Carmellia stared blankly at the plate in front of her, the chamomile tea that her maid had poured a few moments ago was already cold. Her hand didn't even touch the cup. In front of her sat a beautiful woman. Her hair was as white as moonlight and her eyes were as red as rubies. Smiling innocently at Carmellia. As if she didn't know what mistake she had made.
Beside her, a woman with an angry expression gripped her silver fork and spoon tightly. Not wanting to eat with the woman. "Why is that slave here!?" her voice was shrill.
"I don't want her to set foot in this palace! Throw her out now!"
The man who had just been shouted at slammed the dining table hard, making the three women scared. "I myself wanted her here! If you don't want to eat with her, just go back to your room Ingerid!" her voice was so harsh.
The woman who was called Ingerid stood up and threw her plate to the floor, making shards of glass fly in all directions. She took a glass of red wine and poured it on the innocent woman. "You dare to say that to me Anderson! Outrageous! Just for that dirty woman!"
"How dare you!"
The man stood up and wiped the woman's face with his gloves. Facing his wife who was so furious. He didn't want to fight that morning, he just wanted peace. But it was too late, his actions clearly indicated that he had made the woman his mistress.
"Okay. I won't interfere with your business. But if that woman endangers Carmellia. I won't hesitate to kill her."
"Don't threaten me like that Ingerid. Carmellia has nothing to do with it."
"Nothing to do with it!? She's your daughter, your only daughter! Maybe now she'll have nightmares all her life because of you. Is you not use your head!? How could you bring your mistress here!"
Carmellia just kept quiet and looked at the beautiful woman who pretended not to know. With her disgusting innocent face, Carmellia wanted to pour hot tea on her.
The father just sat there without saying anything. Her lips were closed and her face turned away from Ingerid.
"Father, please don't hurt mother's feelings. Is your love history so easily forgotten just because of this woman?" finally the girl spoke up, it was certain that she was on her mother's side. The girl only stared coldly at the strange woman, and stared in disbelief at her own father's actions.
"I want my old father." She took her mother away from the dining table, towards the terrace where she usually calmed down. With a view of the blue sea that was pleasing to the eye, plus green plants that grew lushly on the walls and pillars. That place could always strengthen Carmellia's relationship with her mother.
"I'm sorry mother..." Carmellia said softly. Ingerid only hugged her gently, "You didn't do anything wrong, honey. Don't apologize."
Carmellia sat beside her mother, "Besides, why did father bring that woman here, you really don't know yourself. Someone has to throw her out?"
"No need, that's your father's decision. Who dares to oppose it." She answered softly.
"I don't want to see mother suffer like this."
"No, your father will be angry if you do that. Just let it be, I'm still a Queen. That woman is nothing. I remember what your grandmother used to say, don't be sad because a man betrayed your love. Don't be hurt if one day your husband turns his heart away."
Carmellia widened her gaze at the blue sea, the roar of the waves sounded so calming. With the calm sunlight and the gentle breeze making her a little sleepy. "I think father took her because he was amazed by the woman's beauty, or pity because he found her lost in the middle of the forest. Mother knows father's attitude is very gentle."
"Layla, please get us some grapes." Carmellia said to her maid. The sweet woman left. "Layla told me that father gave her a beautiful house at the edge of the Kingdom. Taking good care of her and giving her everything she wanted. Layla's friend was the one who took care of the woman every day."
Ingerid listened silently. "But mother also knows that it was a long time ago? Even when I wasn't born. Why didn't mother do anything?"
"Mom didn't know about his whereabouts for years. Because she didn't feel anything strange about your father. We always spent time together day and night, not thinking that he would do something like that."
Carmellia added, "His appearances became more frequent over time, maybe since the last two years? At first I saw him always going to town and coming home a few hours later."
Carmellia added, "His attitude was so disgusting, innocent and naive like a child seeking attention." The girl held her mother's hand tightly.
