Chapter 646

Carissa was surprised. Had she been doing that? She hadn’t been resistant to getting close to Rafael. After all, they were intimate every night, sharing the bed and cuddling together. Throughout the night, her head rarely left the comfort of his arms or chest.

Seeing Carissa's confused look, Lulu felt an inexplicable frustration. She asked directly, "My lady, do you want a respectful relationship with His Highness, like a polite couple, or do you want a truly loving one?"

"Lulu, aren't you overreacting?" Carissa touched Lulu's forehead. "Have you been possessed? Do you have a fever?"

Lulu puffed out her cheeks and glared. "Answer the question!"

Carissa tilted her head, a few strands of hair falling into the sunset glow. "Don't you need both respect and love in a marriage? Just because a couple is loving doesn't mean they can't be respectful. Is it one or the other? Can't I have both?"

Lulu was taken aback. "Both? Well, that's not impossible" She paused. "But sometimes, it feels like you don't really care about His Highness's feelings. He's very concerned about yours. It has to go both ways."

"Why do you think I don't care? I do!"

"It just seems a bit off," Lulu said, tilting her head. "Like the late Lord Nathan and Lady Yvette—they were a truly loving couple."

Carissa recalled witnessing the affection between her second brother and his wife every time she returned from Meadow Ridge. They walked hand-in-hand, sat close together, and shared secret kisses when they thought no one was watching. During meals, they fed each other and shared lingering glances.

Carissa fell silent, then pushed away those memories. "Okay. I get it."

Lulu, realizing she might have misspoken, asked awkwardly, "My lady, are you hungry? Should I bring some food?"

Carissa didn't answer. Instead, she turned sharply and headed back to Rafael. He saw her determined approach and asked, "What's wrong? What did Lulu say to you?"

Carissa walked straight to him, stood on tiptoe, and Rafael instinctively leaned in. "Go on then, give it your best shot!"

Her soft lips touched his cheek, stunning him. As her face flushed, he hugged her tightly.

+25 BONUS

See? Even a blockhead could blossom, right?

In his arms, she murmured, "There's something I need to tell you. My mother gave Heather a lot of medicine, including several bottles of Snowdrop and Energy Pills, and emergency remedies. However, not a single one is left. These medicines aren't to be taken casually, and they're too precious to throw away. I suspect Heather gave them away, which means she and Harvey aren't as aloof as they appear and have dealings with other families."

Though discussing such serious matters now was disheartening, they knew it was important. They sat down to analyze the situation.

"I'm not familiar with Sebastian's medicines. The Snowdrop and Energy Pills are for sale, right? If a noble family wanted to buy them, Sebastian wouldn't refuse. How does giving them away build relationships?"

Carissa shook her head. "No. Years ago, the Snowdrop and Energy Pills were rare, especially the Snowdrop pills. One ingredient is extremely difficult to find; it must be harvested in frigid conditions, can't dry out, and must be prepared within twelve hours of gathering. It's hard to refine, and gathering in such harsh weather is grueling. That's why there weren't many Snowdrop Pills available each year. Production only increased after Sebastian refined his formula and found a substitute ingredient. Even so, they're still limited. He has a set quota every year: some go to me and the Pathfinders Guild, he keeps some, and he sells the rest. If they run out and Sebastian is out of the capital, anyone in urgent need won't be able to get them."

"I see. You mentioned emergency remedies. What are those used for?"

"Those are typically used to keep someone alive for a few days, or even just hours. They're mostly given to those already beyond saving, to help them make final arrangements."

Rafael pondered. "That's something we can look into."