Her Graceful War Song

As they left Blueflower Alley, Violet immediately spoke up.

"You were right! Henry can't be trusted. Aside from spilling information about Darin, he wouldn't even give up anything about Harvey. Plus, he still calls himself 'the prince consort'. It's clear he's not ashamed of the title. But it's strange. Why would he tell us about Darin in the first place?"

"He wants us to stop the marriage because his mom is the matchmaker. He doesn't want to involve his mom, and he's trying to preserve the relationship between her and Thomas' mom. His heart is with his family. As for whether he has any genuine affection for Melanie Lester or fatherly love for his daughters, only he knows," Carissa explained.NôvelDrama.Org owns all © content.

"That bastard!" Violet cursed. Then, she paused and asked in confusion, "But you told him our plan. He's definitely going to run straight to Eleanor and spill everything."

A sharp glint flashed in Carissa's eyes. "That's because we aren't making our move during the Illumina Festival, but on the first day of October during the Emberfest Festival.

"On that day, Eleanor will invite high priests to her residence to perform rites for the souls of the dead. Many kind-hearted ladies will donate money, or personally bring scripture they've copied to burn at the altar. The people participating in that ceremony are truly compassionate."

She continued, "On the other hand, during the Illumina Festival, she'll have Spirit Elders praying for blessings, but not everyone attending will have kind hearts. Many will be there to network and make a show for the king. Eleanor has publicly declared that day to be for the kingdom's prosperity, so we can't act then."

Violet laughed. "Got it. So she'll think we'll strike on the fifteenth day, but won't expect anything during the Emberfest Festival. Do you have a plan?"

Carissa shook her head. "No need for a plan. We'll use the most direct method we know from our time in Meadow Ridge."

Violet grinned, clearly pleased. "A brute force approach-sounds perfect! How many people are you planning to send in?"

In Meadow Ridge, the different factions stuck together when facing outsiders, but they also had internal conflicts. When disputes arose, the solution was simple-storm the gates, fight it out. If they lost, they got beaten. If they won, they reclaimed their honor. Carissa shook her head. "We need to find a few skilled fighters to go in disguised as assassins. As for the rest, we'll leave that to the Capital Guard."

"Are we attacking in broad daylight?" Violet looked surprised.

"No, the Emberfest Festival

ceremonies at Harmony Palace

usually begin at sunset and last until

sunrise the next day. The high

priests chant prayers for the souls of the departed. Those with kind hearts will come to transcribe the

no

scriptures for the souls they wish to guide. They'll keep vigil at Harmony Palace all night long."

Violet's eyes sparkled with excitement. "And they would never suspect we'd choose such a day! After all, most people tend to avoid things like soul guiding."

Carissa nodded. "Actually, Rod's

master has always done this. Every night, she chants prayers to guide the souls of the wrongfully deceased or those who died far from home When they hear the chants, they gather quietly to listen. This helps them release their grievances and enter the cycle of reincarnation more swiftly."

Violet shivered at the thought. "How do you know this? Did Rod tell you?"

Carissa smiled. "Yes, he did. He says it's all about compassion. Whether or not there are ghosts in this world, those who are willing to do such

things must possess a kind her net

and great love. That's why, despite their inability to pay rent for so many years, they've never been kicked

out."

Violet replied, "Rod's master definitely has a kind heart. Even though she can be fierce, the fact that she has taken in so many abandoned infants shows she's a good person at heart."

Carissa took Violet's hand and gave it a gentle shake as they walked forward. "Exactly! There are indeed more good people in this world."

"Right. I need to inform my godbrother about his marriage," Violet said.

"Are there bandits in Stonebridge County?" Carissa wondered, thinking about the bandits.

Nowadays, the kingdom was stable, and bandits only roam in more remote areas. Since Eleanor had stationed Yuvan's troops in Stonebridge County, there was no way they would allow bandits to thrive there. "It seems that the so-called life-saving debt that Darin wants to repay may hold some secrets even she doesn't know."