"But don't worry, I will be by your side no matter what. Don't feel alone or sad, I will always be by your side until the end." Carmellia said softly.
Those words moved Ingerid, maybe the reason she could survive this far was because of her daughter. The only valuable thing she had. Layla soon came with a bowl full of black grapes that looked so delicious. The Princess asked her maid to sit with them to enjoy the beginning of the day. Looking at the sea and chatting. Her maid, Layla was only four years older than Carmellia, her friend since they were little. A beautiful girl, the daughter of a Baron who served the Kingdom.
Ingerid's attitude was even very gentle to the girl, and she already considered her as her own child. "Princess, this morning you received several letters from noble men. Don't you want to read them?" she said cheerfully to lighten the mood.
Carmellia just laughed, "Before I opened it, they already knew what was in it. They probably just wanted to invite me to have tea together, or accompany them hunting to show off their strength. Boring."
Ingerid understood very well her daughter's personality who didn't like to laze around. "You're getting old, dear. Don't you want to marry a handsome man?" she cooed.
"Mother, I just turned nineteen this year. Now I'm busy honing myself in the Kingdom's governance. I don't want to just be a display. I want to help mother, because one day I will also be a Queen. So I have to study. There is no time for romance. A soulmate will come in time."
Ingerid and Layla just laughed at the words of the beautiful girl with green beads and long flowing brown hair. Just like her mother. So enthusiastic to study and carry out her duties obediently. Carried away by light and pleasant chatter they spent the morning. Carmellia was so good at bringing someone's heart to happiness. A gift from God.
Ingerid was silent for a moment, "But there is one invitation you can't refuse, Carmellia." The girl was silent seeing her mother's serious expression, "King Wilhelmia asked Grissham to come and celebrate his harvest party. Father and mother can't possibly come there."
Carmellia was a little surprised to hear her mother's words, "So mother wants me to come there alone?"
Although hesitant, Ingerid agreed. "Our kingdom has always been a place where people put their hatred. Maybe your arrival can change the situation."
"Mother is the same as accompanying me to death." Carmellia said annoyed. "Willhelmia and Grissham have always been enemies, so why should they invite us. I don't want to come."
Ingerid remembered her girl's words earlier, "Don't you want to be a good Princess? Your job is to bring peace. Come to Willhelmia and restore Grissham's good name."
From a distance the three women saw the main gate of the castle open. Then two luxurious horse-drawn carriages crossed the bridge and entered the main courtyard. Grissham's white castle stood out among the black rocks, standing high on the edge of the cliff. The sound of the waves could not be heard anymore, the blue ocean was the main view in the country.
The sound of seagulls could be heard from various directions. Ingerid, without seeing who would get off the carriage, already knew it first. Layla was ordered to invite Carmellia into her room in one of the towers. Six men were seen entering the palace so arrogantly that Ingerid could no longer see them. The Princess insisted on accompanying her, but her mother asked her not to interfere.
"You will know in time. Now this is not your responsibility. Follow mother's orders and return to your room."
Carmellia was forced to leave her mother alone. The woman walked towards the palace hall accompanied by two of her ladies-in-waiting. There Anderson alone greeted his guests. Chatting on the sofa in the spacious living room, until when Ingerid came they bowed respectfully.
Ingerid felt like she was entering the middle of a conversation. Anderson's words, her husband sounded very arrogant. His hair was already full of gray but his spirit never faded. The King looked so familiar with the men. While Ingerid herself did not like it. All she did was listen to her husband's words in silence, the King's orders were so absolute and could not be challenged. Worried that she would do something out of line.
Her eyes darted in all directions, searching for the whereabouts of her husband's mistress. Her feelings were devastated, but that was no excuse for not doing her duty as Queen.
Carmellia paced around her room, her mind uneasy about what her father might be planning. Her parents had never been open with her about some things. She understood that there were limits and her capacity as a Princess. But she was disappointed because she couldn't read the situation that was happening in her Kingdom.
