Her Graceful War Song novel Chapter 951

"Impossible!" Leroy instinctively retorted. "No matter how skilled Lady Carissa is, can she really surpass Commander Icarus, the top fighter in Westhaven?"

"The fact is, she can—and she did," Lisandra replied coldly. "Not only that, but she captured him with ease. The so-called top fighter in Westhaven is too obsessed with scheming and power plays. His relentless pursuit of power has already determined the limits of his martial skills. Since you've already investigated Lady Carissa, you should know she's trained in the Pathfinders Guild since she was young. Do you even understand what kind of place the Pathfinders Guild is?"

"Isn't it just some martial arts guild? What's so special about that?" Leroy argued, still in denial.

Despite the undeniable evidence—Icarus had been defeated by Carissa's whip—he refused to believe that her martial skills could be that advanced. If it had been the Hell Monarch who defeated Icarus, he wouldn't have doubted it for a second.

"A young woman from a guild—just how powerful could she really be?" Amos chimed in, echoing Leroy's disbelief. He simply couldn't accept that a woman could be this formidable.

Lisandra cast a sharp look at the two men, labeling them as fools. Their skepticism stemmed from their ignorance, and their ignorance was rooted in arrogance. They would never understand the sheer effort and sacrifice it took for a woman to enter court as an official. The blood, sweat, and tears were unimaginable.

Not just in Starhaven—even in Westhaven, where female officials were chosen once every three years. Candidates would burn the midnight oil, not daring to slack off even a little. Many survived on just three hours of sleep a night, all for a shot at one of the mere three positions available every cycle.

As for Starhaven, there was only one female official currently serving—Carissa. If her martial arts skills weren't unparalleled, how could she possibly hold the position of commander of the Mystic Army? She had even fought on the battlefield and earned military merits.

Of course, in the men's eyes, it was all because the Hell Monarch had elevated her to this position. Even so, how many princes could successfully push their wives into positions of real power throughout history?

Lisandra didn't bother explaining further. Instead, she issued an order, "Gather everyone. Since you've caused such trouble, we'll need to adjust our strategy for tomorrow's negotiations."

"Adjust the strategy? Are you suggesting we back down?" Leroy's head snapped up, his eyes blazing with dissatisfaction. "No way. Absolutely not! If the worst comes to worst, we'll just fight!"

Lisandra ignored his protests. "Penny, summon the ministers. We need to discuss this."

"Yes, Your Highness," Penny replied before hurrying out to disperse the others and call the officials inside.

It seemed no one at Concord Lodge would be getting any sleep tonight.

-