Her Graceful War Song novel Chapter 1167

On Midwinter's Dawn, before the grand banquet for the entire court, the ladies of the inner and outer courts came to the palace to offer their greetings.

Victoria usually preferred quiet. But on this day, she welcomed visitors, chatting with the noblewomen from various families. Kylie stayed to keep her company for a while before returning to Everspring Palace to wait for her family to arrive.

Little did she know that after all the waiting, her mother wouldn't show up. Instead, it was a group of aunts, cousins, and distant relatives.

Upon asking, she learned that Marjorie felt unwell and couldn't bear to face the wind. As customary, Marjorie would need to offer her greetings to Victoria if she came into the palace. Since she didn't wish to risk passing on her illness, Marjorie refrained from visiting the palace.

Of course, Kylie didn't believe it. The last time Marjorie spoke to her about the workshop, she had turned the latter down. She could see the disappointment and surprise on the older woman's face, so she suspected her mother was merely throwing a small tantrum.

Kylie felt a bit disappointed, but didn't show it. Instead, she quietly told Lydia to send a message to her mother along with a small gesture of respect.

After the usual pleasantries, Kylie asked Jocelyn to stay for a chat.

Jocelyn was the troublemaker alongside Cassidy and Hailey. The three had been causing havoc in the academy, and Jocelyn had been particularly nasty toward Rosalind. After being put in her place once, she had toned it down a bit.

Every now and then, though, Jocelyn still tried to provoke Rosalind in hopes of angering her and tarnishing her reputation as a temperamental teacher unsuitable for the academy. The standing of Gracewood Women's Academy would also be damaged.

Jocelyn puffed up her cheeks, upset. "Mrs. Ashford is so fierce! Mr. Spencer also scolded me, and I didn't dare to cause trouble again. Perhaps it's best to let it go. If the queen dowager hears about it, it wouldn't be good."

Kylie leaned slightly to one side, casting a cold glance at her.

"Do you think I'm the one who wants to be at odds with the people at the academy? His Majesty feels the same way. When the academy was first founded, he feared Carissa might overshadow him, but he couldn't outright refuse since the academy was the queen dowager's idea.

"So, we resorted to more subtle methods to tarnish the academy's reputation. If the queen dowager ever questioned anything, Carissa would be blamed for failing to manage the academy properly.

"Frankly, I agree with him. Someone with a military background has no business running Gracewood Women's Academy."

Jocelyn had just turned 15, still shy of 16. Her scheming was far from refined, and she didn't really know whether Carissa was fit for the position. She simply did as her cousin instructed, so to her, there was no right or wrong in the matter.