Lily watched from the side, deciding to leave the couple to sort things out themselves. Whether it ended in a fight or a scolding, Carissa and Rafael would handle it on their own.Carissa was upset, and if Lily stayed to offer advice, she might only fuel her anger. Carissa wasn't angry with Rafael but with Adrian. Lily left the room, understanding that it was better to leave the couple alone, so that Carissa would feel sorry for her husband, given the state he was in.After wiping Rafael's face and cleaning his hands, Carissa gave him some water to rinse his mouth. It helped him feel more awake.He was indeed clearer-headed now, even able to notice that Carissa was still upset. He understood it wasn't directed at him, but found her all the more beautiful when her delicate face was clouded with displeasure.The candles cast a warm glow throughout the room, and the intertwined knots hung around the lanterns seemed to warm his heart.Rafael cleared his throat softly and asked, "I mad
Rafael took out a handkerchief and gently wiped the tears from the corners of Carissa's eyes."I'm not foolish at all. What use is military power? How can it compare to you? With the country at peace, holding onto military power would only provoke jealousy and lead to future troubles. Even if the king hadn't forced me, I would have given it up."Rafael even smiled with a hint of pride. "If he hadn't pressured me, I'd still be worrying about how to propose to you. With the edict given, I believed you would choose me over becoming a concubine. He actually helped me."Carissa shot him a teasing glance. "You're actually pleased about it? Really, you're the type who gets scammed and would still thank the scammer for it."Her playful reproach seemed to touch his heart deeply, making him feel like he was on cloud nine."It doesn't matter. I've achieved what I wished for," said Rafael.Carissa lowered her gaze, feeling a sweet satisfaction in her heart.Achieving what one wished for—was
In the bathing chamber, Rafael's nightwear had already been laid out. It was blue, made from a comfortable fabric with only subtle cloud patterns, matching the nightwear Carissa was about to change into in both color and style.It wasn't entirely without embroidery, though. The cuffs featured some stitching: one sleeve bore the words "eternal harmony," while the other sleeve had "blessing of a child," symbolizing good wishes.Rafael had bathed and groomed himself the previous night, knowing that this evening might extend late into the night.When he emerged from the bathing chamber, dressed in the blue nightwear, he looked both clean and handsome. After spending some time in the capital, his complexion had become notably fairer.Carissa remembered meeting him on the battlefield. Back then, his face had been covered in a rugged beard, and he looked as unkempt as one could possibly be. It was hard to imagine that the man before her now was the same person.The candles cast a warm gl
At around seven in the morning, Lily knocked on the door from outside. The inner and outer rooms were separated by a curtain, with the door to the bedroom in the outer area.Hearing the knock, Rafael and Carissa both opened their eyes and sat up almost simultaneously. Both were naturally alert.Carissa glanced at Rafael, noting he was without clothing, and suddenly realized she was in the same state. She quickly grabbed the blanket and wrapped it around herself. Her face flushed hotly and she assumed she was blushing.Recalling the previous night's events, Rafael felt he had not performed very well. He wasn't quite comfortable meeting his wife's gaze directly, and was still getting used to the intimacy they shared. So, he quickly grabbed his nightclothes and hid under the covers to put them on.Once dressed, he cleared his throat and said, "I'll get up first. You… you should put on your nightclothes, then call someone in to help you change."Why did this feel so awkward? He didn't
Rafael needed to wear formal court attire, but he couldn't manage it on his own—it was simply too complicated. In the end, he took the attire out to the outer room and called for Luke and a servant to help him dress.He wore a crown and a green outfit with griffin patterns embroidered on the shoulders. His waist was bound with a blue sash, and on either side of his waist hung emerald pendants decorated with gold-etched cloud and griffin patterns, threaded with emerald beads. The pendants were fastened with golden hooks and secured with four-colored ribbons.The grand sash was woven in red, white, azure, and green. Rafael's tall, slender frame made him appear even more imposing and dignified in this luxurious attire.Carissa still needed to lightly brush her eyebrows and apply a touch of powder. Even with her naturally stunning beauty, it wouldn't do to face the day without any makeup. Once she was fully dressed and groomed, Carissa was escorted out by Lily, Lulu, and her other att
The scene before Helen was truly pleasing to the eye. Her son was handsome, and Carissa was beautiful. Both of them exuded a cold, imposing aura—a true match as husband and wife.Just a moment ago, Gillian had rushed in to report that it had been confirmed Carissa was indeed chaste, and that she had only consummated her marriage with Rafael the previous night.Helen was quite satisfied with this news, though her satisfaction was limited to the fact that Carissa was pure. As for this being Carissa's second marriage, she hadn't fully come to terms with it yet.Helen sat upright, her demeanor proud, and her gaze carried an air of authority.Suppressing his anger, Rafael led Carissa forward by the hand. They knelt down, and bowed their heads in greeting.Gillian, holding a tray, stood to the side and spoke. "The new bride offers a toast to Lady Helen!" Carissa took the cup, respectfully offering it to Helen with both hands. "Mother, please have some wine."Helen waited for a mome
Carissa smiled, though she was nearly grinding her teeth.Still, she maintained a gentle tone as she agreed with her mother-in-law."You're right, Mother. Business does have its ups and downs. Oh, by the way… Do you and Grand Princess Eleanor split the profits of the jewelry shop evenly? Did you sign a contract? And since it opened, have you reviewed the account books?"Helen puffed up with pride, like a peacock. "Of course we signed a contract! Do you take me for a fool? It's not an even split—I've taken seventy percent. Naturally, I've looked at the account books. They send them every season, and I've checked them thoroughly. We've indeed been running at a loss.""Oh? So, you hold the majority share? That means when there's a loss, you have to contribute more money to cover it. How much money have you put in over the years? Have you been keeping track?" Carissa pressed. "Of course I've kept track. Every time I put in money, I note it down," Helen said.Good, that was a start.
