Her Graceful War Song by Summer's Blaze

Chapter 171

After soaking in the medicinal bath, Carissa felt a warm flush spread through her body. Just before bed, Pearl brought a basin of medicinal foot soak and said she had to soak her feet every night. Carissa complied dutifully, soaking her feet for a while before drinking a cup of calming tea, a remedy formulated by Sebastian to aid sleep.

Aside from the first two days after returning from the battlefield, when she slept deeply, the past few nights had been plagued by insomnia. Even when she managed to fall asleep, nightmares haunted her. Her father, her brothers, her family-once vibrant and full of life-

now appeared before her, drenched in blood. She would wake up, unable to return to sleep.

After dealing with her family's massacre and returning to Valor Estate, she had needed to drink calming medicine every night to sleep. Sebastian had always kept her troubles close to his heart.

After finishing the tea, Pearl added a candy to her cup and smiled. Lulu said that since you dislike the bitterness of the medicine, you must have a candy afterward."

Carissa took the candy, savoring its sweet and sour taste in her mouth.

In truth, she had long since overcome her fear of bitter medicine.

As a child, she had indeed dreaded the taste of medicine. Her small face would be scrunched up in distaste as she clung to her mother. Her parents and brothers all feel pained for her. But now, who was there for her to show her displeasure to? Whom could she cling to?

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only the bitterness of the medicine and

suppress these emotions and to hide them from view. Those around her were keenly observant, and if they noticed even a hint of unhappiness or a flicker

returned with the medicine, and also brought back a painting by

decades perfecting his

the impoverished so they could excel in their own ways. Theodore spearheaded these donations,

scholars, with many opting for trade instead. While merchants were regarded as lower in status, their ability to earn money

to be wary of Theodore's side of the family, as they were but a single tree that couldn't support the whole forest. Carissa instructed

day, Rafael arrived at Northwatch Estate with Dylan just before nine

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to arrive later in the

they reached the front courtyard, Rafael was already seated in

to Rafael in his battle-worn attire, so she was momentarily taken aback when she

and black

distinguished and refined.

only accentuated his striking features and