A strange, mournful chant drifted from the mouth of a priest. The heavy, sorrowful melody lingered as, for the first time this morning, the gloomy sky finally cleared. A long procession departed from West Pass, with Yuna Grant leading at the very front.
She hadn’t slept well at all last night. Her mother’s sudden passing left her unable to find peace. The Grant Family’s burial ground lay in a sunken valley west of Grant City, surrounded on all sides by hills.
Beside her, Simon Grant wept constantly. Yuna Grant held his hand, occasionally patting his back to comfort him.
Her memories of her mother were of gentle warmth, though sometimes strict when Yuna Grant misbehaved—she would even hit her. Yet it was this very mother who had raised her, and now, everything about her mother seemed to be fading further and further away in Yuna Grant’s mind.
"What did Mother see in the end?"
Recalling her mother’s final moments, Yuna Grant still couldn’t understand. She remembered her mother’s eyes wide open, smiling joyfully as she passed away. That smile was so peaceful.
Suddenly, a soft cry came from behind her on the left. Lana Grant had stumbled and fallen to the ground. Yuna Grant immediately stopped and rushed over to help her second sister up.
"Are you alright, Second Sister?"
Lana Grant sneered, her eyes covered by a strip of black animal hide. She gripped Yuna Grant’s hand tightly.
"Next will be Father, won’t it? Heh."
Yuna Grant ignored Lana Grant and kept walking. Lona Long hurried over and helped Lana up after the maid was shoved aside. Lana’s temper had grown worse—she lashed out at everyone around her, from parents to younger siblings.
The entire day passed, and only at dusk did the burial ceremony end. As soon as she returned to Grant City, Yuna Grant ran to The Aviary, leaned against the Ninefeather Bird, and lay down. She was exhausted—more tired than she’d ever been before.
It had been days since she last heard her own inner voice, yet her exhaustion only grew worse. The wedding date was approaching, but the frontlines were in crisis. She forced herself to make a decision—she would marry into Jiang Territory.
Before leaving, she longed to return to the front one more time, to see it for herself. The constant anxiety and fear made her restless—bad news kept coming, one blow after another.
Gradually, Yuna Grant grew sleepy, curling up in The Aviary and closing her eyes. The Ninefeather Bird nestled close, spreading its wings gently over her.
For two days straight, Yuna Grant drifted through a haze—each day she trained and sparred with Leonard Lei, until she collapsed in her room, unable to move. She didn’t want to think about anything.
Worn out from another long day, Yuna Grant went to The Aviary, leaned on the fence, and gazed up at the setting sun. Just then, a commotion broke out at the foot of the stairs.
Several people hurried into Grant Palace, and soon everyone inside poured out. Yuna Grant stood up and looked for her father, sensing something serious had happened. Outside the palace gates, she saw Joseph Qiao, pale-faced. He immediately stood and ran over.
King Grant clutched his chest, his face frozen in grief, eyes sorrowful. Yuna Grant pushed through the crowd and ran over. In an instant, her eyes widened—on the stretcher beside Joseph Qiao lay Edward Grant.
A stench of decay filled the air. Yuna Grant stepped forward. With a sudden thud, panic swept through the crowd—King Grant coughed up blood and collapsed to the ground.
The chaos gradually faded away. Yuna Grant knelt before Edward Grant, her hands raised and mouth open, wanting to cry but unable to shed tears—only a continuous whimper escaped her. She pressed against Edward’s body, clutching him tightly, low, mournful sounds rumbling from her throat, as if something in her mind had snapped.
Joseph Qiao crouched beside Yuna Grant, one hand on her shoulder, leaning in to whisper something in her ear. Yuna Grant turned her head, her face pale, her eyes bleak. Joseph Qiao stood up, said nothing, and walked straight through the crowd to mount his warhorse.
Yuna Grant raised her hand, but her throat felt blocked—no sound came out. She desperately wanted to stop Joseph Qiao, but the horse had already galloped away, and soon he disappeared from her sight.
"So it’s come to this—big brother is dead, father has fallen, and he won’t last much longer. It’s just us sisters now, Grant Family."
Yuna Grant curled up in a corner while Lana Grant burst into wild laughter, raising her hands and laughing uncontrollably.
"The enemy is coming. They’re almost here."
Suddenly, Lana Grant clutched her head, trembling all over, whimpering on the bed.
"Why? That bastard—I hate him, I hate him so much. Yuna, it’s all Father’s fault, it’s all Father’s fault, ah..."
A shrill howl echoed through the room as Yuna Grant stared blankly out the window.
At that moment, footsteps sounded—Lona Long rushed in, panting.
"Yuna, your father..."
Yuna Grant slowly lifted her head and looked at Lona Long. Grief erupted inside her again. She tilted her head back, but no matter what, the tears wouldn’t come—only endless whimpering.
Lona Long quietly crouched in front of Yuna Ji, wanting to comfort her but unable to help.
