Ignorance was the most frightening thing.Derek shook his head. “I don't know anything. I’m just following orders.”His simple statement refrained Harvey from asking further questions. The king’s will was akin to divine authority—punishment was also a form of reward.After Derek left, the couple looked at each other in confusion. They served the empress dowager, and the king even graciously allowed her to stay with them at Hartstone Estate. They were generally on good terms, so why were they being punished without explanation?They hadn’t done anything wrong, or dared to do anything wrong. It was truly strange!-In the depths of winter, heavy snow had blocked the path of Barrett's troops. Although they had rushed out of the capital, the snow had fallen continuously for two days, covering everything with a thick layer. The severe cold wasn’t the only issue; progress had been severely delayed due to the heavy snowfall. Each step was difficult, making it hard to pull one’s foot
“I lost count after thirty,” Carissa said, raising her arm. The Rose Spear felt incredibly heavy. War was truly exhausting.“I counted—I killed fifty!” Bun tried to jump up with a fancy flip, but ended up face-planting to the ground instead. Because there were too many people on the battlefield, Bun's sword had been knocked away. He ended up using his fists and feet to fight before finally retrieving his weapon after the enemy forces had retreated.“I killed sixty-three,” Violet reported.Rafael's deputy, Dylan, approached them, covered in blood and grime.Carissa sat up first, then used the Rose Spear to help herself stand. “Deputy Ziegler!”“Carissa!” Dylan’s eyes sparkled with surprise and excitement. “Do you know how many enemies you’ve killed?”“No, I lost count,” Carissa replied.Dylan clapped his hands in delight.“The marshal personally counted the enemies you killed. You used your spear to pierce their throats—just counting those, there were over three hundred! Th
In Ilyrian, Westhaven's marshal, Liam Simmons, stood on the city walls, watching the Starhaven soldiers in the distance. Hatred and anger burned in his eyes.“They won't be able to defend the Southern Frontier,” he said coldly, his gaze almost fiery enough to incinerate the distant Starhaven troops.“Your soldiers are injured and exhausted. Take a few days to rest before attacking again,” suggested Sandoria's marshal, Victor.Liam shook his head. His white hair was covered by a thick hat, and he exhaled clouds of white breath. Gripping the wall’s stone bricks, he said, “No! We can’t let them enjoy their victory for too long. We will resume the attack the day after tomorrow. Within three days, we must capture Tower City.”Victor was indifferent. Most of the soldiers on the front lines were from Westhaven, and they had brought their own soldiers and supplies.“We’ve investigated the matter you asked about. The general Aurora Yates is indeed among the Starhaven reinforcements, and is
Back in the camp, Carissa managed to compose herself. Despite her promotion to regiment commander, she still had to share a small tent with Cynthia and the others. The only difference was the addition of two new blankets sent from Tower City.Since Bun and Travis were men, a curtain was drawn in the middle of the tent for privacy while they undressed to tend to their wounds.Everyone had suffered minor injuries, though nothing serious. The cold weather made the pain more intense than usual.Carissa handed out medicine for their injuries, but no one needed it. After all, everyone going to battle brought their own supplies, and each guild had its own healing remedies.Carissa took back the medicine. “Never mind.”“Carissa, I heard your ex-husband and his new wife are coming to support us. Won’t that be awkward when you meet them?” Cynthia asked while dressing and cleaning up the powdered medicine on the floor.“Awkward? Not at all,” Violet snorted, her face as cold as frost. “Jus
A large hand picked up the fallen wine pouch. The man twisted it open and sniffed the contents, and his eyes shone with delight. However, his words were filled with anger. “How dare you hoard fine wine in the military camp? This will be confiscated!”With that, he turned and stormed off.Carissa sat on the ground, rubbing her nose and blinked away tears. She could only vaguely see a tall figure darting back toward the command tent.“The marshal confiscated it,” Bun said, stunned. Then, he sighed deeply. “Even a sip would have been fine. Why make such a fuss? Now it’s gone.”Violet didn’t expect Rafael to come by either, and chuckled. “Do you really think I just had one pouch when my bag is so huge?”Bun and Travis hurried inside, singing Violet's praises. Then, they quickly drank another pouch of wine that Violet had stashed away.It was refreshing!-The call to arms for the second battle sounded, and the ground shook with the pounding of iron hooves, as if the earth itsel
Carissa's hair was a tangled mess. It was stiff with dried blood from the battle, and there were strands clumped together in all directions. Even a bird's nest looked better.Her wooden armor was torn and stained with blood, and her face was a canvas of grime and mud. She hadn't bathed or washed herself in many days, and even the beggars on the street would appear neater compared to her.“Are you uncomfortable?” Rafael asked, recalling how vibrant and lively she had been each year when visiting the Pathfinders Guild. She seemed like a completely different person now.Carissa’s cracked lips parted to utter a single word. “Hungry!” Rafael snorted. “Yes, we’re all hungry. Just bear with it.”“I’m so exhausted!” Carissa replied weakly, “I’m so tired I can barely stand.”“Carissa!” Rafael said sternly. “Do you realize that no general in Starhaven’s history has defeated so many enemies on their first battlefield? Not even your father! You’ve done something remarkable. So, hold your
That night, Carissa couldn't sleep.Despite being at the front line for days, she usually slept soundly even when half-starved, except for the first and the current day when she was full. But tonight, even after a satisfying meal, she couldn’t get any rest.The hardships of the front lines were terrible, and she admired her father and brothers for enduring it for so many years. She herself could endure, but she hadn’t explained her situation with Barrett to Rafael and the other generals, and it felt wrong.How could she explain? That her mother had chosen a man who, after gaining some achievements, threw her to the side and wanted to marry a female general like Aurora? People might think she came to the Southern Frontier to prove she was better than Aurora.She didn’t care about the gossip in the capital, but on this battlefield where her father and brothers had sacrificed so much, she didn’t want her loyalty and dedication to her father's legacy to be mistaken for jealousy.
Tears instantly welled up in Carissa's eyes. “You can’t blame her. Now, I’m the only one left in my family.”That was something she hadn’t shared with her friends. It was her deepest pain, something she couldn’t talk about without trembling with grief.Travis and Bun abruptly threw back the curtain, their faces showing shock and horror in the darkness. They exchanged a stunned glance with Cynthia and Violet, and said in unison, “What?!”Carissa buried her head in her knees, hot tears streaming down her face. “They were killed by Westhaven spies lurking in the capital. All the spies from Westhaven were mobilized, and my entire family was wiped out. At that time, I was still Barrett’s wife and living at the Valor Estate, so I avoided that massacre. But if I hadn’t married, they might still be alive.”Her friends were horrified.The destruction of an entire family was a devastating blow.The four of them moved closer, embracing Carissa and sharing her grief. “Carissa, don’t cr