"They often come to the Kingdom lately, Princess." Layla said while watching Carmellia who couldn't sit still. She pulled aside the white curtains with the towering windows, letting in sunlight and fresh air into her room. The sound of the waves could be heard clearly even though they were in a high tower.
"Yes. That's right." On her study table and shelves there were so many books, indicating that Carmellia was an educated and intelligent person. Her emerald green eyes stared far away in her reverie.
"Don't think too much about it, Princess. Didn't the Queen say that it wasn't your responsibility, you don't have to burden yourself. Maybe they were just discussing ordinary government issues."
"Yes, but if discussing government issues, shouldn't it be done together with the parliament? Not privately like now? Most likely the reason why mother is always in a gloomy condition, besides father's problems, is also his responsibility."
Layla smiled slightly and didn't want to say anything else because she was afraid of making the girl's mood even more melancholic. Her job is only to guard and accompany the Princess in any situation.
"I'm also quite scared, Layla. If I have to go north. I myself don't know what caused the tension between Grissham and Willhelmia." The girl's face was worried, "I've read all of Grissham's history, look at all those piles of books. There's no definite cause for the conflict that happened in the past. Even my own teacher couldn't answer it."
"So the nature is really a secret huh? Maybe it could be a personal problem between members of the Kingdom. Revenge? Love?"
Carmellia laughed at her maid's words, "Seriously. It's impossible because the love of the two kingdoms has been tense for years."
Layla's tone made the Princess feel better, "That's probably the reason! King Willhelmia wants to melt the ice between his Kingdom and Grissham. That's why you were invited to the party. I'm sure not only Grissham was invited, surely neighboring countries too. So you don't need to worry."
Carmellia took a deep breath, "I am indeed Layla, I have a duty to carry out." She said softly. "We will go north together."
"Of course.
Carmellia got up from the bed and jogged out of her room. "Princess, where are you going?" Layla whispered, there was nothing she could do but follow Camellia. The two girls went down the blue carpeted stairs and crept towards the living room in the main hall. Her beautiful dress fluttered in the wind. Camellia's hair was very beautiful when the sunlight fell on it.
With difficulty, the girl peeked from behind the large pillar, who were with her mother at that time. She saw about five or six men sitting opposite her parents. Some were stocky, some were thin, some looked very old with glasses and some looked young with thin mustaches and long silver hair.
It was useless, the girl would not hear their conversation. On the other hand, Layla looked so scared if the King and Queen found out, she could be punished or banished from the Kingdom. "Don't worry, Layla. We won't be found out. Don't pull my clothes!"
"Isn't it bad to eavesdrop on conversations?" a soft voice was heard from behind the two girls. Carmellia turned around and found a woman with white hair standing behind her. Her father's mistress. With a beautiful pink dress that was specially made for her. She would never accept the woman's presence in her palace.
"None of your business. Besides, this place is not suitable for you to step on." The Princess said firmly.
"How rude, I just wanted to say hello."
"Don't be rude to the Princess." Layla emphasized.
The woman just smiled innocently, not feeling like she had done anything wrong. Her attitude made Carmellia annoyed, she really wanted to throw the woman off the cliff. And drown in the deep ocean. Layla decided to pull the Princess away. But Carmellia refused.
"Say hello? Oh, of course you can. How is it? Are you happy living here?"
"Yes, I am happy, Princess."
"I also want to remind you of something, because of your actions, my father and mother's relationship was destroyed. I want you to leave this place, as soon as possible. I don't care where you want to go, live on the coast or the market, maybe?"
The beautiful woman just kept quiet and smiled faintly. Her red eyes were so scary, behind her beautiful and sweet face, it was so strange. Carmellia held back her emotions because if she got angry it wouldn't produce good results.
"I don't know. Your father is the one who fell in love with me." She said in an innocent tone. "So it's not my fault, right?"
