Filed To Story: Queen of the Battlefield Her Return to Glory Novel Online Free
Handling wounds like this was second nature to Sophie. Back in Meadow Ridge, she had often tended to her own injuries with ease.
Rafael watched Sophie’s careful and quick movements. She lowered her head, and he could see her slightly curled, thick eyelashes trembling gently.
A subtle emotion stirred in his heart-she rarely displayed such a gentle demeanor.
Looking at the two layers of bandages wrapped around his hand, he couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Isn’t it just a minor wound? It’s nothing seri
“How is it nothing serious?” Sophie looked up with wide eyes. “If it’s not treated properly, it could get infected. I’ve experienced it before. Look, let me show you my hand.”
She extended her hand, revealing a small scar on the back, about half the length of a finger. The scar was faint, just a trace of pink left behind.
“It got infected back then. It was only after my master treated it with medicine that it healed, but it left a scar. Your hands are so beautiful. If they were scarred, it wouldn’t look…well, as good.”
As she spoke, she suddenly remembered that when she had cleaned his wound earlier, his hands were already covered in many small scars.
Rafael’s expression relaxed, and he teased her, “What’s the point of a man having beautiful hands?”
Sophie replied earnestly, “It’s definitely better than having ugly ones.”
He smiled, his voice softening. “Then I’m afraid I’ll have to disappoint you. I have plenty of scars on my body.”
“Those are all your battle honors,” Sophie said as she washed her hands, her face brightening with a smile. “I have my own battle honors too.”
“Are your wounds all healed?” he asked, concerned.
She had also been injured on the battlefield.
“They’re fine now. I’m proud of them,” Sophie said as she ordered someone to clear the items away and prepare some refreshments. “Invite Anthony and the others to join us for coffee.”
Pearl entered and said, “Mr. Carter has already invited them to the main hall for refreshments. They’ll be leaving shortly. Sebastian told them that Lord Ryan would be sleeping for a while, so they said they’ll return tomorrow instead of waiting here.”
“Alright, then,” Sophie nodded, letting out a small sigh of relief. “It’s just as well that they’re leaving. I don’t really have much to talk about with them. If they stayed, I’d have to keep them company.” After all, leaving the guests and hiding away wouldn’t be right.
Rafael asked, “And what about me? Do you feel uneasy with me here?”
“Why would I?” she replied, surprised. “You and I are not only comrades but also betrothed. We’ll have to get along in the future.”
Then she smiled sweetly and added, “Besides, how could a guild senior feel uneasy in front of her guild junior?”
Rafael rolled his eyes slightly, now the one feeling a bit uneasy.
Just then, the refreshments were brought in. Sophie personally poured him a cup of coffee.
“Even though you always tell me not to thank you, my family truly owes you a debt of gratitude. Without you, Ryan would still be under those people’s control. He would still be forced to beg on the streets, get beaten up, looked down upon, and go hungry and cold.
As she spoke, her eyes reddened.
“I’ve heard from Anthony that disabled beggar children like him rarely live past ten. The constant beatings, the cold, and hunger make them sickly and weak. A simple illness could easily claim their lives, or a particularly cold winter night might be the end of them. Every year, the Royal Citadel collects the bodies of countless beggars. They die in all sorts of ways, but most often, it’s from hunger or freezing to death.”
Her voice choked with emotion.
“I can’t bear to think about it. If Ryan hadn’t met you, he might have died quietly, his body discarded in some desolate wilderness, becoming food for wild dogs. I’ve had nightmares about it-so many times.” Rafael couldn’t stand to see her cry; it pained him to see her like this.
“Why dwell on such thoughts? You family’s blessings from above must have protected him and led me to him. How else could it be that my eyes landed on him among so many scattered beggar children, and I even recognized him?”
Sophie looked up, her lashes wet with tears.
“In any case, I will always remember this kindness. No matter what you ask of me in the future, as long as it doesn’t go against my conscience, I will do it for you.”
Rafael’s expression turned serious. “I don’t need you to do anything for me. If there’s one thing I ask, it’s that you live well. Live happily, live a life full of joy. That’s how you can honor your family’s spirits in heaven.”
Her heart trembled slightly, and a single tear slid down her cheeks. Her tearful eyes were filled with confusion. “Why are you so good to me?”
Rafael felt his heart breaking at the sight of her like this. He recalled her fierce and determined figure on the battlefield, yet now, she was so delicate and vulnerable. He couldn’t hide the tenderness in his eyes and had to turn his face away.
“Why wouldn’t I treat you well? You’re my betrothed, after all. We’re going to spend our lives together.”
Sophie should have been moved, but she had heard similar words before.
Thinking about that memory was an unpleasant thought, and she didn’t know why it surfaced now. She said in an unusually soft tone, “I’ve heard those words before, but we all know what happened in the end.”
She didn’t understand why she was speaking like this-it was so disheartening. She wasn’t usually so emotional, but recently, in front of him, she felt incredibly emotional.
Had a fox spirit possessed her? She was acting like a wretched woman.
Rafael’s gaze sharpened. “Don’t compare me to him. With me, there’s only ’till death do us part.’ There will be no divorce, and certainly no abandonment. I swear it. If you don’t believe me, I’ll spend a lifetime proving it.”
Her eyes widened in shock. “Till death?”
He met her gaze with his clear, bright eyes. “I’ll go before you if I can help it. That way, you won’t have to take care of an old man plagued with aches and pains.
Sophie couldn’t help but burst out laughing. She couldn’t picture him old, but she imagined he might look something like the late king. Then again, the late king hadn’t been that old when he passed. Sniffling, she felt even more emotional. “I’ll remember everything you’ve said. If you ever go back on your words, this guild senior of yours won’t forgive you.”
Rafael let out a soft groan. “Are you really hoping I’ll go before you?”
Sophie thought for a moment. “Well then, how about we go together?”
He thought for a moment. “Deal.”
Lulu had been listening to their conversation. Their words initially moved her, but the rnore she listened, the more uneasy she felt.
She couldn’t help but say, “Your Highness, my lady, why are you talking about such ominous things? Life and death and all that… Are you two planning to follow each other to the grave?”
At Lulu’s words, the two exchanged a glance. Sophie’s cheeks flushed, and she shot Lulu a glare.
“Don’t talk nonsense.”
Rafael slowly sipped his coffee, using it to hide the smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
Follow each other to the grave? Of course, that was the plan. They would be husband and wife-their lives would be intertwined and never be separated again, whether in life or death.