Filed to story: Queen of the Battlefield Her Return to Glory Novel Online Free
Adrian had no fondness for the capital or the royal family, but Rafael’s character was impeccable. He had recovered the Southern Frontier and restored the kingdom’s territory, so Adrian reluctantly accepted him. However, whether people’s hearts would change remained to be seen.
Rafael initially had wanted to become his apprentice, but Adrian was reluctant to take in anyone from the royal family.
However, his junior guild member, Everett, had taken a liking to Rafael and accepted him as an apprentice.
Adrian had underestimated the delicate royal, believing Rafael couldn’t withstand the rigors of martial training. Yet, Rafael’s dedication, despite only spending one month a year in the mountains, had led to remarkable martial prowess.
Adrian sighed, letting the guild members converse while he went to find Everett and Rafael. After all, Rafael was now married to his youngest apprentice, making Adrian a sort of father-in-law. Balancing authority and leniency as a father-in-law was no easy task.
Adrian couldn’t keep acting like a strict fellow apprentice of Rafael’s master anymore.
After a long conversation, Sophie took Rafael and Ryan to the sanctuary hall. After lighting candles and offering a prayer, Sophie knelt on the ground, and Rafael immediately followed suit.
Seeing his resolute and straightforward attitude, Sophie’s eyes reddened. She looked at the memorial plaques of her parents and siblings, and softly choked with emotion, “Dad, Mom, my brothers, and sisters- in-law, I have found a good husband. From now on, I will live well with Ryan. I seek not to bring glory to our family but to live in peace and happiness, and not tamish the honor of my family.” Ryan’s-eyes were also red. He said, “Grandpa, Grandma, Dad, Mom. I’ll certainly listen to Aunt Sophie and won’t cause trouble.
After saying this, Ryan bowed his head in a silent prayer
Rafael kept his words brief and simple, “Please rest assured, Father, Mother. I will treat Sophie well and ensure she suffers no grievances. I also promise that I will never take a concubine. Sophie will be my only wife for life.”
Sophie’s tears fell. She understood why Rafael made this promise. Her mother had once favored Blake for this very assurance.
Melanie likely thought that the royal harem wouldn’t consist of just one woman. Hence, she might have admired Rafael but hesitated to entrust her daughter to him.
Little did she know, she had failed to recognize the true value of the two men.
Fortunately, the order was restored. Though the future might not be smooth, having a caring companion was far better than facing struggles alone as she had done in the Jaffe family.
After the prayers, lunch was served. Sophie first introduced Ryan to Adrian and the others before they all dined together.
In the Pathfinders Guild, it was customary to observe silence during meals, especially with the stern Everett present. The dining etiquette was comparable to that of prestigious families. Sophie cherished these moments of dining together. She occasionally looked up at Adrian and her senior guild members, feeling a deep sense of happiness.
However, the thought of their impending departure from the capital brought a pang of sadness to her heart.
After the meal, the servants cleared away the leftovers, and the group continued their conversation in the main hall.
Adrian glanced at Ryan, and suddenly called him over, “Ryan, come here.”
Ryan took a small, eager step forward. “Hello, Sage Adrian!”
Ryan knew how he was supposed to address Adrian.
“Do you want to be as skilled in martial arts as your aunt?” Adrian asked.
While Sophie’s martial skills weren’t the best in the world, they were certainly impressive within the Pathfinders Guild. Ryan nodded vigorously. “Yes, I do!”
Sophie’s eyes reddened slightly.
Was Adrian intending to take Ryan back to Meadow Ridge?
Adrian looked at Ryan with a meaningful expression. “Why do you want to improve your martial skills?
“To protect my aunt,” Ryan replied loudly.
Then, he paused, feeling that this ambition was too small. “Like my grandfather and my father, to go to the battlefield, protect my home, defend my country, and safeguard the territory.”
Adrian smiled. “Good. You’re young, but have such grand ambitions. However, being a hero means enduring hardships and exhaustion. Can you handle that?”
“I can!” Ryan said, puffing out his chest.
Although he didn’t understand why Adrian asked this, answering loudly could never be wrong. Besides, he had endured all kinds of hardship before.
“What if you were told to part from your aunt? Could you handle that too?” Adrian asked.
“I can… Ah!” Ryan immediately took two steps back, and shook his head instinctively. “No, I can’t leave my aunt.”
Sophie felt reluctant to part with Ryan as well. He was now the only male of the Duke of Northwatch’s family.
“Sage Adrian, if he wants to learn, I will teach him martial arts,” she said.
Adrian replied, “Naturally, you should be the one to teach him first. He knows nothing at present, and it’s not necessary for me to personally teach him the basics. Once his legs are healed, he can practice for two years in your residence. You can teach him the basics, and then he can go to Meadow Ridge to learn other things from your senior guild members.”
Ryan would one day inherit a title, and with him being the only one in the estate, it would undoubtedly be very challenging. It would be reassuring if he were well-prepared and capable of defending himself. Sophie understood Adrian’s thoughtful intention. With tears in her eyes, she said, “Yes, I understand what to do.”
Joining the Pathfinders Guild was a dream many people yearned for. Not only was it about martial arts, but there were also other skills to be learned. For example, someone like Kyle, who was young but a great scholar, was rare in this world.
Kyle wasn’t just skilled in painting-his expertise in various arts such as music, chess, calligraphy, and painting was impressive, but his true greatness lay in his profound knowledge. He was well-read in both ancient and modern texts, capable of offering true insights and writing books.
Salvador was his number one admirer. When Kyle visited Northwatch Estate, the king came in person to seek him, further solidifying Kyle’s status.
Salvador didn’t even dare to consider recruiting Kyle into the court, because someone like him should be revered and admired from afar.
Scholars and literati of the kingdom, as well as the current stream of civil officials, held Kyle in the highest regard. Even someone as esteemed as Trevor, a scholar of the present age, held him in high regard. “When will all of you be leaving? Sophie asked through her tears, her voice filled with reluctance.
“It’s uncertain. We will let you know when we depart, Adrian replied.
‘You must tell me. You can’t leave without saying goodbye,” Sophie insisted, her eyes brimming with tears.
She worried they might sneak away without informing her. Adrian hated farewells-every time she returned home from Meadow Ridge, he would always hide and claim to be busy.
Adrian assured her, “We definitely won’t leave secretly
Sophie found little comfort in Adrian’s words. Given how he had previously said he would attend her wedding and then changed his mind, only to plan such a grand surprise, it was evident he had a knack for unexpected departures.
After lunch, the male senior guild members took Rafael aside into a side hall for a private conversation.
Their words were meticulous, devoid of any veiled threats. They expressed various pleas for him to take good care of their youngest guild member, yet an unspoken pressure was palpable in their tone. Rafael responded appropriately, his demeanor serious and respectful. The men patted him on the shoulder, showing their approval.
Though they were part of the martial world, they were also aware of the rules of the aristocratic circles in the capital.
For Sophie to remarry was seen as a loss of virtue in the eyes of outsiders. For Rafael, a prince, to be willing to marry her as his rightful wife and swear loyalty to her alone was indeed commendable. Before they left, Winona said privately to Rafael, “If one day, you also find yourself no longer fond of her, please don’t harm her. Return her to us.
The single word “also” made Rafael stiffen his resolve,