Her Majestic Battle Cry

Carissa sent someone to Arcane Sanctum to bring Ivy over.

Thankfully, the wound on Zoey’s forehead wasn’t deep. The bleeding had stopped quickly with no serious consequences.

However, Zoey had been feverish for several days, and her body was already weak. After getting so upset, her temper flared and she ended up spitting blood. Now, she was feeling lightheaded and faint.

Tears flowed continuously from the corners of Zoey’s eyes no matter how much Carissa wiped them away, as though they couldn’t be stopped.

“Ivy, how is she?” Carissa asked after Ivy had finished examining Zoey.

Ivy sighed heavily.

“Mrs. Prince has had a high fever for days. I just tapped her back, and it seems her lungs are affected. Her liver is severely stressed, and there’s a significant buildup of toxins and poor blood circulation. The medicine she took before this was too mild to have any real effect. I’ve given her a strong dose now to clear the heat in her liver and regulate her lungs. Once she improves a bit, she’ll need to rest and recover slowly. She can’t continue working herself to the bone like this.”

Afterward, Ivy requested Carissa to step outside.

She lowered her voice and whispered, “The stress on Mrs. Prince’s liver is severe, and it’s largely due to emotional distress. I sense that she’s hiding something–something she’s unwilling to speak of. She’s bottled it up, and it’s taking a toll on her body.”

Carissa’s thoughts immediately turned to Zoey’s worries–Oliver and the potential involvement in the treason case that might affect their family.

When Zoey had sent her son Cedric to train with Travis, Rafael had said that she was preparing for the worst. If she had made such preparations, then it was clear that she was constantly

worried about it.

“Let’s see how she fares with the medicine first,” Ivy continued, then turned and headed back

into the room. novelbin

Carissa stepped out to give instructions to the Garrison Unit, reminding them to keep their mouths shut about the events of the day. Not a word was to be spoken outside the walls of the household. As for what others might say, that was beyond the Garrison Unit’s control.

Once the orders were given and the guards had dispersed, Carissa turned to find Viola leaning against a pillar, her eyes swollen and red from crying. She just stared at Carissa, looking fragile like a piece of glass, as if she could shatter at any moment.

“Lady Carissa, I want to ask you something.” Viola’s voice was thick with congestion. It

seemed her nose was completely blocked.

“Go ahead,” Carissa replied.

She smiled bitterly. “You’ve opened Skye Embroidery, claiming it’s to give women a voice. Then, let me ask you–if a man had done what I did, would he have been criticized? Or would people have praised him for his ability to win over so many women?”

Carissa looked at Viola, thinking for a moment before answering, “Has anyone praised Mr. Lewis for being capable? General Farrell was criticized because of your affair with Mr. Lewis, but he didn’t do anything wrong, did he? I know you want to say that men and women are treated differently–that we’re not given fair treatment, that our status is lower than men’s. Yes, that’s the truth. But isn’t that exactly why we women have to strive so hard?”

Viola’s smile twisted into something more bitter. “Does it even matter? Women can’t even stand up for one another. Don’t you think Mrs. Lewis shouldn’t have come to me? She should have gone to Silas and held him accountable.”

Carissa said firmly, “You have no right to say that. Do you remember Amelia? She came from a lower background than you, and you looked down on her every chance you got. You never treated her like a sister–in–law. You may not have been the one to kill her, but her death is on your hands. As for the rest, I won’t waste time explaining. You already understand everything. You’re just pretending to be confused. I don’t have time to play along with you.”

Without waiting for Viola’s response, Carissa brushed past her. She ignored Viola’s desperate sobs as she headed toward the back courtyard to Zoey’s room.

Ivy prepared the medicine and gave Zoey needle treatment. Slowly, Zoey began to recover, but her expression remained blank. She mumbled one sentence:

“Now, whatever dignity and reputation this family had is lost.”

She was suddenly overwhelmed with a splitting headache. She knew she had to figure out a way to secure a future for her children, for all the concubines‘ sons and daughters under this roof, and for the children of the second branch of the family.

How would they find a match to marry? Did they even have the right to be choosy about whom they wed?

Luna was crying beside her. In a fit of frustration, she muttered, “If she had just gone to the countryside villa sooner, wouldn’t that have been better? Even if the situation had reached her, at least it’s secluded and fewer people would know.”

Carissa didn’t know what to say to comfort Luna. She just glanced at Ivy, who said, “Right now, discussing anything is pointless. The most important thing is to recover your health. Only then can you ensure the future of your children. If not, wouldn’t they be even more pitiful?”

Carissa nodded and continued along the same line, “Yes, you need to get well, so your children will have someone to rely on and someone to protect them.”

Zoey looked up at Carissa, tears welling in her eyes. She knew she had to pull herself together.

“Thank you for everything today, Your Grace. I’m sorry for bringing such unpleasant matters to your ears.”