Chapter 187

Victoria regarded her son for a while before speaking. “Your father had someone in his heart as well—Melanie. But because he saw Hector as a brother, whenever Melanie attended an event or visited the palace, your father would make himself scarce.

“That was his way of showing the utmost respect to Hector. In fact, Melanie never knew of your father’s feelings, even after she passed.”

Salvador’s expression froze momentarily; his smile slowly faded, replaced by a serious demeanor.

“Mother, I understand your point.”

After a moment of silence, he asked, “Didn’t you mind? You still treat Carissa so well.”

Victoria smiled gently, her expression serene. “Why would I mind? Aren’t there many women in the palace already? Besides, I married him to be the crown princess, the queen, and now the queen dowager. If I were to expect true affection from the king, wouldn’t that be unreasonable?

“As for your father, he was aware of his position. A king’s responsibilities are to govern diligently, care for the people, protect the country, reclaim lost territories, and eradicate corruption to ensure peace and prosperity. He never forgot his duties.

“Perhaps he didn’t always achieve the desired outcomes, but he did his best. The king’s power is supreme, yet he has only two eyes and two hands. Many tasks must be delegated to others, all of whom have their own agendas. How could your father control everyone, especially with the rise of powerful families and corruption after his illness, which made your ascension difficult?”

Victoria’s words carried a weight of earnestness as she continued, “You face many challenges ahead. You need help, ideally from Rafael. Since you have reclaimed military authority, if you have any tasks for Rafael, you should assign them to him. I have watched him grow since he was young and know his character and virtues well. Among your many brothers, he is the most capable and loyal to you.”

A king gains and loses as he goes.

The gravity of Victoria’s words left Salvador deep in thought.

After a long pause, he lifted his head, his gaze resolute. “Rest assured, Mother. I know what to do.”

Victoria picked up a fan and waved it a few times. “It’s truly hot today. I need to summon an official from the Astrology Department to inquire about the best dates this year. You go ahead with your tasks.”

“Yes, I will take my leave.” Salvador stood and nodded respectfully before exiting.

As Carissa left the palace, she saw Rafael’s carriage waiting outside.

She approached swiftly, her expression serious. “Marshal, I need to discuss something with you.”

Rafael, dressed in splendid robes and standing tall, replied, “Get in the carriage.”

Carissa hesitated for a moment before turning to Lulu. “You should return to the estate first. The marshal will take me home.”

Though Lulu felt that Carissa and Rafael sharing a carriage alone was somewhat improper, given their forthcoming marriage, she said nothing more and gracefully boarded the Sinclair family’s carriage.

Rafael’s royal carriage was spacious and luxurious. Inside, the space remained ample and impeccably clean, with a faint scent of orchids.

+15 BONUS

Today, Rafael looked impeccably clean and handsome, a far cry from the scruffy Hell Monarch Army commander Carissa had first seen.

In the carriage, Carissa recounted Salvador’s questions from earlier. Expecting Rafael to be serious, she was surprised to see him smile.

“Oh? Is that how you responded?” Rafael asked, his lips curving upward.

“Did I answer incorrectly?” Carissa was puzzled by his reaction.

Rafael’s eyes, deep and enigmatic like the ocean, remained fixed on her face. “No, there was nothing wrong with your answer. Salvador has been on the battlefield himself; he should understand that there are no foolproof strategies in war.

“After all, it’s people who go to battle, not wooden soldiers. People have thoughts, fears, and ambitions, so it’s impossible to understand every individual’s mindset and ensure every decision is executed flawlessly.”

“You’re right, Marshal,” Carissa agreed with a nod.

Rafael propped his elbow on the carriage window, a thoughtful expression on his face. “You don’t need to call me Marshal anymore. Since we’re to be married, you can call me…”

“Yes, Your Highness. I should be calling you Your Highness now,” Carissa said, her smile radiant and captivating.

The changes included correcting punctuation (mostly commas and quotation marks), improving sentence structure, and removing unnecessary words or phrases. The copyright notice "© – BONGS Rafael" was left as is, assuming it is intentional.