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Chapter 56
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Her Graceful War Song Chapter 57
At this moment, Carissa felt utterly exhausted. Her legs trembled as she sat down on the mat. She was too tired to worry about proper etiquette. It had been a long time since she had been so rushed, and she was struggling to keep up.Rafael saw her state, and smiled. "You're worn out, aren't you? How many days did it take you?""Five days," Carissa said, catching her breath. "I’m fine, but my horse is really exhausted.""Impressive!" Rafael said with admiration. Then, he called out loudly, "Feed the horses and prepare the meals!"A booming voice responded from outside. "Yes, sir!"Carissa quickly asked, "Aren’t you going to devise a strategy? Or send someone to urgently notify the capital and request more reinforcements?"Rafael leaned against the desk, tapping his long fingers on his leg as he narrowed his eyes. "We will recruit soldiers. Reinforcements won’t arrive quickly. To handle the first battle, we need to first recruit soldiers and gather provisions."He looked at Car
Her Graceful War Song Chapter 58
Rafael’s analysis earned Carissa’s deep respect. Only a seasoned battlefield veteran would understand how absurd it was for an enemy to surrender just because their supplies were burned, especially in a long-standing stalemate like this one. The conflict between the two kingdoms had led to countless battles over the years, both small and large, with decades of strife.Moreover, Westhaven wasn’t without its own supplies. Even if their provisions were burned, they could simply resupply and wouldn’t need to surrender. At worst, they would retreat and have a truce. By doing so, the Starhaven army wouldn’t invade them.“So, what’s the real issue?” Rafael asked.Knowing that Rafael’s investigation would eventually reveal the truth, Carissa decided to be honest. “Aurora Yates killed prisoners and massacred civilians.”Rafael’s expression changed abruptly. “Does the king know about this?”“I don’t know if the king is aware, but…the Victory Pass reports, including the final victory repor
Her Graceful War Song Chapter 59
Calling the food prepared for dinner a meal seemed quite noble. In reality, there were only two pieces of hard flatbread and dried meat—typical battlefield rations. These were the kinds of supplies commonly sent to the front lines.Now that the troops were stationed here, they could have prepared some hot stew or oatmeal. However, it was already late, and starting a big pot of stew just for Carissa would have been unreasonable.Still, they were thoughtful enough to provide a pot of hot water, which was at least something warm to drink and could heat up her body.The small, temporary tent was filled with thick, heavy blankets that were dirty and hardened with grime. Carissa could tell from a touch that the stains on the blankets were dried blood.A tall, young soldier with thick eyebrows and a scruffy beard led her in. He scratched his head and asked, “Is this okay? If not, I can get some hot soup made for you.”“No need, this is fine,” Carissa said with a grateful smile, biting
Her Graceful War Song Chapter 60
When Carissa heard this, she assumed her friends had arrived, and quickly said, “Lead me there.”Dylan guided her to the rear. From a distance, she spotted several familiar figures.Holding her Rose Spear, she leaped forward with her Lightfoot Skill and called out loudly, “Rod, Bun, Thia, Vivi!”The four of them looked up to see her soaring through the air. A young swordsman in green unsheathed his sword, and leaped up to meet her. They exchanged light blows midair.The young man's swordplay was swift as lightning, while Carissa wielded the Rose Spear with a ghostly grace. The red ribbons on the spear flared like scattered fireworks, leaving the soldiers dumbfounded by the incredible skills on display.As they landed, the young swordsman in green snorted. “Your moves are slow.”“Your swordsmanship has improved, Rod,” Carissa said, examining the young man with a bright smile. “And you’ve grown taller.”Travis Mullen was the only male apprentice of Lunar Guild. Since his master on
Her Graceful War Song Chapter 61
After enlisting, Carissa and her friends were immediately thrown into training.The five of them and a group of new recruits were sent to the training grounds. Basic drills like sword practice and wood cutting were incredibly easy for them.In no time, they completed ten training exercises, leaving the new recruits in awe. However, when it came to learning battlefield strategies, they settled down and listened attentively.Aside from Carissa, who was familiar with warfare, the other four had no prior experience with battles.Since Carissa had a tent, albeit a small one, they all squeezed in together comfortably. That evening, they asked Carissa eagerly about her marriage.Carissa hugged her knees, and said with a smile, “Yes, I got married, then divorced. I’m single now.”“That's great!” Cynthia clapped her hands excitedly. “Jasper was so upset when he heard you got married. Now that you’re divorced, you can marry him.”Carissa tapped her forehead with a finger. “I don’t want to
Her Graceful War Song Chapter 62
