Chapter 899 Carissa was still present, Viola, having been insulted, was naturally furious. “You watch your mouth, Alistair she snapped. Don’t think you’ve become untouchable just because you’re the commander of the Royal Guard. You’re still being controlled by a woman, aren’t you?” She knew how proud and arrogant Alistair was, and she also knew that he had never gotten along with Catissa. She intended to provoke him by flaunting their discord and humiliating him in front of Carissa However, it was obvious Viola wasn’t aware of the entire situation. After Alistair became Violet’s apprentice, he had witnessed his mentor’s martial prowess firsthand. He had also listened to her talk several times about how she had been effortlessly defeated by Carissa when they were at Meadow Ridge, leaving her powerless to fight back. Having sparred with Carissa himself, Alistair understood just how laughable his past arrogance had been. With a smug smile, he said sarcastically, “Oh, being commander of the Royal Guard is no small thing. If you think it’s easy, then by all means, you try doing it. And don’t talk about women not being fit for such positions -look at Commander Sinclair. *She once controlled your husband, and now, she’s my superior. I may not be as capable as her, and I acknowledge that. But do you? What’s so shameful about being commanded by a woman? Who in their own home isn’t controlled by their wife? On the other hand, what about you? Can you control Barrett?” Viola’s face turned red with anger. Realizing she couldn’t win this argument, she turned to Barrett, who still looked lost in thought, and shouted, Why are you just standing there in a daze? He’s accusing you! Don’t you have anything to say for yourself?” Barrett glanced at Carissa. “…” “May I ask you a few questions in private?” Carissa interrupted, her voice calm but firm. Barrett nodded, his face pale. “Yes, let’s go to the side hall “Alone?” Viola’s tone grew sharp, sensing something was amiss. “What can’t be said here? Is there something I can’t hear?” Carissa looked at Viola steadily. “You can’t, but Commander Prince can.” Hearing that they wouldn’t be alone, Viola felt a slight sense of relief. At least that meant it wasn’t about personal matters. The side hall of Valor Estate, where they headed, was no longer the one Carissa had once known. Almost all the furniture had been replaced. The tables and chairs were new, and what had once been filled with her bridal dowry–fine wood and intricately carved pieces–was now gone. The room was now furnished with simple, ordinary tables and chairs. Even the partition screen had a crack running through it. As they entered the side hall, Alistair was still talking. “He deliberately tried to stop me earlier and led me away from Mr. Zellner.” Chapter 190

Carissa turned to him. “Do you have any evidence?” Alistair deflated, clearly frustrated. “No“” “If there’s no evidence, put that aside for now,” Carissa said calmly. “I have questions for him. I asked you to come in only to avoid suspicion, but there’s nothing here you can’t hear. Sit down and keep quiet unless you’re asked to speak.” “Understood“” Alistair sat down, trying to make himself as inconspicuous as possible. Carissa and Barrett took their seats as well, and she got straight to the point, saying, “When you were at Victory Pass, my third uncle lost an arm trying to save you and nearly died in the process. Do you remember that, Commander Warren?” Shame flickered across Barrett’s face. “I remember.” Carissa continued, “Don’t worry, I’m not trying to ask you to return the favor. There’s no such thing as life debts on the battlefield. In moments of danger, we all save each other. What I want to ask is, who suggested burning the supply depot? Why did you and Aurora separate when you got to Fawnrun City? You didn’t know about the massacre of the villagers at the time, did you? Although Winona had investigated the Fawnrun City incident thoroughly, there were still details that were hard to uncover. While they couldn’t change the fact that Aurora had killed innocent civilians, the operation itself had been led by Barrett. It was important to understand as much as possible, especially since after Dominic returned to the capital, Carissa and the others would need to know how to best act in his favor.