~Chapter 68~
Raphaella really enjoyed putting puzzles together.
She was so into it that she barely touched her snacks.
“I finished it!”
Raphaella shouted as she placed the last puzzle piece.
Clap clap clap.
“Good job, Rafi.”
Leah clapped and kissed Raphaella on the cheek.
“But we did it together—Mom and Dad helped too.”
Raphaella shyly rubbed her nose.
“You solved all the hard parts though.”
Johann gently patted his daughter’s head.
“Hehe. Let’s take this with us and do it again later!”
Raphaella looked up at the sunset and held the puzzle box with both hands.
“Sure, let’s do that.”
They had to return to the mansion because Johann had plans for tomorrow.
They packed everything into the carriage and left the villa.
“I thought she only liked swords and horse riding, but she actually enjoys puzzles too.”
Johann gently laid the sleeping Raphaella’s head on his thigh.
“Yeah, I didn’t know she could focus so well either.”
Leah replied while watching them.
“I should buy a few more puzzles.”
He whispered, playing with her hair and smiling softly.
Leah looked at Raphaella’s neck.
‘…That mark still hasn’t disappeared.’
Even though her husband had changed so much,why was that strange mark still glowing so brightly, almost creepily?
Wasn’t it supposed to reflect Raphaella’s future?
Leah sighed silently to herself.
—
“Are you writing the invitations, Lucia?”
The crown prince had come into his daughter’s sitting room.
“…Yeah.”
Lucia, his daughter, replied as she carefully wrote each letter on shiny fancy paper.
“My daughter is hosting her own tea party already. I’m so touched…”
“Father! You’re distracting me. Please be quiet.”
Lucia said firmly, her eyes still on the paper.
“Ah, right. I shouldn’t disturb you.”
Matthias shut his mouth and watched his daughter with pride.
‘Her eyes are pretty, her nose is pretty, her hands are pretty,
and she’s so smart too! How is she so perfect?’
He thought, acting like a total doting dad.
“Did you send one to Raphaella too?”
Once she finished, he asked.
“Of course! Hers was the first one I wrote!”
Lucia tucked her red hair behind her ear as she spoke.
She had inherited her bright red hair from him.
“I really want to meet my godfather’s daughter!”
Her grayish-blue eyes, which she got from her mother, sparkled with curiosity.
“She’s very cute and smart. I’m sure you two will get along great.”
Matthias gently stroked her hair.
“I hope the tea party day comes soon.”
Lucia mumbled, swinging her legs.
—
The next day.
“…What?”
“I got invited to the crown prince’s tea party, Mom!”
Raphaella came running back from sword training, full of excitement.
“Dad told me after class. Look! Here’s the invitation!”
She showed Leah the card, her face bright red.
“…”
Leah took it with trembling hands.
In neat handwriting, it said: From Lucia von Valerius.
‘…Should they meet?’
Before, Raphaella had tried to hurt Lucia and her lover, and was executed for it.
Gulp.
…But the future will change.
Maybe this time, Raphaella won’t become obsessed with Lucia’s lover.
A lot has already changed—maybe that will too.
Still, Leah was scared they were meeting too soon.
‘What if she sees him often and ends up obsessed again…?’
Leah felt a chill run down her spine.
She shook her head.
Even if that happened again, she wouldn’t try to kill royalty this time.
Now they had both parents by her side, and they’d guide her the right way.
‘…Still, maybe I should delay the meeting as much as I can.’
She sank deep into thought.
“…Mom?”
Raphaella tilted her head.
“Rafi, do you know where your dad is right now?”
“Yeah, he’s at the training grounds sparring with the knights!”
“Okay.”
Leah rang a small bell to call Paula.
“Paula, can you help Rafi get cleaned up? I have to go out for a bit.”
“Of course, go ahead, madam.”
Leah left Raphaella with Paula and headed for the training grounds.
‘Is it even possible to turn down a crown prince’s tea party invitation?’
