Chapter 41
All the guests had left, leaving only a bunch of rowdy soldiers behind.
Rebecca was so angry she almost had a heart attack. The other family members looked at each other in disbelief. They had never seen a wedding, especially one granted by the king, turn into such a disaster. News of this would surely make the Warren family the laughingstock of the capital.
When Barrett found Amelia, he was unable to contain his anger any longer.
“Amelia, if you didn’t want to help with the wedding, you should have told me! Now, a perfectly good party has turned into a joke, and all the guests have left. How am I supposed to hold my head up in court after this?” he ranted, slamming the table..
An aggrieved Amelia let her tears fall freely.
“I made all the preparations according to the guest list. How was I supposed to know so many extra people would come? Was it my fault? Besides, this is the first time I’m managing the household!
“Whenever we had celebrations or tea parties, Carissa handled everything and never made any mistakes. Who knew so many people would show up this time?”
“Don’t mention her!” Barrett snapped, frustration mounting. “Even if you weren’t in charge previously, you should have known to prepare more seats for such an important event like a wedding.”
“I did prepare two extra tables,” Amelia said, turning to Benjamin with tears streaming down her face. Ask your brother. He said two extra tables would be enough because the guests were all high–ranking and wealthy. The food for the party was top–notch, with six courses being rare delicacies…”
In other words, they were limited by their budget.
Seeing Barrett berating his wife, Benjamin also got angry.
“Don’t yell at your sister–in–law. The wedding was already grand enough. Everything would have been perfect if it weren’t for the unexpected guests.”
Barrett retorted, “If you had prepared more seats, it wouldn’t have been a problem, even with the extra people. If money was an issue, you could have told me in advance and I would have found a way to
handle it!”
Clutching her chest, Rebecca shouted, “Enough! All of you, shut up!” She glared at Amelia. “And you, stop crying. This is a wedding, not a funeral. Wipe your tears!”
Amelia turned away and wiped her tears, feeling deeply wronged. She hadn’t wanted to take on this thankless task in the first place. If it hadn’t been for Rebecca forcing her, she wouldn’t have been involved at all!
Rebecca glanced at the rowdy soldiers enjoying themselves. She found them utterly repulsive, but since they were the only guests left, she had to tolerate them
“All of you, go out and drink with them. No matter what, they are our guests now. We’ll deal with the rest tomorrow.”
Barrett had no choice but to go out and put on a smile joining the soldiers in their drinking. The soldiers, seeing all the other guests leave, naturally felt slighted. They thought the nobles and officials looked
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down on them. Feeling insulted, they drank more than usual and soon decided to leave as well.
In the end, the wedding left everyone unhappy..
When Barrett returned to his and Aurora’s new room, he was greeted by an overturned table, food and drink spilled everywhere, and shattered dishes scattered across the floor. He was so angry he saw red.
“Was this really necessary?”
Aurora, who was sitting on the bed, turned to him. “After all the humiliation I’ve suffered, you think this isn’t warranted? I’ve never seen such a disgraceful wedding.”
Barely containing his rage, Barrett hissed through gritted teeth, “If you hadn’t invited them, none of this would have happened.”
Aurora stood up, her anger flaring. “Are you still going on about that? What was wrong with inviting them? They are my comrades. It was your sister–in–law who failed to prepare enough seats. I’ll definitely talk to her tomorrow. She ruined my wedding.”
Barrett looked at his wife, feeling more helpless than ever. On the battlefield, their arguments were about strategies and tactics, with each having their own valid points. Those disagreements never affected their relationship.
But now, this argument felt like senseless bickering, and he couldn’t help but see her actions as unreasonable.
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Chapter 42
Barrett stood silently for a moment before turning to summon someone to clean up the mess.
This was the woman he had fought so hard to marry. The wedding had indeed been disgraceful, and regardless of whose fault it was, her grief was genuine.
He decided to endure it. He couldn’t afford to feel even a hint of regret; he still wanted to see Carissa regret her decision!
If Carissa knew how embarrassing his and Aurora’s wedding had turned out, she’d probably laugh in
secret.
Meanwhile, at Northwatch Estate, Carissa had just finished working up a sweat at a martial arts practice session. After soaking in a hot bath, she asked Lulu to bring her a bottle of wine and proceeded to drink
alone.
This had been her routine for the past month–reading during the day and practicing martial arts at night. During her year at Valor Estate, she had neglected her martial arts training. Although she wasn’t entirely out of practice, her skills were not as sharp as before. She had to regain her strength.
Carissa was unaware that today was Barrett and Aurora’s wedding day. Under the strict supervision of Holly and Lily, the servants were forbidden to discuss anything related to the Warren family.
After Carissa had been drinking for a few minutes, Lulu lifted the curtain and slipped in quickly, holding a
note.”
“My lady, your senior has sent a reply via carrier pigeon
Carissa set down her cup and book, immediately taking the note and unfolding it. Her expression changed drastically after reading it.