"Insolent. You're a foreign woman who's ruining things. So shameless."
"Isn't it It is very common for a King to have a concubine?"
"What did you say!? A concubine? Don't even think about it. There is no place for you to do that."
The woman chuckled, making Carmellia and Layla feel disgusted. "What do you think you can decide? A King is the only one who can make me a concubine. He is very much in love with me. He will grant any request."
Carmellia clicked her tongue, her brow furrowed. "If anything happens to my father. You will be the first person to be killed."
Layla held back the Princess from her increasingly overflowing anger. She forcibly pulled the girl away so that the King and Queen would not find out. Carmellia did not rebel, her expression looked so sad.
They stopped in a long hallway, the Princess could not hold back her tears. She did not want this to happen, but she could not do anything. Beside her, Layla just smiled pitifully and hugged her. Trying to calm the girl down, she certainly could not understand how Caemellia felt. Because she had never been in her position. All he could do was to make Carmellia not sad.
*****
It was early summer, the King seemed to pay great attention to the candidate. With his personal decision he could also get the title of a Knight. In his country it had been a long time since his grandfather's reign. So Weithia would be the first in Adam's leadership.
For a farmer, who worked in the fields every day. That day was one of their happy days. Like successfully picking stars in the sky. They wore the best clothes and were picked up by the Royal horse-drawn carriage, as one of the guests of honor. Never dreamed of this happening, but God gave it like a birthday present.
Only nobles with interests were invited to the inauguration of Wilhelmia's military ranks, members of parliament and religious leaders also attended. No other civilians entered the luxurious hall of the palace, the ceiling was high and several crystal lamps hung beautifully. A painting of heaven with beautiful angels was beautifully painted in the sky of the hall, with Wilhelmia's banners symbolizing the eternal phoenix attached in several parts.
A Knight was recognized as a prestigious warrior class, because his loyalty to the King would usually be rewarded with a plot of land or gold coins. The path to becoming a Knight according to tradition was when a child was sent to the castle to become a messenger, then at the age of fourteen he began to be trained in sword fighting, horse riding, hunting, and managing the Knights' tournament. As he grew older he would be invited to the battlefield to become a companion and student of a Knight. And if he was old enough and his abilities were high, he would be awarded a noble title through an elaborate ceremony.
As was to be carried out that day, although Weithia did not follow the old tradition. He would still become a Knight. The King entered the hall in his royal clothes, a long red robe dragging on the floor. A sparkling gold crown perched on his head.
Everyone present bowed respectfully to the King. The ceremony began when the Archbishop read a prayer and greeting for Adam. The situation was quite crowded but so conducive, the aura of nobility was so thick. Weithia's parents who were sitting in the front row tried to adjust as best they could.
Adam sat on his throne waiting patiently for the Archbishop's lecture. So not long after they finished, Adam rose from his seat. A religious leader approached and handed him a tray with a sharp, shiny sword on it.
Not long after Weithia appeared in his armor, a happy face enveloped the young man even though he tried his best to keep himself calm. The King took the sword, asking Weithia to kneel before him, asking for his promise of virtue.
"Do you promise to never lie to the Kingdom?" Adam placed the sword on Weithia's right shoulder. Moving to his left shoulder according to the promise of virtue he said.
"I promise."
"Do you promise to always help and assist the weak?"
"I promise."
"Do you promise to show courage, loyalty, faith and honor to your King?"
"I promise."
Adam's blue eyes could not turn to the young man in front of him. Standing nervously when he handed the sword to him. Dozens of people present in the hall applauded enthusiastically welcoming their new Knight. On the other side of the room sat a row of military colleagues from Haven. The man stood proudly in front of Adam, shining brightly as if it was his destiny to stand in that place now.
The sunlight entered through the towering glass. Weithia smiled. Seeing her parents who couldn't hold back their tears. The young man who was so charming and hypnotized every eye in the room. The most beautiful man Adam had ever seen in his life, like descended from nirvana and became the lover of Mount Olympus.
