Icarus hadn't even seen how Carissa dodged the strike. He only knew that his long blade had cut through empty air. When he focused again, she was still standing there, as if she hadn't moved an inch.The lanterns on the carriage cast two faint glows, illuminating Carissa's face, which seemed a little pale. Her expression, cold as frost in the biting wind, softened into a smile directed at him.The smile sent an immediate shiver down Icarus' spine. In fact, it wasn't just a shiver—it was a sharp, painful jolt.It took him a moment to realize what had happened. Her whip had lashed through the air, striking him across the face and tearing away the black cloth covering his face. He spun around in midair, swiftly covering his face again.He leaped to the top of a wall and turned around just in time to see the red whip, coiling like a venomous snake, wrap around the neck of the suicide soldier on Carissa's left. With a powerful tug, she yanked him into the air, her feet pushing off towar
When Lisandra returned to Concord Lodge, she realized that neither Leroy nor Icarus had come back. A sense of unease gripped her heart; she felt that something had gone terribly wrong.Her uncle, Leroy, was the most reckless and troublesome member of the Stellwyn family. It wasn't that he lacked ability—on the contrary, he was bold and skilled—but his arrogance and impulsive, reckless behavior often led him to act without thinking.Lisandra turned to one of the female officials, Penny Durham, and ordered sharply in a firm tone, "Bring Amos to me! Immediately!"Amos was one of Westhaven's Secretaries of State and also Leroy's brother-in-law. The two had been in close discussion throughout the journey, so he certainly knew what Leroy and Icarus had planned for tonight.After returning to his room, Amos had been waiting for news. He knew exactly what Leroy was up to. This wasn't a spur-of-the-moment decision. Everything had been carefully arranged. When Amos had last seen Leroy, the m
Knowing that victory was all but assured, and with Edmund's royal edict backing him, Amos straightened his back, his expression firm. He furrowed his brow and said, "Your Highness, such words are unflattering. To speak of the fall of Westhaven with such certainty—that's not something I expect to hear from you. To belittle your own country like that is beneath someone of your position. I don't think Mr. Stellwyn's actions are in any way misguided. "As I've said, it's a two-pronged approach. If they're willing to negotiate, we're prepared to talk. But if they refuse, war will be inevitable. Capturing the Hell Monarch's wife is a move akin to what Aurora did to the former crown prince. Should war break out, having the Hell Monarch's wife as a prisoner on the battlefield at Victory Pass will force the Sullivan family's forces to retreat. It'll be just like how Marshal Liam signed that humiliating treaty after Aurora captured our crown prince."Lisandra's fury ignited as she slammed he
By the time it was nearly midnight, the lights in Glimmering Tower were still on. However, a 'Closed' sign hung at the entrance.The private room on the third floor, once a peaceful drinking space, now bore a jug of wine and a few small dishes set out for snacking.Rafael had come without his guards, and Leroy had only brought a single attendant who stood by the door. The wine was half-drunk, and though the two men spoke of tomorrow's negotiations, neither revealed any crucial details.Leroy's goal was to keep Rafael here for as long as possible without sharing anything important. He suspected the operation had already been completed and their target had already been captured.On the other hand, Rafael seemed to remain blissfully unaware of the plan. Leroy's satisfaction grew as he thought about how easily they had lured the Hell Monarch away. People always talked about how difficult Rafael was to deal with, yet it had only taken a few well-placed words to get him to fall into Lero
Leroy snapped back to reality and bolted down the stairs in a frenzy.Several guards in uniform stood by the counter in the lobby on the first floor, speaking with the messenger who had come to report.Leroy's heart skipped a beat. When he had arrived, there had only been the shopkeeper and a waiter—no guards. When had they arrived?The messenger was none other than Michael, accompanied by three others. Upon seeing Leroy, his face twisted with fury."Mr. Stellwyn, what is the meaning of this?! Did you try to assassinate Commander Sinclair?" he snarled.Leroy glanced around; not seeing Carissa, a surge of anger flared across his face. "Impossible! Don't slander us with baseless accusations!"Icarus couldn't have failed! The plan had been carefully set—his group of over ten against only three people. There was no way it could have failed. And with Icarus' skill, even if they were prepared for him, they could only have prevented the mission from succeeding. They couldn't possibly ha
Outside Arcane Sanctum, two lanterns hung, casting a faint glow. As Rafael and the others arrived on horseback, Carissa, supported by Violet, emerged from the building.The moment she stepped outside, Leroy's body stiffened and his heart pounded wildly. Had they truly failed?A wave of red fury flooded his eyes. It had to be Harvey—he was the one behind this! That traitor hadn't wanted to ally with Westhaven to rebel. He was sent by the king of Starhaven!Carissa's hair was slightly disheveled, and her injured arm was bandaged. She had changed into a new outer garment, likely brought to her by someone from home.Rafael immediately dismounted and quickly approached her under the flickering light, his voice laced with concern, asking, "Are you alright?"Carissa's tone was filled with frustration and grievance as she replied, "If I hadn't reacted quickly, Commander Icarus would have dislocated my entire arm. I don't know why he has such a deep grudge against me. To go so far as to
