The Royal Revenge
Chapter 176: Cordelia’s Return

Chapter 176: Cordelia’s Return

Aleksander had retired back at their shared bedchambers, and Elys was accompanied by two of her ladies in waiting. Since it was a bit difficult for all the noble ladies to serve Elys in contrast to their natural body clocks, she had decided that they should do what she called as shifting.

Two ladies were tasked to accompany her in the day, whereas the other two were resting. During the night, the two well rested ladies would then accompany Elys, while the first two take their rest too.

"Lady Azalea," Elys called out to the Igniss’ eldest daughter.

The lady raised her head from her reading, and then replied to Elys, "Yes, your majesty?"

"What do you think of the meeting today?" she asked the bright woman.

Lady Azalea pondered about the many things that happened during the meeting. There were several things that were discussed, while predominantly the main topic was drastically shifted from the fire and more into the possibility of an Eastern spy within the kingdom.

"I would say that his and her majesties would need to be careful of the next days to come," Lady Azalea commented. "I could tell that the heads of the noble houses are always finding a wrong from you and his majesty. One slip and they won’t hesitate to attack."

Elys nodded and said, "I agree with you, Lady Azalea. Such is the truth of this kingdom."

Lady Penelope glanced nervously at the young queen and back to the closed canopies of the king’s bed. Elys noted the constant shifting of her attention, and she stopped whatever she was doing and addressed the young lady.

"Lady Penelope, do you share the same sentiments as that of Lady Azalea?" Elys asked the young vampire.

The noble lady was meek, and she stuttered to almost an annoying level, but Elys still wanted to hear what she thought of. There wasn’t anything wrong in hearing other people’s perspectives of the situation. Perhaps they could also broaden her view as well too.

Lady Penelope was silent for a few seconds too long, even with Lady Azalea who glanced at her friend every now and then. She seemed to worry on the small noble lady.

Elys raised a questioning brow, "Do you not have anything to say, Lady Penelope?" she asked.

The lady raised her downcast eyes and blurted out, "H-H-Her ma-majesty and the K-K-King looked as if t-th-they w-were in l-l-love."

The young queen’s eyes burst open as she processed what Lady Penelope pointed out. Somehow, she found herself trailing her gaze towards Aleksander who was fast asleep behind the dark canopies.

"Why do you say such a thing?" Elys asked the vampire.

Lady Azalea turned to Lady Penelope who was covering her mouth with her hand. She was late to realize the things she had blurted out, and somehow Elys thought it was cute.

Elys shook her head and then dismissed her own question, "You know what? Never mind... Aleksander and I are married, and it is only natural to look like so."

The three ladies shared laughter, and then proceeded to distract themselves of time by reading and embroideries.

Elys on the other hand was reading over materials regarding the Eastern Kingdom. Little were much known about them, and at the moment, the kingdom was slowly going to hear down the grapevine sooner or later regarding the issue of the Eastern spy.

But whoever had started such a rumor?

She couldn’t help but suspect the vampire clergy and several of those noble heads that were against her and Aleksander. Elys couldn’t wait for Cordelia’s return from tailing Sir Noa, as she was going to order the old woman to investigate on places that she can’t do so herself.

+++

Henry left the palace as soon as he wasn’t needed anymore within the courts. He had brought with him the broken glass vial from Elys, but it was going to take him a while to both guard someone in the old manor’s prison cells and then also travel to meet Rui.

The vampire was so shady that he wouldn’t even come out unless it was in person and there was money involved. Now that Henry thought about it, he needed to look into the expenses of the missions Aleksander had sent him to.

"I should pay him a visit soon to ask if he recognized the substance that left the stain within it’s glass walls," he pondered out loud.

The horse Henry rode skidded into a halt as he arrived to the abandoned manor.

He procured a key from his pocket, and before he could even twist the key and open the gates, the old man heard his horse neigh behind him, a bit too excitedly than what was expected from a calm horse.

Henry turned around, and to his surprise, Cordelia’s face was leaning down on him and smirking.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"It is I who should be asking you that!" the old man exclaimed. "Where had you been and how was the tailing mission?" Henry asked her.

Cordelia swung her leg out and jumped off her horse.

"Woman, you should be getting back to the palace as soon as possible," Henry told the old lady. "Her majesty seemed to need something, but she would only keep it to herself than to ask the other ladies in waiting."

Cordelia shook her head in disbelief, "That little lady sure is quite stubborn if she wanted to."

"You should go now, Cordelia," Henry said as he unlocked the manor gates and returned his key inside his pocket. "Ow!"

Perhaps it was merely the stupidity in him or he was just unlucky, but Henry held his hand out to see that he had accidentally nicked himself from the broken vial in his pockets.

He clearly remembered he wrapped it well, but it seemed like the glass has now come undone and was exposed. The attendant’s eyes turned towards Cordelia.

He smirked and then pushed the gates wide open.