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Chapter 353
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Her Graceful War Song Chapter 354
Eleanor turned to Helen with a look of confusion. "What is this about? Pearls and bets? Wasn't last night just a feast? When did you take any of her dowry? This simply won't do! Dowries are the private property of the daughter-in-law. You cannot take them, even in jest."Helen was taken aback.Over her years of interacting with Eleanor, Helen had suspected that Eleanor might not give up the three thousand silver coins. Even so, Helen had held onto a sliver of hope and thought that Eleanor, being a person of pride, would honor the bet simply to preserve her dignity.Eleanor's complete denial of both the pearls and the bet was beyond Helen's expectations.Dumbfounded, Helen instinctively glanced at Gillian, who was shivering with a reddened face, trying to shield herself with her sleeve and desperately stifling her runny nose.Helen turned back to Carissa, who remained calm and composed, as if she had anticipated this outcome all along.Helen was unwilling to be belittled by Cari
Her Graceful War Song Chapter 355
Once Carissa finished speaking, she gave Eleanor a respectful bow. "Aunt Eleanor, you've treated my mother-in-law with such sincerity, which moves me greatly. Though my past reputation is not the best, it is understandable that you have concerns. "However, I promise to be respectful and always prioritize my mother-in-law's wishes. As for the pearls, I had always planned to give some to my mother-in-law. After I visit my family and guild members, I will send a jar of them over. If she wishes to gift them to someone, that is her own decision. As her daughter-in-law, I wouldn't dare interfere."Eleanor understood that Carissa was providing a way out—and she had no choice but to take it.Her carefully maintained reputation for half her life could not be ruined by a few pearls. The way those martial artists favored Carissa was clear to Eleanor from yesterday. Moreover, it was better not to offend Helen too much. Since Helen was now learning to resist, it would be difficult to extrac
Her Graceful War Song Chapter 356
Carissa blinked, unable to believe her ears.She looked at the two thousand silver coins in banknotes that had been handed to her, feeling a mix of astonishment and disbelief. Wow, Helen really was generous with her money. It seemed so easy for her to give it out. Carissa could see Helen was truly becoming a gullible fool.No, she already was a fool."Have you finally seen Eleanor's true colors, Mother?" Carissa asked with a smile, her tone considerably softer.Helen's face darkened. "Do you think I'm blind? Even after all this, how can I not have figured her out?""I saw you speaking to her so politely, and thought maybe you were still deceived by her," Carissa replied.Helen snapped, "How can I not speak politely? One of us has to be strict and tough, while the other has to be soft and accommodating. We can't really tear down all the pretenses we have with her. She's on good terms with most of the noblewomen. If she twists things around and tarnishes my reputation, won't I
Her Graceful War Song Chapter 357
Helen cast a covert glance at Carissa, who appeared relaxed. A faint smile graced her lips. It was undeniable that Carissa's face was exceptionally beautiful, radiating a clear and refreshing charm.Helen's curiosity was piqued. "Aren't you afraid of Grand Princess Eleanor?"Carissa responded with a question of her own, "Why should I be afraid of her?""She’s the grand princess, the current king's aunt. Even the late king was lenient with her. She controls at least half of the political connections in the capital. Her words alone can tarnish your reputation overnight," said Helen.Carissa remained indifferent. "Didn't you say I'm fearless and lack awareness? Why should I fear a tarnished reputation? If she spreads rumors about me, the hero who reclaimed the Southern Frontier, even her status as the grand princess won’t save her from the scorn of scholars everywhere."Helen thought that while speaking about these matters might seem easy, offending Eleanor could lead to retaliatio
Her Graceful War Song Chapter 358
Gillian squeezed through the crowd with great difficulty, and finally managed to ask a young shop assistant, "Do you have any filigree gold bangles with embedded gems?"The young shop assistant looked up at her, and answered loudly, "Those are sold on the second floor, but we're out of stock. We've sold out of all the batches we made this year. If you want to buy them, you'll need to place an order on the second floor. They'll be available in February next year."An order? And not available until next February?Gillian slowly backed out, and then made her way up the stairs to the second floor. The second floor was elegantly decorated, featuring eight or nine counters, each with cushioned chairs in front for customers. Each display case served one guest at a time.On the other side, more than ten people were waiting. They were seated on chairs, enjoying snacks and coffee, with premium charcoal burning warmly in the stoves to keep the room warm.These patrons, though wealthy, wore n
Her Graceful War Song Chapter 359