The second deputy defense minister, Ethan Smith, said, “Your Majesty, sending reinforcements now may be too late. Our spies didn’t pick up on this, which means all our spies in Sandoria and Westhaven must have been killed.”Salvador remembered that ten days ago, Carissa had come to the palace with a forged letter, claiming it was information from Kyle. At that time, he thought she was simply bitter about Barrett and Aurora’s marriage. In turn, he reprimanded her and put her under house arrest.He didn’t realize she was speaking the truth. Had he believed her ten days ago, they could have sent reinforcements immediately and started gathering supplies. With his brother’s command capabilities, they might have stood a chance against the Westhaven-Sandoria alliance.Meanwhile, Aurora and Barrett exchanged glances. Their long-awaited opportunity had finally arrived!They had used their achievement at Victory Pass to request a marriage edict. If they could achieve great success on the S
Her Graceful War Song Chapter 63
After Barrett and Aurora took their leave, Salvador and Jeremiah discussed selecting an inspector general and arranging for food supplies to be sent to the Southern Frontier. The outcome of the battle was crucial. Having already captured twenty-three cities, Salvador was unwilling to fail at this critical moment.-After leaving the palace, Barrett frowned and asked Aurora, “How can you guarantee that we’ll reach the battlefield before the Westhaven forces? They’ve already been on the move for over ten days, and we haven’t even left the capital yet! Even if we travel day and night, we won’t catch up with them.”Aurora was determined, and replied, “Nothing’s impossible if we give it our all. We’ll make it!”Barrett was frustrated. “Easy for you to say! When we led the Capital Army to Victory Pass, it took us two full months to get there. Now, we only have twenty days to reach the Southern Frontier. How will we manage?”Impatient, Aurora snapped, “Instead of complaining, you shoul
Her Graceful War Song Chapter 64
Barrett didn’t share Aurora’s optimism. While he had initially been eager to go to the Southern Frontier, that was under the assumption there would be only Sandorian soldiers to face. Now, with Westhaven’s three hundred thousand soldiers pouring into Ilyrian and Simonton, and with Sandoria possibly sending even more soldiers, the situation had changed drastically.The enemy forces now numbered around five hundred thousand. Meanwhile, Barrett’s forces totaled less than one hundred and twenty thousand soldiers. Combined with Rafael's exhausted and under-resourced forces, they only had about three hundred thousand soldiers in total. Rafael’s forces were now severely exhausted, with many wounded soldiers and a shortage of supplies. They were waiting for provisions on an empty stomach, so it was impossible to capture Ilyrian at the moment. They would have to wait in place for reinforcements to arrive.Winter made the situation even worse. The Southern Frontier was harsh and cold, wh
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Her Graceful War Song Chapter 1598
At times, I taught my students to face life with courage and own up to their mistakes. Yet, I had not done so myself.All these years, I had hardly seen Thomas. If there was an event where he might be present, I would quietly avoid it.Back when I was still stubborn, Zoey had scolded me, saying I owed Thomas an apology. At the time, I didn't quite agree. In fact, I felt rather aggrieved.But thinking back now—what was I so aggrieved about? Who truly owed me anything? Had the heavens not already treated me kindly enough? Everything I lost, I brought upon myself.More than once, I had unfolded a sheet of parchment, intending to write him a sincere apology from the heart. Yet, each time I put a quill to paper, the ink would fall, but not a single word would follow.I feared the letter would seem sudden and out of place, that it might stir suspicion in his wife's heart, or in Barrett's. Even though Barrett and I were husband and wife in name only, I still didn't wish to disturb the pe
Her Graceful War Song Chapter 1597
It had been a month since I arrived at Victory Pass, and I began to wonder what I ought to do with myself.Though I was Barrett's wife in name, in truth, we had very little to do with each other. He spent most of his time at the camp, only returning now and then. As such, I had plenty of time on my hands and thought I might start a little trade.Victory Pass was not quite as I had imagined. I thought a border town like this would surely be cold and short on supplies. But to my surprise, one could buy almost anything here—save for things like the finest jewels and luxurious brocade.That was not to say they couldn't be found at all. When merchant caravans brought such treasures, they were quickly stored away and sent on to Orivenia, where they would be sold to nobles and the wealthy.The common folk in Victory Pass bought ornaments for their prettiness rather than their worth, and no one really cared whether they were costly or not.I had been thinking about what sort of business I
Her Graceful War Song Chapter 1596
I heard Franklin endured quite a few rejections from Isaac. In the end, Franklin had no choice but to release Merrick and send him to plead on their behalf—only then was Gabriel rescued.With the matter settled, they were deeply grateful to Isaac, though they all knew it had been a calculated move. What else could they do? After all, their son had behaved badly and been caught in the act.When Merrick learned of his mother's mistreatment of Courtney, he kept quiet for a time. However, once they were married, he made it clear that he wished to live separately. He didn't want to cause a rift in the family, but in Starhaven's official evaluations, being dutiful towards family mattered more than talent. A single accusation of being disloyal could end a person's career.Merrick's reason for wanting to live separately was perfectly reasonable—he said he needed peace and quiet to prepare for his upcoming exams. His family was too large, so the distractions would make it difficult to focus.
