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Chapter 1255
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Her Graceful War Song Chapter 1256
Carissa held Roxana's hand and spoke to her for a long time, but never once did she speak ill of Roxana's family.Violet and Cynthia were listening outside. When the conversation ended, Carissa had Lulu take Roxana downstairs to settle her in. Once they were alone, Violet asked, "Why tell her to protect her family? She should know how cruel her family has been to her, or she'll be bound by them for the rest of her life."Carissa took a sip of water, her eyes clouded with sadness. "Vivi, this is a common story. Many common families find themselves in such situations. When faced with hardship, the first thing they think of is selling their daughters or sisters. They don't see it as cruelty. To them, selling a girl as a child bride or a maid in a wealthy household is just a way out."She paused, then continued, "It's not uncommon for some families to trade their daughters in marriage to secure a wife for their sons, but at least Roxana's parents aren't like that. They tried everythin
Her Graceful War Song Chapter 1257
It took Carissa an hour to pull herself out of the paralyzing grip of fear. Afterward, she mounted her horse and rode straight to the palace. She needed a reason to leave the capital.Salvador had received two letters from Rafael. The first letter reported an unusual village they had come across, and they suspected that the villagers were the private army they were looking for. Salvador had sent a secret order for Rafael to investigate the area.The second letter described their initial foray into the mountains, where the defenses were tight, confirming the presence of a private army. However, they had not yet found the weapons or supplies. Salvador had sent another order to continue the investigation, with a directive to destroy any weapons and supplies found.Since then, there had been no word from Rafael.Salvador was, admittedly, a little worried. Sending just a few people to scout several mountain ranges, without knowing the size of the enemy force or whether they had martial
Her Graceful War Song Chapter 1258
Carissa and her group arrived in Lunvale, posing as traveling merchants. After gathering information about Stone Village, their first priority was to contact Kyle and Travis.She marked the inn where they were staying with an orchid drawn in a conspicuous spot, leaving a secret signal. Anyone familiar with the code would be able to find them.That evening, Kyle and Travis arrived, both looking exhausted. They were covered in dust, their clothes wrinkled, their hair hastily combed with their hands, their shoes caked with dirt. It was clear they had just come down from the mountains.Carissa had been on edge the entire journey, her heart heavy with worry. Upon seeing them, she quickly asked about their situation.Kyle first tried to ease her tension. "When we sent the pigeon post, we had lost all contact and there was no trace of them. But just a couple of days ago, we found something. In the old forest south of Stone Village, we discovered a mark left by Rafael. It proves they had b
Her Graceful War Song Chapter 1259
Carissa felt that no matter what, she had to go into the mountains to search. Everett should arrive within a day or two, but until they came, she could only use the most straightforward method to find them.The weather in mid-February was still very cold. It wasn't as dry and harsh as the northern winds, but there was a damp chill that felt even worse. The cold seeped into everything, making her already anxious and restless heart feel even more uneasy and heavy.That night, she tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep. Her thoughts kept circling back to the fact that the mark Rafael had left was several days old, and she wondered whether they had encountered other dangers in the mountains.What if the people from Stone Village had discovered them and ambushed them?In those deep mountains, a massacre could occur and no one would know.Even though she knew the climb ahead would take a lot of energy and she should be getting some rest, sleep eluded her. She finally gave up and rose
Her Graceful War Song Chapter 1260
Violet saw how much weight Carissa had lost—she couldn't eat, couldn't sleep. Heart aching, she pulled Carissa into an embrace, pressing Carissa's head onto her shoulder. "Lean on me. If crying makes you feel better, then let it out."But Carissa suddenly shoved her away, scrambling to her feet and jumping over the stream. She ran a few steps forward, stopping at a tree.Carved into the trunk of the tree was a clear and detailed orchid.Carissa ran her fingers over the smooth lines of the flower, but her heart didn't lift. While the blossom was complete, the condition of the tree and the carving itself suggested that this was the mark Travis and Kyle had found.It was a discovery, but it was also like finding nothing at all.After a moment of quiet contemplation, she spoke. "Vivi, why don't you all head back down the mountain first? I'll stay here and keep looking. Since there's a mark here, there must be more further ahead."Violet gave her a light tap on the head. "What are y
Her Graceful War Song Chapter 1261
