Her Graceful War Song novel Chapter 1597

It had been a month since I arrived at Victory Pass, and I began to wonder what I ought to do with myself.

Though I was Barrett's wife in name, in truth, we had very little to do with each other. He spent most of his time at the camp, only returning now and then. As such, I had plenty of time on my hands and thought I might start a little trade.

Victory Pass was not quite as I had imagined. I thought a border town like this would surely be cold and short on supplies. But to my surprise, one could buy almost anything here—save for things like the finest jewels and luxurious brocade.

That was not to say they couldn't be found at all. When merchant caravans brought such treasures, they were quickly stored away and sent on to Orivenia, where they would be sold to nobles and the wealthy.

The common folk in Victory Pass bought ornaments for their prettiness rather than their worth, and no one really cared whether they were costly or not.

I had been thinking about what sort of business I might start. Whatever it was, I would need to purchase a shop first, would I not? So, I set out with my manservant and maid, wandering through streets and alleys in search of a suitable place.

When I came to Victory Pass, Zoey had given me a purse of silver coins. Luna and Violet had also added some, and I had my own savings as well. It was more than enough to buy one or two shops here.

My maid was a 14-year-old local girl called Lumi. When she was seven, she had been sold to be a child bride. But the boy in that household had fallen gravely ill, and the family had no choice but to sell her again to afford medicine. She had gone through a hard life.

I swore, as we wandered through the streets, that I truly meant to buy a shop and begin some trade. But when we passed Apricot Lane, my eyes came to rest upon an abandoned house.

It was a large place, much larger than where I was currently staying. But the courtyard was overgrown, and the gate was rotting and missing one side. From where I stood at the entrance, I could see tall grass growing wild within.

My manservant, Thane, was also a local. He told me that this building had once been a school. When the war broke out, no one had time to study—they were too busy trying to survive—so the school had been left to ruin.

Later, when a new school was built with money from the court, it was placed elsewhere. Meanwhile, this old one, being too worn, was abandoned for good.

I told Thane and Lumi that I wished to buy the place and open a women's academy.

I said it calmly, but the moment the words left my lips, I startled even myself.

Starting a school was often a safe and profitable venture—but an academy for women? That was another matter entirely. Though many women's academies had opened across the kingdom, there were still very few families truly willing to send their daughters to study.

Even with Victory Pass thriving from border trade, most people here were set on earning money and saw no use in educating their daughters.

And truth be told, most girls from ordinary families had little need for learning. Once married, they only needed to know how to honour their in-laws, serve their husbands, bear children, and, if the family owned a small business, perhaps manage simple accounts.

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