Count Yannik found it difficult to concentrate on his work, still unable to accept the idea that his wife harbored malicious intentions toward him. Several days had passed, but the incident continued to haunt his thoughts.
"Perhaps she was unaware of the potential dangers of combining those herbs," he mused, attempting to rationalize his wife's suspicious actions.
"I can only imagine that whoever recommended those herbs to her purposely withheld knowledge of their fatal consequences," he muttered under his breath.
Mr. Reitz entered the room delivering supper, as Count Yannik had requested to dine alone in his office rather than share a meal with his wife.
"How is the countess?" he inquired of his valet.
"The countess is in good health, and she has chosen to remain within the castle grounds, expressing discomfort with the presence of the additional guards you assigned to accompany her," Mr. Reitz explained.
While the countess remained within the castle as of late, Count Yannik had yet to summon the courage to engage in a serious conversation with her. Fearful of what he might learn, he hesitated to confront her directly.
After a brief moment of consideration, the valet gathered his courage and decided to speak up,
"My Lord, I couldn't help but notice that it has been quite some time since you and Her Ladyship shared a meal together. If I may speak frankly, it seems you have been engrossed in your work, but I do hope you won't neglect your duties as a husband."
Count Yannik's gaze remained fixed on the stack of paperwork before him. "Thank you for your concern. You may leave now," he said curtly.
Once Mr. Reitz departed, Count Yannik let go of the tough facade he had assumed in front of others and let out a deep sigh. He knew that sooner or later, he would have to discuss the matter of the herbs with the countess.
However, for the time being, he forced himself to refocus on his work, even though his mind remained clouded.
***
Long after Mr. Reitz and Mrs. Stringer had excused themselves for the night, there was a gentle knock on the office door.
Countess Augusta stood there, already dressed in her nightgown. Count Yannik's eyes brightened momentarily as he momentarily forgot about the alleged devious plan against him.
"My dear." He had hoped that she had come to spend the night with him, just like they used to when their love was still strong.
He took a step toward her with the intention to touch her soft skin, but the countess instinctively moved back, creating a small distance between them. "My Lord, may I have a word with you?" she requested, her voice calm yet carrying a hint of tension.
As Count Yannik looked into Countess Augusta's eyes, he suddenly realized the harsh reality. The once vibrant blue eyes that used to mirror the sky now appeared cold and distant, resembling the deep ocean. It was as if she had turned into someone else.
It was evident that the impending conversation with the countess would not be pleasant. Count Yannik recognized that it was necessary for them to address the state of their relationship. However, it won't be tonight.
Retreating to his chair, he deliberately lowered his gaze, adopting a stoic expression to conceal his true emotions. "I'm afraid I am quite tired tonight. Perhaps it would be better if we postpone our conversation until tomorrow when the sun has risen," he suggested, his voice masking his inner turmoil.
In truth, Count Yannik needed more time to gather his thoughts and emotionally prepare himself to confront whatever awaited them.
***
Morning arrived, and Count Yannik had resolved to address the matter of the herbs with the countess before allowing any other discussions to unfold. His mind was consumed by the weight of the situation, making it difficult for him to digest the breakfast.
Once he had completed his preparations for the day, he promptly instructed Mr. Reitz to bring Countess Augusta to his chamber.
When the countess entered, Count Yannik found himself captivated yet again by her stunning appearance. Despite the mounting problems and the increasing distance between them, she retained her timeless beauty.
"Good morning, My Lord," she greeted with a bow.
Just as Mr. Reitz was about to leave the room, hurried footsteps interrupted the count's plans. Someone had delivered what appeared to be an urgent message to the valet.
The content of the message seemed shocking enough that Mr. Reitz felt compelled to step back into the bedchamber and approach the count.
"Please forgive me, My Lord, but there is something you need to hear," he said.
Count Yannik motioned for him to come closer.
"The princess was attacked last night. Madam Geneviere has requested your immediate presence," Mr. Reitz whispered into the count's ear.
Count Yannik looked at the countess, contemplating the importance of both matters. Ultimately, he felt that the safety of the princess took precedence and required his immediate attention.
And a small part of him still clung to the hope that there might be a rational explanation behind the herbs.
"Fetch me a horse!" Count Yannik exclaimed. He then turned to the countess and apologized, saying, "I'm sorry, my love. We will have to postpone our discussion again. Something unexpected has arisen."
In the midst of the haste, Count Yannik caught a fragment of the countess' voice, but he couldn't be certain if it was real. He thought he heard her say, "...always like this..."
***
Madam Geneviere was on the verge of fainting when she saw the intruder from last night. With the man's wrists and ankles securely bound, Yohana recounted the events of the previous night in chronological order.
The madam appeared to be even more shocked than Yohana herself. She immediately dispatched messages to all the loyalists who had visited the princess during her time in hiding.
Count Yannik was the first to arrive. Judging by his labored breath, he must have run all the way here. Yohana also noticed that he had not come in his carriage, perhaps opting to ride his horse for faster travel.
Upon his arrival, the count inspected the man who had regained consciousness. Yohana had placed a cloth in his mouth to prevent him from making any noise and drawing attention to their secret location.
"Who tied him?" the count asked.
Yohana knew that the knots were too skillfully tied for the princess to have done them herself. She couldn't afford to tie the intruder haphazardly, as it would increase the risk of him escaping and causing trouble.
"I did," Yohana responded, fabricating a plausible lie. "The captain of the Royal Army once taught me."
Shortly after, Madam Geneviere returned to the secret room. "Count Yannik, I see that you have arrived," she greeted him. "I sent my men to investigate this man, and they have informed me that he is a former soldier of the Royal Army who was discharged dishonorably shortly before the coup."
"What was the reason for his discharge?" Yohana asked.
"It appears that he was negligent in his duties, Your Highness. His colleagues considered him lazy and abusive," the madam explained.
"It is possible that he is holding a grudge against the former monarch due to his dishonorable discharge," Yohana speculated. "When the royal family was punished, his chance for revenge was lost. However, upon hearing about the leaked information, he swiftly seized the opportunity and attacked me."
"What do you mean by 'leaked information'?" Count Yannik was perplexed as he had not heard anything about the situation.
Yohana retrieved the poster that Madam Geneviere had shown her and passed it to Count Yannik. "Some people were distributing these in the town square."
"I have destroyed all the posters I found, but I cannot be certain that some people haven't already kept copies for themselves," Madam Geneviere added.
"Have you uncovered any information about the individual behind this?"
"I have discovered that multiple individuals were involved in the distribution," the madam replied.
Yohana interjected, "It is highly probable that an organization is orchestrating these actions."
"An organization..." Count Yannik pondered, attempting to compile a list of potential culprits in his mind but struggled to come up with any definitive names.
What he now knew for certain was that the safety of the princess was at risk. He said, "It appears that this location is no longer safe for the princess, Madam. I would like to relocate her to a more secure place."
Yohana concurred that Nanty Narking was no longer a secure location for the former princess. With her face widely recognized by the public, it would be challenging for her to move covertly as she did when she inhabited her original body.
Unlike Yohana, who was an unknown entity, the princess was familiar to many individuals.
"Where do you suggest as an alternative?" Madam Geneviere asked.
"It would be safer for the princess to reside at my residence temporarily until we find a more suitable location," Count Yannik proposed.
Given the circumstances, they had no choice but to accept his offer, as it was the most viable option at present.