Who is the Villain?

Chapter-12

It was noon, the sound of chirping birds and other animals could be heard all across the woods. Not only that, there were even noises of horses paddling on the hard bumpy ground.

"We're stopping here for today,"

A man in an olive cloak announced with his right hand raised.

There were five horses following behind with their rider. Each of their cloaks had the Galatians Emblem on it.

"I don't get it, why do we've to ride here instead of using the teleportation skill?" One of the riders complains leaning his body on top of the horse. Tired of riding it for continuous 2 days. "And wouldn't everything be gone by now, it's been 3 or 4 days already."

"Stop complaining," the man in the front who was leading responded. "We're here to investigate and it's an urgent matter. Our superior will be arriving next week."

"Really?"

The guy who was complaining quickly rose with twinkling eyes. "Master is arriving?" He happily gets down from the horse mumbling excitedly. "I wish he hurry up." He wasn't the only one but the rest were as well happy about the news.

"Do you guys really miss your Master?"

The leader asked, he as well gets down from his horse and tied its leash to the tree. "You must have liked him a lot."

*pff*

"Like my a*s," the guy who was happy a minute ago gave a disgusting look. "All I wish is he hurry up and take the responsibility for his task and we will finally be free."

"Master Ralf,"

One of the riders called walking towards him. "I'm still disturbed here, however, why do we have to investigate this incident when there were no casualties nor any threat?"

The person who was leading sighed, his charcoal hair with light blue hues and his eyes in deep blue. "We're not here because of the casualty, it could be taken care of by others, however, we're here to investigate since we received that a spirit user was engaged."

"A spirit user?"

Everyone questions, staring at each other and back at their team leader.

"Okay, tell me," Ralf continues with a question. "Who is called the spirit user?"

"Anyone with the ability to control any element of nature?" One of them answers.

"It's true that anyone able to control the elements can be called the Spirit user however, not everyone can be a Spirit user," Ralph responded folding his arms across his chest. "Be a Noble or a commoner."

"Master Ralf, still, why are we here again?"

'Explaining these dumbheads in these terms is useless.' Ralf's head echoed. Regretting for accepting these people to be his helper.

"As you all know, there are only two spirit earth users, right?" He asked staring at all of them.

"Yes."

"One is our Master and the other person was assassinated– ow"

The guy with orange hair hits him with his elbow with a look of shut-up. That is when the person who was crouching in pain realizes what he just said. "I...I apologize..e."

Ralf as well gave a discomforting look with a deep sigh. However, he continues.

"And this spirit user is as well an earth user." He pulls out a tiny glass bottle that had a flower petal on it. "And, a one-of-a-kind user."

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Lucien silently sat by her living room with an unpleasant aura. She was pissed and irritated. The way the Emperor spoke was meant to break her self-esteem and, her personality. She agreed, it hurts her to the point that she wanted to smack that table in his face. If somebody was in her place, they would cry in humiliation, for that's what he wanted. However, Lucien, she couldn't hold back her anger. She was quiet ever since she walked into her room.

All the maids worriedly stare at her, no one wanted to make a sound.

"My lady," Rosetta has just arrived from delivering the letter. She was unaware of what had happened. All she felt was a heavy atmosphere in the room until Maria explain what had happened.

Lucien didn't respond but raised her head. "If you allowed me, I'll drag that person down who mentioned that lake."

"Hmm?"

"Everyone working in the palace is aware of that place and that the Emperor usually prefers to have his evening tea once in a while and for that, everyone was prohibited to go there."

"Huh?"

Lucien blinks twice in surprise.

"It wasn't Lily's fault for she just recently started working here and no one would be warning her, for her duty was not on the Platinum Palace but the Scarlet Palace."

She wasn't wrong, as many maids and butlers working here have a huge responsibility in taking care of their assigned tasks. The imperial palace was enormous and it requires more than 500 servants to look after. However, if there were guests or any other additional family members, more servants were hired and, it's still increasing. Unbelievable.

Every worker has their duty; be it looking after the garden, cleaning the palace, serving the Imperial family, cooking for them, doing laundry, or anything. Each job has its significance, the higher the status, the more respect they receive from other workers. It wasn't only commoners who work but even Nobles were working under them.

Lucien wasn't aware of this until Rosetta explains it. All she was left was jaw-dropped, 'I could earn a fortune even if I clean the toilet? Wow!'

"~my lady~ *sob* ~p..please forgive me~ *sob*"

Lily, the maid who suggested to go for walk by the lake was now crying. She felt guilty about what she had witnessed.

"~because of me, the emperor hates you now~ *sob*"

Lucien remembers that Lily was still 17, a teen. The youngest maid among all the four. She sighs giving up her stubborn act.

"It's alright... it's alright... Stop crying. It wasn't your fault, to begin with."

'Mr. Emperor is still going to hate me even if that happens or not.'

"~my lady~ *sob*"

"Lily, just come here."

Her maid walks forward and kneels before her. Lucien doesn't know what to do. She was never good at comforting other people. Be it the previous life or this life, it was still the same. Now, if she thinks about it, there were so many personalities that she and the novel, Lucien share.