Rafael knew Leroy was an impulsive and reckless man. The trap had been easily defused, and Icarus had been captured on the spot. Now, Leroy would doubt Harvey and wonder if this was all part of a joint scheme. However, Rafael saw Leroy's mouth open and then immediately close. That indicated that while Leroy was rash, he wasn't foolish.However, Rafael wasn't disappointed and ordered, "Matthew, continue the interrogation." After giving his command to Matthew, he turned to Michael. "Take Mr. Stellwyn back to Concord Lodge and report this matter to Grand Princess Lisandra.""Understood!" Michael responded, then turned to Leroy. "Mr. Stellwyn, please follow me."Leroy glanced at Icarus, then adjusted the sleeve pocket where the king's edict was kept, signaling for Icarus to remain silent.Seeing the motion, Icarus' heart sank. He realized he had been discarded like a pawn. He had been caught on the spot, with no room to evade responsibility. Still, he couldn't let Westhaven's neg
"Impossible!" Leroy instinctively retorted. "No matter how skilled Lady Carissa is, can she really surpass Commander Icarus, the top fighter in Westhaven?""The fact is, she can—and she did," Lisandra replied coldly. "Not only that, but she captured him with ease. The so-called top fighter in Westhaven is too obsessed with scheming and power plays. His relentless pursuit of power has already determined the limits of his martial skills. Since you've already investigated Lady Carissa, you should know she's trained in the Pathfinders Guild since she was young. Do you even understand what kind of place the Pathfinders Guild is?""Isn't it just some martial arts guild? What's so special about that?" Leroy argued, still in denial. Despite the undeniable evidence—Icarus had been defeated by Carissa's whip—he refused to believe that her martial skills could be that advanced. If it had been the Hell Monarch who defeated Icarus, he wouldn't have doubted it for a second."A young woman from
Having failed to convince my mother, I went to my father. However, his response was even more severe.They thought I opposed the marriage because I hadn't spent time with Phineas. They were also convinced that since the match was already being arranged, it would be best for him to take me out and build some rapport between us.I didn't want to go, but my mother's maid forced me into the carriage. The maid was also told to watch me closely to ensure I didn't speak out of turn.Phineas looked all polished up, with shiny hair and a face like he had powdered it that morning. He initially showed me some respect, but soon enough, his true nature began to show. He made crude comments about my appearance, saying that if it weren't for my looks and the fact that I was from the Spencer family, he would never have considered marrying me.His condescending attitude made me uncomfortable. If that had been the worst of it, perhaps I would have simply let it go. But on our way back, he pinched me
Startled, I quickly turned around. Not far behind me stood a man, half-hidden in the shade of a tree. He wore a simple black outfit, his figure thin and unkempt, with dark circles beneath his eyes.It was him—the scholar from the bridge who sold paintings, the one Mr. Klein had called a hopeless case, a student who had dropped out to care for a woman."You're speaking nonsense," I exclaimed, wide-eyed, a shiver running through me at the thought of his strange words. "I've never heard of any water demons here. You're just trying to trick me."Though I had no fear of death, I was uneasy at the thought of demons, particularly if they were going to trap me beneath the mud."I'm not lying to you." Cassius stepped forward, his frail frame seeming even more fragile against the breeze. "If you look around, you'll see no one is here. Why else would such a lovely place be devoid of visitors?""That's because the people who come here are not tourists. They come to pray, and they leave once t
After a while, my cousin and her maid returned to find me. I asked the maid to hand thirty copper coins to Cassius. He smiled and thanked me kindly.I thought our meeting was just a chance encounter and I would never see him again. However, to my surprise, during Grandma's birthday celebration a month later, I saw him again.Our family was hosting a grand dinner, and Leonard Klein, a renowned scholar, had come with his apprentices. And there Cassius was, standing among them.In Ebonflow, the rules for social gatherings weren't as strict as in the capital, with women being allowed to be in the front hall during a banquet. Of course, Cassius didn't recognize me. After all, I had been wearing a veil when we first met, so he had only seen my eyes.He didn't stay long. After presenting Grandma with a beautiful painting, he quickly excused himself, saying he had business to attend to at home.Once he left, Mr. Klein spoke of him with a tone of regret, explaining, "He's a clever young man