The inauguration ceremony was closed with joy, the King left the room after giving a few words to his people. Knowing that the Knight's life would not be the same again, he allowed him to spend more time with his loved ones. Before starting to open a new page with the King.
Adam returned to his room, with several female servants following behind. Wanting to help the King take off his royal clothes. The day was approaching noon, and the hot rays felt so hot. The nobles were left to chat with the food and drinks that had been served by the servants after the inauguration ceremony was over. And they would go home by themselves when the city bell had rung twelve times.
Not long after, Trevor came to Adam's room with the young man who had just been inaugurated. A nervous face enveloped him. Trevor smiled, greeted Adam in a friendly manner. Helping him remove the heavy gold crown back into a glass cabinet.
"From now on, I will give Weithia to you, Your Majesty. He is now your full responsibility."
Adam did not say a word. While the man changed his clothes with the help of the servant. A room separated him between Trevor and Weithia.
"Your Majesty?"
Adam turned to look at the man's shadow. "Yes, yes, of course. You may go."
"Yes, Your Majesty." Trevor said politely and turned to leave the King's room, followed by two female servants behind him. Only Adam and Weithia were left in the room.
"We haven't talked about your reward yet." Adam emerged from behind the room in his casual clothes. A loose white shirt and trousers.
"Your Majesty's reward?"
Adam sat on the sofa, "Yes, of course. A knight like you who has served the Kingdom will definitely receive a reward. Such as land, a house or gold. Just tell me what you want."
Weithia didn't dare to speak, standing nervously, not in keeping with her dashing armor. "I don't know, Your Majesty. I haven't even carried out any of your duties. A reward never crossed my mind."
"Is that so?" Adam glanced at the young man from head to toe. "Didn't I tell you not to bow your head? Show your authority and confidence."
The man straightened his body swiftly, "Sorry."
"Market yourself to me." Adam said briefly. His gaze now shifted to the beautiful balcony that immediately showed the vastness of Tropes City. With rows of white houses and buildings with red roofs. Wide streets filled with people passing by. Weithia was silent, not understanding what the King meant.
"Make me interested in you. We will spend a lot of time together from now on. Just because of Trevor's opinion, doesn't mean I like you, right?"
Weithia shuddered slightly, "I am Weithia Vistalia, nineteen years old. Although I am not smart, I am very dedicated to what is my responsibility. I have made a vow of virtue, swearing not to break it."
Adam nodded, "Is that all?"
His forehead wrinkled, "I..."
"Wife? Do you have one?"
"No, Your Majesty."
"That's good then, if you die while fighting I won't have any trouble. That's it? That's all?"
Weithia was silent for a moment, thinking hard, realizing that he was not attractive. What could possibly make the King happy, what would make Adam interested in his personality.
Then he said softly. "I will obey all your orders without exception. I will be by your side until the end of my life and I will do anything to make you happy."
Early that morning, the outskirts of Tropes were shocked by the discovery of a woman's body. Lying stiff on the stone floor with pale blue skin, her eyes bulging blankly and her mouth closed. As if dead from extreme fear. Trevor asked the residents not to crowd the body, to give space so that Wilhelmia's soldiers could investigate.
There were no puddles or splashes of blood in the narrow alley, the crime scene was clean, there were absolutely no traces left behind. The dress worn by the young woman was also in good condition. There was no evidence of resistance or self-defense.
In the morning before sunrise, the General's room door was knocked on by his men who were on patrol on the outskirts of the city. After seeing the blue body, they immediately reported it to Trevor. They rushed to the scene. None of the victim's family came to the General, no one felt like they had lost their family so her death felt strange.
Shortly after Wilhelmia's soldiers took the body to the hospital for an autopsy, Trevor received news that the woman was an orphan. Living alone on the outskirts of the city working as an entertainer. So it's no wonder that no one is looking for her.
