Her Graceful War Song

Helen cast a covert glance at Carissa, who appeared relaxed. A faint smile graced her lips.

It was undeniable that Carissa's face was exceptionally beautiful, radiating a clear and refreshing charm.

Helen's curiosity was piqued. "Aren't you afraid of Grand Princess Eleanor?"

Carissa responded with a question of her own, "Why should I be afraid of her?"

"She's the grand princess, the current king's aunt. Even the late king was lenient with her. She controls at least half of the political connections in the capital. Her words alone can tarnish your reputation overnight," said Helen.

Carissa remained indifferent. "Didn't you say I'm fearless and lack awareness? Why should I fear a tarnished reputation? If she spreads rumors about me, the hero who reclaimed the Southern Frontier, even her status as the grand princess won't save her from the scorn of scholars everywhere."Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

Helen thought that while speaking about these matters might seem easy, offending Eleanor could lead to retaliation that was hard to handle.

However, she recalled today's events: retrieving the Mystic Pearls and three thousand silver coins had been challenging, yet Carissa had managed it with just a few words.

Carissa was unaware of Helen's current thoughts. If she knew, she would have said that it wasn't just a matter of a few words. It was also due to the many martial artists and figures from the martial world who had come to witness her wedding with Rafael.

Eleanor might have control over the noble families of the capital, but she was deeply intimidated by these martial artists. She was even more concerned about her reputation being damaged and being criticized publicly.

After all, inciting someone to steal a bride's dowry was a disgraceful act.

Suddenly, Carissa lifted the curtain and instructed the coachman, "To The Gilded Tower."

Helen had long wanted to visit The Gilded Tower, but she didn't want to go with Carissa, fearing that Carissa might see how poorly the shop was doing.

Naturally, Carissa was already aware of The Gilded Tower's poor business from previous conversations. However, knowing about it and seeing it firsthand were two different things.

Helen was about to decline when Carissa said, "I need to buy some gifts for tomorrow's visit. My master and everyone else are waiting for me at Northwatch Estate. I plan to buy some jewelry for my guild seniors. Since I have to spend money, it might as well be at The Gilded Tower. After all, you have a significant share in it, Mother."

With Carissa's explanation, Helen couldn't argue further. If she was going to spend money anyway, it was better to support her own family's shop and boost its revenue. That way, there would be less frequent talk about issues with paying wages and rent.

As the year drew to a close, families who had earned money would often buy jewelry for their wives. The business at The Gilded Tower, during favorable marriage dates and year-end, was usually at its peak. The carriage stopped outside The Gilded Tower. As soon as Helen lifted the curtain, she saw a crowd inside the shop.

At the end of the year, discounted jewelry on the first floor made business quite brisk.

Helen was astonished. Didn't they tell her that business was slow? How could it be so lively?

Just as she was about to disembark to see for herself, Carissa said, "Gillian, get down and ask if they have any filigree gold bangles with embedded gems. If they do, I'd like to buy several." "Why don't you go down and take a look yourself?" Helen asked.

Carissa simply wanted to see if The Gilded Tower's business was truly as poor as Eleanor had claimed. She wouldn't enter the premises dressed in her princess consort's court robes.

"There are too many people. I'm afraid my new clothes might get ruined," Carissa said calmly, her tone as composed as her demeanor.

Helen took another look, and agreed that the crowd was indeed overwhelming. There were both men and women, and if she were to be jostled, it could tarnish her dignity.

"Go ahead and see if you can find out," Helen instructed Gillian.

Gillian complied, and got out of the carriage. Helen watched as the old woman struggled to get through the crowd to reach the counter. She couldn't help but feel relieved that she had stayed in the carriage. Otherwise, her expensive shoes might have been trampled.