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Rafael’s eyes lit up with understanding. “Your sister.”
Jacob’s gaze turned wistful. “Yes. I have never given up searching for her.”
“Your sister went missing when she was seven. Eighteen years have passed, and she would be twenty-five now. Even if Kyle could paint her, it would be a painting of her at age seven. How will you search based on that?” the prince asked.
“No, I’ve heard that Mr. Spencer has a unique skill. Based on a person’s childhood likeness, he can deduce what they might look like as an adult and incorporate it into the painting.”
Rafael replied, “Okay, so he has such a talent. But your own painting skills are decent, and you couldn’t manage to paint your sister because your memory is hazy. In which case how can you expect to describe her well enough for someone else to paint?”
“Some details are indeed hazy. When I try to draw my sister, I recall the sorrow that engulfed my family after her disappearance, and perhaps that makes me reluctant to delve too deeply into those memories. If Mr. Spencer was here, perhaps he would be able to capture her on canvas based on my description. At least her face lingers in my mind, so maybe it’ll slowly come into focus,” said Jacob.
Rafael knew that this was Jacob’s greatest regret. The man had even vowed to himself that he wouldn’t marry until he found his sister.
“Alright. I’ll discuss this with Sophie,” Rafael said. “But I can’t guarantee that Kyle will agree. It sounds a little ridiculous.”
Jacob remained calm. “I only ask that you ask Mr. Spencer about it. If it doesn’t work out, I won’t be disappointed.”
“Okay.” Rafael nodded, then discussed a few other matters with Jacob before heading back to his room.
Sophie had just returned from seeing Leona when Rafael informed her of Jacob’s request.
“Jacob has a sister who went missing years ago? But if he sent Claire to contact Winona, why didn’t he just write directly to Kyle?” she asked, surprised.
“Jacob draws the line quite well. Asking Claire to contact Winona is related to his job, while reaching out to Kyle is a personal matter. He still wants to have an intermediary help convey his words,” Rafael replied. Sophie understood. “Alright. I’ll write and ask, but I’m not sure if Kyle is at Meadow Ridge now. He’s always off somewhere.”
Rafael smiled. “He should be there now. Sage Everett has just returned after having been away for a while, so they’re probably busy reorganizing things. I doubt anyone will be leaving Meadow Ridge for the next few months.”
For some reason, the mention of her martial uncle always stirred a wave of anxiety within Sophie. Her respect for him had been etched into her bones.
“Luckily, I’m married and away from Meadow Ridge,” she quipped, laughing lightly.
“And you married his only beloved apprentice, so you’ll be treated especially well and forgiven more readily,” Rafael said with a sense of pride, before leaning down to press a kiss to her forehead.
“Sage Everett is a little protective,” Sophie said.
Rafael tried to wipe some ink smudges from his hands, but they wouldn’t come off. He called for someone to fetch some water.
“That’s not right. It’s not a little. He’s very protective,” the prince commented.
Sophie felt a bit reluctant to accept her husband’s words, but then she reconsidered and added, “But Sage Adrian is even more protective.”
Rafael’s eyes sparkled. “That’s true. When we went to save the Septimus Tetra reconnaissance team members, Sage Everett told me not to offend you at all. If you went back to Meadow Ridge and complained to your guild members, he wouldn’t be able to withstand the wrath of the entire guild.”
“That doesn’t sound right. Who isn’t afraid of Sage Everett?” Sophie disagreed.
Everyone in the Pathfinders Guild, including Adrian, was afraid of Everett.
“Yes, they’re afraid, but a cornered beast will bite people, right? You’re everyone’s favorite. If you feel wronged and complain to them, they will rise up against my mentor if he protects me,” Rafael replied, suddenly adopting a pitiful
Ovel demeanor. “Even though we’re from the same guild, your branch has plenty of people, while mine is just me. It’s hard not to be bullied.”
Sophie’s eyes filled with sympathy at his words. She stood on her tiptoes and playfully flicked his forehead. “So, you need to treat me better.”
The moment she reached up, Rafael felt a rush of joy.
Had this blockhead finally come to her senses?
But then, a sudden hit against his forehead and a twinge of pain followed Sophie’s words.
Nope. This blockhead was still as dense as ever.
Rafael pulled his wife into his arms and sat down in a chair, wrapping his arms around her waist as he asked, “How’s Leona doing?”
Sophie shifted closer, though she felt a bit awkward being so intimate while it was still daytime. “She’s doing okay. Her complexion isn’t as pale as before, but her mood is terrible. She keeps crying when she’s sure no one’s around.”
“She carried the baby for so long, so losing him is surely heartbreaking. She just needs time. It’ll all pass,” Rafael reassured.
“I’ve brought the water, Your Highness!” Lulu called out as she entered without looking up, carrying a basin.
Sophie immediately stood up with a stiff expression. “Uh… Put it down there.”
Lulu complied. After thinking for a moment, she tugged on Sophie’s arm.
“My lady, come here for a moment. I have something to discuss with you.”
Normally, Lulu would address her as “Lady Sophie” or “Your Grace”. But now, she was reverting to a more familiar address.
As Sophie followed her outside, Lulu led the way until the two of them came to stand beneath a shady tree.
“My lady, the prince wants to treat you better. Why do you keep resisting him?” Lulu asked, her hands on her hips.
“I’m not,” Sophie replied in an exasperated tone. “Is that all you want to say?”
“When I walked in, I saw His Highness holding you. But the moment you saw me, you jumped up like you were doing something wrong. Why did you do that?” “It’s not dark yet.”
“So what?” Lulu pouted, clearly frustrated. “Do you think getting close to His Highness is something to feel guilty about? Do you have to wait until it’s dark to get intimate? You weren’t this resistant before. You can’t start pushing His Highness away because of what happened between Lady Leona and Mr. Langley.”
Sophie was surprised.
Had she been doing that?
She hadn’t been resistant to getting close to Rafael. After all, they were intimate every night. They shared the bed, and curled up together. Throughout the night, her head had hardly left the comfort of his arms or chest.
Seeing Sophie’s confused look, Lulu felt an inexplicable frustration rise within her. She asked directly, “My lady, do you want a respectful relationship with His Highness, like a pair of polite spouses, or do you want to be a real loving couple?”
“Lulu, aren’t you overreacting?” Sophie reached up to touch Lulu’s forehead. “Have you been possessed by something? Are you running a fever?”
Lulu puffed up her cheeks, and glared. “My lady, answer the question!”
Sophie tilted her head slightly, a few strands of hair falling out of place and dancing in the sunset glow. “Don’t you need both respect and love in a marriage? Just because a couple is loving doesn’t mean they can’t be respectful. Is it one or the other? Can’t I have both?” “What?” Lulu was taken aback.
Both? Well, that wasn’t out of the question.