Chapter 345
Chapter 345
Jessica offered Malik a faint smile and said, “I’m just a sheltered lady, Your Highness. State affairs are far beyond my understanding. Please forgive my earlier presumption.”
Malik saw no point in pressing further.
But Jessica’s words had planted a seed in Malik’s mind.
If the assassination attempt was truly linked to Askar, it was highly likely to be the work of one of the other princes.
It appeared that certain factions in Askar had formed secret alliances with some forces in Novigrad.
Malik looked at Leon and snorted, “It matters not. While I may have nothing better to do, you can hardly claim to be uninvolved. Don’t forget that your title as King of the Northern Borderlands is now a threat to many.”
So what if he was hiding behind that mask?
The King of Novigrad might not necessarily reject a disfigured son.
Moreover…
Malik fixed his gaze on the mask covering Leon’s face and sneered contemptuously. “One day, your secret will be exposed to the world. Let’s see what excuses you’ll come up with then!”
Some caught his meaning right away, while others remained unsure.
But Malik had no intention of explaining further.
Malik fixed Garbisch with a stern gaze and said, “Garbisch, you and Princess Elsie were alone together all night. Exactly what transpired between you, I have no way of knowing.”
Garbisch’s face turned pale in shock. He hurried to explain, “Your Highness, there’s absolutely nothing between Princess Elsie and me…”
Malik snorted, cutting him off. “How would I know? I have to return to Askar now, but she needs special care. She can’t travel with me. Since you’ve already compromised Princess Elsie, you must take full responsibility. Once I’ve settled matters back home, I’ll come for you myself.”
With a curt nod to Garbisch, he turned away, deliberately ignoring whatever protest Garbisch might have wanted to make.
He even waved Gail over to block Garbisch.
Malik approached Leon, still unwilling to give up. “Have you truly given no thought to what we discussed?”
Leon remained silent, his expression dark and resolute. It was a clear refusal.
“I’ll wait for your answer. No need to decide now,” Malik said, deliberately leaving things open. He simply refused to believe Leon truly ha the throne.
desire for
“I’ll be waiting!” After saying this, Malik waved his hand and commanded, “Go pack up. I must pay my respects to the King of Novigrad. At first light tomorrow, we depart for Askar.”
There was no time to lose.
Everyone assumed that after surviving the assassination attempt, he would undoubtedly stay to investigate the matter thoroughly.
Only by leaving immediately could he catch those lurking enemies completely off guard.
Finally, Malik approached Jessica, instinctively maintaining a respectful distance. He said earnestly, “Elsie truly regards you as a close friend and
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Chapter 345
sincerely cares for you. For the sake of this genuine bond, I beg you to look after her for a while. I will make arrangements as soon as possible to bring her
back to Askar.”
The smile faded from Jessica’s eyes, her expression turning earnest. “I’ll do my best,” she promised.
Malik said, “Thank you!”
None could foretell what the future held, thus even the most solemn promise might prove impossible to keep.
But so long as she gave her all, it was enough!
Sure enough, Malik began packing his belongings, getting ready to return to Askar.
Garbisch felt utterly overwhelmed. ‘What does all this even mean now?‘
Garbisch asked, “Are we really supposed to take Princess Elsie back to the Yates House to recover?”
If word got out that Elsie was brought to his estate to recuperate, her reputation would be ruined forever!
Garbisch said anxiously, “Jessica, my relationship with Princess Elsie is already beyond explanation! If we take her to the Yates House now, it’ll only make things worse. How will she maintain her social standing after this?”
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