“What’s wrong, my lady?” Lulu asked anxiously, noticing her mistress‘ reaction.
Carissa sat back in her chair, looking stunned for a long moment. “Lulu, bring me a bottle of fire liquor.”
Lulu was frightened. “My lady, has something terrible happened?”
Lulu had been with Carissa for many years. She had followed her from the estate to the guild and then back to the capital. She was also there when Carissa learned the required etiquette and married into the Warren family.
In their entire time together, Lulu had only seen Carissa drink fire liquor twice.
The first time was when they returned from Pathfinders Guild and learned that Carissa’s father and brothers had all perished at the Southern Frontier. And the second time was when everyone in Northwatch Estate was annihilated.
For Carissa to ask for fire liquor now, something very serious must have happened.
“Go get it!” Carissa’s breath was unsteady, and she was clearly anxious.
“Understood, my lady!”
Lulu quickly left to send someone to buy the fire liquor. There wasn’t any in the estate as the two senior
maids didn’t allow such strong liquor to be kept in the house.
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Once Lulu was gone, Carissa turned to the side and took a few deep breaths to steady herself. She needed to stay calm and rational. Getting up, she held the note she had received over a candle flame, watching as the fire consumed it.
The note read: [Aurora massacred surrendering villagers.]
Carissa’s suspicion had been correct–there was indeed a problem with that battle.
The conflict between Westhaven and Starhaven wasn’t about one kingdom wanting to invade the other. It was a long–standing dispute over border issues. However, both sides had an understanding–even if war broke out, they wouldn’t kill civilians or prisoners.
Aurora’s massacre of the villagers had broken this agreement, which was why Westhaven’s spies had gone to such lengths to slaughter the people of Northwatch Estate in retaliation.
Carissa’s maternal grandfather, Dominic, was in charge of the troops stationed at Victory Pass. Her father, Hector, had also defended the area, repelling Westhaven’s forces multiple times, So, Westhaven had taken out all their past and present grudges on Hector’s entire family. Their grudge was also likely worse because Carrissa was Barrett’s wife.
But what puzzled Carissa was that if Aurora had massacred the villagers, Westhaven should have been even more furious and gathered their forces to attack Victory Pass to avenge their innocent civilians who died unjustly.
Instead, they chose to surrender and sign a peace treaty with Aurora, settling the border dispute and promising not to fight again. Since Aurora had been the one to get the treaty signed, the Ministry of Defense credited her with the greatest merit, with Barrett a close second.
Why had Aurora been in charge? Where was Dominic?
Carissa couldn’t understand it. It seemed she would have to wait for her eldest senior to return from Victory Pass to learn the truth about the battle. The only thing she could be sure of now was that Westhaven’s spies had slaughtered her entire family because Aurora had massacred the surrendering xvillagers.
What she didn’t understand was why Aurora wasn’t punished for her actions. Instead, the king had credited her with the greatest merit.
Carissa knew the king was not a ruthless, bloodthirsty man. After ascending the throne, he had repeatedly issued edicts that civilians should not be harmed during conflicts between the two kingdoms.
Could it be that the king was unaware of this?
And what about her grandfather? What was his stance on Aurora’s massacre of the surrendering villagers? He had defended Victory Pass for many years without ever killing a single Westhaven civilian.
How could he have approved of Aurora’s actions?.
Chapter 43
Carissa needed to get her hands on the battlefield report Dominic sent back.
The reports first went to the Ministry of Defense, where a copy was made before the original was presented to the king. So, the Ministry of Defense should have copies of the battle report from Dominic as well as the victory report.
She would have to sneak into the Ministry of Defense.
There weren’t many people at the ministry at night, but all the ministry offices were located on either side of Thousand Street, which was adjacent to the royal palace. The royal guards didn’t patrol Thousand Street, but the guards from the garrison unit did.
But no matter what, Carissa had to see the battlefield report and the post–war memorial Dominic submitted.
One thing was certain–Dominic must have affirmed Aurora’s contributions, otherwise the Ministry of Defense wouldn’t have credited her.
The people of Westhaven were known for seeking revenge at all costs. If Aurora had massacred the villagers who surrendered, Westhaven wouldn’t easily let the matter go, regardless of the villagers‘ reasons for surrender.
The most likely outcome was that they would ally with Sandoria and join the fight at the Southern Frontier.
Carissa checked the map. If Westhaven wanted to reach the Southern Frontier without going through Starhaven, they would first need to go to Sandoria. From there, the journey to the Southern Frontier would take almost three months.
Sandoria was determined to win the Southern Frontier. But with the Hell Monarch leading the charge for Starhaven, Sandoria hadn’t succeeded and the battle was at a stalemate,
If Westhaven joined the battle, the Hell Monarch would surely lose. He wouldn’t be able to foresee that outcome or prepare for it in advance. Even if he did somehow know beforehand, without reinforcements, he would still lose.
Westhaven would spare no effort for revenge, as shown by their spies slaughtering Carissa’s entire family in the capital.