The queen dowager had sharp eyes—she immediately noticed her younger sister's discontent. After Rafael and Carissa went to greet the king and queen, Victoria held back Helen and Gillian for a private conversation.She first addressed Gillian. "Now that you've left the palace and entered the household, things are different. Social interactions are inevitable, and any misstep in words or deeds could bring trouble to Rafael's reputation. So, you must be even more careful in your conduct, with no room for error. "Your mistress was raised by you and has been spoiled by you, but if you notice anything amiss in the future, you must speak up immediately. If she intends to do something inappropriate, you must persuade her otherwise. Do you understand?""Yes, Your Majesty, I understand," Gillian replied respectfully.However, Helen pouted. "Victoria, what could I possibly do wrong? Besides, I'll be managing the household affairs from now on, with Gillian and Luke assisting me, and Jacob
The evening before the trip, Carissa, accompanied by Rafael, made her way to bid farewell to Helen. Since she was leaving early in the morning, before her mother-in-law would be awake, Carissa chose to say her goodbyes the night before.Helen had known about the trip to Orivenia for some time. At first, she hadn't fully understood the situation and felt Salvador's order was a bit much. Why did it have to be Carissa, of all people, who had to undertake such a long and tiring journey?But after hearing from Violet that the real purpose of the journey was for Carissa to visit her maternal family, Helen only sighed quietly."The greatest pain in life is the separation from loved ones, whether by life or death. And the greatest joy is the reunion with loved ones after a long time apart."Of course, those words were spoken to Violet, and would never be said in front of Carissa. To say them to her would be like rubbing salt in an open wound. After all, Helen had come to love and cherish h
In the blazing heat of July, a letter from Westhaven arrived.Westhaven's king, Edmund, had abdicated. Grand Princess Lisandra was now queen. She had taken the throne and assumed control of the kingdom, and its name was officially changed from Westhaven to Orivenia.The new queen invited Starhaven to send an envoy delegation to attend her coronation and to discuss the long-standing border disputes. Lisandra had already ascended the throne, so attending the coronation was merely a formality. The true purpose of the visit was to negotiate the border issue.When the Westhaven envoy delegation previously came to Starhaven, their primary goal was the border—an issue that had been put on hold due to internal unrest. It was also the matter that had weighed most heavily on Lisandra's mind. So, with her coronation behind her now, she wasted no time in reopening the talks.At the morning court session in Starhaven, there was unanimous agreement that old grudges were behind them. Both kingdom
At Hell Monarch Estate, Carissa and Cynthia were busy teaching Roxana and Courtney martial arts. Mostly, it was Cynthia who took charge of Roxana's lessons, while Carissa kept company with Courtney, observing but not actively participating.Work at the Capital Guard headquarters was actually quite busy, but time seemed to slow down, bringing a sense of calm to everyone's hearts. No matter how long this period without suspicion would last, they decided to cherish each day as it came.But there was one thing that weighed heavily on Carissa's mind—Rafael's health.Although he was gradually recovering, his vitality had been severely damaged. Working tirelessly every day, leaving early and returning late, with irregular meals and inconsistent medication, he wasn't able to rest properly, which was always a worry.Bun came down the corridor and approached Carissa, saying, "Vivi says she won't be home tonight."Carissa nodded, her expression unchanged. She didn't need to ask. She knew exa
Nowadays, Salvador would discuss matters concerning his sons with Rafael, especially since he often taught them in the evenings. After finishing his lessons, he would come over to accompany Salvador during his needle treatment sessions.As the brothers talked more, the barriers between them lessened, as did the suspicion.Of course, this varied from person to person. Rafael spoke sincerely and rarely held back, as long as the topic didn't involve Carissa.Up close, Salvador could always see things clearly. Any issues between them were now discussed openly, unlike before when they relied solely on assumptions.Salvador credited this change to Carissa's sharp words. It was as if she had shaken him awake, making him see things differently. Now, he could see Rafael as a brother, not just as a subject under his rule.After Sebastian finished his needle treatment, he excused himself to rest. Rafael helped Salvador up and walked with him, with Derek trailing behind at a distance. The roy