Robin decided to go with Trevor to meet the King after breakfast. "Commander, I can confirm that the robbers in Wilhelmia have been caught and imprisoned. Lieutenant Bardolf himself assigned me to look for them." Robin said while sitting with Trevor on the terrace of the headquarters.
"It's not a robbery case. You see for yourself that the woman's exterior is fine. The bag containing the money she brought is still there. Jewelry such as necklaces and bracelets are also still attached to her skin." Trevor looked anxious when he had to face the King for a few moments.
"We will wait for the results of the examination to be able to conclude."
Robin nodded in understanding, his appearance was so neat and handsome. His blue eyes were very clear and matched his dark hair. "Do you think this is a murder case?"
"It could be. I'm not sure. But if it's true, the perpetrator must be responded to immediately so as not to cause unrest in the whole country."
"I agree. Speaking of the King. How is Weithia's daily life as His Majesty's personal bodyguard?"
"He did a good job, didn't cause trouble or upset His Majesty. He went along on visits to several places, hunting or meetings with the parliament. More or less lightened my workload. So I could focus more on dealing with problems like this."
"Willhelmia has never had a disaster like this as far as I know. If the woman's death was the work of evil people, we must be able to find them as soon as possible Commander. If not, we are afraid that the victims will increase."
"You are right but it is not me who decides, but His Majesty. I hope he is not too angry to hear this case. You know, behind his patient appearance, sometimes his attitude is a little temperamental like his late father."
"This is a big country Commander. Anything can happen." He said with a long sigh. "I don't think His Majesty will get angry that easily Commander. He is so wise. You once said that a wise person always listens to advice."
The sun was rising higher on the horizon, the two men could feel that the day was getting hotter. The decision was made to meet the King. The distance between the military headquarters and the palace was relatively close, they only had to pass through the southern garden and could immediately arrive near the palace hall.
They decided to ride horses to save time. The animal was tied to a wooden fence after arriving at a garden filled with statues of gods and goddesses. They went past a white pavilion with a beautiful lake surrounding it. Lotus flowers grew abundantly with beautiful pink flowers decorating it.
The maids bowed when they saw the two figures of Wilhelmia's military leaders. Trevor asked where the King was, and sure enough the man had just finished his breakfast according to schedule. Their steps quickened, after passing through a long corridor with rows of tall pillars and several closed rooms. They arrived at the dining room and were greeted by Weithia who was standing behind Adam's chair.
"Commander. Senior Robin, good morning." Weithia said politely.
Adam turned and greeted the two men softly. "What are you two doing here?"
Adam said that he was tired of all the formalities, so he gave them special permission to talk casually and sit with him at the long table. So did Weithia.
"Is it about the discovery of a body on the edge of Tropes City?"
Trevor was surprised when the news had reached the King's ears first. "Yes, Your Majesty. Did Ackerley tell you first?"
"He just went to pick up the identification from the house.
"Just explain the details that you know to me." That morning the King's face looked fresh.
"The woman is named Donna, 24 years old, works as an entertainer. Lives in a small house on the second floor, the first floor of the house is occupied by the owner. The location of the residence is not far from where her body was found this morning. According to the testimony of the owner of the house she rented, Donna usually leaves at 8 pm and returns around 3 am. The owner of the house was sleeping at that time so he did not know if Donna had returned or not."
"Continue."
"The woman was found by local residents at half past four in the morning. Then they reported it to the Wilhelmian soldiers who were patrolling the area."
"Patrol? How could they not see anything?" Adam lowered his voice.
"Forgive me Your Majesty, I will immediately ask for their information." Robin said.
Trevor continued, "After that they reported it directly to me. Robin and I immediately went there. Donna was frozen on the ground, her whole body turned blue. What was even more frightening was her wide open eyes, empty and only the whites were visible. As if she had died from seeing something scary."
"There was no evidence of violence or anything. Because the clothes she was wearing were still in good condition."