The battle for the Southern Frontier had dragged on for too long. Soldiers and horses were tired, and supplies were running out. The Hell Monarch must be in a difficult situation.
If Carissa’s guess was correct, the court couldn’t afford to delay and had to send reinforcements to the Southern Frontier immediately. If they gathered troops from the capital or Riverhold Garrison, they would take at least a month to reach the Southern Frontier.
But she had no evidence to prove Westhaven was sending troops to Sandoria, so she had to wait for news from her eldest senior.
Her priority now was to get the report on the battle at Victory Pass from the Ministry of Defense.
When Lulu brought in the fire liquor, Carissa was nowhere to be seen. Lulu searched everywhere–the martial arts hall, study, and garden–but found no trace of her mistress.
An anxious Lulu immediately summoned the four other personal attendants to search for her, as well as
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reported her disappearance to Holly and Lily. Soon, everyone in the mansion was mobilized to search, but there was no sign of Carissa anywhere.
It was Lulu who finally noticed that Carissa’s red whip was missing, confirming that she had gone out. The fact that she had taken the red whip out so late at night meant she likely was going to take action.
Holly and Lily exchanged glances with furrowed brows. They had known today was Barrett and Aurora’s wedding day, but hadn’t told Carissa.
Had Carissa also found out? Was she going to cause trouble for the Warren family?
But they immediately dismissed that guess. Carissa wouldn’t do that, she always acted decisively. Since she had even gone as far as to get the king to grant her a divorce, she wouldn’t get involved with the Warren family again.
“No need to search anymore. Everyone, go back to sleep. Lulu, you go back to Exquisite Pavilion and wait. Lady Sinclair will be back soon. She’s just out for a walk to sober up after drinking, Holly ordered.
“Yes, ma’am!”
Everyone dispersed and returned to their rooms.
Lulu returned to Exquisite Pavilion to wait. She was certain that her mistress hadn’t gone to Valor Estate. Though she didn’t know the contents of the note–since Carissa had instructed her to never open any of her messages–she knew Carissa’s disappearance must be related to it.
All Lulu could do was wait patiently for her mistress to return.
In the middle of the night, she heard a fluttering sound outside. She immediately got up and ran out to find that another pigeon had landed on the railing. She recognized the pigeon–it belonged to Carissa’s second senior. She carefully untied the note attached to its leg and hurried back inside.
On the same night, Carissa had received messages from both her eldest senior and second senior. Lulu guessed something big must have happened.
hapter 44
Under the cover of the night, Carissa successfully broke into the Ministry of Defense’s records room. It didn’t take much effort to find what she needed–all the reports from the battle at Victory Pass were neatly arranged on the top left shelf.
Using a special lamp called Night Pearl, covered with a light vell to dim its glow, Carissa hid in a corner to read the reports individually. After reading them all, she felt a chill run through her entire body as tears streamed uncontrollably down her cheeks.
Barrett and Aurora had gone to Victory Pass as reinforcements and had participated in the battles. despite their inexperience. During their first battle there, Carissa’s third uncle lost an arm while trying to save Barrett.
Meanwhile, her seventh uncle had died before the reinforcements even arrived. Carissa remembered him as a spirited young man; it was hard to imagine that he had fallen in battle.
Dominic had also been wounded by an arrow before the reinforcements arrived, leaving Barrett essentially in command for the final battles.
It was indeed Barrett and Aurora who had made the final desperate effort. They breached Fawnron City in Westhaven, where Barrett was in charge of burning the military supplies and provisions, while Aurora led the capture of several young Westhaven commanders and soldiers.
It was these captured commanders who had declared Westhaven’s surrender, with the peace treaty being signed at Fawnrun City. After that, Aurora led the troops back to Victory Pass and released the captured commanders.
The reports made no mention of the massacres and killings that Aurora had allegedly carried out. Dominic had either concealed them or genuinely had no knowledge of them. But as commander, regardless of whether or not he knew, he would surely be held accountable once Aurora’s actions were discovered.
Carissa returned the reports to their original places and used her Lightfoot Skill to leave the Ministry of Defense unnoticed.
When she returned to Exquisite Pavilion, Lulu was still waiting for her.
Seeing Carissa return in her night clothes, Lulu didn’t ask questions. She simply handed the note to her mistress and said, “Your second senior’s pigeon delivered this.”
Carissa immediately took the note and read it. She couldn’t help but gasp in shock. Her guess had been
correct.
Her second senior wrote that three hundred thousand troops from Westhaven had taken the route through Sandoria. Disguised as Sandorian soldiers, they were heading towards the Southern Frontier with Provisions.
Or rather, Westhaven was going all out to assist Sandoria in Westhaven had indeed allied with Sand their battle against Starhaven–for revenge and to obtain part of the Southern Frontier territory.
After contemplating, Carissa said, “Lulu, pick out an outfit for me. Tomorrow, I will seek an audience with the king.”