Kylie returned to Everspring Palace, but her unease did not last long.Soon, Salvador arrived. Accompanied by the Nightsteel Guard, he sealed off the entire Everspring Palace, allowing only Lydia to remain within the halls.Derek entered, carrying two items.One of them was the poison powder Kylie had given to Connor days before. When it was placed on the table for her to inspect, she stood frozen in place. A cold, piercing chill spread through her, making her body tremble uncontrollably.Witnessing this, Lydia immediately stumbled and dropped to her knees, her voice thick with fear as she cried out, "Your Majesty, please forgive me! It was all my doing! Her Majesty had no part in this!"Salvador paid no attention to her desperate pleas.Sitting down, he turned to Derek. "You may show Kylie the edict. There is no need for formalities."Derek nodded and unfurled the second item—a royal edict.The moment it was placed before the queen, her eyes caught the first few lines, and it
The queen waited anxiously for two days, but nothing happened.Lydia secretly went to the Royal Medical Department to see Dorian, but he was on leave due to family matters, so she couldn't find out if he had said anything to Salvador.However, with no order for house arrest issued, Kylie's concerns were eased considerably.As days passed without any further developments, she relaxed entirely, convinced that Dorian had said nothing to the king. It seemed unlikely that the royal physician would ever speak up. After all, he had been paid handsomely.Yet, over time, something began to feel off.Every day, Kylie had Lydia deliver food to Connor, but he wouldn't touch it. At first, he claimed Victoria had advised him to stick to bland meals because his stomach was still bothering him. Though Kylie found that reasonable, it had been many days since the incident, and there was no sign that the young prince was in poor health.So, why was he still refusing to eat?With a sense of unease
As Kylie stepped out, she caught sight of the scene before her, and a shadow seemed to fall across her heart. The feeling was difficult to describe.She approached, seizing the opportunity with the court officials present, and spoke up. "Prince Connor's failure today was indeed a disappointment. However, he had been suffering from stomach pains and weakness since this morning. I've already called for a royal physician and had medicine prepared."Salvador's brow furrowed. "What did the royal physician say?""He believes it's due to something Prince Connor ate. He's taken the medicine, and he's feeling somewhat better now," Kylie responded quickly. Salvador's response was indifferent. "Then take good care of him.""Of course!" Kylie answered, stealing a glance at the others in the room. Though their expressions were unreadable, Salvador didn't seem particularly angry. Perhaps this matter was already behind them.She smiled and was about to congratulate Salvador on hunting the
In royal matters, people seldom delve too deeply. Especially since Connor was still young, his failure today wasn't seen as anything of real consequence. After all, he was the queen's son, destined for great honor in the future—no one would judge him too harshly over a small setback.As everyone saw him suffering in pain, many began suggesting various remedies. Some had oils to apply on his stomach, while others offered their own suggestions of concoctions.Even Sylvia and Grace came in to inquire after him. After all, they had brought their children along and surely carried some medicine with them. Seeing Connor's discomfort, they offered their remedies.However, Kylie made no use of their offers. Her goal was simply to have them see Connor's current condition so they would report it to their families later.In short, Connor's failure needed an explanation, a reason to let everyone know that he wasn't incompetent—it was just due to his physical discomfort.After everyone had ch
After a while, Max finally arrived. Upon seeing Carissa and Connor together, he let out a sigh of relief. "Commander Sinclair, we need to get Prince Connor back right away. Her Majesty is worried, and she's already sent people looking for him. However, the attendants are too afraid to go into the fenced area, so they've been calling from the outside."Connor clearly looked conflicted and didn't want to go back."Your mom cares about you. She'll be worried. You should return," Carissa said gently.Connor pouted. "She doesn't really love me. She only scolds me. She's a bad person."Carissa looked at him, somewhat surprised. Kylie doted on him—even spoiled him—so he should have been able to feel that love.Now, after just a couple of scoldings, Kylie was suddenly the bad person?However, as Carissa thought back to her time at the Pathfinders Guild, she understood. There, no matter how strict Everett was, no matter the punishments, she never dared to complain. But if Adrian scolded