The Masked prince
Chapter 100: An Envious Heart

Chapter 100: An Envious Heart

What Rex actually wanted to talk to Regan was about the things he found in the Imperial Palace.

During his stay in the Royal Palace, he had attended the Royal Court meetings and he could suddenly notice the things turning different.

"It seems that more and more ministers are falling in the favour of Rafael. Regarding the stamp matter, Rafael himself stepped out to take the work of investigation. I, of course, didn’t want to let that happen. So I somehow convinced His Majesty to give me this work. However, the ministers suddenly echoed that every prince should be given a chance to prove his capability. Hence, I was given only a week to reveal the investigation results. If I was unable to do so, I had to hand over all the investigation work to Rafael."

Rex sighed. There was a deep frown on his forehead as he remembered how ministers in the court were favoring Rafael.

What must he have done to bring them on his side!

With another sigh escaping his lips, he continued

"Although I found out that designs for the Imperial stamp had been stolen. Unfortunately, I couldn’t really find out who was behind the stealing. A week passed and I had to hand over the investigation work to Rafael. Within two days, he presented a man who claimed that it was he who did it and then sold it to a soldier who he didn’t know and couldn’t remember. But the man knew this much that the soldier was aggrieved by war because he lost his brother on the battlefield and hence wanted to create a chaos in Royal family. Two days later, Rex even presented a soldier who took all the charges. I even investigated the man and soldier’s background but didn’t find anything wrong. However, I couldn’t believe any of this. Do you, Regan?"

Rex asked his brother. Regan shook his head without any hesitation.

"It is all his doing."

Both Rex and Regan knew whom he was referring to.

Diana was Rafael’s mother so it was not surprising that he had a very strong ability of not leaving any of the evidence behind...an ability which had always gone in mother and son’s favor.

"I had wanted to find any evidence against him and let him face punishment for torturing Evelyn that way."

When Regan heard this, he looked at Rex who was seated beside him.

He knew that Rex wanted to do this because he was worried about him. Remembering Rafael’s deeds, Regan’s eyes went cold and he said firmly

"Don’t worry. I would never forget what he did. I am just waiting. We will also get a chance. How long a fox will stay in its hide! He will step out and the day he does...that will be his last day."

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Evelyn didn’t go to rest in her room as the prince had asked her. She just wanted to find her friends so she went to the kitchen with her small bundle of clothes.

It was late morning so they should be free for some time before they would start preparing for lunch.

However, when she stepped inside the kitchen, Evelyn saw that everyone was already making preparations for dinner, and Hannah, Miri, and Ami were also busy.

Seeing this, she didn’t disturb them and went to her room first. First, she put her bundle on the bed and then arranged her clothes inside her small wooden almirah.

After she had set all the clothes properly, she looked at the fur coat in her hands. It was the one which had been given to her by Martha.

She should return it to Martha, right?

Evelyn wondered. The prince had said that he had two more coats for her. The memory made Evelyn blush and she hurriedly started to think about something else.

She will return the coat. As long as it stayed with Martha, someone else could also use it.

After deciding this, Evelyn went to the kitchen and found Martha.

Martha was surprised to see her and asked

"When did you return? Is His Highness also back?"

"Just half an hour ago. Yes, His Highness has also returned."

Hearing this, Martha immediately asked the maids to put more meat in the meal. Since Prince Regan has returned, Prince Rex must be having his dinner in the castle only unlike how he had been outside in the past few days.

The two princes preferred more meat in the meal. This was also something Martha had learned from Evelyn.

After she was done, Martha looked at Evelyn again and said

"What are you doing here? Don’t think of helping her. Enough people are here already. Go and rest inside your room."

Evelyn might be the only person to whom she had ever said these words. Martha said.

But the girl was very hard-working and would always be ready to do any kind of chore. If she would give her any chore, Evelyn would do more than assigned always.

That’s why Martha liked Evelyn very much.

Evelyn smiled at Martha’s words feeling warm inside her heart. She passed the fur coat in her hands to Martha and said

"This fur coat ... I don’t need it anymore. Thank you, Madam. It was of great help."

Martha smiled as she looked at the coat and then looked at the coat Evelyn was wearing in confusion.

"The coat you are wearing..."

She asked an open-ended question and Evelyn answered without any hesitation.

"It is given by His Highness."

Martha was surprised but only for a moment. She smile and said sincerely.

"It looks beautiful on you."

Evelyn was not used to of getting compliments. She blushed and said in a low voice

"Thank you, Madam."

Martha’s smile widened when she saw her like this. If she behaved like this then people would feel tempted to tease her.

Martha shook her head and decided not to act on her urges.

Evelyn’s fur coat reached a little below her elbows and her sleeves were slightly loose so Martha had actually noticed the missing black band on Evelyn’s wrist but she didn’t ask anything.

She looked towards a maid and said

"Orla, were you not asking me to check if there are any fur coats in stock? Here...you can take it."

Orla raised her head and looked at the fur coat in Martha’s hands. Her eyes then went to the coat Evelyn was wearing. It indeed looked beautiful on her.

No one could see but Orla was silently digging her nails into her palm while looking at the coat Evelyn was wearing.