“Understood, my lady. Please rest first, it’s late now. I’ll prepare some chicken soup for you,” Lulu replied
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without asking further questions.
There were some matters she couldn’t assist with, so she focused on taking care of Carissa’s daily needs.
“No need to stew it further. You should go to sleep too, said Carissa, her voice hoarse from crying.
She took off her night clothes and placed them back in the cabinet. These clothes were made before she got married and hadn’t been taken to Valor Estate. Now, they fit loosely as she had lost weight over the
past year.
Lulu nodded and left. But instead of going to bed, she headed to the small kitchen to continue stewing the chicken soup. Come early in the morning, Carissa could add some milk and have it for breakfast.
Lulu sighed. Carissa was so pitiful and must be having a hard time!
The next morning, after the court assembly, Salvador went to visit the empress dowager.
He had received reports from the Southern Frontier indicating that his younger brother had already recaptured many territories, leaving only Ilyrian City and Simonton City under enemy control. He believed they would be reclaimed within a month, restoring the entire Southern Frontier to Starhaven.
Because of that, Salvador was in high spirits today.
Before he reached the empress dowager’s chambers, Derek came to him and reported, “Your Majesty, Lady Sinclair seeks an audience. She’s waiting outside the palace gates.”
“Is she here to visit the empress dowager? Let her in,” the king replied.
Derek shook his head. “Your Majesty, Lady Sinclair isn’t here to visit the empress dowager. She claims to have urgent matters to discuss with you.”
Salvador remembered that yesterday was Barrett and Aurora’s wedding day. Despite it being a disastrous ceremony that embarrassed the Warren family, they had successfully wed. Was Carissa’s visit to the palace today due to lingering discontent?
If so, why had she sought a divorce edict? Salvador had even made sure to make all the necessary post- divorce arrangements for Carissa. If she were to cause trouble again out of discontent, it would truly be Immature of her.
Salvador didn’t want to deal with their romantic entanglements. He felt annoyed, but then recalled. Carissa’s youthful appearance from her last visit to the palace. Seeing her back then had made him soften and allow her to seek him out if she had any concerns. He had meant it as mere comfort, but she seemed to have unexpectedly taken it seriously.
Though Carissa’s visit disturbed Salvador’s good mood and irritated him, he suppressed his anger and said, “Lead her to the study.”
He wanted to see what she would demand this time. If it was too unreasonable, he would reprimand her sternly.
Chapter 45
In the study, Salvador gazed at Carissa, who was kneeling on the white marble floor.
She wore a plain white dress cinched at the waist, with a blue cloak draped over her shoulders. Unlike her previous visits, her hair was tied up in a high ponytail with a simple white silk ribbon, not styled in the elaborate manner of a married woman.
Her complexion was pale, and there was a faint redness under her eyes as well as a hint of dark circles. She looked as if she hadn’t slept all night. There were also remnants of tears on her eyelashes.
Despite all that, she still looked stunning. Her eyes seemed sorrowful, yet lacked any hint of vulnerability. Instead, they harbored a sense of strength and determination.
“Greetings, Your Majesty!” Carissa said hoarsely.
After Lulu went to bed last night, Carissa had cried under her covers for a long time.
“Have you been crying?” Salvador frowned slightly, a hint of displeasure in his eyes. “Is it about Barrett and Aurora’s wedding?”
Carissa shook her head.
Before she could speak, Salvador continued, “You sought the divorce edict yourself. Since the divorce is final, their marriage is no longer your concern. Why worry over past matters? If you can’t let go, you shouldn’t have asked me for the divorce in the first place.”
Salvador’s voice sounded gentle, but there was a hint of annoyance.
Fearing the king would interrupt her again, Carissa quickly said, “Your Majesty, I didn’t cry because of Barrett. Since we’ve divorced, I harbor no emotions for him.
“I cried because I received a letter from my senior, and I learned of the sacrifice of my seventh uncle, the loss of my third uncle’s arm, and my grandfather’s arrow wound that has yet to heal.”
She naturally didn’t mention she had learned this from sneaking a peek at the military reports in the Ministry of Defense‘ records room.
Taken aback, Salvador sighed softly. “I intended to keep all that from you. After all, your family was wiped out just six months ago,
“Carissa, your seventh uncle sacrificed himself for the country. He is a hero of the kingdom. I have already decreed to posthumously honor him as a heroic divine general. Don’t grieve too much, lest it harm your health.”
Tears welled in Carissa’s eyes, but she forced them back. “I understand that they were warriors, like my father and brothers. Serving the country in war was their destiny.
“Today, I seek an audience for another matter. My eldest senior discovered that three hundred thousand soldiers from Westhaven have entered Sandoria. They’ve disguised themselves as Sandorian soldiers. and are heading towards the Southern Frontier battlefield.”
Upon hearing this, Salvador immediately frowned and exclaimed, “That’s nonsense! Utterly ridiculous!”
