Her Graceful War Song novel Chapter 1357

The damp, oppressive heat of summer seemed to weigh heavily on the spirit, stoking an inexplicable irritation in the air.

Hayden, clearly affected by the weather, barely touched his dinner. After a few cursory bites, he set his cutlery down and announced that he was heading back to the study to practice his calligraphy to clear his mind. He gestured for Chaya to follow, and the two left the room.

Before departing, Chaya made sure to take two heaping plates of snacks with her. After all, she wasn't about to let herself go hungry.

Nicholas, still in his Gordon disguise, watched Hayden leave but made no move to stop him. It didn't matter where Hayden went—his every step was being monitored. Besides, Nicholas had far more pressing matters to attend to tonight.

Back in his room, Nicholas locked the door behind him and methodically prepared for the night's mission. He changed into his stealth attire, then sat before a mirror. Opening a small wooden box on the table, he revealed an array of lifelike facial masks.

Carefully, he peeled off the current disguise from his face and selected a new one from the box. The masks were marvels of craftsmanship, fitting so seamlessly that even close inspection wouldn't reveal their artificiality.

Though he would later conceal his face with a black cloth, Nicholas meticulously blended the edges of the mask at his jaw and neck with pigments that matched the mask's tone. Even if the cloth were removed in a struggle, no one would detect his true identity.

A knock at the door broke the silence. Nicholas covered his face with the black cloth and called out, "Come in."

The door opened and a shadowy figure slipped inside, his movements silent and ghost-like.

The figure whispered, "Your Highness, Kyle and Jacob have taken Travis to the Capital Guard headquarters. It seems they're aware that we plan to act tonight."

"It's fine." Nicholas' voice had changed—it was no longer Gordon's voice. Though he spoke softly, his words were full of confidence and authority.

"Understood. When shall we depart? And how many men will you need?"

"Not yet," Nicholas said, closing the wooden box with deliberate care and rising to his feet.

He selected a sword from a rack near the wall, its blade gleaming faintly in the dim light.

"Even if Adrian himself shows up, he's no match for me. A handful of minor players are nothing but a nuisance."

As he adjusted his weapon, a thought occurred to him. He turned to the figure. "What about the people staying in Russell Estate next door? Have they been thoroughly investigated?"

The shadowy figure nodded.