Her Graceful War Song by Summer's Blaze

Samuel returned to the manor on Hibiscus Lane and immediately went to rinse his mouth, spitting out the blood. He couldn't let Ruby worry.

In Hibiscus Lane, there were only two shop servants-one in the kitchen, and the other likely attending to Ruby.

Samuel used the cold water in the dining room to rinse his mouth, feeling a sharp pain throbbing in his head. The left side of his mouth felt as though it were splitting open, and he had to endure the pain for a while before he could force back his tears. Leona was so ruthless. She had her husband beaten time and again.

Samuel had been blinded by her gentle and mild demeanor, not realizing how jealous she truly was.

Her cousin, the Hell Monarch's princess consort, was just like her-they were one and the same.

He had been beaten, and both his grandmother and father would surely know. So, he had an excuse to leave in anger. If he were asked to return again, he wouldn't go back so easily.

"Bill, bring me that handkerchief..." he called out, before remembering that Bill had not come with him from Gracehold Estate.

Bill's bond papers were with his mother, and she had forbidden him from coming.

Years of living in luxury and privilege had made him feel that his current situation was unbearably shabby and pitiful.

future was limitless. Yet, the grandeur of those days had only made his current situation seem more desolate. After rinsing his mouth and wiping his face clean, he headed

to him, dressed neatly with hairpins in her hair. She wore the apricot-yellow embroidered pleated dress from when

embracing her from behind and kissing

seemed to have frozen over with a layer of frost. "I'm not Ruby. My name is

arm suddenly felt empty. He stared blankly. "But to me,

stood up, her eyes

heart sank. "Ruby,

picked up the bag and said flatly, "I waited for you to return to say goodbye. From now on, we'll

and his expression froze. "What

like shards of ice.

He grabbed Celeste's arm desperately. "Did someone from Gracehold Estate come? Did someone from the duchess' side come? Did they bully you?

to hold her close. "Don't worry about what they say or do. I won't leave

doesn't want you. Look at yourself now. You've lost your official position and your title as heir. You'll never inherit the title again. All you have is the fame of a top scholar, which is worthless now. The

reputation for favows

find a mentor, but even they

become so cold and unfamiliar. His heart felt like it was being