"Richard, if you want that, I can help spread the word that youāre looking for it. However, how much are you willing to pay for the item?" Sophia said.
It seemed she didnāt actually have the information yet, but she looked confident that she could help him find it.
"Iāll pay any price," Richard replied casually. He truly wanted it, so he didnāt mind paying dearly.
But Sophia shook her head.
"That sounds like a robberās line. You need to name a specific price. And you canāt name something too outrageous either, or people wonāt believe it," Sophia said.
"Is one hundred million too high?" Richard asked.
"Thatās quite good... Iāll spread the word when Iām at work."
"Alright, Iāll wait for good news."
Richard smiled before flying away.
"Eh..."
He froze shortly after, while still in the air.
Suddenly, he saw Grace in the distance, wearing a black dress with lace wrapped around her slender waist.
Her black hair was neatly tied up, yet her straight bangs still covered her forehead.
The gaze of her red eyes was already fixed on him.
Richard had no choice but to approach her first.
"Grace, why are you here?" Richard asked with a smile.
"Of course I came. Everyone is coming to the capital to see the Queenās wedding," Grace replied calmly, as if it had nothing to do with Richard.
Richard rolled his eyes at that, sensing an invisible hint of sarcasm in her tone.
Still, he pretended that it had nothing to do with him either.
Even though this had already been discussed with Grace, her jealous nature was not something that could simply disappear.
Even so, Richard couldnāt help but admire the fact that Grace had come to see it.
"Are you alone?" Richard asked.
"The younger generation of the Moonshadow Clan also came with Jack, your cousin. But Iām not with them," Grace replied.
"How about Mrs. Wilson?"
"Sheās with your caretaker. Do you want to meet them? They rented an inn."
"Yes, letās go there," Richard replied.
"Follow me!" Grace led the way.
"By the way, your mother knows Iām no longer a virgin. I donāt know how she figured it out," Grace said as they flew toward the outskirts of the city.
Richardās eyes widened and his body trembled when he heard that. He was too shocked.
If even he was this shocked, how much more awkward must it have been for Grace when her secret was discovered?
For a young woman who had just come of age, this must have been extremely embarrassing, even if she was usually indifferent.
"She wasnāt angry," Grace continued. "She only teased me a little, saying she once thought I was the type who would never do such a thing, but I did... And she asked who I did it with."
"And what did you say?" Richard asked, looking as though the topic weighed heavily on him, yet he had no choice but to ask.
"Of course, I told her I did it with you."
Richard didnāt know whether to laugh or cry after hearing that.
He didnāt blame Grace for choosing to be honest, but this practically exposed their relationship to Rebecca.
Who knew how Rebecca would react?
"What did she say?" Richard asked again.
"She only reminded me of what I was raised and cared for by her for. As long as I remember that, she said she didnāt care who I slept with," Grace answered.
"And do you remember?" Richard chuckled.
"Richard, your mother isnāt a foolish woman. Iām worried she has certain tricks to completely control me if she wants to," Grace replied with a serious expression.
Naturally, Richard felt that made sense.
He had seen that womanās power back when he was still in the Grimoire Realm, and he had to admit she was not an easy opponent.
If she were foolish, she would have been finished long ago, considering she basically had no strong backing.
"She doesnāt need me yet. But when she does need me to fight her enemies, Iām afraid I wonāt even realize who I am anymore," Grace continued.
In this matter, Richard found it hard to comment.
What he wanted was to take over the Moonshadow Clan as soon as possible. That would be the opportunity to subdue Rebecca. But that had to wait for the clanās ancestor, who had gone who-knows-where and still hadnāt returned.
"Weāll deal with it if it really comes to that," Richard said.
Grace looked into his eyes and nodded.
Looking at Graceās eyes, Richard felt that before his wedding with Lilith, today needed to be spent alone with Grace.
Without thinking much, he grabbed her hand and pulled her into an empty house he spotted, entering the bedroom directly through a window.
Grace was slightly surprised by his action. But when he embraced her, she immediately returned the hug, and they began kissing wildly while stripping each other.
In a short time, they were naked.
