Her Graceful War Song

Violet left, her heart heavy with both anger and sorrow

Melanie and Carmen were just a reflection of the women harmed by Eleanor. They weren’t the worst off. They were still alive and had been able to leave Harmony Palace.

Countless others had already turned to bones.

The hatred in Violet’s heart would never ease unless Eleanor was torn to a thousand pieces.

Meanwhile, Carissa remained at the Supreme Court. After Florence woke up and drank some soup, she was sent back to the interrogation room. Rafael insisted that further questioning was unnecessary, but Carissa had something to say.

They were in the same interrogation room as before, but the scribe was absent, and Rafael sat hidden behind the partition screen.

Carissa faced Florence, and the table stood between them.

Florence’s face was pale, and there wasn’t any light in her eyes. There was a wry smile on her lips as she sighed.

“What’s the point of questioning me further? What else do you think I have to say? Do you want me to testify against Grand Princess Eleanor for treason? You don’t need my testimony. You already have evidence from the dungeon. The things you found don’t require any confessions, and His Majesty won’t let her off the hook. Why put me through this? Why keep kicking me when I’m down? If she’s truly guilty of heinous crimes, she will get her retribution.”

Carissa countered, “What can her retribution erase? What can it bring back? The evil deeds she’s done will always exist. The dead won’t come back to life. You think she’s pitiful, Florence, but she was only rejected by my dad. She still lived in incredible luxury. Some people yearn for things their entire lives, but she received what she wanted without effort. Others could have sacrificed everything and still not afford even a table in Harmony Palace.

1. s. Her

“She was the favored daughter of King Augustus, and was blessed with boundless fortune and riches. life has been smooth sailing, and the only setback she faced was wanting someone she couldn’t have. You say she loved my dad more than my mom did, but that’s nonsense. It’s just her self–pity for not getting what she wanted.

“No, she never truly loved my dad. If she had, she would have let go when she learned he didn’t love her back. You say she respected my dad? Not at all. If she truly respected him, she wouldn’t have used his rejection as an excuse to harm others with such cruelty.”

Florence watched Carissa intently and narrowed her eyes. “You’re not her, so you can’t understand the pain she feels. What do you know?”

“Obviously, I’m not her. I can’t comprehend a twisted mindset that demands death from others over a little grievance or setback. What more could she possibly want from life? If my dad had married her, would she have allowed him to continue fighting on the battlefield even if King Augustus had agreed to it? Her so–called love is domineering, dictatorial, and lacking in respect.”

“No, that’s just your assumption.” Florence shook her head. “You don’t understand the self–torment she’s endured over the years. She’s been through a lot. If she had married your dad, she would have respected all his decisions and taken pride in him.”

“Who are you trying to fool? Do you really believe your own words?” Carissa’s expression was cold.

“Grand Princess Eleanor treats human life like weeds. Do you think she would be willing to let my dad fight off bandits and protect our kingdom? She’s someone who takes lives and spills blood to achieve a fleeting moment of satisfaction just because she’s faced with a minor grievance. Can you truly expect someone like her to support my dad without complaint when he wanted to fight valiantly for countless citizens?

“King Augustus pampered her all her life, but she hated him and even participated in treason to exact revenge–all because she was refused a marriage edict. Can you expect such a person to let my dad embody the ideals of loyalty to the throne and love for the people?” NôvelDrama.Org content rights.

Tears glistened in Florence’s eyes but did not fall, her expression bleak. “She knew your dad had great ambitions. How could she possibly stand in his way?”

“Knowing something is easy, but doing it is hard. The only person who stayed by my dad’s side without complaint for all those years was my mom. She gave birth to seven of us, managed the household, and never let my dad worry about our family for even a moment.

“After the initial passion between a man and a woman faded, she had to face the growth of her children, the tediousness of family matters, and the constant anxiety when my dad went to war. To me, my dad is a hero, and so is my mom. Can you honestly say Grand Princess Eleanor could ever measure up to my mother?”

Florence opened her

b “She-”

Carissa cut her off, interjecting, “She can’t. She would throw a tantrum over the slightest issue with my dad, vent her frustrations on the servants when there were small disagreements, and even cut off their fingers and toes just to feel better. Don’t compare her to my mom. She doesn’t even measure up to a single strand of my mom’s hair!”