Chapter 311
The palace maid struggled to her feet and wiped away the blood from the corner of her mouth with the back of her hand.
Dawn had fully broken. Sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating the palace maid’s face, revealing none other than Lucy, the Query attendant.
Lucy stared at Jessica, her voice trembling with disbelief. “How did you know it was me?” Even though she had just told the Chief that Jestira was starting to suspect her, Lucy was convinced Jessica suspected Ada too.
She thought, ‘I was sure my disguise was flawless. All this time, I’ve never given myself away!‘
Lucy stared in disbelief. ‘Was it because I took the Aconite?‘ The discovery of the poison caught Lucy off guard.
Lucy thought to herself, ‘I slipped the poison in couldn’t possibly detect such a trace amount.
‘Besides, I only used a small amount of Aconite po
discreetly, and both Prince Malik and Princess Elsie have already drunk it. Even the best Doctor
Leaning casually against the doorframe, Jessica smirked
shouldn’t do much damage!
“It was just a hunch at first, but you’ve just confirmed it for me, haven’t you?”
Chaos erupted throughout Tranquil Pavilion as the staff and other visitors scrambled to escape.
However, the Royal Guard had all the exits of the pavilion locked. Anyone attempting to flee would have to undergo a strict identity check. None of their accomplices shall escape.
Lucy still wouldn’t let it go. “Where on earth did I give myself away?”
“A detoxifying herb became an ingredient for one of the party’s dishes for the honored guests. Since the Askar delegation is set to depart tomorrow, Her Majesty the Queen personally arranged this party as a gesture of respect. Naturally, those closest to Her Majesty would know these details best.
“Since the antidote was put in the soup, merely adding a trace of
Conite was enough to make Prince Malik and Princess Elsie fall into a deep slumber.
“Initially, I viewed you and Ada with equal suspicion,” Jessica said coolly, “but your words tipped the scales.”
Lucy frowned. “What did I say?”
She thought, ‘I’ve always been so careful, not daring to say a single extra word. What could I possibly have said to make her suspicious?‘
Leon leaned against the window frame, watching Jessica intently. He was realizing more and more how much he loved watching his woman analyze things. That look of intense concentration on her face captivated him most.
Leon thought to himself, ‘So brilliant, so poised, so unruffled, yet so razor–sharp.
‘The more I watch her, the more I find myself drawn to her. She is a sight to behold.‘
Meanwhile, Jessica was aware of Leon’s persistent gaze, but with others around, she couldn’t afford to engage with him. She thought to herself, ‘If I let him start, it’ll never end. Let’s pretend I don’t see him.‘
Jessica shot Lucy with a sharp gaze. “You claim you recently heard a method, using Aconite to calm the Queen’s nerves,” she said coolly. “But I’ve checked, and you haven’t left the palace at all during that time. So, where exactly did you ‘hear‘ about this so–called method?”
Lucy sneered, “What if I’d heard about it before entering the palace?”
Jessica narrowed her eyes. “No. If you’d known about this method before entering the palace, you would’ve used it long ago to curry favor with the Queen and climb the ranks. But you only started recently because you knew you’d need Aconite soon. You were laying the groundwork in advance to throw people off the scent.”
1442 Tue 17 June
Chapter 311
Lucy fell silent, glaring at Jessica. ‘Maybe I was indeed careless, Lucy thought, ‘But no ordinary person could ve picked up on the te
Jessica… she opened my eyes! A mix of awe and frustration swirled inside her..
Downstairs, chaos still reigned, but it was clear that their people had no chance of escape, Lucy didn’t dare look back at the Hall Master lying on the ground. ‘All this talking must have given him time to catch his breath,’ she thought.
Suddenly, channeling her power into her palms, Lucy sprang up and lunged at Jessica, shouting, “Hall Master, don’t mind me. Just gol