"No traces of blood or anything?"
"No, Your Majesty. The crime scene is clean. But my men are still investigating it, if there is something they will report it immediately."
"So you said the woman died suddenly, just like that?"
"I can't conclude before there is additional data Your Majesty, we should wait for further developments."
"Don't let there be another victim. Order your men to do better than this!"
Adam rose from his seat, "The Ministers have scheduled a meeting with me in a moment. We'll talk about this again afterward."
"Okay." Trevor and Robin accompanied Adam to the door of the meeting room not far from the dining room. Adam then sat in the main chair while reading some documents, waiting for the arrival of the Ministers. The Knight obediently always stood behind the man.
Trevor and Robin withdrew, there was nothing to do except wait for additional information to arrive. Hopefully the hospital investigation could find new facts that had not been revealed. The two men decided to return to headquarters and wait.
A little surprised because the condition of the place seemed normal. Everyone seemed to be working as usual, as if nothing had happened. Even Lieutenant Bardolf said not to bother about the death of an entertainer. Just do more important work. Robin just shook his head when he heard his superior's words.
Trevor ordered Robin to return to Haven and continue his duties that were left behind for several hours. But Robin refused with the persuasion of wanting to accompany the General to investigate the case. Unable to resist because Robin was a skilled negotiator, Trevor finally gave in.
They went near the main door of the castle and saw many horse-drawn carriages, it was certain that they belonged to the nobles who would hold a monthly meeting with the King. I guess it won't be long, Trevor and Robin decided to wait.
Trevor's blue eyes were so dark and deep looking at all corners of the castle, the garden and the streets. Rows of horse-drawn carriages were neatly parked in the front yard. The green expanse of grass was like a carpet, with a blue sky and white clouds. The beauty that he usually saw in Wilhelmia every day. The scenery was still the same from the past.
Like summer, Adam is moving towards adulthood. Representing the peak of his life, because he continues to grow and strengthen his identity, finding his true self and deepest desires. Like summer which symbolizes an adventure, just like Adam opens a new page and every new task he carries.
For the people of Wilhelmia themselves, they celebrate summer with bonfires. They believe that summer has the power to increase the good energy from the sun so that it can produce a good harvest. By singing and dancing together in the city, they believe it can ward off evil spirits that are considered the strongest in summer.
"The harvest festival will be held soon." Trevor muttered.
"That's right Commander, as far as I know the people are ready for it. Besides, this is an annual event, it can't be abandoned."
"If this case gets worse, is it possible that the people will be afraid and stop the harvest festival?"
"We still have time, Commander. Let's finish this as soon as possible."
Who knows how long they have been sitting on the bench, waiting for Adam to finish his meeting. But from a distance they saw the figure of a man riding his horse and getting off among the parked carriages. Trevor and Robin decided to approach him.
"Mr. Francilius?"
The old man turned around in surprise, "Oh my! Don't just show up like that."
His shoulder-length gray hair was neatly tied, his loose shirt really showed off his thin figure.
"What are you doing here? Want to meet the Ministers?" asked Trevor. Francilius just laughed softly and patted the bag around his body. "I brought the results of the doctor's examination of the body found this morning."
Trevor and Robin looked back at each other, "Where is your brother? Wasn't Mr. Ackerley supposed to deliver it?"
He laughed again, "He's unavailable, so he asked me to deliver this to His Majesty. At the same time I want to meet my master, he's still in a meeting, right?"
Robin clearly didn't like the man in front of him, not because of his appearance. But the way he spoke and his expression were hard to guess. He had only been laughing all this time, trying to show his friendly image, even though Robin knew he was just pretending. He saw General Trevor who was a little confused.
"Then, you can leave it to me." Trevor said.
"No need, I'll do it, Sir."
"Sorry, but you don't have the authority over this case." Trevor tried to control his intonation.
