Chapter 174: Stupid boy!
"Did Araben... cut her hand off at the wrist?" The King asked, his voice betraying a mixture of disbelief and anger. He had never tolerated nobles who abused their power in such a horrific way.
Ren nodded grimly. "There are things you must know."
Turning to Madame Helene, Ren asked her to elucidate everything from the beginning. The woman didn’t miss a single detail. The sorrow of losing her girls in those flames was so heavy.
By the time she finished, the King was silent for a moment, absorbing the weight of the revelations. Then he turned to Ren. "And those assassins... did you find anything unusual about them?"
Ren’s expression was as hard as a rock. "Yes. We kept one alive for interrogation, but he swallowed a poisoned tooth and died before we could learn anything useful. I was busy healing lady Helene and couldn’t buy time."
The King’s fierce eyes darted to Kai, who remained unfazed. Killing themselves with poison! How familiar! He couldn’t say they were loyal but certainly died for gold coins. Not any purpose was behind it.
"I guess we now know that House Kalia is after more than just defeating the vampires," Aunt Eve spoke up, her voice was weary but firm.
The King sighed, guilt evident on his face. "My brother told me about the engagement. I agreed, but I had no idea what was really going on." His tone shifted, filled with self-reproach. "I blame myself for letting everything go unnoticed. I was so proud that neither realm dared to challenge the Ruby Throne."
Kai’s voice cut through the tension. "How many people died?"