Chapter 258 (+25 Bonus)

The next day, the Klein family sent over Ryan's favorite dishes. They also mentioned that the ladies of the house had been busy with needlework, making clothes, shoes, and socks for him. The Klein family clearly showed their love and care for Ryan through their actions.

Ryan finally felt at ease. His maternal grandparents' family didn't despise him; in fact, they were genuinely concerned about him.

That day, Sebastian personally came over again, saying he wanted to check Ryan's pulse one more time, just in case he had missed something. Given his medical expertise, Sebastian had already understood everything from the diagnosis the day before. His thoroughness could only be attributed to his concern for the Duke of Northwatch's bloodline.

After Sebastian left, Rafael arrived with Dylan. Rafael told Carissa he was there to visit and bond with Ryan.

Ryan was thrilled to see Rafael. He even showed him the inkpots Anthony had gifted him and generously offered to give Rafael one as well. Rafael accepted with a smile and taught Ryan how to use proper wrist technique for writing before excusing himself to speak with Carissa.

As Rafael, tall and graceful, walked over to Carissa, he playfully waved the inkpot in front of her and said with a grin, "He was actually willing to gift me an Ebonwood inkpot. Such generosity!"

Carissa chuckled and called for coffee. "He's being generous with someone else's gift. This was from his eldest uncle."

"The Klein family must have been overjoyed, right?" Rafael asked, sitting down and placing the inkpot aside.

Carissa recalled the previous day's scene and replied, "At first, they didn't believe it. But once they saw him, they were overwhelmed with excitement."

Rafael remarked, "The Klein family is passionate and sincere, though a bit obsessive. Don't let it bother you."

"Why would I?" Carissa smiled, watching as Rafael picked up the inkpot again and began to play with it. The thought of Meadow Ridge crossed her mind. She had been so focused on Ryan that she hadn't asked about it. "Your Highness, when you went to Meadow Ridge, what did my master say?"

"He was hesitant at first, but once my master spoke to him, he had no objections."

Carissa was curious. "My master actually listens to your master? Who's your master?"

A mysterious smile appeared on Rafael's handsome face. "Why don't you take a guess?"

"How could I possibly guess that…" Carissa began, but suddenly remembered that Everett had an apprentice who didn't live at the Pathfinders' Guild. The apprentice only visited occasionally. Since everyone usually kept their distance from Everett, she had never seen his apprentice before.

She quickly looked up. "Your master wouldn't happen to be Sage Everett, would he?"

Though Carissa called them masters, the title given to all masters and instructors in the Pathfinders' Guild was "Sage."

Rafael was a bit surprised. He had planned to tease her a little, but she figured it out so quickly. He couldn't help but laugh.

"People say you're smart, and they're right. You guessed it—my master is indeed Sage Everett. You and I are both from the Pathfinders' Guild, but we have different masters."

Carissa was genuinely shocked. She hadn't expected Rafael to be the apprentice of her master's fellow apprentice.

"No wonder you go to the Pathfinders' Guild every year, and it's no wonder you know the place so well." Rafael shook his head. "I wouldn't say I know it that well. The apprentices from your master's lineage and I don't interact much. I rarely have contact with Kyle, Winona, and the rest of the senior apprentices."

Carissa asked curiously, "Why? If you're the apprentice of my master's fellow apprentice, why don't you associate with us?"

Rafael's handsome face broke into a broad smile. "My master doesn't allow it. His exact words were…" He stood up and clasped his hands behind his back. Then, he put on a stern expression and furrowed his brows. "Don't associate with that useless bunch. That includes your martial uncle and his apprentices. None of them are any good. The less contact you have with them, the less you'll pick up their ridiculous habits."

Carissa couldn't help but laugh out loud at Rafael's spot-on impersonation of her martial uncle, from the expression to the tone.

"That's exactly how he looks! He always looks down on us!"

She still found it hard to believe.

"I can't believe you're an apprentice of the Pathfinders' Guild, my fellow guild member. I really didn't see that coming. Did you join before or after me? If you joined first, you would be my guild senior. But if I joined first, it would be the other way around."

Rafael held the inkpot in his hand, his gaze fixed on her with a playful smile. "By the way, have you taken Ryan to see Theodore yet? You should introduce him to the family and update the family registry." After all, Ryan was currently listed as deceased in the family records.

Carissa tilted her head slightly. Rafael hadn't answered her question. Did that mean she was his senior in the guild?