Filed To Story: Queen of the Battlefield Her Return to Glory Novel Online Free
The steam from the bath enveloped Rafael and Sophie. The water was neither too hot nor too cold, but just right.
Sophie had indeed reflected on it herself. Rafael was probably upset because she had left the capital to track down Violet without considering the danger.
She placed her hands gently on his chest and explained softly, “At the time, I was so anxious, I feared something terrible would happen. You know, she came to the capital for me. She’s always supported me in everything, and I couldn’t let her get hurt.” Her voice was soft and filled with endless apologies, her face flushed slightly from the warm water. The sincerity in her tone, laced with a hint of guilt, made her sound even more fragile, like a soft feather brushing against Rafael’s heart. Rafael thought to himself that Kyle was just a meddling fool. He was still single and alone-what did he know about love? What did he understand about marriage? It was a bit ridiculous for him to try and act as someone’s guide in matters of the heart. But none of that mattered now. What was real and undeniable was that Sophie was his wife. Whether it was her heart or her body, everything about her belonged to him.
They lived together as husband and wife in Hell Monarch Estate, which they called home. They walked through the same door, slept in the same bed, and would one day be buried together in the same tomb, destined to be together forever. Why should he be jealous or petty? It only made things more difficult for himself and for her as well.
“I’m not upset,” he murmured. “You did the right thing saving Violet. I thought about it, and there was nothing you could have done differently. The Capital Guard is under your command, and you have people at your disposal. You made thorough arrangements.
Rafael wrapped his arms around Sophie’s slender waist, pulling her closer, his body pressed against hers.
“If you needed my help, your men would’ve come to me. When the city gates needed to be locked, didn’t they come to me? Whether I knew sooner or later, it didn’t matter. Even if I hadn’t come, you would’ve solved everything. The Capital Guard would have gone to you, and you would have sent someone to General Farrell. Things would’ve gone the same way. So, you did nothing wrong. There’s no need for an apology.”
He chuckled slightly, his voice warm as he added, “And before I got there, I was just following the script you already set up. My arrival just added a nice touch. If I hadn’t come, everything would’ve played out just the same.”
Sophie fluttered her damp lashes, her voice soft but sincere as she said, “No, it wasn’t the same. When you showed up, I felt reassured. With Claire and Iris held hostage and so many people around, I was terrified I couldn’t hold on much longer. I’m just glad you came.” Rafael gently brushed his fingers over her flushed cheek, his eyes filled with affectionate amusement. “If I hadn’t come, the Capital Guard would have. Anyway, it’s over now, so let’s not let this cause any rift between us.”
“Then, there won’t be any rift,” Sophie said softly. “As long as you’re not angry with me, I’ll be happy.”
“I’m not angry,” Rafael replied, shaking his head, his eyes reflecting the faint unease on her face.
He had always wanted to marry her, and now that he had, why should he be angry?
He wouldn’t be angry, not anymore.
Sophie pressed her forehead gently against his, a quiet sigh escaping her lips. “Raf, you’re the best.”
Rafael lowered his head and kissed the side of her ear. See? If he had been upset, they probably would’ve been in a cold war for days. But now, in broad daylight, he could boldly show affection for her.
Travis had spread the word that Rafael was upset with Sophie. Since Travis had gone along, he didn’t understand why Rafael had been acting so cold to Sophie. So, he spoke to Kyle, who explained that Rafael was upset with Sophie.
Travis then told Isaac and Violet, and also Luke and Jacob. Luke told Lily, who lamented about it, and the rest of Sophie’s personal attendants also found out.
Lulu had already sensed something was wrong. When she learned that Rafael was upset with Sophie, she furrowed her brows in worry.
What were they supposed to do now?
Isaac had planned earlier on to meet Rafael. When he saw Lulu daydreaming in the hall, he asked, “Where are your master and mistress?” “Mr. Isaac!” Lulu quickly stood. “They’re bathing right now.”
“Bathing? In broad daylight?” Isaac raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised.
“They’ve been busy all night,” Lulu explained. “His Highness just returned and was exhausted, so he went to soak in a hot bath to relax.”
“In this heat? Soaking in a hot bath? Surely, something’s wrong with him.” Isaac shook his head, sitting down in the main hall of Orchid Hall to wait.
