines of blood.She first shot a look at Barrett, her eyes filled with nothing but disappointment. Then, her gaze turned to Carissa, sharp and unrelenting. Carissa's official uniform was everything she had ever dreamed of, yet here she was, never even having the chance to touch them, let alone wear them.Carissa pulled the whip back and stood directly in front of Aurora. The two locked eyes—one pair filled with resentment, the other brimming with unabashed hatred.For the first time, Carissa's hatred for Aurora was unmasked. Even in front of her parents' memory plaques, Carissa had tempered her feelings, unwilling to let the spirits of her family see her consumed by such hatred. But now, with everything coming to a head, there was no holding back. The resentment that had festered in Carissa's heart boiled over

Barrett fell into thought, his mind wandering back to past events. "It was my idea to burn the supply depot in Fawnrun City. At the time, Westhaven had already suffered several defeats in a row, and it looked like they were about to retreat. "General Shane said that our battles with Westhaven have always been sporadic skirmishes. But when it comes to real fighting, both sides tend to hold back. So, when Westhaven retreated, we grew complacent. We didn't expect them to launch such a fierce offensive. It was during that battle that General Dominic was injured...""No," Carissa interrupted him once more. "When you first arrived at Victory Pass, my third uncle lost an arm in the chaos of war, proving that the battle was already intense. If both sides were holding back, there wouldn't have been a need for your reinforcements."Barrett explained, "The fighting had always been somewhat restrained. The reason it suddenly escalated was because Marshal Liam pulled back from the frontlines,