As luck would have it, on the day Rafael and Carissa were preparing for their visit to Northwatch Estate, Jessica had someone deliver the accounts. And it was none other than the shopkeeper himself, Eric, who brought them.Since Helen was staying at Hell Monarch Estate, Eric made the trip personally. Had Helen been at the palace, Jessica would have handled the delivery.Gillian suspected that Eric's visit was also to recognize the people involved, so they could identify them if they came by in the future.Helen eagerly opened the account book, only to find that the few sparse pages contained sales of only mundane items, with no expensive jewelry at all. The final summary showed a loss.In one quarter, there was a loss of over ten thousand silver coins. Over ten thousand—this was even more than before.Helen trembled with anger, and threw the account book to the floor. "How could there be such a loss? You'd better give me an explanation!" she hollered. Eric knelt on the flo
Her Graceful War Song Chapter 360
Luke immediately ordered two guards to take Eric to the local authorities.Terrified, Eric cried out, "Your Highness, please spare me! It wasn't my idea. Lady Jessica instructed me to make these false accounts to deceive Lady Helen!""What?" Helen was enraged, and smashed a cup. "Jessica used fake accounts to deceive me?"Carissa pressed Helen's hand to calm her. "If the previous account books were false, then there must be genuine ones."With the guards holding him, Eric's arms ached as if they might break. Fearing further punishment, he nodded vigorously. "Yes, of course! There are real ones."Since Carissa was preparing to visit Northwatch Estate, she didn't want to waste more time arguing. She called Luke in, and instructed, "Please take two people with you and return to The Gilded Tower. Retrieve all the account books from these years and have them verified one by one by the accountants. Confirm on-site whether they are genuine accounts. If they continue to falsify records,
Her Graceful War Song Chapter 361
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
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Kendrick didn't wake until well into the afternoon the following day, his body heavy with exhaustion and hunger. When his eyes finally fluttered open, he felt as if his entire body had been shattered. Every muscle ached, and lifting even his arm seemed like a Herculean task.The weariness sank deep into his bones, and he had no energy to move. His attendant, a trusted servant by the name of Avery, stood at his bedside, awaiting his attention. He said quietly, "Your Highness, Lady Carissa has been waiting for you for half the day. She wishes to speak with you."Kendrick had initially planned to stay in bed, have all his meals brought to him, and then drift back to sleep. He was simply too tired to move. But when he heard that Carissa had waited so long, he immediately threw the covers off and commanded, "Prepare me, quickly."Over the course of the journey, Kendrick had come to understand just how formidable Carissa was. As a woman, she had never once complained about exhaustion
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After lighting a candle for Edith, everyone returned to the backyard. They wiped away their tears, set aside their grief, and gathered around Carissa to ask about her married life. The most frequent question was about how well Rafael treated her.That was how families were. They knew she was capable, yet they couldn't help but yearn for her spouse to treat her with genuine love and care.Carissa had many cousins, all daughters of her uncles, but most had only met her a handful of times. Still, when they saw her, they were all overjoyed.Her cousins were all married, and many had returned to Victory Pass with their husbands and children. Having heard so much about Carissa, they couldn't help but feel a mix of admiration and sympathy.Among them was Shayla Sullivan, the eldest daughter of Carissa's second aunt. She had married Chase Hudson, one of Dominic's subordinates. But within a year of marriage, Chase died in battle before their child had even been born.Now, the child was 12
Her Graceful War Song Chapter 1498
After nearly twenty days of grueling travel, they finally arrived at Victory Pass on the third of August.The heat had been unbearable along the way, causing many in the party to fall ill. Fortunately, Carissa had come well-prepared with plenty of medicine. They had also brought along a royal physician, Dorian, who was able to manage the illnesses without any major issues.But Kendrick, having never endured such hardship, was exhausted beyond measure. By the tenth day of their journey, he could barely speak. His face and lips were pale, and the exhaustion was evident in every line of his features.When they finally reached the outskirts of Victory Pass and saw the Sullivan family and the troops come out to greet them, Kendrick collapsed. The sight of him fainting right there gave everyone a fright, and they quickly rushed to carry him back.However, Carissa barely noticed Kendrick's condition. As soon as she saw her family, she ran straight into her grandfather's arms, tears stream
Her Graceful War Song Chapter 1497
On the twelfth day of July, the Starhaven envoy delegation departed the capital in a grand procession, heading toward Orivenia.Rafael rode alongside the group for five miles, only reining in his horse reluctantly when Dylan and Jacob both insisted it was time to stop. Carissa turned back to wave at him, her smile as bright as ever. There wasn't a hint of sadness on her face.Rafael gazed after her, his eyes filled with longing.But under his breath, he muttered, "She's heartless, truly heartless."The sun had risen high, and the road was still and stifling with the lack of wind. Still, Rafael waited until the last of the procession had disappeared from view before reluctantly turning his horse around and heading back.This journey to Orivenia was a significant one. Carissa had brought along three hundred men from the Mystic Army, as well as Travis, Violet, and the others.Though the two kingdoms enjoyed a temporary peace after the last conflict, Leroy had made public what happen
