Chapter 37: A Death Threat and a White Cat
"Who...?" Ardwyn demanded. "Who was it?"
No one answered.
"I asked who set fire to my cape!"
This time his voice reverberated through the entire dining hall.
Alexia's blonde friend covered her mouth. The one with the fan gave a small cough. Caspian suddenly found the ceiling fascinating. Liryl kept reading.
The other nobles in the farthest seats also pretended to have seen nothing. After all, no one would dare involve themselves in a conflict with Crown Prince Ardwyn V of Jahke.
No one, except Lianza, who had brought a hand to her lips. A sound escaped from her. So high-pitched and brief that only I could catch it; to the rest, it was inaudible.
A giggle.
Lianza D'Tariel's first giggle since the Welcome Ball.
Ardwyn turned toward her.
Lianza recovered her composure. Her mask rebuilt itself in a blink.
"It must have been a candle, Your Highness," she said.
"There are no candles in the dining hall."
"Someone might have brought a scented candle to accompany their meal and tea."
Ardwyn kept looking at her for a few seconds. Then turned toward the other nobles. Then toward his charred cape.
"Be that as it may, the fact is it was an unfortunate accident."
The prince picked up his chair and sat. Said nothing more. Incriminating someone without evidence was impossible, and doing so would only earn him a bad reputation. The reputation he had worked so hard to forge at Mayorka would crumble.
His golden Empero retracted. And he sat there, his ego wounded.
[Bravo! Bravo! That was art! Pure art! I'm going to frame it. 🔥]
Lunch ended without further incidents.
Ardwyn stood up, still embarrassed. He took Lianza by the arm. She didn't protest; simply followed him toward the east wing, where they were heading.
I followed them. Always three meters behind.
Ardwyn had removed his cape. Not even in his dreams would someone like him be seen in Mayorka's hallways with a ruined cape.
I smiled. Although that cape was blackened and charred, at least now it had a normal length.
⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽ ☆ ☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅
Four o'clock arrived. Time had passed with Ardwyn talking in the hallways about their engagement. Lianza, on the other hand, simply nodded or shook her head when someone asked her a question. Without speaking.
"Beautiful Lianza," Ardwyn said after looking into the distance. "I must attend to some matters. It was a beautiful afternoon spent by your side."
When I looked, I saw that what he'd been looking at in the distance was Layda, who had signaled him.
What were those two plotting now?
Lianza nodded and, with a kiss on her hand from the prince that made me want to strangle him right there, they parted.
And just as I was thinking of an excuse to give Lianza so I could go after the prince, a notification appeared.
[Time to work, Romeo! 😊]
Lianza headed toward the library. No need to turn around; she knew I would follow without hesitation wherever she went.
Damn it. What do you want now? I asked the System.
[Mission: Lady Canaria Ascalar has lost her cat in the east wing gardens. Find it before sunset. 🐱]
[Penalty for refusal: Lianza will find an anonymous death threat letter on her desk. I won't tell you who wrote it. I also won't tell you whether you wrote it or not. I'll only tell you that tomorrow everyone will know. 😊]
Who would send Lianza a death threat?
[You'd be surprised how many people would rather see her dead. And our poor, misunderstood villainess hasn't even done anything yet. 🤭]
If Lianza found that anonymous death threat, she would undoubtedly live filled with uncertainty. It would also force me to stay by her side without exceptions. And although that didn't bother me, protecting her required stepping away from her every now and then.
Escorting Lianza to the library door, I made sure she entered, and then, after telling her I'd be away for a few minutes, I headed to the east wing.
Where is the cat?
[East wing gardens. Near the greenhouse.]
What's the reward?
[It's a se-cret. 🤫]
The east wing gardens were different from the north's. Less tended. Tall hedges. Stone benches covered in moss. An abandoned greenhouse at the back.
Searching among the hedges. Behind the benches. Next to the greenhouse. Nothing. No trace of the cat.
"Canaria?" I called. "Did you lose your cat?"
No one answered.
Walking deeper, the garden narrowed. The hedges grew taller. Scarce beams of light filtered through the branches.
I found the cat. White and small. Sitting on a stone bench next to the greenhouse. Looking at me with green eyes.
"Come."
It didn't move.
Approaching, the cat meowed, somewhat trembling. It climbed down from the bench. Walked toward the abandoned greenhouse. Stopped by the ajar door.
Following it, I pushed the door open.
The greenhouse smelled of wilted plants and months of dampness. The glass walls were dirty, some broken. Even less light filtered in here, but I could still see.
The cat entered. I followed it among the abandoned cultivation tables. Broken pots. Rusted tools.
The cat stopped. Meowed.
My gaze followed where it pointed.
And immediately regretted it.