Saved By The Mad Duke
Chapter 202: Eavesdropping

Chapter 202: Eavesdropping

The night seemed to have fallen way too quickly, and the magic street lights turned on in unison the moment the royal palace was shrouded in darkness. Melania found this setting as the best opportunity she could get for her impromptu spying mission.

As she started moving forward, following the prince to his alchemy lab, she realized that her advancing might not be as discreet as she had hoped.

’These damn shoes!’ Melania hid behind a tree and lifted her right foot, ’The heels are making too much noise!’

The princess looked around to make sure that no one was secretly watching her and released a sigh of relief.

’There is no helping it, the shoes must come off. Thank goodness it’s so warm already and haven’t rained in a while.’

Having removed the annoying heels, Melania hid them in the nearest flower bush along the pathway and resumed her mission.

The narrow trail leading to Valon’s quarters was just as mysterious as his nature. The princess had never been to his part of the palace because she simply had no interest in visiting it and now she couldn’t help but perceive it as a big mistake.

’There are barely any lights in here... Ugh, I’m shivering already.’

As Valon finally entered his quarters, Melania was surprised at how little security he had. The main palace, where she was currently residing together with Prince Yanad, had knights stationed almost at every door while here, the building was ominously empty.

’I guess someone like him doesn’t really need to be guarded... I wonder if he has any alchemy spells to protect himself instead.’

Melania continued following Valon inside his palace, her heart beating faster with every careful step she took. Shrouded in shadows, it bothered her immensely that she had been so successful in following him so far. Something was amiss.

Despite the growing sense of uneasiness, she did not give up, and once the prince disappeared behind the closed doors of his lab, the woman quietly approached his room and pressed her right ear to the cold wooden surface of the door, prepared to listen.

"It is almost way too easy," Valon took a seat behind his large desk and placed his joined palms on top of it, his glistening green eyes locked with the same cold gaze of the woman sitting across him.

"It is this easy because we have made it that way," Fleur Ruan curled her thin lips into a sly grin and added "All we have left to do is to catch her. Get a piece of evidence to confirm that she is having an affair."

The queen’s words were followed by a loud, heavy exhale released by the third person in the room. King Euris nodded at his son and said,

"The gallery owner... What did he see in that boy’s studio?"

"Just a portrait," Valon replied calmly, "He hasn’t finished it yet. Perhaps we can forge a love letter and hide it inside the frame? This way, when he presents it to her, we can use it as a piece of evidence."

"It can take months before it’s finished," Fleur rubbed her temples and sighed, "With him now being included in the summer art festival, that boy will be too busy to finish it sooner. We have to find something; we have to find it now!"

The king furrowed his eyebrows at his wife’s impatient tone.

"Calm down, Your Majesty, please. I know that everything has been already prepared and that the Emperor of Anathaen is pressuring us to begin, but we cannot rush these things if we want people to believe that the Lafadian Princess has been indeed having an affair thus tainting the honor of our family."

The Queen clicked her tongue in annoyance, "Her brother is soon to attend his coronation, we have to attack before that happens because if we miss our chance and do it while the continental delegations are visiting Lafad, the war might escalate in the wrong direction. We cannot risk involving other kingdoms in this war."

"Mother is right," Prince Valon finally decided to chime in, "Kassian is young and weak, and with the news of Princess Melania offending our royal family, the political stance of Lafad will be shattered. We must strike before her brother gains any international support."

His words drowned the room in heavy silence.

Melania covered her mouth with both hands and widened her eyes in utter shock. The doors to Valon’s lab were too thick to hear everything that was said behind them, but the princess still managed to understand the main point of that secret conversation –– the royal family of Geraldion wanted to attack Lafad before her brother got a chance to ascend the throne!

’Devils! How dare they?!’ Melania’s entire body shook in the blend of fear and disgust, ’What did our kingdom ever do to them? And to use me to help them with their vile plans! Miscreants!’

As the unnerving feelings began to settle in, the princess made an effort to calm herself and threw a sharp glare at the closed doors.

’I must do something immediately... Letters! I must send letters home! And to Yuraon... Yes, Yuraon might be able to help if he confirms that Geraldion has indeed been planning to start a war.’

Determined to leave Valon’s quarters as soon as possible and inform others of the royal family’s plans, Melania started running, her heartbeat ringing loudly in her ears. With fear gripping her chest, she became oblivious to her surroundings and when she was already about to dash outside, she tripped over the folded corner of the carpet in the hall and tumbled down, creating a slight commotion.

"What was that?" All three members of the royal family rose to their feet, their worried eyes shifted to the doors.

"Were you expecting someone?"

Valon shook his head at his father’s question and groaned, "I wasn’t, but let me see who was fearless enough to spy on us tonight."

The prince rushed out of the lab and started running towards the exit. There was no way anyone could know about their meeting and he was convinced that no one was stupid enough to eavesdrop on a royal conversation.

As he continued to run, looking left and right in search of the fearless intruder, his anxiety soared. Suddenly, a big flower bush just along the pathway leading back to the main palace, attracted his attention.

"Hmm... What do we have here?"

With a quick snap of his bony fingers, the flower bush caught fire, instantly turning into mere black dust, revealing a pair of shoes behind it. Valon picked up a familiar shoe, his lips spreading into a wide grin.

"Well, well, well. How rude of you, Princess Melania."