Her Graceful War Song by Summer's Blaze

Carissa had Violet arrange for someone to keep an eye on Samuel for a few days. Despite everything, this once-renowned scholar, who had been favored by his family's matriarch, still held onto his lofty ambitions.

Over the past few days, Samuel had carried his written articles to the National Academy, hoping to find someone to present them to the king. But no one at the National Academy would pay him any attention anymore.

Believing it was because they were jealous of his talent, Samuel seethed with frustration. Determined, he then sought out people at the Academy of Wisdom. But no matter where he went, people deliberately avoided him.

After all, he was a top scholar who had been personally demoted by the king, destroyed his marriage for a favored mistress, abandoned his family to set up his own household, and even renounced his title as heir.

To make matters worse, rumors had spread that he had married the daughter of a merchant, then forced her to use her dowry to buy the freedom of a woman from a brothel. Even though the civil officials considered that a minor offense, it was still a sign of moral corruption and a disgrace to the scholars.

Then, the truth about Ruby's identity started to circulate.

Although no one knew for certain whether it was true or false, it cast a shadow that made people even more wary of Samuel. He spent several days running around to no avail. Enraged, he blamed Rafael, convinced that it was the prince's influence and power that caused everyone to avoid him.

Consumed by resentment, Samuel drank heavily at a tavern.

In his drunken stupor, he clenched his fist and shouted, "The king's power only protects the nobility! Prince Rafael, with his overwhelming military achievements, does whatever he pleases. Why does no one dare stand up to him? The entire court are cowards, all of them!"

take more than three days for those reckless words, shouted in a public place, to spread like wildfire across the

arrogant and self-righteous. Reports criticizing him began

did not conceal the matter and reported it directly to the king. Salvador summoned Rafael to royal study for questioning, and soon, the events

by everyone who knew her. No one had expected Samuel to treat

was Eleanor's illegitimate daughter sent a ripple of

Carissa had deliberately leaked

she thought were well hidden had long been exposed. As for how much Carissa actually knew? That was for Eleanor to speculate on. The réal torment

wasn't worried about Eleanor-Rafael and Jacob were already handling

had brought up the idea of divorce with her mother, only to be met with a harsh refusal. Ever since, Leona seemed completely deflated, as if all life had been drained from

the Earl of Gracehold's family, Leona had never

Alana and Leah to

"Lady Heather might come looking for you. That night, I overheard the conversation from outside the door. When the duchess proposed the divorce, Lady Heather seemed to think you

her aunt and had nothing much to say to her. But if Heather wanted to come, then let her come. True to expectations, as the news of Samuel's outburst against the court officials spread and escalated, Heather showed up at Hell

initially planned to confront Heather with a few harsh words, but Violet persuaded her

already said