Sleeping Beauty Wants The Throne
58. Trust that is Secretly Betrayed

They arrived at the palace when the sun was almost setting. Orange tones adorn part of the sky, so in contrast to what is above the earth. Everyone was in unison wearing all-black clothes, incense was lit up non-stop since the news of the king's death was widespread. In front of the coffin of the king's final resting place, the queen was on her knees weeping bitterly with her seven ladies-in-waiting. Evandre stood not far there, watching the surroundings while putting on an expression of grief.

So far no one has dared to touch him. Evandre thought he would be safe.

"Take me off! I just want to see it one last time, what right do you have to ban me like this?!"

Evandre directed his gaze. In the doorway, she sees Lady Clausie trying to rebel against two bodyguards who are trying to drag her away from the mourning room. The beauty of the woman was as if blown by the wind. With disheveled hair, yesterday's old clothes, and swollen eyes. If you do not hear her distinctive voice —because the concubine is from the royal singer, people will not believe that the king's favorite woman has changed in such a way overnight.

"Evandre ... get rid of that demonic woman from before me" Queen Monetta said.

Evandre nodded steadily. Without a second thought he stepped out of the mourning room. Lady Clausie realizes her presence and they throw one another a look.

"Bag, I know you did it!" lady Clausie's screams glared in wrath. "Hey, the son of the ungodly. Do you think that by accusing me, your crimes will be saved, so?"

Lady Clausie laughed. "No, no. I swear on behalf of His Majesty the king, you will get a reply many times more terrible than you do now. Remember that, Evandre!"

Evandre's heart pounded hard. His face turned stiff, but his mouth was muddled to reply to the concubine's words.

"Put this crazy woman in jail. Cut off his tongue that dares to make false accusations against me. And I change my mind, when the sun goes down we'll cut off his neck."

"Okay, crown prince!"

Alastair watched the incident with a flat look. From the side, he tightened his embrace on Luz's shoulder until the woman turned to him.

It would be unfair if the clausie Lady who knew nothing had to bear the grave sin of Evandre alone.

But Alastair could do nothing. He did not have strong enough evidence. False accusations can spread to him for daring to defend the king's killer.

"Life Lady Clausie ended poor." Luz greeted the view, he found no one sympathetic to the king's concubine. "How can the Crown Prince do all this to save his name?"

"The man is stubborn," Alastair sighed as he glanced at Evandre who was standing across from there. "And again his stubbornness was united with a reckless attitude and did not want self-introspection. In his grasp I'm not sure Sormenia's long-lived."

"I'll talk to him."

Alastair stared hard. "For what?"

"I want justice for Lady Clausie." Luz reply face. "Human life is not that easy to get rid of, let alone Lady Clausie's innocence."

Alastair's jaw hardened, "But I don't like to see you close to him."

"Only once, Alastair. Please allow me," whined Luz slowly but managed to make the Grand Duke sigh. Then he nodded weakly.

"If I keep staring at you, then you should come back soon. Understood?"

Luz nodded happily. "Yes, leave it to me."

Alastair smiled faintly. "I believe you."

With a heavy heart Alastair released his arms to Luz until the woman walked away united in the crowd. Alastair took a seat, paying attention to the interaction of the two people from afar.

Feeling that someone was approaching, Evandre reflexes turned to the side. Her lips were wide when she knew who was approaching her. The man spread out his hands to give a hug. Seeing this, Luz's steps stopped. Spreading a distance far enough to talk to each other.

"Crystal Lady, long time no see," he said without caring about Luz's response. His eyes were still as bright as if there was no sadness at all.

"I'm sorry, crown prince. May the king live forever in heaven."

Evandre nodded weakly, returned to pretense and walked over. "Until whenever His Majesty will always live. Not here, but in the hearts of the people of Sormenia."

Cih, imaging. You murderer!

"The person who killed His Majesty will never calm down for the rest of his life," Luz murmured solemnly. Evandre heard it clearly and it was able to make him gulp his hard-earned saliva.

Luz blinked, "What's up, Your Highness. Why is your face so stiff?"

Luz did it on purpose. Just to test the honesty of the crown prince.

"Is there any evidence that Lady Clausie did it?"

"Not yet, but will." Evandre rubbed his face, tired. "His bedroom and His Majesty are in the process of being searched. I'm sure Cornelius and his men will get evidence that could shed some light on the matter."

"I hope so." Luz looked down. "But ... Your Highness's. May I ask you one request?"

"Sure, just say it."

"Lead sentence of Lady Clausie. Can I ask for a waiver for him?"

Evandre looked worried. "What kind of ringing do you mean?"

"I heard that there is no clear evidence that leads to Lady Clausie. If I may, I ask His Highness the Crown Prince of Sormenia's future King could delay his sentence until there is solid evidence." Luz gave a hopeful look. "I know, you are a wise man and loved by the people. It wouldn't be hard to grant this weak woman's request, would it?"

As Luz knows, people who have stubborn personalities with bad temperaments will fall into praise. Luz did it even though he had to lie.

Wise? Loved people? Ha, it's all just bullshit!

Evandre's brainwashing. If Odyssey's goal begs him to fail to kill Lady Clausie, then the request is completely useless. Evandre had already given evidence in the king's bedroom to corner Lady Clausie. It lays poison in the wine. With that, there was enough evidence to allow Evandre to drag him to the gallows.

After all, granting the Odyssey's wish might open up the opportunity for the woman to return to her lap.

"Alright, thanks to you I changed my mind. Lady Clausie won't be punished until the evidence is found."

From far away, Alastair was still quietly watching the woman. Every time there were nobles reprimanding him, he only took revenge for a small nod.

Tired of talking, Alastair resigned and decided to sit closer than Luz who was seen still negotiating. The place he chose was quite isolated from the people. But before long, someone he knew as the crown prince's right hand quietly came over.

"Your Grace."

Alastair tried to guess what caused Cornelius to approach him while on the other side his master seemed not at all busy.

"Cornelius, what's wrong?"

"There are a few things I want to say about recent events" he said seriously. "But I can't do it here because there are still a lot of people and the palace walls are never deaf. What if we meet outside?"

Alastair understands. Cornelius must have wanted to convey information about the king's death.

But it wasn't that easy that Alastair trusted the man in front of him. Therefore, he will test Cornelius. About what this man wants and to whom he sided.

"of course. Crystal Lady's shop at three in the morning."

Cornelius fell silent, then shook his head. "I'm sorry, Your Grace. But at that hour the Crown Prince was still awake. I can't go."

"Still awake? Well, I don't think he's a guy who likes to work hard."

"Not as you think. His Highness would usually go to the brothel in the few nights until the morning. At that time, I had to keep watch there."

Alastair silently grinned. Providing confidential information about the crown prince for free. Ah, it turns out that one of Evandre's servants has already turned around. Real nice.

How not to say secret. If members of the royal family leave the palace, there are only two ways to ensure they remain safe.

First, there will usually always be a strict escort of soldiers.

Or the second, go into hiding where the departure of members of the royal family can only be known by those closest to him.

And Evandre's departure every night falls in the number two category. But Cornelius told him lightly to Alastair, as if this man had lost faith in his master.

"Alright, then whenever you can come, I'll wait in the Crystal Lady's shop."

And Alastair was impatient. What news would Cornelius tell him until it dared to quietly move behind the crown prince's back.