Francilius's face looked a little annoyed. Even though he had gray hair, it didn't mean he was old. He was the same age as Ackerley, his younger brother. Whose appearance was almost the same as this man, but Ackerley was much neater. When his younger brother served a King, Francilius decided to swear allegiance to a famous nobleman in Wilhelmia.
"Excuse me, but my own brother asked me to deliver this to His Majesty. I must carry out his mandate." His voice was suppressed.
"Alright, I don't want to argue with you for long, sir. But I will accompany you to meet His Majesty."
The man was silent, staring at Trevor sarcastically. Not long after, it seemed that the state meeting had ended, the main door opened and dozens of Ministers and nobles came out in luxurious and sparkling clothes. The courtyard with the castle was so crowded with servants and coachmen who had been waiting for their master.
Francilius approached one of the Wilhelmia parliament members with a tall and large body. His gaze was so arrogant and haughty when he saw Trevor and Robin. The two men couldn't hear their conversation clearly, because the surrounding atmosphere was quite noisy.
They didn't talk for long. Francilius then returned to Trevor and Robin to enter the palace together. Now his expression changed to a little happy, not like when they first met. Trevor did not fully agree with Francilius' way of meeting Adam, whether to curry favor or what, but he was the brother of a Royal Advisor, maybe he should put in a little trust and respect.
The King was still seen sitting in the meeting room, even though the place was empty. He smiled when Trevor and the others arrived. "Have you got the results?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. Ackerley asked me to deliver it to you."
"Is that so? Where is he now?"
"Is he doing his other duties, Your Majesty." Francilius said politely.
"Are you Francilius, Minister Jaquet's subordinate?"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Adam glanced at Trevor for a moment to ask for certainty. The man replied with a slow nod. The King then received several sheets of paper from Francilius' hand, not very thick. Indicating that only a little information was obtained. He read it very carefully, his expression changed to anxious and confused.
"Is this really the result of the examination?"
"That's what I received from Ackerley, I didn't read it Your Majesty."
Adam's brow furrowed, his face made Trevor worried. "What was written there Your Majesty?"
"They said when the woman was autopsied, her tongue was gone, as if it had been cut by a sharp object." His words immediately made the men horrified. "And there was no blood at all."
"Be clearer, Your Majesty?" Trevor said.
"That's why you said earlier that the woman's body was very blue and pale, there wasn't a single drop of blood on her body." Adam's expression hardened as he read the report with a skeptical look.
"How could that happen Your Majesty?" said the General a little panicked. He himself had never even faced a case like that. Adam glanced at Francilius, "Sir, thank you for telling me this. Now can you please go out. Thank you."
He immediately nodded, "Of course, Your Majesty. It's an honor to be able to help you." And walked away.
"What does this mean? This is clearly no ordinary murder Trevor."
The General and Robin sat on an empty bench, "Is it possible that the man had changed the contents? It's strange that Ackerley told him to deliver the document to you."
"Don't talk like that, he's his brother, isn't he? The crime of document forgery is very easy to track, now we can go to the hospital and see his condition directly. Or we can call the doctor here. Make sure whether it's true that his tongue is missing and her blood is gone." Adam said firmly.
"Don't let the people hear this, they will be afraid. Moreover, the harvest festival is getting closer. If they find out, I know exactly what will happen."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Increase patrols in the city and villages. I don't want this to happen again. If the nobles find out, they will also protest to me."
Adam added, "Then also investigate how the woman died. Did she have enemies? What did this criminal want from a helpless girl? Why was her tongue lost and her blood was gone, how could that happen? Or maybe this murder was just a diversion. In what way, do you find out."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"This kind of thing is very thick with the smell of black magic and witchcraft."
Adam showed a very serious expression, "To you too, Mr. Robin, I hope you can help. Right now my work is very busy, but if something happens or there are new developments. Don't hesitate to come see me."
"Of course, Your Majesty." Robin said.
"Find the truth for that woman."