Lulu actually wanted to suggest waiting in the outer courtyard, or at least going to the central courtyar since this was part of the inner quarters. But then she remembered how everyone in Meadow Ridge treated each other like family, and so she let the matter be.
Isaac sat back in the armchair, propping one leg up and resting his elbow on his knee, eyeing the pair before him with some confusion.
“Are you two really that tired? You look drained. You didn’t even stop to eat when you got back?”
Rafael and Sophie awkwardly turned their faces, each clearing their throat lightly.
After clearing his throat, Rafael said, “We’ve eaten already. It’s just that we’re a bit w-worn out… Yes, we’re exhausted from the whole night’s work. I also went to the palace, then came back and bathed. It was all just…very tiring.” Isaac furrowed his brows, looking at Sophie with confusion. What was this? Was Rafael really stammering now?
Sophie avoided his gaze and quickly asked, “Have you eaten yet, Isaac?”
Isaac perked up immediately, clearly enjoying the change of subject. “Since last night, I’ve had three meals already. By the way, Lily’s ravioli is fantastic-better than any delicacy from the mountains or sea!”
“Yes, it’s really good,” Sophie agreed, and then her gaze fell to the strange object Isaac was holding. “Is that a matchlock?”
“Yep, something our mentor has been tinkering with. He asked me to bring it over for Rafael to see if it’s something the Ministry of Defense could mass-produce.”
Rafael’s eyes sharpened at the sight of the matchlock-it was different. It was longer, with some kind of mechanical latch on it. And there was no match cord to be seen.
“How has this matchlock been improved?” Rafael asked, his curiosity piqued. “Can it fire multiple rounds-two, maybe three in a row?”
“Six,” Isaac replied, grinning. “This one uses gunpowder, so no need for a match cord anymore. You just pull the trigger, and… Here, I’ll show you.”
He disassembled the matchlock, revealing an intricate mechanism.
“It has a fire-discharge device. Most matchlocks only fire three times, but this one can shoot six. Sage Adrian finished the three-shot version years ago, but he said three wasn’t enough. Six was better. He’s already working on a ten-shot version, but that’s still in development.” “Six shots?” Rafael’s weariness melted away instantly.
His interest surged, and he quickly moved closer to inspect the weapon. Though he had never studied matchlocks much-after all, they were unreliable and prone to misfire, not to mention requiring a match to ignite he couldn’t deny his fascination. “How far can it shoot?”
Isaac shrugged. “Supposedly pretty far, but Sage Adrian didn’t bother measuring it. He said you could test it after I delivered it to you.”
“Give it a try,” Rafael said. He was unsure how to reassemble it, but was unable to hide his excitement.
Isaac swiftly reassembled the matchlock. “Kused it once in that little grove over there. Oh, and here’s something called a
‘sight’ supposedly, you can aim and shoot with it. Normally, you’d look through this little hole, and if you spot an enemy’s head, you just pull the trigger.”
As he explained, Isaac held the matchlock up and pointed it directly at Sophie’s head. “If I fired this right now, Sophie’s head would explode like a melon.”
“Don’t point it at her.” Rafael’s hands shook as he quickly covered the dark muzzle with his hand. “Let’s go outside to test it.”
“Definitely can’t aim it at her,” Isaac said with a smile, clearly finding the situation amusing. He turned to ask Sophie, “Are you scared?”
Sophie met his gaze with a playful smirk. “Scared? Of course. I’m scared Sage Adrian might maim you.”
Isaac’s smile faltered for a moment before he straightened up, raising his hand in a dramatic gesture. “Alright, let’s take this outside.”
It wasn’t really suitable outside, so they needed to go to an open field where they could set up targets to measure the shooting range.
Rafael called Dylan, Travis, and even
Jacob to join them. They went to an empty field on the outskirts of the capital, setting up a target every hundred feet. In total, there were three targets, to see if they could hit a target as far as 300 feet away.
Rafael doubted it would reach 300 feet. After all, the older model had a range of only about 100 feet, with the usual range being around 50 to 80 feet.
Isaac raised the matchlock, and the group stood by, watching as he placed one eye against the sight. He pulled the trigger…