Their skin touched as they embraced, still kissing each other.
Grace was more aggressive than usual.
She pushed Richard onto the bed before pressing her body down on top of him, as if declaring that today, she would be the one on top.
How could Richard not love that?
He lay back and let Grace dominate from above.
His hands caressed Graceās entire body, which he had to admit was truly beautifulāslender and curved like a bow.
Especially when Grace rocked her hips above him while moaning, it was a scene beyond description.
In this regard, Richard couldnāt help but thank his mother for raising such a captivating girl.
Grace seemed unwilling to change positions, so Richard let it continue. Occasionally, he sat up to embrace Grace, increasing the intensity.
He felt such immense pleasure that he wondered whether there was any other pleasure like this.
In no time, he covered Graceās body with his kisses.
They even began to sweat, but their sweat was fragrant and refreshing, further fueling their passion.
This wasnāt a ten-minute affair, but more than an hour. After reaching the peak of pleasure, they lay there powerless.
Richard pulled Grace into his arms and laid her down, giving her time to stabilize herself.
After that, they took a bath.
There wasnāt much time left in the day. There was no way they could sleepāif they did, they might not wake up until the next morning.
With a warm bath and absorbing energy from the Spirit Natures, they were able to restore themselves to peak condition.
Their previous clothes were in disarray, so they changed into new ones of the same type.
Grace even kept the same style from her hair down to her shoes.
Of course, the kiss marks on her body were already gone.
She smelled wonderful, and even those far below would be mesmerized upon seeing her.
Richard couldnāt help but smile as he looked at her.
No matter how many times he had been intimate with her, she still gave him the impression of an untouchable woman, making him feel as though he had never truly touched her before.
"ThereāMrs. Wilson and your caretaker are staying there!" Grace suddenly pointed at an inn on the outskirts of the city, located right at the edge of a large river flowing into the sea. It had a long balcony facing the river, with a front yard filled with grapevines and surrounded by tall walls that ensured privacy.
Richard noticed that the inn looked quiet, as if today it was only hosting a single group of guests.
Soon, Richard saw Sister Lisa relaxing on a long chair right in front of the river.
She lay there with her legs crossed, still wearing her Sky Armor, showing her identity as a Sky Armor Knight.
Naturally, she hadnāt noticed Richard and Graceās arrival, even though they hadnāt hidden themselves.
"Sister Lisa!" Richard called out when he got close.
Sister Lisa was startled by his voice.
She stood up instinctively and looked up, but Richard and Grace had already landed.
Seeing that Richard wasnāt alone only made Sister Lisa more surprised.
He was actually with a young woman so beautiful that even Sister Lisa was captivated.
Apparently, when she had visited the Moonshadow Clan to meet Mrs. Wilson, she hadnāt seen Grace at all and had forgotten that Grace was the girl who studied under Lilith when she was young.
"Richard, who is she?" Sister Lisa asked with a suspicious look.
How could she not feel suspicious and find it strange?
Richard was about to marry Lilith, yet here he was with a beautiful woman.
"Sister Lisa, it seems you donāt recognize her anymore. Do you remember the girl who came out of Lilithās house when we first arrived at Night Valley City?" Richard replied.
Hearing that, Sister Lisa nodded instinctively.
Of course she rememberedāit was the day Richard first met Lilith.
"Sheās that girl, the young lady of the Moonshadow Clan. Sheās grown up now," Richard added with a smile.
Sister Lisa found it hard to believe.
She examined Grace closely, but her doubts faded because the little girl from back then was indeed this woman.
Two distinctive traits had never changed: her red eyes and her straight bangs.
"Are the two of you friends?" Sister Lisa asked, somewhat confused.
"We are friends," Richard replied.
After saying that, he instinctively looked toward the door as a middle-aged woman appeared there.
Who else could it be but Mrs. Wilson, who today was wearing a luxurious dress, leaving no trace of her former image as a servant.
Richard saw no signs of aging on her face. The only change was a slight streak of white in her hair.
"Miss?" she said in surprise when she saw Grace, but her attention quickly shifted to Richard.
She knew hin had grown up, but she had never seen his adult version before.