Frederick took a few decorated boxes, and rode out. As expected, the royal guards didn’t question him since their orders were to keep Carissa from leaving the house. The restriction didn’t apply to anyone else in Northwatch Estate, and such a large household naturally had daily errands and purchases.Arriving at Hartstone Estate, Frederick announced that he was delivering a bridal gift from the Duke of Northwatch's family.The gatekeeper reported this, and soon, the steward of Hartstone Estate, Simon Zephyr, came out. After greeting Frederick, Simon said, “Hello, Mr. Carter. The princess said that since Lady Sinclair has just returned home after her divorce, she must have been in need of money. There’s no need for her to spend on a gift for the princess. We appreciate the thought, but the gift isn’t necessary. Please take it back, and there’s no need to come again if there’s nothing urgent.”Frederick was momentarily taken aback. When he saw the indifferent look on Simon's face,
The gates of the Northwatch Estate closed, leaving Amelia outside. Lily refused to comment on anything about the Warrens. Seeing Frederick looking troubled, she asked, “Mr. Carter, what’s the matter?”Frederick handed the reins to the stableman and stretched his left leg, which had started to ache from all the riding. “Lady Heather refused the gift our lady sent to the princess,” he said quietly, not wanting others to overhear.Lily was shocked. “Princess Leona and our lady’s mother were sisters and very close. Why would she... I understand.”Even though the king had granted the title of Duke, Carissa's return to her family after the divorce, along with all the nasty rumors, had severed their kinship. With Carissa's mother gone, her familial ties weakened.In the eyes of the noble families, they believed Carissa was merely living under the protection of her father and brothers and had received special treatment from the king. Consequently, no one respected her.“I left the
Carissa practiced for half an hour, her legs extending gracefully in the air as she nimbly spun several times. Using her inner force, she struck with her spear, and a stone shattered into dust.Frederick was amazed, and he stepped forward to inspect the scene. Every fallen leaf on the ground had a hole pierced through it, without exception.Frederick was overjoyed. “My lady, your spear skills are even better than those of the young generals. You’re almost as good as the duke.”Carissa held the spear in her hand, feeling it fit perfectly. Her forehead was dotted with sweat, and her face was flushed. After a month of intense practice, she had finally regained the level she had when she first left the mountain. “I’ll take the Rose Spear with me on this journey.”Reinforcements would come, but they might be too late. She needed to gather the Pathfinders Guild and some old friends to head to the battlefield, and help the Hell Monarch hold the line until the reinforcements arrived.Th
The first snowfall lasted less than an hour before stopping.Carissa was dressed in her usual plain white attire with a white flower pinned in her hair, and moved gracefully through the estate. She had worn white since her parents' passing, observing the traditional three-year mourning period and avoiding bright colors.She entered the room, her steps steady and unhurried, and greeted Charlotte with a respectful bow. "Hello, Aunt Charlotte."Carissa then nodded politely to Amelia, acknowledging her presence.Charlotte stood up and took Carissa's hand, examining her closely. Carissa's complexion was smooth and pale, her overall appearance even more refined than during her time at the Valor Estate.Satisfied that Carissa looked healthy and well, Charlotte's eyes welled with tears as she recalled Carissa's difficult days with the Warrens. "Carissa, how have you been?" she asked. "Thank you for your concern, Aunt Charlotte. I'm doing well," Carissa replied with a gentle smile as s
Seeing Amelia's restless and anxious state, Carissa couldn't help but smile gently. "Go ahead, speak your mind."Carissa was leaving the capital tonight. If things weren't resolved today, Amelia would return tomorrow or the day after. She didn't want Amelia to spend days standing at the estate's gates and asking to meet her but couldn't, as that would only escalate matters.Carissa knew Rebecca didn't favor Amelia. Apart from not having a son, Amelia's family background was not influential, and her dowry was meager. She lacked the grace and elegance expected of noble ladies.Amelia didn't hesitate to pour out her grievances. Tears fell like rain as she recounted the chaos at the wedding party. Guests had fled, and even the soldiers Aurora invited had left disgruntled. Everyone blamed her, including her husband Benjamin."On their wedding night," Amelia continued with frustration and sadness, "Aurora overturned the table in their room. Barrett had actually left, but when Mom found o
Carissa looked at Amelia's despairing eyes. She realized that Amelia must have been deeply frightened by Barrett divorcing her.Amelia sobbed aloud, hastily covering her mouth with her handkerchief before continuing, "Carissa, it's true! I'm not lying to you. Mom thinks the Warrens have changed for the better, and can now mix with the elite of the capital. She often shows dissatisfaction towards me being the eldest wife in charge but lacking the demeanor of one. She even regrets letting Benjamin marry me."I'm not like you. I can't return to my parents' home if I get divorced. They'll criticize me and say I'm tarnishing my sisters' and nieces' marriages. I'd rather die than get divorced! I won't even have a chance to enter a nunnery."Carissa knew a bit about Amelia's family. Her father is a seventh-rank editor at the Privy Council. Although his official rank wasn't high and he held no real power, scholars value etiquette and reputation greatly. If a family has a daughter who has be
Carissa didn't go back to sleep after Charlotte and Amelia left. It was already dusk, and she would be setting off when night fell. There was no point in trying to sleep now.She recalled Amelia's account of Barrett's wedding, and suddenly felt an urge to laugh.So, this was the true nature of the woman Barrett liked. In the end, Aurora's true nature didn't make him happy. Not only that, it also brought disgrace upon the Warren family. All the guests had walked out of the wedding banquet. This was unprecedented.Aurora Yates.Carissa chewed on the name, and suppressed feelings of resentment and anger surged within her like turbulent waves. If not for Aurora's desire for credit, the massacre wouldn't have happened and the people of Northwatch Estate wouldn't have been decimated.Before this, Carissa had never hated Aurora. Whether it was stealing her husband or belittling her, Carissa still respected the latter for her contributions to the country. After all, Aurora succeeded in
They rested at an inn that evening. Both Lightning and Carissa managing a good night's sleep. Being away from home made her unusually alert. She rose before dawn, washed up, and covered her face with a black cloth before continuing on her journey.The journey was naturally arduous, made worse by the biting cold that even the cloth couldn't shield from, roughening her skin considerably. The previous night at the inn, she had looked into a mirror. Her once smooth skin was now red and almost cracking. She applied camellia oil to prevent it from worsening—it wasn't about beauty, but avoiding pain.On the fifth morning of travel, she arrived at the Southern Frontier. The absence of supply convoys on the road along the way troubled her. It meant that the Hell Monarch thought victory was assured, and didn't need to constantly obtain provisions. However, there was still a fierce battle ahead.Upon reaching the Southern Frontier, she inquired and learned that only two cities, Ilyrian and