Her Graceful War Song Chapter 1595
I finally understood Cari's plan.Maya had made a scene at the Prince family's residence, and would naturally have to go there and apologize. But the real plan was to use the scandal around Gabriel's disgrace to put pressure on the Saunders family. From now on, even if Courtney married into their family, they would be too scared to mistreat her.With both leverage and a secret weapon in hand, it was a solid move.But for me, today was about getting some justice, especially with Maya. I wasn't going to leave without making my point.Once Michael and the others left, I turned to Maya. "I heard you say that your family is one of high standing and noble reputation. Truly, that's a laugh. What kind of noble family would kidnap a woman and make a scene by beating up someone at another person's residence?"I was ready to tear your whole house apart and expose your hypocrisy to the city today, but you're lucky. Since Merrick genuinely cares for Courtney, I don't want to make things too ug
Her Graceful War Song Chapter 1594
The reactions of the Saunders family were telling. They stood frozen, as if they couldn't believe what they were hearing. It was clear that no one in the capital had warned them, and they hadn't heard anything about it.Seizing the opportunity, I spoke again, my voice icy, "Who doesn't know that my husband, the third son of the Prince family, dotes on Courtney more than anyone? She's been wronged so severely, and he's beside himself with worry."I had to talk him out of rushing to the grand queen dowager to complain about this. But since I'm here, whoever it was that raised their hand against Courtney should step forward and accept the consequences."Isaac, while holding many positions in the capital, was most known as my husband, an apprentice of the Pathfinders Guild, the armory's overseer in the Ministry of Defense, and the owner of several enterprises in the capital. His connection to the Prince family was downplayed, but it still proved useful in situations like this.Among hi
Her Graceful War Song Chapter 1593
Let me tell you about the day the Saunders family crossed a line even I, Violet Spencer, couldn't ignore.It was beyond outrageous!The Saunders family held nothing more than a minor earl's title, yet Maya dared act so arrogantly! In all my years alive, I had encountered plenty of ill-mannered women, but never had I encountered one among the powerful and influential.When I heard that they had dragged Courtney out and slapped her, calling her shameless for having feelings for a young man, I wanted to storm into Averton Estate, break down their door, and give them a taste of their own medicine.Cari was angry too, but she reminded me that we couldn't just go rushing in without thinking. The most important thing was to check on Courtney and Viola—who knew if they might do something rash?I had to admit, Cari had been in court long enough to know how to handle these things. She could stay calm when it mattered most.I rushed straight to the Prince family's residence. As I feared, I
Her Graceful War Song Chapter 1592
When did I truly realize how wrong I was?It wasn't when Thomas returned, nor was it after my divorce from Barrett, nor even when the Prince family fell into misfortune.No, it was when talks were going on to arrange the marriage of my niece, Courtney.During the Prince family's fall from grace, I was imprisoned and narrowly escaped death. As I reflected on the past, I knew I had made mistakes and was willing to change. But I wasn't fully aware of just how deep my mistakes went.At the time, I thought it was all my own problem. No matter how much I suffered, it was my burden alone. No one else had the right to speak on it.I knew that my sister-in-law, Zoey, had suffered because of my stubbornness. She had worked tirelessly, running here and there, trying to help me, and perhaps I had grown accustomed to her always doing that for me. Because of that, I felt both gratitude and respect for her.Still, I wasn't ready to face the full weight of my past. I didn't want to dwell on it—i
Her Graceful War Song Chapter 1591
Carissa stopped and turned back to me. "Her family treats her well. It's just that things didn't go smoothly when they were arranging for her niece's marriage. Thankfully, that niece is now married to a good man."I think Viola worries that, being unmarried at her age—twice wed, no less—she might invite gossip. She doesn't want to burden her nephews and nieces or trouble her sister-in-law."I nodded, thinking of Zoey—the fierce woman who was also kind-hearted. She had one son and one daughter, as well as more children from her late husband's concubines. She had likely faced many challenges while arranging marriages for all her children. I imagined the amount of gossip and judgment she must have endured.I truly cared for Zoey like a sister-in-law, and I felt for all she had gone through."Think it over," Carissa said.I nodded, then glanced outside, where there wasn't a soul in sight.I couldn't help but ask, "Aren't you afraid that Prince Rafael might grow jealous, you being her
Her Graceful War Song Chapter 1590
At General Sullivan's 80th birthday celebration, I saw Carissa again. Before that, I had seen her a few times when she visited Victory Pass on occasion.We were like strangers now. We never spoke, but I would secretly see her off every time she left. I didn't know why I did that, or what I hoped to accomplish.I always carried a sense of guilt toward her.As for Aurora and Viola, I also felt I owed them something. But with them, it was a constant cycle of mutual exhaustion and arguments. They hurt me in the past, but I had also hurt them.But when it came to Carissa, it was my family and I who had wronged her. She never did anything to deserve it. Even after our divorce, she could have ignored my mother's illness. Instead, she helped Amelia learn how to obtain the Snowdrop Pills.When I saw Carissa at General Sullivan's birthday celebration, she was the regent's princess consort. The political affairs of the court were of little concern to us soldiers on the frontier. What mattere