Westhaven had just signed a peace treaty with Starhaven, establishing borders neither side would cross. If Westhaven dared to break the treaty immediately, wouldn’t they lose all credibility? Who would still
want to trade with or have any dealings with Westhaven?
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Moreover, just yesterday, Salvador had received reports from the Southern Frontier saying the war was nearing its end, which was a monumental achievement
Reclaiming the Southern Frontier was a lifelong aspiration of Salvador and his younger brother since childhood. It was also an important matter that Salvador’s grandfather and father never forgot about, even on their deathbeds.
With the battle in the Southern Frontier having dragged on for so long, Sandoria was already weakened. Victory was imminent, yet Carissa claimed three hundred thousand soldiers from Westhaven were on the way to aid Sandoria.
How could that be possible?
While Sandoria and Westhaven were friendly and engaged in cultural exchanges and trade, they had never formed a military alliance.
Carissa knew Salvador wouldn’t easily believe her, so she presented a letter. “My eldest senior wrote this letter. Your Majesty, please read it and decide for yourself whether to believe it or not. My eldest senior’s name is Kyle Spencer.”
Kyle had naturally not written this letter, the information Carissa spoke of had been discovered by her second senior.
However, Kyle had become a wandering swordsman at the age of eighteen. Starhaven Chronicles, the book he wrote recording the famous mountains and rivers in the kingdom, had gained a great reputation In Starhaven.
Carissa had imitated Kyle’s handwriting to create this letter. If she had said it was information from her second senior’s investigation, the king certainly wouldn’t have believed her.
Last night, she thought it over after calming down. She believed those at the Southern Frontier would soon face a dire situation. If the court didn’t send reinforcements, the Hell Monarch would almost certainly lose the battle, and the soldiers stationed there wouldn’t be able to return.
It was an urgent situation that needed to be dealt with immediately. Westhaven’s large army had already entered Sandoria and was heading straight for the Southern Frontier. Even if reinforcements were sent now, they might be too late.
As for how to settle what had happened at Victory Pass and Fawnrun City, and whether her grandfather would be implicated, that could be considered later.
Everyone in Starhaven keenly felt the loss of the Southern Frontier.
When Hector was alive, he often said he would be able to die with no regrets if he could reclaim the Southern Frontier. And he had indeed reclaimed it once, but unfortunately wasn’t able to hold onto it to the end.
Ultimately, Sandoria had come back and reclaimed it.
Now, Starhaven needed to focus all their efforts on the Southern Frontier and the lives of the two hundred thousand soldiers fighting there!
Chapter 46
When Salvador heard that Kyle sent the letter, he was quite surprised. He quickly ordered Derek to hand it to him.
As he read the letter, he recognized the handwriting–it really did seem to be Kyle’s. When he was the crown prince, he had the honor of receiving a calligraphy piece from Kyle, so he was familiar with his script.
The letter mostly described Kyle’s travels, but the last part was different.
[After climbing Rocky Mountains, I saw thousands of Westhaven soldiers all dressed in Sandoria uniforms. They were also carrying provisions. Sandoria’s third prince personally welcomed them into the territory.
[This puzzles s me greatly. Was Westhaven allying with Sandoria? But why would they bring nearly 300,000 soldiers into Sandoria? I trailed them quietly, and found that they were heading towards the Southern Frontier battlefield.
[I fear they might be planning to attack our troops in the Southern Frontier. This is a serious matter. Please consider whether to report this to the king…]
Carissa kept her head down the whole time, feeling a bit uneasy. She was worried the king might notice something was wrong.
After reading, Salvador asked Derek to bring Kyle’s calligraphy for comparison. The handwriting was indeed the same.
However, Salvador had a deep love for calligraphy and a thorough understanding of scripts. Because of this, he noticed that while the handwriting resembled Kyle’s
it also bore signs of deliberate imitation.
Moreover, it was impossible for Kyle to actually write this letter in Sandoria. Sandoria didn’t have this type of paper. This particular paper was produced in Starhaven. Since Sandoria invaded the Southern Frontier, the two countries have ceased trade, and Sandoria couldn’t obtain this paper.
Upon closer inspection of the ink’s scent, he confirmed it was a product from Lotus Library in the capital. Although the aroma wasn’t extraordinary, he had frequently purchased Lotus Library inks during his time. as the crown prince and could easily identify it.
So, this letter was a fake.
Carissa could tell from the king’s expression that he had seen through the forgery. He was wise and capable, and held Kyle in high regard, so he must have studied Kyle’s calligraphy closely.
She hadn’t come up with a better plan in the rush, because deploying the reinforcements couldn’t be -delayed even for a day.
Salvador turned to her with a severe expression.
“Do you realize that with this forged letter, I could have your head cut off? There’s a limit to this nonsense! You asked for the divorce yourself, and now, you’re unhappy? What do you really want? You’re a disciple of Pathfinders Guild. Aren’t you afraid of bringing shame to your guild by acting this way? Do you want to disgrace your guild with your actions?”
