Chapter 1256  Carissa held Roxana’s hand and spoke to her for long time, but never once did she speak ill of Roxana’s family.  Violet and Cynthia were listening outside. When the conversation ended, Carissa had Lulu take Roxana downstairs to settle her in.  Once they were alone, Violet asked, “Why tell her to protect her family? She should know how cruel her family has been to her, or she’ll be bound by them for the rest of her life.”  Carissa took a sip of water, her eyes clouded with sadness. “Vivi, this is a common story. Many common families find themselves in such situations. When faced with hardship, the first thing they think of is selling their daughters or sisters. They don’t see it as cruelty. To them, selling a girl as a child bride or a maid in a wealthy household is just a way out.”  She paused, then continued, “It’s not uncommon for some families to trade their daughters in marriage to secure a wife for their sons, but at least Roxana’s parents aren’t like that. They tried everything to earn money–her mom sold goods in the market, and her dad did odd jobs. They even risked their lives climbing the mountains to gather herbs. I truly believe they never considered selling her. If they had, they wouldn’t have sent her to the academy in the first place.”  Violet frowned. “But her eldest brother and sister–in–law didn’t want to take responsibility. Her third brother wanted to sell her to marry, all for his own selfish gain. Shouldn’t she resent them?”  Carissa sighed softly. “It’s hard to sever ties with family, especially when you’re so young. Roxana has a lot to learn, and she’s still worried about her parents‘ injuries. She’s only eleven. That’s too much for her to carry right now. We don’t need to plant hatred in her heart. As she grows older, she’ll understand, and she’ll see who deserves her anger. Whether she chooses to stay close to her brothers or distance herself, that will be her decision.”  Violet thought for a moment, always willing to weigh the words Carissa said.  “You’re right. We shouldn’t get too involved in her family matters. After all, not everyone in her family is bad. Her parents have sheltered her despite their poverty, and they didn’t make her work. They even sent her to the academy. That shows how much they care for her. She’s always smiling, which shows how much they dote on her.”  Carissa linked arms with Violet and Cynthia, the three of them walking out together. “Exactly. So we’ll let her handle it when she’s older. What we can do for her now is teach her with all our  hearts.”  “And take care of her,” Cynthia added with a smile.  Cynthia had just returned from Meadow Ridge, with a heart full of righteousness and a strong sense of justice. She was always eager to protect the weak.  1/2  428 BOTEST  Chapter 14  And so, Roxana settled into Hell Monarch Estate Carissa was originally in charge of teaching martial arts, so technically, Roxana should have been her apprentice. However, the Pathfinders Guild accepted apprentices based on the preferences of the mentors, and there were no formal criteria.  Since Cynthia had expressed her desire for a pupil of her own, she took Roxana under her wing.  Whether a child would succeed in the future could often be seen from their mental resilience.  Despite Roxana’s worries and sadness, it didn’t affect her diligence. Instead, she displayed remarkable determination and persistence, working even harder than before.  She woke up before dawn to study, practiced martial stances for half an hour, and then returned to the academy. Roxana’s dedication even made Cynthia feel guilty–she hadn’t been nearly as diligent herself back in the day.  On the tenth day of February, Jacob received a message by carrier pigeon.  It was from Kyle, reporting that Rafael and Dylan had entered the mountains two weeks ago and hadn’t returned. They had searched the area but found no trace of them. The place they had entered was surrounded on three sides by mountains, with endless, rolling hills. Kyle was worried they had encountered danger, and in the end, sent the pigeon back to the capital to request reinforcements.  Carissa had been worried about them from the start, anxiously waiting for any news. When the pigeon arrived, a deep, heavy dread settled over her. The worst possibilities flashed in her mind, one after another, until she stopped at the most horrible of all–the thought that she might never see Rafael again.  Her entire being seemed to have fallen into an ice–cold pit, fear seeping into her very bones. It was as though an invisible hand had seized her throat, leaving her gasping for breath and trembling uncontrollably.  Having endured the loss of her dad and brothers and the annihilation of her entire family, she knew all too well the suffocating terror of losing loved ones–it was like drowning in a flood of despair.  2/2