Her Graceful War Song Chapter 1496
The evening before the trip, Carissa, accompanied by Rafael, made her way to bid farewell to Helen. Since she was leaving early in the morning, before her mother-in-law would be awake, Carissa chose to say her goodbyes the night before.Helen had known about the trip to Orivenia for some time. At first, she hadn't fully understood the situation and felt Salvador's order was a bit much. Why did it have to be Carissa, of all people, who had to undertake such a long and tiring journey?But after hearing from Violet that the real purpose of the journey was for Carissa to visit her maternal family, Helen only sighed quietly."The greatest pain in life is the separation from loved ones, whether by life or death. And the greatest joy is the reunion with loved ones after a long time apart."Of course, those words were spoken to Violet, and would never be said in front of Carissa. To say them to her would be like rubbing salt in an open wound. After all, Helen had come to love and cherish h
Her Graceful War Song Chapter 1495
In the blazing heat of July, a letter from Westhaven arrived.Westhaven's king, Edmund, had abdicated. Grand Princess Lisandra was now queen. She had taken the throne and assumed control of the kingdom, and its name was officially changed from Westhaven to Orivenia.The new queen invited Starhaven to send an envoy delegation to attend her coronation and to discuss the long-standing border disputes. Lisandra had already ascended the throne, so attending the coronation was merely a formality. The true purpose of the visit was to negotiate the border issue.When the Westhaven envoy delegation previously came to Starhaven, their primary goal was the border—an issue that had been put on hold due to internal unrest. It was also the matter that had weighed most heavily on Lisandra's mind. So, with her coronation behind her now, she wasted no time in reopening the talks.At the morning court session in Starhaven, there was unanimous agreement that old grudges were behind them. Both kingdom
Her Graceful War Song Chapter 1494
At Hell Monarch Estate, Carissa and Cynthia were busy teaching Roxana and Courtney martial arts. Mostly, it was Cynthia who took charge of Roxana's lessons, while Carissa kept company with Courtney, observing but not actively participating.Work at the Capital Guard headquarters was actually quite busy, but time seemed to slow down, bringing a sense of calm to everyone's hearts. No matter how long this period without suspicion would last, they decided to cherish each day as it came.But there was one thing that weighed heavily on Carissa's mind—Rafael's health.Although he was gradually recovering, his vitality had been severely damaged. Working tirelessly every day, leaving early and returning late, with irregular meals and inconsistent medication, he wasn't able to rest properly, which was always a worry.Bun came down the corridor and approached Carissa, saying, "Vivi says she won't be home tonight."Carissa nodded, her expression unchanged. She didn't need to ask. She knew exa
Her Graceful War Song Chapter 1493
Nowadays, Salvador would discuss matters concerning his sons with Rafael, especially since he often taught them in the evenings. After finishing his lessons, he would come over to accompany Salvador during his needle treatment sessions.As the brothers talked more, the barriers between them lessened, as did the suspicion.Of course, this varied from person to person. Rafael spoke sincerely and rarely held back, as long as the topic didn't involve Carissa.Up close, Salvador could always see things clearly. Any issues between them were now discussed openly, unlike before when they relied solely on assumptions.Salvador credited this change to Carissa's sharp words. It was as if she had shaken him awake, making him see things differently. Now, he could see Rafael as a brother, not just as a subject under his rule.After Sebastian finished his needle treatment, he excused himself to rest. Rafael helped Salvador up and walked with him, with Derek trailing behind at a distance. The roy
Her Graceful War Song Chapter 1492
Kylie returned to Everspring Palace, but her unease did not last long.Soon, Salvador arrived. Accompanied by the Nightsteel Guard, he sealed off the entire Everspring Palace, allowing only Lydia to remain within the halls.Derek entered, carrying two items.One of them was the poison powder Kylie had given to Connor days before. When it was placed on the table for her to inspect, she stood frozen in place. A cold, piercing chill spread through her, making her body tremble uncontrollably.Witnessing this, Lydia immediately stumbled and dropped to her knees, her voice thick with fear as she cried out, "Your Majesty, please forgive me! It was all my doing! Her Majesty had no part in this!"Salvador paid no attention to her desperate pleas.Sitting down, he turned to Derek. "You may show Kylie the edict. There is no need for formalities."Derek nodded and unfurled the second item—a royal edict.The moment it was placed before the queen, her eyes caught the first few lines, and it
