Melody of Strength novel

Sweat mixed with blood streamed down from Carissa’s face, and in the freezing weather, it quickly turned into ice. The heat hadn’t even faded before the cold had seeped into her bones.

“Carissa…” Bun panted heavily, frost clinging to his eyelashes. “Shouldn’t we help them? Aren’t we just going to stay here and guard the supply depot?”

“Orders s are orders. We’ve been told to guard the supply depot, so we guard it,” Carissa replied, leaning against the wall.

Though she was wearing golden armor, she had been stabbed in her arm twice. There was no bleeding or pain, but it left her feeling cold and uncomfortable.

She glanced at her companions, all of whom were injured and their armor in tatters. It had been a ruthless battle.

“Is everyone okay?” she asked, concerned.

Violet waved her hand weakly, too exhausted to speak.

The sight of the fallen around them–some enemy, some comrades–was deeply distressing.

The enemy forces continued their assault. Carissa sprang to her feet, and shouted, “They’re coming again. Pick up your weapons and fight!”

They plunged back into battle, fighting fiercely until the scene was awash with blood and darkness. At last, the enemy at the supply depot was mostly defeated, and no reinforcements arrived.

They collapsed onto the ground, utterly spent and gasping for breath. After an unknown amount of time, they finally heard drums and shouts.

“The enemy has retreated! We’ve won!”

Carissa and the others heard the cheers from where they were at the supply depot. With that, she knew. Rafael had achieved a great victory. Her tense nerves finally relaxed.

She shivered from the cold, her lips trembling as she spoke. “The Hell Monarch truly lives up to his reputation.”

“We defeated Sandoria! That’s fantastic! We’ll have meat to eat!” Bun’s plump face broke into a stiff smile as he rubbed his hands together in delight.

Carissa leapt up. “Let’s go!”

They left the supply depot, and joined the main force.

Rafael was covered in blood, and he entered the Ilyrian city hall with his golden blade on his back. The former city governor had been killed, and with Sandoria forces retreating, there was no one left to govern the city.

With food and meat now available in the supply depot, the soldiers could finally enjoy a hearty meal. With the military

Illyrian City and the garrison buildings built by Sandoria during their occupation, the

soldiers no longer needed to sleep in tents.

Sandorian troops had occupied many private homes, and had forced the local people out when

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Westhaven soldiers arrived.

Now, under Rafael’s orders, all civilians were allowed to return to their homes. The soldiers who couldn’t be housed in the garrisons set up camp in open spaces.

Following this victory, Carissa’s fame soared.

Although she had achieved significant feats in previous battles, this time she had defended the supply depot with three thousand soldiers. Her actions ensured the soldiers were well–fed, including having meat. This accomplishment was valued highly by the soldiers, even more than any previous achievements.

The real reason why the enemy had been driven out of Ilyrian, however, was that Rafael had captured Sandoria’s Marshal, Victor.

Rafael had learned from his spies that there was discord between the two army leaders, so he exploited their differences to capture Victor.

With Westhaven eager for revenge and Sandoria retreating, the confusion among their ranks allowed the Hell Monarch’s army to seize the opportunity.

The next day, after burying the fallen soldiers, Rafael called a meeting with the generals.

“This victory at llyrian was due to the discord between Liam and Victor. The lack of cohesion among the coalition’s top commanders gave us the chance to exploit their weaknesses. But after this defeat, they will likely set aside their differences, join forces, and reorganize. The rapid fall of Ilyrian is a huge disgrace for them.”

Rafael continued, “They won’t be able to counterattack immediately. It takes time to mend their differences and to resupply. Although Simonton has some supplies, it’s not enough for a swift counterattack. We can wait for reinforcements and prepare for the final battle.”

“According to our scouts, the reinforcements will arrive in about half a month,” Timothy said with frown

Rafael’s brows furrowed. “Half a month?”

He wanted to criticize Barrett for his slow march, but then glanced at Carissa. Given her significant contribution, he decided to hold back his criticism. Carissa understood his look, but chose not to speak.NôvelD(ram)a.ôrg owns this content.

Violet was right–some things should be handled by Barrett and Aurora. There was no need for her to explain or get involved. She would rather keep silent to avoid any potential accusations of fabricating

stories.

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