The King didn't show up after the maids had brought Ely to a vacant maid's room. There was a wooden dresser that had a lot of folded clothes and undergarments, which were a bit smaller for her size, nevertheless, she wore them even if they were tight. Still, a thick blouse and a pair of fitted pants would be more comfortable than a thin nightdress.
She walked and looked around the room, and when she got tired, she sat in the wooden chair beside an open window. She recalled that while on her way from the dungeon, they had her wear a blindfold again, so she didn't see the way, but she felt the warm sand under her feet and heard. Seeing the glistening ocean in front of the round, setting sun, she was now sure that the palace of the King was located near the beach.
She had been staring at the large window until the sun had set. She realized that it was nighttime that she went in the tub thinking about dying, but when she was captured, the sunlight was so strong.
She looked down the window and saw three guards below, so she knew it would be hard to escape.
"It seems like I'm in a different country." Ely thought.
Maybe the timezone was different, or maybe this was a dream. Nothing made sense.
A sudden knock at the door interrupted her deep thoughts.
After three knocks, a maidservant opened the door, placed a pitcher of water and a plate of shrimp on the floor, and then closed it.
Ely looked at her food. Seeing the shrimp was enough to make her remember Adam and cry. "If only he was here, he'd take out the shrimp meat…"
Even though the dish seemed delicious, she had no appetite. She only poured and sipped a glass of water to forget about her hunger. She then closed the lights and shut the windows. Tired because of what she had gone through that day, she decided to sleep, hoping that when she woke up, everything would return to normal.
But the next day, her sleep was interrupted by a maidservant who barged in.
"Wake up," she said, "The ministers will arrive at the courtroom shortly. Today is your trial!"
Upon hearing about the trial, she immediately stood up. "I'm innocent! I promise!" exclaimed Ely.
Before leaving, the maidservant tied her hands with a fiber rope, and said, "Sorry, I have to…" She tied the knot carefully, pitying her.
Ely was fetched by two of General Lum's guards. As expected, she was blindfolded. Without shoes, she was feeling the ground, just like last time, and tried to guess where she was heading to.
The ground felt stone-cold, and then after a long walk, it suddenly felt like a marbled or tiled floor.
Ely heard the noisy chitchats of the people inside the room. She was guided in the middle and was forced to kneel down on the floor.
"Ministers, let us start the trial," a man named Minister Holter said. He cleared his throat, "This woman infiltrated the Palace last night. She went straight to the King's bath. We suspect that she's an assassin or a spy."
There were inaudible whispers and chats around the room.
"I suggest we investigate her first. I am very curious how she got in," the King interrupted. He was sitting at the grandest chair in the room, just behind where Ely knelt. "General, bring her in front of me."
"Yes, Your Highness," General Lum said. He grabbed the arm of the kneeling Ely and forcibly took her in front of the King.
"Remove her blindfold," the King ordered.
Facing the King, Ely was forced to kneel down, and General Lum took off her blindfold.
Ely's eyes hurt a little. Teary-eyed, he looked up to the King, and his piercing gaze brought fear into her.
"Woman," the King said in a loud, domineering voice. "I want you to tell me how you got into my bath. Tell us everything, who you are, where you came from, and your purpose."
Ely trembled with fear. She didn't know what to say in front of the King, and the people behind her. "I'm… I'm innocent…" she uttered.
The King felt disrespected. He stood up from his seat, walked in front of her, and held Ely's chin upwards, forcing her to look into his eyes, "Are you refusing to answer?" He said in a low, cold voice. He was clearly mad.
"I… I'm sorry…" she told him. Thinking that she had no other choice but to comply, he then explained, "I'm Elizabeth Berry… from Skyscraper City…"
"Oh? Where is that?" the King asked. He still held her chin firmly.
"The city after Sweet Homes Village, my hometown…" Ely didn't know how to explain where she came from. She didn't even know where she was at the moment.
The King pulled away his hands and returned to his seat, "Why are you here? Why were you in my bath yesterday?"
Ely was lost in thought. What should she do? They might not believe her when she tells them that she drowned in herself and it was the reason why she got in the King's bath. "I'm...lost."
"Lost?" the King asked. "Then, how did you get in without anyone noticing? Are you lying to us?"
"No, I…" she decided to tell the truth. "I drowned myself, and when I realized that I can't take my own life, so I sat back up… Only to find out that I am in your bath…"
The King raised his eyebrow, "What kind of sorcery is that? Or maybe, you… Do you hold a magic artifact?"
"Magic… artifact? What is that?"
"Aside from being an assassin or a spy, this is the next plausible reason why you managed to enter my palace without being noticed."
"I'm sorry, I don't have that… But I am neither an assassin nor a spy! I promise… You look a lot like my late husband, Adam!"
The King raised his hand, "SILENCE."
Ely pursed her lips, and she did not continue to say the words she planned to.
"Ministers. I want your opinions," the King faced the twenty-five ministers that sat in their respective seats.