Probably not…
But still, just in case.
She walked quickly and peeked around the training area.
That’s when Johann saw her and walked over from inside.
“What’s the matter? I already sent Rafi home earlier.”
He wiped the sweat off his face with a towel.
“…”
…Oh no.
Leah stepped back a little.
Johann had taken off his shirt, and his firm body was completely exposed.
His sweaty, muscular chest glistened in the light.
…Way too much.
‘Why are you shirtless right now?’
Leah quickly looked away, stepping back again.
“Didn’t Rafi go home?”
Johann moved closer, confused.
His scent—sweat and warmth—reached her nose.
Gulp.
Leah swallowed hard.
Her face felt hot.
“…Don’t come so close, please.”
She raised her hands to her chest, barely able to speak.
She lowered her head to hide her red face.
“What? Oh… sorry. Is it the sweat smell?”
He stepped back.
No, it’s your abs.
“…Uh, can you, um, put on a shirt?”
Still avoiding his gaze, she pointed at him.
“…Wait a second.”
Johann finally realized why she was acting so awkward and turned away.
His face turned a little red as he went to grab his shirt.
When he came back, he couldn’t see her eyes.
Leah couldn’t either.
“Ahem, I was sparring with the knights and forgot I’d taken my shirt off. Sorry.”
He rubbed his face awkwardly.
“No, it’s fine. I showed up without warning.”
“So what’s going on?”
“Well… Rafi told me she got invited to the tea party by the crown prince.”
“Oh, that. Is there a problem?”
“Not exactly, but… I was wondering if maybe… we could decline?”
“Why?”
“She’s still young and doesn’t know proper royal manners. I’m just worried she might accidentally offend him…”
Leah herself knew that was a poor excuse.
She had already let Rafi meet the crown prince before, after all.
“You worry too much. Your daughter will be fine.”
His voice was full of confidence.
“…”
It wasn’t that Leah didn’t trust Raphaella.
“I’ll be there too. I’ll keep an eye on her from a distance.”
Knowing what had happened in the past, Leah didn’t want her daughter too involved with the crown prince.
Though that might be impossible for a noble’s daughter like her.
“Sometimes it feels like you’re overprotective.”
Johann raised one eyebrow.
“…Am I?”
Leah muttered softly.
Would it really be okay if they met now?
“Trust Raphaella. She’ll get along just fine—with the other kids and with the crown prince too.”
“…Okay.”
Maybe she was just too scared.
Her daughter’s horrible past death had turned her into a coward.
“Well then… I’ll head back now.”
“Alright.”
As Leah walked away, Johann felt a slight ache in his chest.
—
That evening, Leah and Raphaella ate dinner together.
“Mom, Dad said we can go pick out new puzzles together tomorrow!”
Raphaella said while lying in bed.
“Really?”
“Yup! He told me to pick them myself. Hehe.”
Her cheeks turned rosy with excitement.
“That’s great, Rafi.”
Leah gently cupped her daughter’s cheeks.
“I’m super happy! Dad’s the best!”
“Make sure to tell him that—he’ll love hearing it.”
“Okay! Mom, when I grow up, I want to marry someone just like Dad.”
“…Someone like your dad?”
Leah paused while tucking her in.
“Yeah! Tall, cool, strong…
And someone who’s nice to me!”
Raphaella hugged her pillow tightly.
“…Alright, Rafi. Make sure you marry someone like that—someone who’s kind to you, okay?”
Not someone who doesn’t love you.
“Okay!”
“But… find someone even better than your dad.”
Not someone who loses their memory…
“Got it?”
Leah pulled her daughter into a hug.
“Is there anyone better than Dad?”
“…There will be.”
Maybe…
—
A few days later, the day of the crown prince’s tea party arrived.
Raphaella woke up early, full of excitement.
She was eager to go but also nervous.
‘…What if everyone hates me like Marco did?’
