Chapter 367

In the carriage, Rafael relayed Winona’s words to Carissa. Carissa rested her head on his shoulder. Despite holding back her tears for a long time, they eventually began to fall. Rafael held her close, resting his chin on her forehead. “Winona truly regards you as her own sister.”

“Yes,” Carissa said, her voice muffled. “When I went to the Pathfinders’ Guild, Winona took care of me a lot. She dotes on me quite intensely.”

Rafael wondered who didn’t dote on Carissa at the Pathfinders’ Guild? Even Everett, when speaking to him in the side hall, had reminded him to take good care of Carissa and had fondly referred to her as a mischievous little monkey.

Everett had shown a hint of sorrow when talking about Rafael’s in-laws, his eyes filled with melancholy and regret. Everyone was moved by the sacrifices made by the men of the Duke of Northwatch’s family for their kingdom.

Wiping away her tears, Carissa asked, “Rod is going to stay in the capital. Do you have any arrangements for him? He doesn’t want to return to the military.”

Rafael replied, “That’s simple. As a prince, I’m allowed to have five hundred household soldiers. I haven’t assembled them yet, so let him lead and find some people to recruit.”

Previously, when he commanded the Hell Monarch Army, there were only guards in his residence. He had never established a unit of household soldiers.

Carissa wiped the tears from the corner of her eyes and said earnestly, “That’s fine. Besides, Rod’s martial skills are good, and he’s capable of leading people. He showed considerable authority when leading troops on the southern battlefield.”

She glanced at Rafael and asked softly, “So, how much monthly salary will he receive?”

The soldiers were part of the outer courtyard’s management, so she had no say in their salary; it wasn’t up to her to decide.

“We’ll give him a bit more. He’s had a tough time, supporting an entire guild on his own,” Rafael said generously.

“Okay, that’s great!” Carissa thought to herself that she would also provide some private support. She had known about the hardships of the Lunar Guild while at the Pathfinders’ Guild, but at that time, she hadn’t fully grasped the severity of the difficulties.

“He will come after Sage Adrian and the others have returned, right?”

“Yes, Violet will come along too. Cynthia and Bun will be returning with the others.”

Compared to Violet, Cynthia and Bun had less freedom. As long as Violet wanted to stay, the Inferno Guild would not object. She was a major patron of the guild, so even the guild’s leader had to cater to her. Without Violet, the Inferno Guild’s situation wouldn’t be much better.

+25 BONUS

Carissa straightened up. “When we return to the residence, the accounts for The Gilded Tower should be almost settled.” It was time to confront Jessica.

“This should be considered a lesson for my mother to make sure she doesn’t blindly trust others in the future,” Rafael said.

Carissa’s expression turned icy. “Yes, a lesson is one thing, but Grand Princess Eleanor and Jessica shouldn’t get away with anything. We must reclaim what’s rightfully ours.”

Rafael took her hand in his. “Alright, I’ll support whatever you decide. If anything goes wrong, I’ll take responsibility.”

Carissa’s gaze lingered on their joined hands. His fingers, so distinct and firm, made her heart flutter every time they touched. There was an undeniable sense of intimacy that arose from their connection. She didn’t know why, but she particularly enjoyed holding his hand. It felt like the true closeness that a married couple should share. Being embraced by him felt entirely different. During that time, they were driven by emotional impulses. Though she couldn’t fully explain it, she found herself inexplicably drawn to it.

Upon returning to Hell Monarch Estate, the gifts that had been sent to Northwatch Estate were brought back untouched. Entering the main courtyard, Pearl handed Carissa a hot water bottle and whispered, “Lady Helen has been throwing a tantrum in the accounting room. She has smashed a lot of things. You and the prince should go check on her.”

Carissa looked at Rafael. Seeing his furrowed brow, she understood there had been communication problems between mother and son.

“I’ll go. You should return to the study to handle the documents,” she said. Although preparations were underway to seal off the court for the New Year and the Supreme Court would also be closing cases, Rafael was still busy reviewing old cases for reference and studying the laws.

“Alright, go ahead. If you can’t calm her down, send someone to get me.” Rafael knew his mother very well.

“It’s fine, I can handle it.” Carissa gave him a reassuring look. It was probably just a matter of Helen discovering a financial shortfall and realizing she had been deceived, causing her to lose her temper.