Rafael estimated that the supply delivery should arrive within the next two days. Though there were only two of them, it was easier to slip out unnoticed at night. Having too many people would complicate things.Once they found an exit, they could capture one or two people for questioning. If they were tight-lipped, a bit of force might persuade them to talk."Hang in there a little longer. Just three more days, and it'll be over," Rafael said."I could really go for some bread," Dylan grumbled, letting out a loud belch. "I swear, without any bread or pasta, a person might just die. Roasting meat endlessly to eat is so greasy...""Just grab some grass and chew on it to get rid of the greasy taste," Rafael suggested, reaching down to pull up a handful of wild grass. It was edible, and this time of year, it was tender. "Eat it. Quickly.""It's bitter. I'm not eating it," Dylan refused, declining Rafael's offer.Rafael didn't mind and ate it himself. Even the roots were edible, and
Her Graceful War Song Chapter 1262
Carissa blinked in surprise, for the first time noticing how remarkably handsome and reassuring her martial uncle seemed.A map was spread out before them, and one by one, the heads leaned in to get a closer look. The map showed a network of tunnels, crisscrossing like a spider's web, but there were only four points of entry.Two on the east, one to the west, and another to the south. The northern entrance, near Stone Village, had no tunnel at all.Which meant the only way in was through the northern path, where there were no tunnels.However, saying there were only four entrances wasn't entirely accurate. While the mountain had many entrances, the tunnels themselves only had four exits. No matter where they entered the mountain, they would eventually have to exit through one of these four points.Before anyone could fully take in the map, Everett laid down a second one, sliding his hand across it until his finger came to rest on a marked symbol. "These villages all have tunnels
Her Graceful War Song Chapter 1263
That day, Tiberius himself arrived at Fernbrook Villa, bringing a few men along. It wasn't long before a cart arrived carrying supplies—flour, salt, and sugar.This shipment seemed to be a new batch. The grain had already been delivered to the villa some time ago.The guards here weren't overly strict, allowing Winona to sneak onto the rooftops in broad daylight, where she could eavesdrop on the villa's activity and listen in on their conversations.Tiberius gave orders for work to begin that very night.It wasn't just Fernbrook Villa where things were stirring. At the other tunnel exits, there was also frequent movement.Everett had initially thought it would be enough to simply keep watch from the outside, but now that they were splitting into teams, he decided to send some inside the tunnels as well. That way, they could check if the map's information was accurate.Ideally, they would also be able to confirm whether Lunvale had only 5,000 soldiers. If that were the case, he ha
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Her Graceful War Song Chapter 1402
Clifford's eyes gleamed with a sharp light. "Very well. Let's hear some of your self-righteous words."Salvador, ever the suspicious soul, had always been wary of the Hell Monarch's household. Even if Carissa hadn't risen for women's rights, Salvador would still remain cautious of her.How could Carissa not know Clifford's intentions? From the moment he asked, she knew it was a trap.Before she could respond, Clifford sneered and added, "You can always start by flattering King Salvador. Praise him for how he treats women under his rule. As long as your conscience is clear, feel free to do so."Carissa was infuriated, but she wasn't willing to be baited. She met his mocking, challenging gaze. "Don't make assumptions. That's not the same thing at all. You think people are ignorant and narrow-minded as they can't understand your preferences, so you resort to extreme measures to gain their approval. But that's your personal problem. You can't speak for others like you, and you're not
Her Graceful War Song Chapter 1401
Gerald and Clifford met in the Supreme Court's interrogation room. They sat across from each other, an old wooden table between them. Carissa sat behind the scribe's desk, not far from them. Even if they spoke in hushed tones, she could hear every word clearly.The only sounds in the room were the quiet rustle of breath, the steady beat of hearts, and occasionally, the almost imperceptible sound of a sigh.Yet, no words passed between them.Neither of them exchanged even a fleeting glance. It was as if they were two strangers who were forced to sit together—distant, indifferent.Carissa wondered if it was her presence that made things so strained, though she could not leave. All she could do was endure the awkward silence alongside them.At last, Gerald asked, "Why?"Gerald was truly baffled, struggling to reconcile the person before him with the image of someone he thought he knew. No matter how he looked at Clifford, he could not align the two.Clifford clasped his hands tog
Her Graceful War Song Chapter 1400
As Carissa returned to the Capital Guard Headquarters the next morning, Heather intercepted her at the door.It had been a long while since Carissa had last seen Heather. In fact, it seemed Heather had kept herself mostly secluded lately.Since Harvey had been brought back to the capital, his son Lennon Sanford had not been captured, but Chester's forces continued their search. It was almost certain that the boy would be caught soon enough.Heather, anxious that Lennon might be implicated and face the same brutal punishment of beheading, rushed to Carissa for help.Carissa knew Heather had already tried appealing to Leona when Harvey was first brought back. She had asked Leona to talk to Carissa on her behalf. Yet Leona had refused, and she never mentioned the matter to Carissa. Carissa only learned of this from Alana."Carissa!" Heather hurried toward her, her face frantic with worry. "I need to speak with you. Could we find a quiet place to talk?""I have matters to attend to.
