Her Graceful War Song

Carissa didn’t argue. After all, Salvador wasn’t really asking for her opinion–he was practically issuing a direct order.

He gave her the position of commander, but at the same time, he promoted someone who had a grudge against the Hell Monarch’s household. It was a move meant to sow discord between Carissa and Rafael

Maybe Salvador thought this would give him a sense of security,

As Carissa left the palace, Derek watched her retreating figure with a worried expression. He wasn’t sure how many more tests of trust she and Rafael could withstand.

The truth was that Salvador could have appointed Barrett directly without involving the Mystic Army’s commander. If he really wanted Carissa to handle the transfer, it didn’t need to go through the Civil Department–just a simple notification would have sufficed.

But Salvador was trying hard to keep everything under his control, which only made things uncomfortable for everyone involved, including Barrett.

After leaving the palace, Carissa headed straight for the Capital Guard’s headquarters. Since it was her first day on duty, Michael and Max were already waiting for her there with their men. Fortunately, no one seemed to pay much attention to the bruise around her eye. Or if they did notice, they at least had the decency not to stare.

The Royal Guard’s commander, Alistair, hadn’t arrived yet. Carissa knew who he was–Oliver’s cousin. Their family had many sons, with Alistair being the most talented among them.

Oliver didn’t have a good relationship with his relatives, especially Alistair. This was mainly because the latter was truly capable, while the former hadn’t achieved much and wasn’t able to bring any fortune or honor to the family after inheriting the earldom. In contrast, Alistair had risen swiftly through the ranks, eventually becoming commander of the Royal Guard,

If they were still under the previous king’s rule, the Royal Guard wouldn’t have been part of the Mystic Army, which would have given Alistair even more authority. While the Royal Guard technically fell under the Mystic Army now, Alistair didn’t seem to care.

But now that the units were officially merging and he would have to report to a woman, he probably wasn’t too happy about it.

Carissa had long since investigated these key figures within the Mystic Army, and Rafael had discussed them with her as well. So, when Alistair didn’t show up today, she didn’t mind. She could accept having sharp–edged subordinates as long as they didn’t cross the line.

Max didn’t exhibit any doubt toward Carissa. In fact, he was rather respectful. Max and Thomas‘ mother, Alice, were siblings. In other words, he was Thomas‘ uncle.

When Max and Carissa met for the first time, he approached her confidently and said, “Thank you, Commander Sinclair. It’s thanks to you and His Highness that Ivan was saved.”

“Ivan Lewis? That’s your nephew, right?” Carissa asked

“Yes,” Max replied.

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Carissa smiled. “He did well. Has he been assigned to a post now?”

“He’s currently serving in the Crown Guard, which is also part of the Mystic Army now,” Max said.

Carissa hadn’t known this. She only knew that Felix and Thomas still hadn’t been assigned their roles.

“What rank?” she inquired.

“Second–tier guard, Your Grace,” Max responded.

Carissa nodded. “Tell him to do his best.”

The Southern Frontier campaign had been Ivan’s first battle, during which he had been captured. But afterward, he joined the Septimus Tetra reconnaissance team, where he earned some merits.

Naturally, Barrett had also distinguished himself at the Southern Frontier, especially during the final recapture of Simonton City after the Victory Pass battle. Yet, he had been promoted to commander of the Crown Guard, while Ivan had only achieved a second–tier guard status.

There was little that could be done about that. Ivan had fought on the battlefield as just an ordinary soldier, while Barrett had already been appointed as a general at the time, though various circumstances had led to his repeated demotions afterward.

Salvador still held high hopes for Barrett. The king favored people like him, whose weaknesses were clear and easily manageable.

After meeting with the necessary subordinates, Carissa said, “I had an audience with the king today. He mentioned that the Supreme Court is short–handed, so we need to transfer some personnel from the Capital Guard to help them out. Michael, please manage this and report any issues directly to me without delays.”

“Understood!” Michael nodded. “I’ll take care of it right away.”

“I’ll go with you. The king instructed me to personally conduct the hearings if anyone with noble titles is involved, so I need to be there,” Carissa added,

Just as they stepped out of the Capital Guard’s headquarters, they spotted Alistair approaching with the twelve captains of the Royal Guard.