Her Graceful War Song

Carissa held back her tears, trying to steady her breath. "So, have they been fighting at Atamore Mountain this whole time? The food supplies must have run out by now. What are they eating?"

"Don't worry about that," Winona replied. "The grassland tribes said they wouldn't offer help, but they sent all their dried meat to them. The army also has the rations and hard biscuits they brought. It should last a while.

"Plus, with the endless mountain range around Atamore Mountain and Ice Lake, they can hunt for food as long as they have weapons. They'll be half-starved, but they'll get by."

She paused for a moment, her expression darkening. "But I doubt it will last much longer."

"Sandoria can't hold out much longer either," Carissa said as she lifted her head, her voice steady despite her rising panic.

The two armies' positions were nearly the same, though the Southern Frontier Army was in slightly better shape. If Victor didn't get reinforcements or rations, he would have to face the Southern Frontier Army head-on.

There had to be a conclusion to the standoff-victory or defeat.

But with the forces scattered, reuniting would be difficult. It would make it nearly impossible to directly engage Sandoria's main forces.

How had they gotten caught in an ambush? Rafael wasn't the kind of person to let his guard down like that.

Suddenly, a thought sparked in Carissa's mind, her eyes lighting up with realization.

She quickly asked, "After the Southern Frontier Army was ambushed, were there many casualties?" Winona shook her head. "Not many. Just that their forces were scattered."

Carissa thought back to the terrain around Atamore Mountain, considering the possible struggles both armies were facing. Sandoria was already stretched thin. After being chased and forced to flee, they were now cornered and had set up an ambush out of desperation.

Could it be that Rafael had intentionally allowed himself to be caught in the ambush? Perhaps he was hoping to trick Sandoria into becoming overconfident and careless, then launch a surprise counterattack. She shared her theory with Winona, who listened carefully.

After a long pause, Winona responded, "It's good to be optimistic, and it's good to have faith in Rafael. But Atamore Mountain's environment is harsh, and people's tempers can change. He may have made a mistake under the pressure of the situation. Even if he intended for the ambush to work to his advantage, the harsh conditions might have clouded his judgment."

Winona had meant to offer comfort by going along with her junior guild member's thoughts, as she would have done in the past. But Carissa had grown, and was now ready to hear other perspectives. Of course, it was also possible that what Carissa said was correct.

Jordan himself had spent a few days gathering intelligence at Atamore Mountain and admitted that the conditions were nearly unbearable, making him anxious and impatient. He said he couldn't imagine being stuck in that place for two months, fighting a guerrilla war, would do to the soldiers' mindset. The psychological toll would be immense.

So, it wouldn't be out of the question for Rafael to have ended up falling for an ambush because he had been too anxious and impatient.

Carissa replied, "You haven't been to a battlefield, so you don't know the kind of losses an ambush like that can cause. And they were part of the main force. Even if they'd been ambushed, they should've been able to fight their way out.

"But the fact that they were so thoroughly scattered... This could very well have been a strategy to take advantage of Marshal Crow's overconfidence. It would make him think victory was within reach, only to fure him into a trap."

Winona considered her words carefully, then smiled. "You make a good point. Let's hope Rafael returns victorious soon."noveldrama

"He will," Carissa declared with a conviction that surprised even her.

She wasn't entirely sure, but she believed it.

After speaking with Winona, she

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then

went to find Isaac. The two of them walked through the fields of orchid blooms, the wind biting at their faces. The petals scattered on ground, remnants of blossoms that had once stood proud against the cold winds, now crumbled into the earth, no longer resisting.

"Look at them, how they bloom like this," Carissa said, her gaze lingering on the sight.

There were orchids at Hell Monarch Estate and even in the palace. However, none of them could compare to the wild splendor of

fields stretching endlessly around them.

Isaac smiled, his face as clear and bright as the sky. He might've known what Carissa had come for, but there wasn't a trace of gloom on his face.

"No orchid anywhere compares to the ones at Meadow Ridge," he said.

Carissa turned to him. "So, even after all the women you've been with, you still long for only Vivi?"

Isaac laughed softly. "What women? Where did that come from? If I really had been with so many women, Sage Everett would've had me killed long ago."

"So, all this time, it's always been her?" Carissa asked.

"Yes," Isaac said, reaching out to touch a delicate pink petal. "From the very beginning to the end." "Why didn't you realize it before?" Carissa asked, genuinely curious.

How had he not noticed?

Isaac thought for a moment, then decided it wouldn't hurt to be honest today.

"Previously, I thought that having feelings for someone was one thing, and getting married was another. They were separate matters," he explained.

Carissa understood that Isaac was also afraid of marriage, but he had taken a step forward before Violet did.

"So, you never intended to let Vivi know your feelings?"

"Yeah."

He nodded, then reached out as if to pick an orchid. In the end, he couldn't bring himself to, so he let his hand fall.