Chapter 1013 Invitation To Return To Cretea
Deep in her heart, Queen Lilith resented Rowena for taking her beloved son away from her, but she suppressed the feeling and tried to be fair. However, now, the resentment came up to the surface.
There was no evidence that Draco was abusing his daughter and Rowena also never said anything when Draco was still alive. It was now just an accusation based on HER words.
It was so convenient to accuse someone of a crime when he could no longer defend himself. It was hard for Queen Lilith to trust Rowena on this. She could just say whatever to make Raphael take her side.
"I believe Rowena," said Raphael when he saw his mother's expression. He lowered his head and sighed. It was a very unfortunate situation. He never thought the reason why Rowena couldn't conceive was because of Draco's death. Why did the evil man have to win? Even after he died he could still make Rowena suffer?
The universe was unfair!
What good was it to be an immortal like him, a god as humans called him, if he couldn't even do anything to help his wife?
"I need to see Esper," Raphael looked up to his mother dejectedly and touched her arm. "I am glad to see you, but I really have to go now."
"Wait! Aren't you going to see your father?" Queen Lilith asked. "He missed you too."
She looked at Raphael pleadingly.
Why must her son meet Rowena, that problem child? Now, Raphael found himself in one problem after another. Raphael looked away. He wanted to cry. Rowena's suffering just never ends. He felt like a complete failure.
HE should be the one to kill Draco and spare Rowena from this curse. He should have known better and protected her.
"Maybe... he would have answers..." Queen Lilith whispered. "I am not sure."
"What do you mean?" Raphael looked at his mother curiously. There was a flicker of hope in his eyes. Was there a way?
"I don't know, but he is the king, he must know more than I do," said the queen. She really didn't know what she was talking about. She only said those words to prevent Raphael from leaving so soon. However, it looked like it worked. Her son was so desperate with this new revelation that he would do anything to help his wife.
"Fine. Where is father? I will see him right away."
"He is having a court meeting. Let's wait for him here. I will send someone to tell him that you came," said Queen Lilith. She motioned Raphael to sit. However, the man shook his head.
"Then, I'll come back here after father ends his meeting. I will see Esper and consult him with, I don't know, anything."
He quickly kissed his mother's cheek and fled the palace. He would talk to his father, for sure, but he would not wait here and do nothing. He still needed to talk to Esper and got his insight on this issue.
Raphael wouldn't call his mother a liar, but he also wouldn't trust her blindly. He needed to get a second opinion.
"Raphael!!" Queen Lilith could only watch as her son dashed through the door and disappeared from sight.
She could only massage her temple and closed her eyes.
***
Raphael arrived in front of the God of Healing's abode right when the older man was coming out of his house. Esper gasped when he saw Raphael and immediately hugged him.
"Hey, you're back! Where have you been?" he asked Raphael and patted his back. "Are you okay?"
Raphael smiled faintly after he let go of Esper. The older man had long grey hair and golden eyes. His face looked as young as Raphael's, but his expression and countenance were so calm and mature, that one could easily tell that he was much older between the two.
"I am okay," Raphael nodded. "I need your help with something."
"Tell me," said Esper. He looked at the younger man before him and could immediately feel his sadness.
"My wife... she wants children but it seems she cannot conceive," said Raphael. "It deeply saddens her. I want to help."
"Hmm..." Esper furrowed his brows. "You have learned some healing yourself. I think it should be enough to help a human."
Raphael was silent. Esper didn't know he had stolen the immortality potion to give Rowena and now his wife was no longer 'just human'.
"My mother said she was cursed by the ancient curse when she killed Draco Roseland," said Raphael to give Esper more context. "Do you know anything about it?"
"Oh... that curse!" Esper pressed his lips in shock. "I forget about that one."
"So... is my mother right?" Raphael kept chasing Esper. Since the God of healing seemed to know about the curse too, he would ask Esper to tell him everything he needed to know.
"Yeah. She is right. If your wife's condition is caused by her health, you, as the higher being, could help by imparting her with your pure energy. It will heal all illnesses and fix whatever physical defects she might have. Humans call it the power of creation. It's not. It's just our energy being pure and perfect," Esper explained. He added with a gloomy expression, "But if she was cursed HERE in Cretea, no amount of gods' pure energy could help. So... I am really sorry."
Raphael took a deep breath. Esper wouldn't lie to him. Everything made sense now.
"Thank you, Esper. I think we just need to understand what happened. Now that we know the truth, we can think about it and accept the situation better."
Raphael loved Rowena so, so deeply. It would be nice to raise a family with the woman he loved. However, even if they couldn't have children, it was okay. As long as Rowena and he could live together, nothing else mattered.
At least now they knew the answer and no longer had to keep guessing in the dark.
"I am sorry," said Esper again.
Raphael could only nod without a word. He stayed for several more minutes out of politeness to catch up with Esper before he returned to the royal palace and met his father.
***
"Why don't you and Rowena come to Cretea and live here?" King Areal's words shocked Raphael when they met later that day. He looked at his father with bulged eyes.
He had never thought about going back to Cretea after leaving ten years ago. He thought Rowena would never be accepted because of the commotion during their engagement party, and because he stole the immortality potion.
But now his father suggested they return here?
"Yes, listen to your father," Queen Lilith chimed in. Even though she didn't like Rowena, she would tolerate that woman in Cretea as long as Raphael returned to live here again.
She remembered what happened with Heron and his demoness wife. They ended up losing him forever because he chose to live in the demon world with his wife. He barely came to Cretea and the queen missed him terribly.
Raphael looked at his father and mother alternately. Then he said, "I will have to talk to Rowena about it and let her decide."
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