'Until next time, Lady Estel.' Alexander's voice rang in her ears before she traversed the pace entrance.

  'Until next time, Your Highness,' Eine responded, stepping outside.

  When they reached the carriage, Cecil marched ahead of her to open the door. He then inclined his body and extended his hand. "Please allow me, midy."

  "Thank you, Sir Ascania." She accepted his gesture and entered.

  To Eine's surprise, the return journey progressed with no deviation from the ride to Soleias—no strange illusions or paralyzing nightmares. She decided not to question the situation and enjoyed the momentary serenity. Whatever was staving off the creatures, it was to her benefit.

  The carriages split in different directions upon their arrival at the Croix estate, with Estel's parents and little brother returning to the main manor while Eine continued to hers. When she reached her quarters, she noticed a familiar figure standing by the door, waiting for her. Eine raised a brow. She was not expecting Liviane's former maid. However, knowing Tasha's personality, she must have an important matter to report.

  "Let her in," she ordered.

  "As you wish, midy." The servants opened the door, allowing Eine and her guard to enter, with Tasha heeling them.

  After the door shut behind them, Eine settled on an elegant piece of furniture at the antechamber's center while Cecil stood behind her. Instead of immediately raising the question, she poured and enjoyed a cup of tea, leaving Tasha standing beside her in an outstretched silence. The tea's aromatic scent and herbal taste rexed her, allowing a brief tranquility before she switched focus to the maid. "What happened?" Eine asked, pcing the cup back on the table.

  "The maid called Agnes Rossi is dead," Tasha answered in a monotone voice as if reying an ordinary event.

  Eine sighed. She had expected an attempt on Azalea's life and pced the Duchess' former maid in the Summer Manor, tasking her to only observe and not interfere. However, after weeks passed with little movement, combined with her sudden colpse and the Third Prince's birthday celebration, Eine had pushed Laeticia and her daughter's issue to the back burner. Yet currently, contrary to her assumption, the culprit killed Laeticia's former maid instead of targeting the little girl. "How did she die?" Eine gnced at Tasha.

  "A couple of servants found her at the stairs' bottom. The fall broke her neck."

  "Someone shoved her?"

  "Forgive me, midy. I was not at the scene. From my understanding, Agnes was already dead when they found her."

  "I see." Eine lowered her gaze, staring at her reflection inside the teacup. The plump maid betrayed her former master. What pusible motive would propel someone to kill her? Was it an act of revenge? Or was it to silence the woman? "Where was Azalea at the time?" Eine returned from her contemption. First, she needed to eliminate the obvious suspect.

  "Miss Azalea was washing dishes in the kitchen."

  "And you can vouch for her?"

  "Yes, midy. I was working nearby."

  "I understand." Eine waved her hand, dismissing Tasha. "You may leave and continue your duties like usual."

  The maid bowed and exited the antechamber.

  An opportunistic murder? Someone used the timeframe the Duke and Duchess attended the banquet in the Capital to commit the crime. However, the victim was only a maid. The culprit could have committed the crime anytime, and no one would bat an eye. Why now? Even if she eliminated Azalea, anyone who resided in the Summer Manor could have been the offender. The suspect pool was too rge. Perhaps she should investigate further into Laeticia's previous retionships.

  Eine covered her mouth, suppressing a coming yawn. She gnced out the window at the darkened skies, remembering the event in Soleias and her exhaustion before Tasha informed her of Agnes' demise. "Rest, Sir Ascania," she ordered. "It had been a long day for the both of us."

  "As you wish, midy." Cecil marched to the door. Before leaving, he turned around once more and inclined his body. "I wish you pleasant dreams tonight, Lady Estel," he said.

  "Thank you, Sir Ascania." Eine returned him a warm smile. Since learning of her insomnia, the brief exchange had become a nightly routine between them. It was a simple statement. Yet, Eine knew it was the blonde-haired young man's method of expressing concern for her. "I will have pleasant dreams tonight," she assured him.

  After her guard left, Eine allowed the maids to enter and prepare her for bed. Lying on the comfortable mattress, she wanted to continue her deduction. Unfortunately, unable to overcome the creeping sleepiness, she succumbed to its temptation in only a few minutes.

  The following day, after finishing Estel's studies with various mentors, Eine summoned a carriage to the Croix archives. Again, she returned to the dimmed hall behind the bookshelves and the well-lit, spacious chamber it led to. "Bring me everything on Laeticia's retionships," she commanded, sitting at the lone table and gncing across the hundreds of shadows occupying the walls.

  "Yes, Lady Estel," a female voice replied. Three shadows then receded from the walls.

  Satisfied, Eine rose and exited the chamber, tracing her way back to the archives. As always, Herbert was waiting on the other side. She smiled, bidding farewell to the old archives keeper, and returned to Estel's manor.

  Eine sat at her desk inside the antechamber, pnning her next move. Despite wanting to avoid the subject, her thoughts wandered back to the Third Prince's birthday celebration and its future implications. The étoile Emperor's damage reparations would probably satisfy most nations, except for the Léonas Empire. After their Emperor's death and the First Prince took over, Eine foresaw an accelerated deterioration in the retionship between the two empires. Since the Léonas Empire remained in mourning and Nickos had not ascended the throne, the two empires maintained an outward alliance. Yet, bubbling tension built underneath the surface. Future transgressions, together with old resentments between the nations, would soon chip away at their friendship, culminating in the invasion in the second half of the book.

  LittleFoodie