Fake Princess
CHAPTER 77
Could Paula be involved?
No. I immediately dismissed the possibility shortly after its appearance. The silly and careless Paula, who doesn't even want the pride her witch robes produce, seeks to take over an empire? It was like trying to believe a kuou-butterfly had a plan to ascend the throne. No, I was too tired and confused to think about it.
But Paula is friends with Omar, no matter how impossible it sounds. I know if Paula goes to college, she almost always sees Omar, at least to say hello. It's more likely that Paula will trust Omar more than I do, especially if I have no evidence other than the events I witnessed. Is Paula going to tell Omar? Warn him that there's a chance I'll accuse him, because they're friends?
Can I just tell Paula some of it? Making it look like only Melani was suspected, and could at least help with the investigation? No, breakup. Because it only takes a small jump from Melani to Omar, and it is certain Paula will do it. And that brings me to my original position; with the possibility of Paula leaking this hunt.
I realized that Devan realized I was getting late in my own mind and was sitting quietly waiting for my attention to return. So I explained everything I thought to her. Devan did not like it, but he ended up nodding his head reluctantly.
“ So we can't tell anyone until we're sure who did it, until we have proof.”. “ Whoever did it, he's a smart guy. If we don't have proof, real evidence, maybe they'll find a way to avoid it. And speaking of evidence, we have to start by going to campus...”.
“ No.” In an instant Devan was already standing, both of his hands were holding my shoulders, preventing me from standing from the chair. “ You're exhausted. You can barely open your eyes.”
“ I'm fine,” I insist, even as waves of fatigue roll inside me like waves in the ocean.
“ You're not okay. Look, it's not as easy as entering Omar's public workspace. He wouldn't keep evidence of the king's murder where everyone could find it. You have to rest, after that we just go.”
Devan nodded. “ You know. Murder of a ruler? I know Diana isn't a ruler yet, but she'll be a ruler later, so.”.
Little by little, in my foggy brain, it all made sense. “ You think the real Diana is dead.”
Devan lowered his hand from my shoulder. “ Isn't that so? If they exchanged Riana with you, instead of the real Diana, it made sense that they killed the princess. So no one was aware of the third baby in the exchange. And had they intended to put Riana on the throne, they would definitely not have let the real princess still live somewhere.”
I shook my head. “ He's not dead yet, Devan, they need him, to pass on the spell. Without the real princess still alive somewhere, the spell won't work. Paula told me she was almost sure about this. Whoever did it, they must know where Diana was. They'll keep him alive, because without him their plan won't work.”
I stood up from the chair and took two steps forward to drop the body on the bed. Now everything is beginning to overwhelm me, this whole long day; I won't be able to stay up much longer. I managed to raise my gaze towards Devan who was standing looking at me.
“ The point of the matter is not just finding the person who planned all this and revealing their identity,“ I managed to talk when fatigue began to sweep me away. “ Diana is alive. The real princess is out there, Devan, and we have to find her.”
Seriate