Her Graceful War Song by Summer's Blaze

As the carriage rolled along, the strong wind and intense sun made the heat almost unbearable. Despite the sweltering conditions, the maid showed no sign of discomfort. She seemed quite resilient. Typically, a maid attending closely to her mistress would be delicate and avoid heavy labor.

However, this one was different.

Wasn't this little act of hers a bit disrespectful?

Thomas sighed and chose not to dwell on it further. They were accustomed to living on the edge, and such tricks were beneath their notice.

-

Inside the carriage, Carmen had removed her veil, revealing a face strikingly similar to Celeste's-beautiful yet distinctly cool.

With the maid outside, she spoke softly, "Lady Carissa, please save my mother."

Carissa responded gently, "But clearly, that wasn't your only reason for stopping us."

"You're right." Carmen shook her head, a hint of shame on her otherwise composed face. "My mother ordered me to ruin your relationship with the Hell Monarch."

She half-knelt and bowed, her eyes filling with tears. "Please have mercy, Lady Carissa."

you?" Carissa asked,

tears, but understood that they could be as much a tool for manipulation as a sign of

said, "I can offer

her. Carmen froze for a

moment, the maid lifted the curtain and peered inside. Then, she asked, "My lady, are

"I'm much better

briefly, and then let the

with Violet, trying

whether Carmen's story was true or false, Carissa and Violet needed to discuss it further and find an opportunity. That evening, they stayed at an inn. After dinner, Carissa deliberately

Dylan nodded and left.

before asking, "Do you not wish to travel with us,

mistress' sake, it wouldn't be appropriate. Our group is mostly men, and traveling together might harm her reputation since she's still

you. There's safety in numbers." "You have your own guard, don't you?" Carissa countered. "Moreover, we'll be traveling not too far apart even if we separate. We can still keep an eye on each other

maid couldn't refute this point. However, she seemed increasingly distressed and repeatedly

nodded, and said, "Lady Sinclair understand it's an inconvenience. However, with the long journey ahead, having you with us would ease my mind. Besides, the cost of horses is quite high, and my funds are running low. might not be able to

to lend you the money for the horses. You can repay us when we reach the capital." Before Carmen could respond, the maid had already bowed and answered, "My mistress