Her Majestic Battle Cry

Chapter 1178

Carissa stepped into the room, her cold, piercing gaze sweeping over them. The three girls immediately lowered their heads, too intimidated to meet her eyes.

Seeing her arrive, Rosalind let out a relleved breath, as though a savior had finally appeared.

Carissa’s volco cut through the tension like a blade.

“What are you waiting for? Do you want me to increase the punishment, or would you prefer to leave Gracewomen’s Academy? If you’re not here to study, then don’t take up space. There are plenty of others who would be eager to learn.

Hailey and Cassidy flinched at her words. They quickly pulled on Jocelyn’s sleeve, their eyes urging her to leave before things got worse. What had started as 20 strikes was now 30, and if they lingered any longer, It could easily climb to 40 or 50.

However, Jocelyn wasn’t one to back down so easily. As a pampered daughter of the prestigious Quinton family, she had never endured such humiliation. After a long pause, finally stifled her defiant glare..

she

Before Carissa could say the dreaded 40, Jocelyn turned on her heel and stormed off, dragging the others with her.

Once outside the door, Jocelyn’s face flushed with anger, her hands trembling. If it weren’t for Kylie’s orders, she would have never stayed in this wretched place.

Women only needed to know how to read and write, and that was enough. All this studying was pointless! It would be far better to learn how to manage a household or command servants. At least that would be useful after marriage.

Rosalind rose and greeted Carissa properly. “Greetings, Your Grace.”

Carissa smiled. “I imagine having such students must give you a headache.”

“It’s only a few of them, so it’s not too bad,” Rosalind responded with a light smile.

She gestured for Carissa to sit as she began tidying up the lesson plans spread across the table.

“If they were just being rowdy, it wouldn’t be so troublesome. What concerns me is the possibility that someone doesn’t want the academy to succeed.”

Her eyes narrowed with suspicion as she asked, “Who do you think it might be, Your Grace?”

Carissa had a rough idea, though she wasn’t certain. She offered a comforting smile. “There are many who don’t want to see the academy thrive. Rather than waste our energy guessing, it’s better we focus on doing what we do best.”

“You’re right, Your Grace.” Rosalind nodded in agreement, offering a faint smile. “Originally,

Chapter 1176

I asked you to come and handle their behavior, but now that they’ve apologized, I suppose you didn’t need to make the trip after all.”

“Sometimes it’s good to make a visit,” Carissa replied. Truthfully, she could have skipped today. Their actions were more childish than anything truly wrong. There was no need to expel them, but a small punishment was still necessary to maintain discipline.

Rosalind reported the situation with a calm expression. “Everything else is going smoothly. In fact, many of the students are especially eager to learn. They particularly enjoyed the lessons with Mrs. Ashford, as she has traveled to many places and experienced different cultures in her youth. She tells them stories, sharing tales from beyond the walls, and they listen with great interest. Even I find myself going to listen whenever I have the chance.”

Carissa was grateful to have Catherine here. “It’s truly a blessing to broaden their horizons. These young women have been confined to the inner chambers their whole lives. Some have rarely stepped outside the outer courtyard, only venturing out during festivals. The constraints of being a woman have bound their feet and obscured their vision. The world they know is limited to the confines of their courtyards.”

Rosalind nodded in agreement, fully understanding the truth of it. She herself had only gained a broader perspective because she had the opportunity to read more books than most.

She gazed out at the winter sun, her profile soft and graceful.

“The academy truly is a wonderful thing.”

Carissa leaned her chin on her–hand, admiring Rosalind. Rosalind was undeniably beautiful, but it was more than her looks–what truly captivated people was the quiet elegance that came from her depth of knowledge.

After what happened with Thomas, Rosalind never again spoke of marriage. It was as though once she had let go of the idea, she truly had moved on. When it came to matters of the heart, Carissa knew better than to pry. People should live in the way that suited them best–what mattered most was their own peace of mind.

Meanwhile, Athena showed no mercy. She had sent someone to inquire with Carissa and confirmed that the punishment would be 30 strikes across the palm. When the time came, the maidservant struck hard.

Since the students used their right hands to write, it was the left hand that bore the brunt of the punishment. The heavy ruler struck with each blow, the pain intensifying as it went on. The girls held on at first, but soon their resolve broke, and they cried pitifully.

Athena paid no attention. She sat calmly sipping coffee, only speaking once the punishment. was over. She had the girls treated with medicine, gave them a few words of rebuke, and sent them home.

That evening, Jocelyn returned home, crying uncontrollably. She demanded that Vera take her

Chapter 1178

to the palace to speak with Kylie, to have her purish the others and get revenge for her.

Vera was already frustrated with the matter of Jocelyn’s marriage, and she couldn’t stand her daughter’s tantrum.

Annoyed, she snapped, “Enough! You’re doing this for the queen’s sake, aren’t you? She’ll remember your loyalty. Once you marry General Farrell, you’ll be free to leave the academy.”

“I don’t want to marry that old man!” Jocelyn’s rage flared, ignoring the pain in her hand. She jumped to her feet, her eyes swollen from crying but filled now with hatred. “How dare he? Does he actually think he can take a young girl like me? Who does he think he is? I’ll never marry a lecher like that!”