Yohana chose not to confide in Henrie about her discoveries in Princess Elisa's room. She didn't want to burden him further as he was already occupied with the task of swaying the archbishops to support their cause.
Moreover, Yohana believed there might be alternative means to uncover the truth without adding to Henrie's responsibilities.
Yohana considered the option of inquiring about Princess Elisa's absence during dinner. She believed that persistently raising the question might compel Princess Eleanor to reveal her secrets or, at the very least, prompt the queen to take action.
However, before Yohana could make her move, the queen launched the offensive. "The palace will soon host a charity event, and Lady Runa, I hereby appoint you as the organizer."
The weight of organizing such a grand event was daunting, especially for a young lady like Runa, burdened with a tarnished reputation. Despite having her name cleared, she still carried the stigma of controversy, making vendors hesitant to provide their services for fear of association.
It seemed that this task was destined for failure, a seemingly impossible feat set before Yohana, leaving her with a sense of impending doom.
***
The queen appeared to have long planned this, seizing the opportunity to completely crush Yohana. As she entered the dining room with Henrie, an unusual atmosphere enveloped the room.
Queen Emma exuded an uncharacteristic confidence, despite Princess Elisa's absence from yet another dinner. Yohana was about to point out this fact when Princess Eleanor diverted the conversation.
"Father, it is almost time for the charity ball. I wonder what theme we should have this year?"
The charity ball mentioned by Princess Eleanor was held in celebration of Luminara, a summer festival of light. On this day, the people of Reichwein would gather in town squares and churches, illuminating thousands of candles and lanterns to symbolize the triumph of light over darkness.
Traditionally, the royal family also hosted a charity ball during the festivities, with the proceeds benefiting the people. In the past, the Schauenstein family had been responsible for organizing the event.
However, Queen Emma had strategically chosen Yohana as the new organizer for this year's festival. It seemed the queen was concerned about her own performance and potential negative talk from the community because she lacked the experience—the Siegfried Duchy had never held a charity event of this scale.
By shifting the responsibility to Yohana, the blame for any shortcomings would also fall on her.
To make matters worse, Yohana had never before organized such an event in her life as an assassin. While she had assumed the role of a noblewoman, she had never actually performed the duties of one.
"Mother, is it not too hasty to assign Lady Runa such a position? She has yet to fully adapt to this new environment, and I fear it might overwhelm her," Henrie defended Yohana.
However, the queen had prepared a counterattack, anticipating that her son would try to deflect the responsibility.
"My prince, it is the duty of the queen to organize such events. Lady Runa is now your fiancee, and I am responsible for guiding her in her role as the future queen. I am doing this for her own sake. Moreover, I am giving her enough time for the preparation," the queen feigned affection.
Henrie turned to Yohana, his forehead furrowed as he struggled with the truth in the queen's words. "But it is rather early, Mother. We are still in the process of integrating her back into society."
"It is never too early to learn, my prince. As you can see, the king's health is deteriorating. We must be prepared for the worst," Queen Emma stated.
Yohana was baffled by how easily the queen could mention the king's illness and potential death in front of him. But she was even more surprised to see the king remain silent, his focus fixed on the table before him.
In fact, Yohana had noticed that King Georg's health had rapidly declined. He appeared frail and had lost his appetite.
"Why are you trying to stop her, Henrie? Is she truly incapable of such duties?" Princess Eleanor launched her attack. Being older than Henrie, she seemed to believe she could do as she pleased with him. "If she cannot handle this, it only confirms Mother's fear that Lady Runa is unfit to be your wife."
She even raised her fork and pointed it at Henrie while speaking, deliberately taunting him. Perhaps she found it amusing, but Yohana certainly did not. Queen Emma pressed down Princess Eleanor's hand onto the table.
"Mind your manners, Eleanor," the queen muttered.
"Why are you all ganging up on her?" Princess Elke added, further escalating the tension. "Why do you harbor such animosity toward her?"
"Hate?" Princess Eleanor burst into a fit of laughter, causing her utensils to clatter to the floor. "Are you serious, sister? Why would I hate her?"
"Why are you all cornering her then? Henrie is right, it's too early for such an assignment. She has only just arrived in the palace. We don't even know if she has adapted to her new situation," Princess Elke replied.
Queen Emma tightened her grip on Princess Elke's arm, silencing her. Yohana couldn't help but wonder why the queen seemed so on edge around Princess Eleanor.
Princess Elke bit her lower lip in frustration and groaned. "Father, please say something!" She demanded the king's intervention in the matter.
"Hm?" King Georg lifted his chin, finally paying attention to the people around him for the first time since entering the dining room. "What are you saying?"
"Shouldn't organizing the charity ball for Luminara be the responsibility of the queen, the lady of the palace, rather than someone who has just arrived here?" Princess Elke skillfully framed the question to guide the king's decision in her favor.
"Ah, yes," King Georg responded absentmindedly. Yohana was certain that the king didn't fully grasp the question or the situation at hand.
"Your Majesty, would it not be beneficial for me to guide her for the sake of our future? After all, she will soon be overseeing the Reichwein Kingdom," Queen Emma attempted to sway her husband's decision.
As King Georg appeared visibly confused, Princess Eleanor interjected, "Father, you will not be with us for much longer, and the throne will soon pass to Henrie. Do you wish for him to tarnish our family's reputation by having an incompetent wife?"
Yohana almost choked on her food upon hearing Princess Eleanor's blunt remark. The nonchalant way she mentioned the king's impending demise and the casual smile on her face made Princess Eleanor seem detached and almost inhuman.
"Sister! How dare you speak in such a manner about His Majesty!" Henrie snapped at his oldest sister's rudeness.
The smile immediately faded from Princess Eleanor's face. She appeared annoyed by Henrie's reaction. "Am I wrong, though, Henrie?"
"Eleanor, you should stop this now," Queen Emma whispered to her daughter by her side.
"Why, Mother? I am speaking the truth! Father will die soon, so why pretend that he won't?" Princess Eleanor's voice grew louder. The servants in the room trembled in fear, sensing an impending conflict.
Princess Eleanor's eyes widened, turning into someone who had lost her mind, and she was about to rise from her seat. Yohana caught a glimpse of fear crossing King Georg's face, if only for a fleeting moment.
The king struck the table with his palm, demanding attention. "Enough, all of you! This is not the place for barbaric arguments. I had hoped for a peaceful meal, but what do I get? Lady Runa, you will organize the charity ball. Now cease this bickering and eat."
Henrie clenched his fist on his thigh. Yohana observed how upset he was with the final decision, but she also knew he would not openly oppose it to uphold his father's dignity as the king, especially in front of the servants.
Placing her hand on top of his, Yohana whispered, "It's alright, Henrie."
"You will surely assist her, won't you, Mother? If you leave her to handle everything on her own, it's not guidance; instead, you're just transferring your responsibilities onto her," Henrie interjected.
Yohana couldn't determine if it would be beneficial to have Queen Emma's help or not. Regardless, she knew that the queen would likely attempt to sabotage her efforts. Yohana mentally reminded herself to proceed with caution.
"Of course," Queen Emma replied.
Observing the queen's immediate agreement, Yohana's suspicions only grew stronger.