Chapter 383

Embarrassed or not, they ended up bathing together. After their bath, they continued their passionate night under the white canopy of their bed. Fortunately, both were trained in martial arts, so even with only an hour or two of sleep, they were able to go about their day without feeling tired.

The next morning, two unfamiliar attendants entered to serve Rafael—Luke's arrangement. These elderly women, Sydney and Qiana, had originally worked in the embroidery room. However, since Rafael now had no one to serve him, a young servant assisting with dressing and personal needs would be inappropriate.

Carissa's maids, Joy and Winter, had gone to attend to Ryan. Lulu, Snow, and Pearl remained to serve Carissa personally. Lily managed Orchid Hall; therefore, assigning her these duties would be inappropriate. Furthermore, sending younger servants to attend to Rafael risked inappropriate thoughts.

Therefore, Sydney and Qiana were the better choice. Both women were in their forties and known for their steady and reliable work. They were unlikely to cause trouble. Victoria had sent them when Rafael first established his estate; they had previously served the Queen Dowager, assuring their trustworthiness.

Rafael didn't need to go to the Supreme Court that day. With the year ending, the court had sealed its documents, and no new matters would be addressed until the eighth day of the new year.

Carissa mentioned needing to return to Northwatch Estate. After dressing and breakfast, they sent for Ryan to accompany them. However, as they were about to leave, Violet arrived with Travis.

Upon entering, Violet said, “They left the city last night. They said they were in a hurry and couldn’t inform you.”

Carissa’s eyes reddened. “It’s always like this. I can’t trust my master. We clearly agreed they would tell me before leaving.”

“Your master was afraid you’d cry. Let it go. We’ll return to Meadow Ridge together when the weather warms up.”

“Are you planning to stay here until then?” Carissa asked, looking at her friend. “Does your master allow you to stay in the capital so long?”

“I don’t want to stay. Winona said she might need someone to run errands, so I remained. She even left a few people with me to gather information,” Violet whispered.

Carissa felt sadness and gratitude. Winona’s people weren’t easily lent out. That’s why few in the martial world knew Carissa’s guild senior ran Skywing Spire.

“You don’t even like the capital. Isn’t it a burden for you to stay here?” Carissa hugged Violet, feeling like she might cry.

“I’m not just here for you. My master asked me to stay in the capital for a while. If I happen to see a noble young man I fancy, he’ll secretly kidnap him. Then, I’ll come to the rescue, we’ll have some close encounters, and voilà—a perfect match.”

Violet spoke as if kidnapping someone were no big deal. Carissa’s urge to cry vanished instantly.

“Fine, if you find someone you like, I’ll help you arrange a proposal. No need to resort to kidnapping,” she promised.

Marriage for Spencer daughters was tricky. While not impossible, it often required marrying below their social status. However, not every woman in their prominent family was prepared to compromise.

For Violet, marrying a martial artist was out of the question. She could practice martial arts, but marrying a man from the martial world was forbidden. With an aunt already eloped with a scholar, Violet marrying a martial artist would make it harder for other Spencer daughters to find suitable matches.

Meanwhile, Rafael had taken Travis to the study, where Jacob and Luke were already present. Travis’s eyes widened when he heard Rafael wanted him to lead in forming a household army.

“You mean I’ll be in charge of establishing the household army, and then… how much are you planning to pay me per month for that?” Travis was straightforward; he had stayed in the capital to make money.

Chapter 333 (Bonus)

(Note: The "Today's Bonus Offer" appears to be unrelated text and has been omitted.)