The king’s interrogation left Carissa with no choice but to confess the truth.
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“Your Majesty, I admit the letter is fake. You may punish me as you see fit, but the information in the letter is true. I swear on my life!”
“Nonsense!”
Salvador slammed his desk, his expression both stern and disappointed.
“Now that you’re the only one left in the Duke of Northwatch’s family, should I take your life and leave the duke’s lineage extinct?
“Do you not understand my intentions? I broke tradition to allow your future husband to inherit the title, ensuring you a life of honor and wealth! This was earned by your father and brother’s sacrifices. How can you squander it like this? Forging this letter to send more troops–do you want Barrett and Aurora back on the Southern Frontier battlefield? The battlefield is dangerous–do you wish for them to die there?
*Carissa, how did you become like this? Must you make yourself so detestable?”
The scolding, laced with humiliation, made Carissa’s cheeks flush and her ears burn. “Your Majesty, I did forge the letter, and the information wasn’t from my eldest senior. It was sent to me by my second senior through a carrier pigeon. I claimed it was from my eldest senior because I feared you wouldn’t believe my second senior…”
“Enough!” The king’s face grew colder. “This is absurd! Your second senior is just a woman. Even if she knows martial arts, how could she understand military matters or infiltrate Sandoria to learn about Westhaven’s forces?”
Carissa knew he would think this way. Ultimately, no method seemed to work.
“Your Majesty…”
The king cut her off, and shouted, “Guards, escort Lady Sinclair back to her residence! Post guards to watch her around the clock. She is not to leave her home until the end of the year.”
With that, he stood and left, his robe sweeping behind him. Carissa tried to follow, but the royal guards immediately stopped her.
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Chapter 47
Carissa couldn’t fight the royal guards. Otherwise, the king would be even more convinced she was causing trouble over Barrett and Aurora’s marriage.
As she watched the king’s retreating figure, she quickly said, “Your Majesty! My father was a great general of Starhaven, and my brothers were formidable junior generals who struck fear into our enemies. I may not be as capable as them, but I won’t let personal feelings interfere with matters of the state. Since I divorced Barrett, it’s a clean break. Please believe me this once!”
Salvador stopped, but didn’t turn around.
“If you know that the Duke of Northwatch and the junior generals were great heroes, then don’t do things that tarnish their names. I can grant you honor, and I can also take it away. Go back. I will pretend you weren’t here today. Take care of yourself,” he said coldly.
With that, he strode away.
Carissa lowered her hands in frustration.
Tarnish their names?
Did others, even the king, see her as someone who only caused trouble over personal issues? Did they think that Hector’s daughter couldn’t set aside personal feelings?
She had left home for the Pathfinders Guild when she was young. She returned to the capital two years ago, and spent the first year learning to be a proper lady from her mother.
In her second year, she served her mother–in–law and managed the Valor Estate.
At least in the capital, she had never done anything inappropriate. Yet because of the divorce, people saw her as petty and narrow–minded?!
With a heavy heart, she left the royal study. The royal guards followed her, ensuring she went straight home, fearing she might cause more trouble.
Back at Northwatch Estate, Frederick wasn’t surprised to see the guards. He simply smiled and greeted them.
“Gentlemen, please come in for some tea.”
“No need. We have orders to stay at the gate and not disturb Lady Sinclair,” the guards said coolly.
Frederick didn’t know what had happened, but he instructed the servants to bring tea and snacks to the gate. Then, he closed the door.
Once the door was shut, Frederick asked Carissa, “My lady, what happened?”
Carissa entered the main hall, removed her cloak, and sat down. She then sent for Holly and Lily.
“The king has people watching me every day now. I don’t know how long it will last, but I have urgent matters to attend to outside. After I leave, the estate must operate as if I were still here. Hide my absence as long as possible. If it becomes impossible to hide, say I’ve returned to the guild,” she said.
Frederick was an old servant of the household, and he understood that Carissa wasn’t your typical noble lady.
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“My lady, go and do what you need to do. I will look after the estate,” he said.
Holly and Lily nodded in agreement. The frequent pigeon messages over the past few days indicated something was amiss.
“When do you plan to leave, my lady?” Lily asked.
Carissa’s expression was resolute, her beauty mark appearing particularly vivid. “Tonight. Leaving the estate isn’t difficult, but I need a horse. Find a way to get my horse to the countryside villa.”
Her chestnut horse was fast and well–trained, She needed to reach the Southern Frontier battlefield quickly to inform the Hell Monarch, so he could prepare a strategic defense in advance.
“That’s easy. Lady Heather’s daughter, Princess Leona, will be getting married in two days. I’ll ride the horse to deliver a wedding gift, then take the horse to the countryside villa. I’ll buy another horse to bring back,” Frederick said.
Carissa remembered her cousin’s upcoming wedding. The date had been set when she was still at Valor Estate, and Heather had sent an invitation.
