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Sebastian’s smile widened at the mention of the basket. “In that case, His Majesty need not be so sparing with his doses anymore.”
Sophie then explained the arrangement for trade between the two kingdoms, assuring him that acquiring Snow Blossoms wouldn’t be as difficult in the future.
Sebastian chuckled bitterly, shaking his head. “Even Mr. Stellwyn knows that I’ve been buying Snow
Blossoms from Orivenia to make Snowdrop Pills. You see, we used to have an abundance of that herb.”
“Only at the Southern Frontier, right?” Sophie asked.
“There have been other mountains where it was found, but the growth wasn’t good and the quality was poor,” Sebastian said, carefully wrapping the Snow Blossom in a piece of brocade cloth.
“Only the Southern Frontier and Orivenia produce the right quality. In the end, I had no choice but to buy from Orivenia.”
He looked at Sophie, his tone turning serious as he added, “With so many Snow Blossoms, I can use stronger doses. Perhaps His Majesty will last an extra year or two.”
Sophie immediately asked, “Does that mean five years?”
“It’s not certain yet,” Sebastian replied, his voice heavy. “We need to adjust the treatment and observe the effects before we can say for sure.”
With Salvador having summoned the court officials to the royal study, the discussions continued late into the night. It was only when Sebastian stepped in to interrupt, informing them that the hour had grown late, that the session came to a close.
“Has it really gotten this late? Let’s call it a night, then. The palace gates will be locked soon,” said Salvador, stretching his arms with a smile.
Despite the late hour, the king appeared to be in high spirits, especially with the color back in his face. He hardly resembled a man suffering from illness.
Sophie waited for Rafael to finish his meeting before leaving the palace with him. Exhausted, she leaned against his shoulder and drifted into a deep, drowsy sleep.
When the carriage arrived at the estate, Rafael lifted her into his arms. Sophie, half-conscious, recognized the motion but was too tired to protest. She simply let him carry her inside, finding comfort in his strong embrace.
Over the past three months, she had only been able to sleep soundly at Victory Pass. Everywhere else, she remained on high alert. But now, back in the safety of her home, she felt herself relax completely and drift off into a deep slumber.
Yet, something felt a little off-she couldn’t shake the sensation of hot hands moving over her.
Her eyes were closed, and her voice was hoarse from sleep as she murmured, “Did you forget what Sebastian said?”
A warm voice whispered in her ear, “Sebastian said it’s fine now.”
Sophie opened her eyes and met Rafael’s burning gaze. “Really?” “Absolutely.”
The words had barely left his lips before they were pressed against hers.
The fire was ignited, flames of desire sweeping through them, raising the temperature of the room. They were lost in each other, the long absence making their reunion feel all the more intense.
In the coming month, Starhaven would establish the Maritime Trade Office, which would handle trade between Starhaven and the other kingdoms. The Commercial Affairs Office would now fully cooperate with the Maritime Trade Office, organizing a list of goods for export and preparing envoys to travel to Orivenia to finalize trade agreements.
During this time, Sebastian made adjustments to Salvador’s medication. At first, the king struggled with the changes and felt unwell for a few days. But with the help of the Snowdrop Pills, his condition soon stabilized. After five days of treatment, he began to adapt, and the effects were promising.
Salvador knew his illness was incurable, but extending his life for a while longer made him happy enough. His thoughts were consumed by state affairs. If not for Sebastian keeping a close eye on him, he might have stayed up late every night, unwilling to rest.
In these past few months, he had visited the harem on occasion. Yet, each time, it was merely to sit, share a meal, and engage in light conversation. Sebastian had been firm in his warnings. During this early stage of his treatment, before his condition had fully stabilized, Salvador was strictly forbidden from any intimate relations.
The reason for Sebastian’s sternness lay in what had happened back in August. After the king had visited Jeanette’s palace and slept with her, the effects of his medication had been dimin for several days, leaving him weak and drained. Having learned the hard way, Salvador now obediently listened to Sebastian’s instructions.
But this time, there was good news-Jeanette was pregnant.
In mid-October, the royal physicians confirmed she was slightly over three months pregnant, which perfectly matched the timing of Salvador’s August visit.
Both the queen dowager and the king were delighted. It had been a long while since any concubine in the harem had been with child. Salvador, in particular, was overjoyed. He saw Jeanette’s pregnancy as a sign that his health was improving. His spirits lifted, his optimism returned, and he felt stronger than ever.
He ordered Dorian to ensure Jeanette’s health during her pregnancy and elevated her status, granting her the rank of second-class concubine.
Grace and Sylvia, who oversaw the harem, were also pleased with the news. They sent Jeanette plenty of nourishing supplements to support her pregnancy, as well as exempted her from the daily rites of the harem. Soon, gifts from every palace flooded into Jeanette’s residence, making her the center of attention.
Whenever Salvador had a free moment, he would visit her, or go to Sylvia’s palace to see Cecil.
He would also occasionally summon Connor and Caden, but both of them were weighed down by their studies, so he refrained from disturbing them too much.
Cecil was still young and wasn’t quite old enough to learn much. He had been in poor health, but had now recovered. At this age, children were full of energy, so Cecil’s lively and adorable nature provided Salvador with a welcome break from the heavy demands of court affairs.
It wasn’t long before rumors began to circulate in the palace that Salvador had a special fondness for Cecil.
After all, Sylvia was in charge of the harem and had moved to a new residence. Also, apart from visiting Jeanette, the king would also visit Cecil frequently. It was clear that his affection for the young boy was undeniable.
Many in the harem were speculating about Salvador’s health. Even though
Jeanette was pregnant, Sebastian’s continued presence in the palace suggested the king needed more than rest and care.
Because of this, Salvador’s clear favoritism was starting to unsettle some people.
Kylie, in particular, was uneasy. She knew some details about the king’s condition, and though Sebastian was now in the palace, she wasn’t sure how effective the treatment would be. But she couldn’t shake the feeling that Salvador was nearing his limits.
Jeanette’s pregnancy didn’t concern her much. The baby’s gender remained unknown, and even if it was a son, the queen knew it wouldn’t change her own standing.
However, Salvador’s obvious favoritism toward Cecil left Kylie feeling threatened.
When he offered her a choice previously, she had chosen to keep her position as queen for the sake of survival. But after some time, she realized that Salvador wouldn’t give up on Connor so easily, especially given how diligently the eldest prince had been applying himself in his studies. She had even learned that the king was quite pleased with the boy’s progress.
Caden and Cecil were threats in their own ways, but the queen didn’t believe Salvador favored Caden as much. Over the past few months, she hadn’t seen much of him. Word had it that the second prince had become somewhat lazy, no longer as driven as he once was.
Kylie always thought that Grace was insignificant, as she didn’t have the kind of powerful family connections that could secure her future.
However, Sylvia was a different story. Her father was the Minister of Justice, a high-ranking official like Rafael. Whether in official or private matters, their interactions would likely be frequent. Plus, Sylvia’s mother, Gladys, supported Sophie’s interests by donating a significant amount of money to Skye Embroidery. So, it was possible they had already formed an alliance.
“Your Majesty, Prince Rafael praised Prince Connor again today,” Lydia said as she entered, her face beaming with excitement.
Kylie’s expression remained unchanged as she asked, “Who did His Majesty summon for dinner tonight?”
Lydia’s smile faltered for a moment. “The king summoned Prince Cecil for dinner.”
Her patience finally snapping, the queen slammed her cup onto the table. “Prince Cecil again!”
“There’s no need to worry too much, Your Majesty. Prince Cecil is still very young,” said Lydia, trying to soothe her.