From the bed nearby came the sound of crying. Yuna Grant’s swollen eyes turned to look—it was Lana Grant. In the moonlight, Lana raised her head and wailed, streaks of tears flowing from her empty eye sockets, crimson drops dripping steadily.
"It’s over, Yuna. We’re finished. Everything is over..."
Suddenly, Lona Long rushed over and struck Lana Grant hard at the back of her neck. Lana’s crazed howling stopped, and her body went limp on the bed.
Lona Long carried Yuna Grant back to their quarters and laid her on the bed.
[Irrelevant meta-text: This chapter is not finished ^.^, please click next page to continue reading!]
"Yuna, you should rest too. It’s alright, I’m here. It’s alright."
After watching Yuna Grant close her eyes, Lona Long shut the door and headed toward Lana Grant’s quarters.
A wave of dread washed over her. Lana Grant’s howling echoed through Yuna Grant’s dream. She jolted awake, her body cold and clammy, beads of sweat trickling down her forehead. She crossed her arms, curled up, and began to tremble.
"The frontlines must be finished by now."
Suddenly, a voice filled with malice and icy contempt came from Yuna Grant’s mouth.
"You’re out again..."
Yuna Grant spoke in a low, heavy voice.
"Are you afraid?"
"Yes!"
"That’s right, you should be afraid. Hahaha..."
"What are you laughing at?"
"I’m laughing at how scared you are. The enemy will attack soon, and in an instant, the Grant Family will be destroyed. How could you not be afraid? After all, you’re just a woman."
Yuna Grant let out a bleak, eerie laugh, her face twisted with strangeness—the sound sent chills down the spine.
"What should I do?"
"Just kill the source of your fear, isn’t that right?"
"How?"
"It’s simple. Kill the enemy—slaughter every one that charges at you, leave none alive."
Yuna Grant slowly stood up, got out of bed, and grabbed her spear, a wicked smile spreading across her face.
"I can’t do it."
That’s right, such cruelty—Yuna Grant can’t do it, she’s not capable. Even if they’re the enemy, killing them still leaves her feeling uneasy, anxious, afraid. She just can’t do it—Yuna Grant can’t do it.
With a bang, the spear fell to the ground. Yuna Grant clutched her head, trembling all over.
"I can’t do it, I just can’t—I’m scared..."
"Hahaha..."
Suddenly, Yuna Grant lifted her head, a wicked expression spreading across her face.
"If you can’t do it, then leave it to me. The things Yuna Grant can’t do—I can. Just surrender your body and mind to me. Let me handle it."
"Really?"
For a moment, Yuna Grant seemed to see hope—her eyes stared in surprise at a place where nothing was there.
"Ah, I can do it—because I am Yuna Grant, I can do it. Kill the enemy, slaughter every one that frightens Yuna Grant, leave none alive—I can do it!"
"Can I really leave it to you?"
"Don’t worry, leave it to me. Give everything to me—fear, sorrow, all the things that hurt Yuna Grant, just let me take care of them..."
Once Lana Grant had calmed down, Lona Long finally breathed a sigh of relief. She returned to Yuna Ji’s quarters, gently pushed open the door, and crept to the bedside, exhausted from the day. But when Lona Long looked at the bed in surprise, there was nothing there. She touched the fur—it was already cold.
"Yuna..."
Lona Long called out. She quickly noticed that Yuna Ji’s spears, usually kept by the bed, were missing. Lona Long dashed out, ran swiftly through the palace, and outside the gates, the guards told her Yuna Ji had gone to the stables on the palace’s right side.
Once Lana Grant had calmed down, Lona Long finally breathed a sigh of relief. She returned to Yuna Grant’s quarters, gently pushed open the door, and crept to the bedside, exhausted from the day. But when Lona Long looked at the bed in surprise, there was nothing there. She touched the fur—it was already cold.
With a creak, the eastern city gate slowly opened.
Lona Long called out. She quickly noticed that Yuna Grant’s spears, usually kept by the bed, were missing. Lona Long dashed out, ran swiftly through the palace, and outside the gates, the guards told her Yuna Grant had gone to the stables on the palace’s right side.
A soldier shouted as Yuna Ji, astride her horse, sped through the gate. Under the night sky, her face bore a wicked smile—she was nothing like before, not a trace of weakness left.
A soldier shouted as Yuna Grant, astride her horse, sped through the gate. Under the night sky, her face bore a wicked smile—she was nothing like before, not a trace of weakness left.
Gradually, Yuna Grant slowed her horse, glancing back over her shoulder from time to time.
"Yuna, you’re going to..."
Suddenly, Lona Long’s face showed shock—the Yuna Ji before her was a stranger.
Suddenly, Lona Long’s face showed shock—the Yuna Grant before her was a stranger.
Yuna Grant slowly turned her head to look at Lona Long.
"I’m Yuna Grant, Lona Long. Will you come with me?"
Without the slightest hesitation, Lona Long nodded.
"Even if it’s hell?"
"Yes, even to the end of hell."