It was reasonable for her to give a wedding gift, as her mother had been close to her aunt. It was unfortunate she couldn’t attend her cousin’s wedding, but there was no choice.
“Good, let’s do that,” she said. “The royal guards won’t restrict your movements. Lily, I’m close with my cousin. Go to the storeroom and pick some good things for her.”
“Understood, my lady.” Lily turned, and left immediately.
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Chapter 48
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, he understood.
Heather looked down on Carissa because of her divorce and saw her gift as bringing bad luck. Hence, she rejected it.
Though angered, Frederick maintained his composure. It was a mark of his upbringing in a noble household. “In that case, please convey our lady’s best wishes to the princess. Goodbye.”
“We won’t see you out,” Simon replied coldly.
Frederick was furious. He knew all the rumors that had been spreading during the past month while Carissa remained confined in the estate.
Everyone said she couldn’t tolerate Barrett taking a concubine, and was jealous and disrespectful to her in, -laws. They said Barrett could have divorced her outright, but the king granted a divorce edict to Carissa out of respect for her family’s loyalty.
Still, it shouldn’t matter if people were saying these things. After all, Heather and Carissa’s mother, Melanie, were biological sisters.
When Melanie was still alive, her bond with Heather was strong and they were very close. When Heather had problems giving birth to Leona, Melanie called for Sebastian to save Heather and the child.
Carissa had suffered so much with the Warren family, but her aunt hadn’t helped. Now, they insulted her by refusing her gift.
What had Carissa done to deserve this?
Despite his anger, Frederick didn’t forget his duties: He took the horse to the countryside villa outside the city, leaving the gifts there temporarily. He would retrieve them after Carissa had left to spare her feelings.
He bought another horse and some travel provisions, then stopped by Sebastian’s office to purchase medicines for colds, epidemics, and injuries.
Frederick didn’t say anything, but Sebastian saw the medicine he was buying and gave him several bottles. “Take these to your lady. She knows how to use them.”
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Frederick tried to pay, but Sebastian glared at him. “Just take them.”
ederick bowed deeply. At this point, Sebastian was the only person out of the Sinclair family who was
willing to help Carissa. Frederick made a mental note to remember this kindness.
When Frederick returned to Northwatch Estate, he saw a carriage woman who looked exhausted and distressed.
marked outside. Lily was talking to a
“Please, let me see Carissa! I have something important to ask of her,” the woman pleaded earnestly.
“Lady Sinclair has divorced Barrett. Whatever matters you have don’t concern her. Ma’am, please leave and don’t cause a scene,” Lily said coldly.
“Please, Lily. My mother–in–law has fallen ill. I couldn’t get Sebastian, and I can’t buy Snowdrop Pills from the physician’s office. Everyone’s making things difficult for me, and I have no other option-”
“Ma’am!” Lily interrupted her. “The general and his new wife are accomplished and capable. If they can’t solve a problem, it’s not something our lady should be troubled with. You know how well Lady Sinclair treated you before. I don’t expect you to remember her past kindness, but at least don’t create more trouble for her. She doesn’t need more rumors of being disrespectful.”
Amelia grabbed Lily’s hand, her face filled with desperation.
“Lily, I know Carissa was good to me. Please talk to her and ask her to help me one more time. I had nothing to do with the rumors! It wasn’t me who spread them…. I’ll be in trouble with my mother–in–law if don’t get Sebastian to treat her!”
Lily shook off her hand, and glanced at Frederick. “Mr. Carter, let’s go back inside.”
Chapter 49
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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 gift in the villa’s annex. My lady shouldn’t notice it when she goes there tonight to get her horse. Let’s not tell her about this,” Frederick said.
“Yes, we should keep it from her. No need to upset her, Lily agreed.
Lily didn’t mention Amelia’s visit to Carissa, not wanting the Warrens‘ issues to affect her before her departure tonight.
Frederick brought Sebastian’s medicines to the Exquisite Pavilion and handed them to Carissa. Opening the package, she saw various medicines, including a bottle of Snowdrop Pills, which were very valuable and excellent for treating heart conditions. 1
“How much did these cost? Did you pay him?” Carissa asked.
“He didn’t accept any payment. He just told me to take them.”
Carissa nodded. “Alright, I’ll hold onto these for now and pay him back when I return.”
She opened another bundle, which contained some pastries and travel provisions.
“It looks like it’s going to snow. If you get caught in a snowstorm and can’t find an inn, these will come in handy,” Frederick said.
“Thank you,” Carissa said softly.
Frederick turned away slightly. “Have you finished packing?”
“I’ve packed everything.” Carissa said, placing all the tems into her bulging bundle. She smiled, but her eyes glistened with emotion. “Frederick, I’ll be relying on you and the maids to take care of everything while I’m gone.”
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“Don’t worry about anything here. Just come back safely,” Frederick replied.
He didn’t know where Carissa was going, but he was deeply concerned, especially seeing the amount of medical supplies Sebastian had given Carissa.
