Her Graceful War Song (Carissa Sinclair)

"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 a guild-just how powerful could she really be?" Amos chimed in, echoing Leroy's disbelief. He simply couldn't accept that a woman could be this formidable.

Lisandra cast a sharp look at the two men, labeling them as fools. Their skepticism stemmed from their ignorance, and their ignorance was rooted in arrogance. They would never understand the sheer effort and sacrifice it took for a woman to enter court as an official. The blood, sweat, and tears were unimaginable.

Not just in Starhaven-even in Westhaven, where female officials were chosen once every three years. Candidates would burn the midnight oil, not daring to slack off even a little. Many survived on just three hours of sleep a night, all for a shot at one of the mere three positions available every cycle.

As for Starhaven, there was only one female official currently serving-Carissa. If her martial arts skills weren't unparalleled, how could she possibly hold the position of commander of the Mystic Army? She had even fought on the battlefield and earned military merits. Of course, in the men's eyes, it was all because the Hell Monarch had elevated her to this position. Even so, how many princes could successfully push their wives into positions of real power throughout history?

Lisandra didn't bother explaining further. Instead, she issued an order, "Gather everyone. Since you've caused such trouble, we'll need to adjust our strategy for tomorrow's negotiations."

"Adjust the strategy? Are you suggesting we back down?" Leroy's head snapped up, his eyes blazing with dissatisfaction. "No way. Absolutely not! If the worst comes to worst, we'll just fight!" Lisandra ignored his protests. "Penny, summon the ministers. We need to discuss this."

"Yes, Your Highness," Penny replied before hurrying out to disperse the others and call the officials inside.

It seemed no one at Concord Lodge would be getting any sleep tonight.

At Hartstone Estate, the hours dragged on. By midnight, the back gate remained silent, showing no signs of activity.

Harvey frowned and sighed heavily. He called someone into his study and instructed, "Disguise me. I can't stay in the capital any longer. At first light tomorrow, we leave for Valken." "Yes, Your Grace!"

The people he had brought back with him were loyal confidants trained outside the estate, individuals he had never allowed near Hartstone Estate before this.

These confidants were capable in

their own right-not extraordinarily so, but skilled enough for delivering messages, self-defense, and

handling minor errands. However, he would have to rely on Yuvan's

ork for something truly

significant.

His resolve hardened. "Open the treasury. Take every coin and banknote we have."

"Your Grace, shouldn't we leave some for Lady Heather?"

Over the years, Heather hadn't acquired much in the way of extravagant jewelry or fine clothes, in the name of maintaining a low profile. The estate was kept minimalistic in its decor. Though there were a few royal gifts, those

couldn't be sold off.

As for their lands and properties, Harvey had already liquidated most of them when Eleanor's incident occurred, preparing for exactly this kind of eventuality.

"Why bother?" Harvey's tone was

dismissive, devoid of any sentiment

for his wife, "She's a princess

consort. She has her monthly

stipend. The fief provides a mo.net"

income too. It's enough to keep the estate running."

On the other hand, Harvey had far bigger ambitions, which required substantial funds. "Check if there's anything else of value in the estate. Take it all with us," he ordered. "Your Grace, shouldn't we wait a little longer? There's still a chance the plan could succeed."

"It's hopeless. The Westhaven connection is as good as dead. Leroy will never trust me again."

The palace banquet had ended over an hour ago, yet nothing had come of their efforts. Harvey wasn't worried about the suicide soldiers leaking anything. He only hoped that Icarus wouldn't fall into Starhaven's hands.