Chapter 115
Evelia laughed bitterly. Aria probably instinctively realized that Ruth and Lionel were father and son.
Ruth, who had no way of knowing that, chattered excitedly in a different way.
“It’s because me and Uncle Lionel are both guardian heirs.”
“Aha.”
Fortunately, Aria was persuaded by those words. The child soon focused on something else.
“Then the Prince also has a wolf?”
Ruth explained carefully this time.
“No! Uncle has a Trika! Trika is the guardian of water, but it’s a leopard! It usually looks like a cat. Uh, but where did it go?”
As Ruth looked around, Trika said, “Meow.” and jumped out of the window. Unlike Trika, who landed lightly, Celsion, who had the appearance of a dog, fell rather bluntly.
“Wow. It’s a cat.”
Aria hugged Trika. Trika said “Meow!” She cried and then fell into the child’s arms as if she had given up on everything.
“That’s right. Now that I’ve seen Lady Denoa, I’ll head back. Trika, you should play with the lady some more.”
“Then, can we go out and play? I want to see the royal castle!”
Aria spoke and Lionel nodded.
“Of course you can. I’ll provide an escort, so you can take a look with Ruth.”
“Thank you, Prince.”
“Thank you.”
This was the moment when Lionel, smiling slightly, grabbed the doorknob. A servant outside said.
“Your Majesty the Queen.”
At that moment, Lionel and Evelia’s faces became stiff. In particular, Evelia quickly checked on the children.
‘Why on earth did you come?’
This was Aria’s room, not Ruth’s. It didn’t seem like the Queen had come with good intentions.
But you can’t just send her away even though the Queen has come to visit her. After exchanging glances with Evelia, Lionel let out a small sigh and opened the door.
In front of him, Clarisse Cesia stood with her shoulders proudly straight.
“I see you, Her Majesty the Queen.”
As Evelia bowed with royal etiquette, Ruth and Aria followed.
“Raise your head.”
Clarice came inside and looked around. Her eyes sparkled when she found Aria. On the other hand, Aria’s body trembled.
Clarisse smiled in satisfaction when she saw Aria holding the hem of her dress tightly with both hands.
“I heard there was a guest from the Empire, so I just came to say hello. But who is this little guest?”
“Well, I…”
It was strange. Aria, who had never lost her confidence in front of the High Priests or Lionel, was so scared that she could not open her mouth properly. Her white face became even whiter.
“I am from the Denoa family…”
Evelia stepped up to Aria and introduced her.
“This is Aria from Marquis Denoa. She is also Lucius’ friend. Aria, say hello to Her Majesty the Queen.”
Instead of saying hello, Aria hid behind Evelia. Evelia was embarrassed and tried to comfort Aria, but the child only shook her head and did not want to come out.
Clarisse waved her hand as if it was okay.
“It looks like she was nervous because it was her first time seeing the royal family. It’s okay. I just came to say hello.”
“Thank you for your understanding, Your Majesty.”
“By the way, Duchess. I plan to invite the noble wives of the Kingdom tomorrow and have tea time. Can the Duchess come too?”
“It’s my honor.”
“Okay. Let me prepare the Duchess’ place as well. And did you say she was the Lady of Denoa? I wish you would come, too. Because the children are planning to come too.”
Only then did Aria barely respond.
“Ah, I understand, Your Highness.”
“Then, make yourself comfortable.”
“Thank you….”
It was only after Clarisse left that Aria took a deep breath. Ruth was startled and approached her friend.
“Aria, what’s wrong? what’s the matter?”
Evelia also looked at Aria.
“Yes, Aria. What’s going on?”
Lionel also did not go out and watched the situation from the door.
Aria, who received the attention of the three people, trembled her lips and then burst into tears.
“Aria? what’s the matter?”
“Ahhh.”
Aria fell into Evelia’s arms.
“I’m scared of that person. I’m scared.”
The child just repeated those words. Evelia carefully comforted and asked.
“What are you afraid of?”
Aria just shook her head in Evelia’s arms and didn’t say anything. Only after Evelia comforted her a little more did she open her mouth.
“There are too many children behind the Queen.”
“Children?”
“Yes, everyone is looking at me….”
Aria opened her mouth with difficulty.
“They’re begging for my life.”
*****
An hour ago.
Queen Clarisse gritted her teeth.
“They finally broke the Duke’s curse?”
The man in the black hood in front of her spoke as if he was sorry.
“I apologize. I never imagined that the Duchess would call a High Priestess from the Empire.”
“No, no.”
Clarisse bit her red-painted fingernails.
“There is no way the high priest could have lifted the curse.”
She was sure. The curse she cast was a curse at the cost of the blood of many people. There was no way even the high priest could have solved it this easily, having only been here for a few hours.
“Besides, how did you know it was a curse and lift it? Coincidentally, it is strange that a high priest visited the kingdom during this time.”
She continued to think.
“You said that the High Priests was called by Duchess Adelhard.”
“That’s right.”
“How did the duchess know and call the high priest?”
“As far as that goes…”
“Besides, you said she called someone other than the high priest.”
Clarisse stood up.
“I must go and take a look.”
So Clarisse went to see Aria Denoa, whom Evelia had called. The moment she saw the girl with silver hair and golden eyes, she realized.
‘This child solved the curse.’
At the same time, she felt uneasy when the child trembled at her.
‘You may have discovered my secret.’
Before I deal with Ruth and Lionel, I have to deal with Aria first.
So her next target became Aria.
*****
Evelia became serious after hearing Aria’s story. She had a serious talk with Lionel. Cassis, who had now regained some stamina, and Aria’s older brother, Samuel, were also with them.
“Perhaps they have been using children as scapegoats all along.”
“……”
Lionel was also shocked and couldn’t say anything. Even Cassis was very quiet.
Finally, Samuel opened his mouth.
“Then there are probably children still trapped somewhere.”
The atmosphere in the room suddenly became heavy.
Lionel clenched his fists.
“We can no longer stand by and watch the Queen’s atrocities.”
“Then….”
“I will quickly grab the evidence and tell it to Your Majesty.”
“The evidence.”
Evelia intervened. She opened her mouth based on what she had read in the book.
“You should take a close look at the places that Queen Clarisse has visited frequently recently.”
Lionel retorted.
“It’s a place that could be your weakness, but you visit it often?”
“Queen Clarisse is very confident and has a strong sense of pride. Rather than hiding it, she probably enjoyed showing it openly and not being noticed by people.”
Lionel was lost in thought.
Evelia understood him like that.
‘Actually, it’s normal for a normal person to react like Lionel.’
However, Evelia, who had read the original work, knew that the Queen’s laboratory was near the hot springs she often visited.
‘I don’t remember where the hot springs are exactly, but…’
Samuel and Lionel will have to figure it out.
She asked tentatively.
“Is there a place that Her Majesty the Queen has often visited in recent years? Something like a resort or a place I went to for treatment.”
Lionel remembered.
“Now that I think about it, she went to the Gafu hot springs particularly often.”
That’s it. Evelia exchanged glances with Samuel.
“I think we need to investigate whether there have been any missing children around the hot springs and nearby estates.”
“I will do it.”
“I will also investigate.”
“And.”
Evelia spoke in a lower voice.
“The next target might be Aria.”
“Yes?”
Samuel asked in surprise. Evelia tried to speak calmly.
“The Queen came to Aria’s room. And she’s probably noticed that Aria cured Cassis’ curse, so of course she recognizes her as a danger.”
Rainha desgraçada, não se meche com criança não, pela criança eu dou minha vida graças a Deus.