Chapter 48…
The True Mastermind
Yoan sought the king’s cooperation and investigated the incident through every connection he could find. According to Hugo, this was the first time Yoan had ever relied on his half-brother, the king — all because of Felicia’s case. He had already begun taking action back when Felicia was nearly forced to marry a count from a neighboring country.
Information about the first attempted poisoning, the one that had almost sent Felicia to the underworld, had also come from the royal castle.
“As for the poison used on Felicia, the results match the original investigation. It’s a fast-acting, highly lethal toxin distributed through the black market routes of the Chalcedony Empire. There’s no doubt about it. The culprit either has ties to Chalcedony or connections in the underworld—or perhaps both.”
— The Chalcedony Empire.
Felicia’s suddenly arranged marriage had also been to Chalcedony. It was becoming clear that the poisoning and the later attack were not unrelated. And the person who had been pushing for Felicia’s marriage was…
“First, I’d like to hear what Father has discovered so far. After that, may I also speak with His Highness Crown Prince Alexis? He might know something that could help.”
At the mention of Alexis’s name, Yoan’s brow twitched slightly. But he quickly smiled and said:
“You’re right. Alexis was the one closest to Felicia when she was poisoned. He might remember something useful. I’ll send word to the royal castle immediately.”
He took up his pen and began writing a letter.
Felicia did not know how deeply unsettled Yoan was at the thought of her meeting her former fiancé, Alexis. Nor did she realize how angry he still was with his nephew for failing to protect her, despite being right by her side. Still, Yoan knew there was no point in blaming him now and swallowed his anger.
“Lord Yoan, thank you for everything. Would it be all right if I went to the royal castle myself?”
Felicia’s pure and sincere gratitude shone so brightly that Yoan felt ashamed of his own conflicted emotions. What mattered now was not personal feelings but uncovering the truth and catching the culprit. Pressing his lips together, he refocused his resolve.
“No, Felicia. I want you to stay here in the castle. It’s safest within the barrier. I’ll summon Alexis here. After all, I’m his uncle—and besides, it’ll be easier for him to talk freely this way. In the royal castle, you never know who might be listening.”
The truth was, Yoan simply wanted to keep Felicia safely locked away in the castle, away from everyone else—but he buried that feeling deep in his heart
