TRAPPED BY THE SECOND MALE LEAD
CHAPTER 21
Arden was struggling with three pieces of his own report. Still about the development of the case of death without symptoms that befell his beloved city. He is very serious about doing everything so that the father understands and can convey everything in detail to the audience.
“Tck. Wrong again.” He was upset with himself.
The innocent paper crumpled into a bunch of useless trash in Arden's hands. Then the young man opened his desk drawer and picked up a new paper. At that moment he saw again a small red box containing a bracelet that he aimed for Meridia. “It's a shame I didn't meet you. Though the reason I went there was only because of you.”
Arden stopped writing for a while and lifted the box “I hope you don't forget me when we meet again later.”
“Arden, are you inside?”
The intelligent young man was shocked. He quickly put the box into his drawer again and answered his father's call, “Ya, Dad. Login.”
William appeared in his nightgown carrying two rolls of paper that had different stamps. The lazy-faced man yawned while giving his son the first scroll to read “Daddy, why haven't you prepared yet?”
“I asked for a day off at the King during a meeting yesterday.” William knitted an eyebrow at what his son was doing, “You've made another report? You also want to ask me to read it next?” from his words, William had already shown reluctance.
Arden smiled sinlessly as he nodded in response to the subtle grievances of the Grand Duke Palmieri. The muscular man rotated his two eyeballs while sighing “Why don't you come along and deliver it yourself? The king has asked you several times. It doesn't matter if you're still the head of the family.”
Arden did not listen to his father's advice and was busy thinking about the case. “Any, do other cities not face the same situation? Why is it only centered on Goldenleaf?” mumbling itself.
Goldenleaf is the first largest city followed by Whitebridge in second place, Norfolk in third, and Avallone in last position. It is not strange if the case occurs more in the Goldenleaf considering the population is more than other cities under the rule of King Bommenhaum.
“Not just here. Other cities also face similar cases but they are very rare. Only Norfolk has not yet encountered this case.” William's voice helped answer Arden's question. “What is your report?” to
“Still the same, looking for strong evidence that it is not a disease but someone who knows what the motive is. It's been two days now that we haven't found a new body again, I hope it will continue onward.”
“The king has not finished investigating the problems of the witches in Goldenleaf. I think it will be finished tomorrow.”
Arden got nothing in his library, he had the idea of wanting to visit the palace library to find out more but he did not dare to come alone without any important business “Dad, he said, when will the next meeting be made?”
“Maybe five to seven more days. Why?”
“I want to come with you.”
“Ho, really? I am happy because my work is reduced. But you're sure? It was a joint meeting of all representatives of the city.”
“I won't attend the meeting, I just want to borrow a book in the palace library.”
“Cih.” Deceh Arden's father was not satisfied with his son's answer. William then gave a second roll in his hand, “This.”
Arden saw a stamp bearing the logo of a green rose which is the logo or emblem of the Marquess Emerald family. Four days from the completion of Marigold's maturity party, Arden did not intend to attend any events he held because his affairs were often delayed.
Arden did not know that the letter was about anything else and put aside the letter Ziel had written directly for him.
“I'll read it later. Dad, I'm going first.” William looked at Arden's back away “Where are you going?”
“I'm going to the public library.”
In addition to thinking about the puzzle of the death of the many nobles in his city, Arden also thought about the rumors that spread at the Marigold party. If indeed Meridia was Marigold's twin sister, then what was the reason Ziel and Zoya were covering up her identity? “They all won't answer my question. Yes come.”
Arden looked for a book that recorded the complete history of Bommenhaum along with the problems the country had faced. Three books he managed to scrape out but none mention about the strange disease that has made the citizens restless lately.
“It looks like I have to find information elsewhere.”
Arden did not despair. He began to change his strategy. Although Arden hopes it was caused by a virus, Arden also believes that it was caused by someone.
As far as the case had progressed, there were already seven people who were from noble members dead. If this is murder, there should be a motive behind it, it's time for Arden to open the veil.
Then Arden came to the informant bureau and found out about the seven nobles who died horribly without being able to be buried properly. After waiting two hours, all the information gathered. It should have brought pleasure but it was in vain when Arden had no enlightenment at all.
“They seven have never had a relationship or a dispute. This means random murder?” his head is boiling. His ambition to solve the problem is even more stressful. “But why are the victims unusual people?”
“You may need a witch to help.” Said one of the officers serving Arden.
“For what?”
“To find out the cause of death. If doctors and healers don't find the cause, maybe witches can. I know a great witch who's at Goldenleaf.”
Arden frowning “Who?” as far as all the witches living in the Goldenleaf are currently being examined by the royal party, none of the magic user groups are still roaming free.
all the witches who lived in the Goldenleaf were still held in the palace for a while until the royal party found something. How did he find the witch outside?
“I don't know what his name is but he is a palace witch.” Arden's eyes widened in shock. The king never gave any support to the witches here, but suddenly he himself employed one witch? since when?
“You're sure it's a palace witch?” ask Arden to make sure.
“Yes. His Majesty may never have used it but he does work in the palace.”
“…”
Since when did the king have a private witch?
Something else is going on at Navarro's palace. Meridia spent her time just lying down and daydreaming unclearly. He was used to working, there was always something he had to do from morning until night. Now her habits have changed and that has left Meridia running out of energy to do activities that have no benefit to her.
“Uncle Sammy what are you doing? I didn't get to say goodbye to him. Does he think I'll be back?”
“Lucien has been gone since this morning.” Meridia is looking for an idea how she can get rid of her boredom “I'll just go around the house, since yesterday I didn't do it.”
