The next day, Divya paced in the sitting room of the Moonriver Hall. Her fists clenched. First, that girl's still alive. Now a guard survived. She gritted her teeth.
The door opened.
Belly, her maid, stood there.
The moment she knelt—
Pak.
Belly's head snapped to the side.
Another.
Harder. Again. Again. Again.
Five in all.
Belly's body nearly crumpled.
"You sounded so sure everything would go well," Divya said, her voice low and rigid. "Now look."
Belly knelt again, apologizing.
"What's going on now?" Divya said.
"The guard just woke up. But I couldn't get much information. But the—the young master told Mrs. Reinel to prepare for the clan's banquet. The master left her in charge of everything. And also... the lady... the lady will attend."
Divya dug her nails into her palm.
"He's really determined to shut me out."
This must be reported to the palace.
"Go back to the same shop. Deliver this paper," she said, stretching her arm to hand over a folded note. "Don't come back here without buying anything."
When Belly left, Divya walked to the window. The roofs of Paragon Hall were visible in the distance.
If she couldn't make that girl die, she would make her a laughingstock. See her shut away in that hall forever.
As she turned, the door burst open. One glance at her daughter's face, and she lifted her brows.
"What is it?"
Mirelle flailed her arms. "Mother, is it true Nyasia is going to the party? I don't like it! You told me she'd be dea—"
"Shut your mouth!" Divya said, her voice low and repressed. "What gives you the right to speak so freely—especially now? Do you want to get caught that badly? Big mouth, small brain."
"Just saying," Mirelle said, crossing her arms. "It's annoying seeing her brag about how everyone dotes on her. How pretty she is."
"Focus on your flute. Mrs. Reinel may handle the preparations, but I still control the event," Divya said firmly. "The Third Prince will be there. You have everything prepared for this meeting with him. Don't waste the chance."
Mirelle thought of the Third Prince's gentle, polite nature. Unlike the Grand Duke—whose presence carried a terrifying heaviness she couldn't name.
But he's so handsome, she muttered to herself.
...
IT WAS LATE afternoon when Nyasia entered the main sitting room at the Grand Hall. She had received a letter from Mrs. Nox pleading her to see her. The words spoke of worry and sadness about the poisoning—a desire to discuss it.
Nyasia gave a wry smile.
She had expected this.
And she was certain now: Mrs. Nox had something to do with the poison. If she was afraid, it was only because this wasn't a conspiracy within the Rashet clan. After all, Mrs. Nox was just a half-sister whose mother was a maid. She could never gain the elders' respect. No matter what.
"Nyasia, dear."
Divya rose from her seat.
Nyasia had just arrived in the hall.
"Aunt, I'm sorry you had to wait. Fay was still preparing my medicine when I received your letter this morning. I have to drink it before my day begins. So I read it much later. Forgive me."
Divya smiled a little.
"I understand. I'm sure you're still recovering from illness. It's been a while since the last time I saw you. I wish I could've just visited Paragon Hall any time." Her voice was strained, gentler. "But you know Levon's very strict and now... it's not a good idea."
She expected Nyasia would say something about Levon, yet the latter stayed silent. She simply sat across Divya and looked at her with a calm gaze.
This girl's changed, Divya thought.
"I heard a maid was killed because of robbers invading the estate? I'm so sorry—I miss most of these dark moments. I was away. When you fell ill, I was in the capital," Divya added.
Nyasia nodded.
'Of course, you have to be away.'
"The maid was imprisoned for poisoning my tea. As for the so-called robbers, Brother says they're too skilled and knowledgeable to trespass our estate." She breathed calmly. "Thank goodness the other survived. Who knows, he might provide us with some evidence."
Divya's face stiffened.
"Y—yes. I'm shocked by how quickly everything happened. That maid—Dane—I've always been suspicious of her. My staff caught her stealing Mirelle's hairpins. Some were found behind her pillow. I thought she was just a jealous girl. You know how these country girls are. They become ambitious the moment you treat them well."
Nyasia almost smiled.
"She steals?"
"Oh, always." Divya sighed, shaking her head. "Don't you know there are cases where young maids grow jealous of their mistresses and end up committing murder? Tsk. I know you're still too young to hear such things." Her face wore a worried expression, but her lips held that stiff curl.
Oh? Never mind that your mother—a maid— crawled her way into Grandpa's bed, Nyasia thought.
"I've heard such things. Maybe this manor simply lacks discipline. We must teach and remind people here of their place," she said.
A lesson your mother clearly never received.