Carissa looked at him with slightly reddened eyes. “Fredrick, what weapon did my father favor?”
“A guisarme!” Frederick’s eyes lit up as he remembered Hector practicing with the glaive in the snow. His movements were swift and powerful, and they left an unforgettable impression.
“When you went to the Pathfinders Guild, the Duke of Northwatch gave you a spear with a red ribbon, right? You could barely hold it back then,” he added, reminiscing.
Carissa went to the weapons room, and retrieved the gleaming silver spear with its striking red ribbon. The silver spearhead and the red ropes tied at the junction of the spearhead and shaft were dazzling.
Her father had named it the Rose Spear because it was both sharp and beautifully adorned with rose carvings. Hidden within the roses were mechanisms that released small arrows when pressed. The red ribbon swayed with the spear’s movements, making it a weapon that struck fear into her enemies‘ hearts. With a single thrust, the Rose Spear produced a resonating hum in the air. Carissa leaped into the air, caught the spear, and spun it around. The fallen leaves on the ground were swept into a corner.
With another thrust, the piled leaves scattered like they were blown by a northern wind. As she moved through the whirling leaves, her spear stirred up dust wherever it went.
One sweep, and the ground was covered in leaves.
Two sweeps, and pebbles flew into the air.
Three sweeps, and a fierce wind followed her movements.
Dressed in her white robes, Carissa moved as fast as lightning. If not for the red ribbon on her spear, 
would have been impossible to track her movements.
Even if one could, the unpredictable nature of her spear made it impossible to anticipate where the spearhead would strike next!
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Chapter 50
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..
The Hell Monarch was currently fighting Sandoria at the Southern Frontier. He would know Sandoria’s movements, but Starhaven spies couldn’t penetrate deep into Sandoria. That made it hard for the Hell Monarch to adjust his tactics quickly with his limited forces.
Snow began to fall, the light flakes resting on the branches. It was already past noon, and the sky was a blanket of white.
The beautiful snowfall went unnoticed by Carissa, who was busy planning how to reach the Southern Frontier as quickly as possible. Her chestnut hors
could travel a thousand miles a day, but realistically, five hundred miles a day was more accurate.
She couldn’t travel nonstop, and had to allow her horse time to rest. She estimated it would take five days to reach the Southern Frontier, but that was a conservative estimate. If her horse was fast, she could make it in four days.
Carissa held the Rose Spear, and went inside. Snow brought her hot tea, which she sipped on before instructing, “Tell Lulu to bring in my pigeon cage and prepare the writing materials.”
During her eight years at the Pathfinders Guild, she had been reckless at first. She had run around the mountains every day until she was pinned down and beaten, unable to fight back. That was when she started practicing diligently.
By the time she was thirteen, she had exceptional talent and almost no rivals in the guild except for her master and the elders.
The Pathfinders Guild was in Meadow Ridge, and many other guilds surrounded it within a hundred miles. After challenging her seniors, she felt invincible and started challenging other guilds, making many enemies. But in her youthful arrogance and loyalty, many of those she had offended eventually became
her friends.
Carissa wrote a few letters, each with the same message: [Urgent! Head to the Southern Frontier battlefield!]
She tied the notes to the pigeons‘ legs, and released them all.
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With that task done, she planned to bathe and rest before setting off that night. Just as she was about to lie down, Lily came in for a report.
“My lady, Madam Charlotte is here with Madam Amella. Madam Amelia already came earlier today, but I turned her away. I didn’t expect her to return with Madam Charlotte.”
If it were anyone else, Lily wouldn’t have bothered to report it. However, Charlotte had always stood up for Carissa and even spoke out against Rebecca’s actions. When the people in Northwatch Estate were massacred six months ago, Charlotte helped arrange the funeral.
Lily felt it was appropriate to inform Carissa, and let her decide whether to meet them.
“Invite them in and lead them to the sunroom. I’ll be there shortly,” Carissa said.
The Northwatch Estate sunroom was in the front courtyard’s side hall. Besides the rear courtyard, this was the only place where the floors were warm.
In the sunroom, Amelia looked anxious. She frequently glanced around and muttered, “Why isn’t she here yet?”
Charlotte, meanwhile, was sitting calmly on a chair. She had removed her white fox fur scarf and set aside her hand warmer due to the room’s warmth.
Hearing Amelia’s incessant muttering, Charlotte frowned. “This is Northwatch Estate. The front and back courtyards are far apart. Do you think it’s like the Valor Estate, where a few steps take you everywhere?” Amelia was embarrassed. “I’m just worried. Mom has been in pain all day.”
Charlotte snorted. “I can’t believe she’s shameless enough to send you here.”
“But Aunt Charlotte, aren’t you also here? Aren’t we the same?” Amelia retorted.
“The same? How so?” Charlotte said coldly.
In her case, she was using this as an excuse to check on Carissa. She had been worried about how Carissa had been faring this past month.
She wouldn’t be at ease until she saw Carissa.