Her Graceful War Song Chapter 1399
In her study, Carissa wrote a letter. Then, she handed it to Jacob with instructions to have it delivered to Rafael in the Southern Frontier.She knew the situation in the Southern Frontier. Victor was amassing troops but neither attacking nor retreating, keeping things in a stalemate.Everyone knew that Victor was just stalling. He had been given a military order to invade the Southern Frontier, but since Nicholas had failed, he could not return with any captured cities or military achievements to report.If Victor made a hasty retreat now, he would likely lose more than just his position—his life might be forfeited as well. He attempted to forge alliances with the nomads, hoping to find a way out—perhaps a way to secure his future or an escape from certain doom.The nomads, tired of conflict, had no interest in picking sides. Caught in the middle, they were doing everything they could to remain neutral, refusing to aid either side. If they really had to choose, they would choos
Her Graceful War Song Chapter 1398
At precisely three in the afternoon, the long execution block was brought forward. The block was forged from ironwood, solid and unyielding. It was the only one of its kind in Starhaven, used solely for execution by Torso Cleaving.The block had been kept in storage for years.Augustus had once deemed the act of Torso Cleaving too brutal. Even those who committed the most grievous offenses were spared this form of execution. Yet, the punishment had not been abolished. It remained a tool to strike fear into the hearts of would-be traitors.The cruelty of Torso Cleaving lay in the fact that after a person was cleaved in two, the upper body could still crawl, struggle, and leave behind a bloody trail.Normally, Torso Cleaving wasn't meant to be witnessed by the public. But treason, betraying the kingdom, and plotting to overthrow the throne were considered unforgivable crimes. Salvador didn't know how many people had dealings with the traitors, and some conspirators were too deepl
Her Graceful War Song Chapter 1397
The capital guards escorted Evelyn, Zoey, and Viola up to the execution platform. Evelyn's legs trembled, and she couldn't muster any strength. Her tears flowed uncontrollably, blurring her vision to the point that she could no longer see clearly."You foolish boy!" Evelyn let out a mournful cry, raising her hand and slapping Oliver's face. "You've disgraced your grandfather and your father! How can you face them in the afterlife?"Her slap lacked force; even as she exerted every ounce of her strength, Oliver barely felt the sting.Caught in a whirlwind of panic, Oliver's mind raced. Seeing his mom before him, he seemed to have found a lifeline in a stormy sea. He cried desperately, "Mom, save me! Please save me!"Evelyn, near exhaustion from her sorrow, could barely speak. "You've committed an unforgivable crime! How can I save you now? His Majesty once showed favor to you—how could you betray such grace?""Mom, I know I was wrong! I know it now!" Oliver cried, tears streaming do
Her Graceful War Song Chapter 1396
After Evelyn finished crying, she didn't say much. However, she stubbornly insisted on going to deliver Oliver his final meal. Her eyes were swollen and her voice was thick with congestion, nearly a rasp. "I know the court allows family to see their loved ones before execution," she said, her tone strained. "I don't want anything else—just this one thing. I need to see him and make sure he's fed. I don't want him to die hungry and become a vengeful spirit."Tears began to fall once more as she cast a tearful glance at Zoey. "You have children, too. You should understand what it means to be a mother. To the world, he may be seen as the greatest of villains. But to me, he will always be that helpless child that hasn't changed."Zoey remained silent for a long moment, then finally said, "Mother, do you know how the final meeting is arranged? It is at the execution ground. Are you sure you want to see him getting decapitated?"Evelyn trembled, her body shaking with emotion. "You must
Her Graceful War Song Chapter 1395
When Carissa went to the palace to deliver her report, she also expressed her sympathy for Zoey besides presenting the confession. She didn't hide her admiration for Zoey in her words.Despite her difficult life, Zoey still had a kind heart. She continuously gave out food and medicine. Even though her whole family now lived in Skye Embroidery, she never asked for the money she had given away to be returned.Furthermore, Zoey had shown great courage and moral integrity. She had publicly condemned her kin for the sake of the greater good—a rare quality that many men, even among the nobility, could not aspire to.Recognizing the need for such an example to inspire his people, Salvador immediately issued an edict praising Zoey. He granted her 100 gold coins and a residence.As for the exiled men from the Prince family, they could return to the capital after the Southern Frontier won the battle, along with the Hell Monarch.Zoey had turned an impossible situation around. Now, who would
Her Graceful War Song Chapter 1394
Oliver was a notorious criminal, and he should have been sent directly to the Supreme Court. However, Carissa took a different route. She had him detained at the Capital Guard headquarters, where he was to be interrogated first. Afterward, she planned to report the matter to Salvador. She would credit Zoey for her tip, and then plead for Caspian and Cedric to be allowed to return to the capital as soon as possible.Celeste was still detained in the Capital Guard headquarters. If she and Oliver met, it might uncover more secrets—such as just how deeply the Spencer family's collateral branch was involved in this mess.The two prisoners were held in adjacent cells, separated by only a narrow iron bar. When their eyes met for the first time, both faces changed instantly.On the way here, Oliver kept cursing Zoey for betraying him. But when he saw Celeste, he completely forgot about Zoey. He snarled, his teeth clenched. "You wretched woman, look at you now! It's true—bad people get w
