Carlisle reluctantly parted from Elena after she went to bed for a nap. There was an important matter from Zenard he needed to attend to.
Ttubeog ttubeog.
Carlisle’s steady gait seemed to bear more purposeful authority as he headed towards the dungeon. When he arrived, he found Zenard waiting for him at the front of a cell with thick iron bars. Zenard gave a deep bow as he approached.
“Welcome, Your Highness.”
“You didn’t touch a hair on him like I ordered?”
“Yes. I brought him in good condition.”
“Very well.”
After the brief exchange, Carlisle entered the cell to see Oswald Selby, who was tied up in chains.
When it was discovered that Marquis Selby was behind the prince’s assassination attempt, the marquis immediately tried to flee the country. It was Carlisle’s men that caught him and brought him back to the palace.
As soon as Oswald saw Carlisle enter the cell, he looked up with a pitiful expression.
“Y-Your Majesty, I’m not the culprit. You know I’m not. Looking back now, I was only blinded because my daughter was in danger. I’ll testify before everyone. So please, please…spare my life.”
Carlisle was unmoved by Oswald’s desperate begging.
“Your Highness, believe me. It was the Empress. The cunning woman tricked me into trying to kill you.”
Even with his confession, Carlisle only listened on with apparent disinterest. Oswald paused in a brief moment of confusion, and it was then that Carlisle spoke.
“Are you done with your final words?”
“Y-Your Highness!”
Oswald’s eyes flew open in fear, but Carlisle had no intention to entertain him anymore.
“Do you want me to tell you something? The official report says that you’re still on the run. No one knows you’re being held in this dungeon, and you will not be brought for trial.”
“W-what…?”
Oswald had assumed that Carlisle’s face was smoothly expressionless, but when he took a closer look, he found he was wrong.
Carlisle had a look of terrible rage.
Oswald recoiled in fear as the prince slowly began to approach him. He was so terrified that he couldn’t even move his mouth to speak.
“And your testimony? I don’t need that.”
Ttubeog.
Carlisle came one step closer.
“Even without it, I have plenty of bait to catch the Empress.”
The distance between them closed with every word.
“There is no need to be bitter. Everyone involved will die like you.”
Oswald’s face turned ashen.
“P-please.”
“I’ll kill you now. I’ll make it as painful as I can.”
Soon after, Oswald’s screams rang through the dungeon.
“Aaaagh!”
Zenard, who was standing outside the cell, glanced inside. He had expected this when Carlisle ordered him not harm the marquis.
“He should have killed himself before the prince arrived…”
*
*
*
Elena, who was taking a nap in her room, opened her eyes earlier than usual. She wasn’t the type to sleep for a long time, and the more her condition improved, the less she needed to sleep.
When she opened her eyes, she noticed that Carlisle was not beside her. She tilted her head in wonder.
‘Where did he go?’
She soon dismissed the thought, as she knew that he had a busy schedule. There must have been something urgent he had to attend to.
Elena quietly got out of bed, when the nanny, who had come to check in on her, approached her in a hurry.
“You’re awake now?”
“Yes. I must be getting better because I’m not sleeping as long.”
“What a relief. Oh! As you were sleeping, a messenger from the Emperor had arrived.”
“The Emperor?”
“Yes. If you are able, the Emperor wants you to come by today.”
“Ah…”
Emperor Sullivan’s summons stirred up memories in her.
He had promised to reveal the secrets of Carlisle’s blue bead ring the next time they met. Perhaps then she would find out about the black scales on Carlisle’s body as well. It was only because of the Emperor’s poor health that their meeting had been delayed.
He was asking for her now though…
That meant she would find out about the secrets of the ring today.