Meridia changed clothes with a simple white ivory dress modeled similar to a nightgown in order to be more free to move. Then he walked to the kitchen he knew first.
He thought that the person working in the kitchen was five more people just like the one in the Marquess Emerald residence. “Only one person?” Meridia only saw one person dressed as a cook who was washing vegetables that were just about to be processed. “Excuse?”
The man gasped in shock, he hurriedly put all the vegetables down and bowed respectfully while smilingly welcoming Meridia there “Your Majesty, do you need anything?”
Meridia scratched her non-itchy nape “No, actually if I could come here because I wanted to help.”
The chef shook his head “No, Your Majesty. It's my job so let me take care of it. If you feel like eating something, please let me know, I will make it as soon as possible.” he said with a friendly and looks very careful he spoke.
“I want to look around, can?”
“Of course you can look around this kitchen to the fullest, Your Majesty.”
Meridia did not hear of any other activity near the kitchen, the back door of the kitchen leading to the vegetable garden behind her also did not reveal the figure of the gardener who was working there. He also asked the chef “Tuan, are there very few workers here? Why are you working alone?”
Even in the Marquess' house there will be four other servants who help with the kitchen work, five gardeners who take care of each of the land planted with various types of plants, and servants who clean things in the hallway. While walking here, Meridia only saw at least three to four female servants.
“They are all doing their own duty, Your Majesty. I'm used to working on the kitchen alone so I don't feel any trouble at all.”
“Oh so.”
Meridia, although only a few minutes ago met the chef, but she could feel the same vibe as when she was with Samuel. It turned out that his premonition was right, the chef was friendly. “Are you lonely because Young Duke is away?”
“Not really. I didn't grow up as a noble, I was used to doing things so I decided to look for a job.”
“Hahaha, then do you have a hobby?” Meridia did not directly answer the chef's question because she herself did not know what her hobby “Don't have. Than that, uncle, may I ask you something?”
“Ya?”
“Is Lucien a witch or something?”
“I don't know, Your Grace. I only work here, I do not meet much with him.” need not be said, Meridia know the chef deliberately avoid further questions about his employer.
Meridia sat in while going around the kitchen “They were very careful, I was like almost seeing a robot instead of a human because they were so stiff as to just do what was told.”
“Does Duke Navarro also have his own army?” the chef named Henry shook his head slowly “He did not specifically train hundreds of soldiers. Young Duke only has three knights who help his work.”
“Only three?” Meridia was justifiable if the field looked empty no hordes of soldiers were seen at all.
“Your Majesty, maybe you have not noticed it.although Young Duke's words seem cold and sharp, but he is a very considerate person. You don't have to worry he'll be mean to you.” Meridia did not answer a word of the chef.
After being satisfied exploring the kitchen, Meridia came out of there and still wanted to go around looking around the other room to fill the time. His dark blue iris stared straight at the only room left with doors that tended to be simpler than other rooms “What room is it?”
When opened, the room was almost filled with a thin scarf cloth hanging around the room as if deliberately used as a covering cloth.
Little by little Meridia heard the gurgling sound of water from the middle of the room and after she had revealed the last shawl a bathtub the size of a tub in an open public bath that let out a puff of steam from the warm water those.
There was a waitress preparing the bath water, she put some herbs and fragrance into it until it smelled all over the corner of the room through the steam. Out of curiosity, Meridia finally approached the waiter “Excuse me?”
The maid jumped in shock when he heard Meridia's voice in that quiet room “Your Majesty, what are you doing here?”
Meridia smiled “I was just walking around. May I know what place this is?” she crouched down near the waitress “I-this is a special bath space for Her Royal Highness Duke Navarro, Lady.”
Meridia's focus was on the anxiety on the waiter's face, her face turned deathly pale, and cold sweat “Hey, are you okay? If you are sick it is better to rest.”
The waiter raised his face “Ya? ah, I'm fine, Lady.”
“You look scared.” The waiter doesn't know that Meridia is paying attention to him.
Before answering Meridia's words, the maid lowered her head while biting her lower lip. “Y-yes, I am afraid of wrongly including herbs because each herb has different uses,” dust.
Meridia stood up again and left “It seems I am disturbing your concentration, then I will leave now.” but her steps stopped due to the waitress who suddenly held her wrist.
Meridia bought in shock when she saw her already crying fear “T-please, please save me, Your Majesty.” her lips quiver withstanding the sound of crying “What do you mean? Save you from what?”
Meridia had never seen anyone so scared. Even when the Marquess was angry at one of her servants, the frightened reaction the servant showed was not to the extent that this servant showed.
The waiter glanced around and looked at Meridia again. “Your Highness, never get out of the room even though the air is very hot,” said the waiter while shaking his head firmly “But never get out until tomorrow morning.” He reiterated his warning to the new member of the Navarro palace.
Meridia grew curious about the reason the waiter gave her a strange warning. He had just arrived here a few days ago, what would he know when Lucien himself had a lot of control over all his activities? Meridian does not know the story behind the founding of this palace, the history of the generations of families who died, or even the background and stories experienced by the workers who worked here.
Marigold's twin sister held the servant's hand “What's with the hot air?” the blue-blonde girl did not understand where they were talking, but she had asked to be rescued but instead of explaining the situation she gave a warning.
“It because—“
Meridia's forehead creased deeply as the servant was instantly silent with an increasingly trembling body. If noticed, the waiter acted strange as suddenly silent daydreaming then lowered his head very deeply while squeezing his skirt very strongly.
Curious Meridia so have to ask again “Because what?”