Anyone who knew me, Liana Spencer, spoke of me with scorn. Even strangers who heard my story would spit on the ground and say I had no shame.Everyone knew that running away with a man was worse than theft or murder. It was a disgrace no family could easily bear.Many asked me the same question: Did I regret it?I never regretted marrying him, but I did carry guilt in my heart. Because of me, the Spencer family's name was dragged through the mud. My brothers, sisters, nieces, and nephews had a much harder time finding good matches because of my choices.As a daughter of the Spencer family, I lived in comfort from the moment I was born. I wore fine dresses, ate the best foods, and was showered with love. My parents doted on me, while my brothers spoiled me terribly.But there was something wrong with me.By the time I was fourteen, I still hadn't gotten my monthly courses. We consulted physician after physician, and I drank countless doses of bitter medicine, day and night. Yet, no
Snow fell softly in the dead of winter, blanketing Victory Pass in white. At that moment, the world seemed to have been made pure again.For years, I wore nothing but a tattered priest's robe. I carried a broken bowl and wandered from place to place, asking for food. I stopped only briefly at temples along the way to rest for a night or two and kneel before the statues to beg for forgiveness.I could have stayed at the first monastery I was sent to. Life there wasn't easy, but it wasn't so hard either. I had warm meals and shelter from the cold. But I knew if I stayed in comfort, I would never wash away my sins.Only by suffering, by staying on the road and bearing the cold, the hunger, the pain, could I find peace in my heart.And so, I came to Victory Pass.My sandals had long since fallen apart. Thick calluses had grown on my feet; I could walk barefoot over rocks and barely feel a thing. Even with every piece of clothing I owned layered over me, the winter cold still cut throug
It was during the Verdant Hunt that Connor fell out of favor with Dad, who scolded him harshly before we left the hunting grounds. Once we returned to the palace, Connor fell ill. Ryan and I were both terribly worried, but Mom was delighted.She held me close that evening, her smile sharper than usual. "After this, your father is sure to be tired of your brother."She told me I must work harder than ever, and to listen closely to the royal chancellor and my uncle."Study better than anyone. Earn their praise. And most importantly, outshine your brother," she said.My heart felt torn. Mom often spoke of the rewards that came with being crown prince, and I won't lie, I was tempted. However, those were all distant things.At the time, I was close to Connor, Ryan, and even our youngest brother, Cecil. We all got along so well. How could I possibly hate my older brother?Those thoughts tangled inside me, day after day. I lost focus. My studies slipped. I made mistakes during riding pra
Before I took the vows and entered the monastery, my name was Caden.From the time I was young, I often heard the same praise whispered around me: "This child is sharp beyond his years—clever, quick-witted, the finest of the three princes."I heard it so often that I came to believe it myself. At times, I even felt proud. But whenever I let that pride rise too high, Mom would bring me back to earth.She would look at me, her eyes soft but filled with something I couldn't quite name—pity, perhaps. And then, she would sigh and say, "What a pity you were born of my womb. If not, you might have risen above that foolish one. But fate favored him, not you."That "foolish one"—I knew well enough who she meant. I had heard her say it so many times in private, though never once in public.It puzzled me greatly as a child. Mom clearly disliked my eldest brother, Connor, more than anyone. Yet, whenever he came near, she would smile warmly and speak kindly. She would even flatter him, calling
Two childhood friends were now each giving their all on very different paths.Clarence had started with herbs, then medicine, and in time, healing became his entire world at Eldermere Keep. At first, it was merely something to pour his heart into, because he knew he would never be allowed to leave the mountain and open a medical hall of his own.But then Ryan came, and afterward, sent Clarence a letter.That letter changed everything.For the first time, Clarence began to hope that maybe, just maybe, he could go down the mountain after all. And once that hope took root, he threw himself into his studies with more energy than ever before. He barely slept, rarely left the apothecary, and sometimes forgot to eat.Because of the pain he had once endured, he focused his efforts on curing injuries and chronic pain. Of course, a good physician had to know more than one thing, so he studied every field without neglecting any.There was a fire inside him now. A quiet flame that had not bur
"Elise, must your mouth run on without end?" Carissa frowned at her daughter, who had been chattering away beside Ryan from the moment he stepped through the door.The little girl's face was flushed from the sun, her hair tangled into a messy nest that made it clear she had only just returned from playing outdoors. She hadn't stopped talking since Ryan came back from his travels, pestering him with questions about what he had seen and done.Elise turned to Carissa with wide eyes, looking up with a face so innocent it could soften stone. She truly had inherited the best features from both her parents."Mom, I haven't seen Ryan in such a long time. Every moment without him felt like an eternity. We've been apart for so long, so of course I have a lot to say to him."Carissa's frown deepened. "And who taught you to speak in such a ridiculous manner? An eternity—where did that come from?""Sage Isaac said it to Aunt Violet. He went back to Meadow Ridge for a few days and said it to her