Her Graceful War Song (Carissa Sinclair)

The woman's face was pale, her hair and clothes drenched by the rain. Clearly embarrassed by her disheveled appearance, she used her sleeve to cover her face and murmured to Carissa, "Thank you. Thank you so much."

"No need to thank me," Carissa said. "Are you hurt badly?"

"Not too badly... Oh!" The woman shifted her foot and winced as a sharp pain shot through her left ankle, letting out a cry of discomfort.

"It seems like you might have twisted your ankle," Carissa observed. She helped support the woman, and the maid rushed over to assist as well. However, the maid's hands were covered in blood, likely from scraping them on the rough ground during the fall. Carissa frowned, and said, "My carriage is just up ahead. I have some medicine and ointment in it. Why don't you come with me, and I can take care of you there."

The woman hesitated. "W-Wouldn't that be too much trouble? And I still don't know your name."

Carissa replied, "My name is Carissa. We've met before."

The woman in question was Kayla, who had tried to help Viola at The Golden Tower. After returning from Meadow Ridge, Carissa had visited Elderglen Estate with her mother and had seen Kayla there.

Hearing Carissa's name, Kayla lowered her sleeve and looked at her more closely. "Oh, it's you, Your Grace. I'm sorry for my rudeness."

"Lady Kayla, let's get you into my carriage for some care. There are more carriages arriving behind us," Carissa said.

"Thank you. I'm so sorry for the trouble," Kayla replied.

She was aware of her position. As a widow, she feared scandal and unwanted gossip. Her current state might attract unwanted speculation. Violet also hurried over. She helped Carissa support Kayla. In the end, Violet simply lifted her into the carriage, and Kayla blushed deeply.

"I'm truly sorry for the inconvenience."

Carissa also helped Kayla's maid into the carriage. Since Lulu and the others were not with them today, the carriage, though accommodating four people, didn't feel cramped.

Violet recognized Kayla as well, but she refrained from mentioning the events at The Golden Tower.

Kayla immediately remembered

Violet, as the latter had been

standing at the private room

entrance with her arms crossed and watching the drama unfold. Also, her strikingly beautiful face waso

unforgettable after a single glance.

Feeling embarrassed by the recollection of that day, Kayla offered an awkward explanation, "I was really interested in that ruby tiara that day..."

Violet smiled. "I was interested in it too. It's unfortunate that Madam Warren bought it."

Kayla smiled awkwardly, regretting her attempt to explain. She should have avoided mentioning that day to prevent further embarrassment.

Violet and Carissa exchanged glances, both sensing that Kayla must not have been out socializing for a while, as she seemed preoccupied with the incident from The Golden Tower. Violet attended to the maid, cleaning the bloodstains and applying medicine. Meanwhile, Carissa disregarded Kayla's discomfort and gently removed her shoes and socks.

Noticing the swelling around her ankle, Carissa asked, "Lady Kayla, could you gently move your ankle to see if it hurts?"

Kayla followed her instructions, moving her ankle lightly and letting out a pained hiss. "It hurts."

"I hope it's not a fracture," Carissa said as she applied an ointment Sebastian had given her. "This ointment is from Arcane Sanctum and is quite effective for pain relief. However, because it's very good at relieving pain, it might mask the severity of the injury. You should still have a physician examine it once you get back."

"Thank you so much, Your Grace. I'm truly grateful and very sorry for the trouble," Kayla said softly, her voice barely above a whisper. She seemed very reserved, repeatedly expressing her gratitude and apologies. "There's no need to be so formal, Lady Kayla. We're old acquaintances, so let's not be so distant," Carissa said.

At the mention of their old

acquaintance, Kayla's eyes

reddened. She quickly turned her face away, clutching her

handkerchief. "With more peop net

arriving, could I wait until it's less crowded before going back to my carriage?"

"Of course," Carissa replied. "We're waiting until the academy class ends."

She glanced at Kayla, then lifted the curtain and instructed the coachman, "Move the carriage a little further away."