She only did was pat her head. "Stop crying now or I'll literally be angry."

And it works like magic, Lily has finally stopped crying. She has settled down with little hiccups. "Lily, it's not precisely essential to me however, I'm just inquisitive, who gave you that suggestion anyway?"

"M..my lady *hiccup* it...it was Teresa, one of Dorothy's maids."

"Dorothy....?" Lucien thought for a moment with a familiar sensation.

"It's that pink hair lady," Rosetta answers her doubt.

"Oh yeah."  [Someone who isn't good at remembering people's faces unless they are important]

"But why would she advice that?" Rosetta questioned before Lucien would make any guesses. "She is not a new worker..she has been working here a year later after I joined here."

"Oh,"

The room went silent as though everyone understood what was going on.

"My lady,"

Rosetta quickly kneels in front of her like a knight which nearly frightens Lucien. "Give me your word and I'll drag her– no, I'll bring her head in the platter for you."

"Rosetta, you are a maid, not an assassin. Control your emotion." Lucien wasn't expecting this but somehow it does fit her character after staying with her for a week. "Stand up. You don't need to go too far."

"I apologize, my lady."

'Why would Dorothy's maid do that? It might be just a coincidence since we are competing for the empress seat and she might be supporting her lady.' Lucien's mind echoed. 'But that maid can't do that unless she wanted the empress position or did someone tell her about......No...No...'

Lucien ruffles her hair in frustration. 'It can't be that somebody is purposely trying to put me in a dangerous position. But if Dorothy did so, how did she know?'

Just then there was a knock on her door. Rosetta walks ahead and was received by a maid.

"Greetings, Lady Lucien Valentius," a maid with light chocolate hair appears. "My name is Carina, Lady Alina's maid." She bows with gestures of respect. "Lady Carina send a request if you would like to have an evening tea with her in her chamber."

Lucien didn't hesitate and quickly accepted. "I'll gladly accept her invitation. Please send her my message that I'll be arriving with two of my maids as well."

And the maid left. Lucien stood up twisting her neck. "Rosetta, pick a dress for me. Lily, come with me  and the rest of you can take a break."

It was better to spend time with her new friend so that she could forget about her little worries. 'Should I call the butler now?' Her mind kept on ringing as she was getting dressed up. 'No, I'll keep a watch until I find out. I might not be able to ease my mind until I find out who that 'dying lady' is now.'

Alina's chamber was a few seconds away, to think that it wasn't too far from Lucien's room, she was glad about that. She made sure her dress didn't stand out a lot; light sandy dress that falls to her ankle, a wide exposed calve with loose arms, and her hair was loosely tied at the back with a golden embroidery ribbon.

"Welcome, Lady Lucien."

Carina attended to the door. The way to Alina's chambers wasn't so different as she had thought. She just had to walk through the same hallway with lots of crafted marbles on the wall on her right while on her left was the view of the garden.

"Ah, Lady Lucien, I'm so pleased you came." Alina walks forwards and hugs her in joy. "I didn't think you would be coming."

Alina was worried at first for Lucien wasn't the kind of person who would get too close to others either for personal or political reasons. Way back on the debutant, she met Lucien in a ball who would not interact with any other or wasn't kind enough to even greet back. However, coming here, her view of her changed especially during the preamble in the Imperial Hall. Alina thought that maybe she wouldn't mind giving it a try befriending her again.

Lucien awkwardly laughs back, 'was my coming that great?'

"Come this way," Alina pulls her towards her living room. As she looks around, every interior was different; the corner was filled with blooming flowers which Alina had personally done herself. The curtains, the bed, the carpet, and even the couch were different than her room. It seems as though she was walking into a garden. It was beautiful and it reminded of her when she was in her modern world. "There is someone I want you to meet."

"Someone?"

And it turns out, it wasn't a stranger or a friend who was waiting for her in the living room.

"Lady Renee?"

She just realized that the living room was filled with flowers either in jars or pots. 'How much does this girl love flowers?'

"Good day, Lady Lucien."

Renee stood up from her seat and greets with a little bow, lightly lifting her gown away from her seat.

"Huh? But weren't you–I mean, didn't you leave the palace?" Lucien confusingly questioned, staring at her and back at Alina who was still smiling.

"I did but only for a week," Renee answers with a smile.

"A week?"

"Now...now..." Alina interrupts. "Let's move to our seats and we can discuss." She push Lucien to her seat who was still confused. Alina asked Carina to prepare their tea.

"Wait...wait...both of you know each other?"

"Bingo," Alina answers in delight snapping her finger. "We have known each other since we were youngsters." Carina appears with a teapot which she had been brewing tea leaves and carefully pours it into their cups.

Renee laughs, "we were just making sure to stay away from unusual attention."

Lucien didn't think much, 'no wonder Alina supported Renee so much in the novel. They were friends from the beginning.'

"Actually, I pleaded Alina to call you here," Renee confesses holding her warm cup. The fragrance of the tea was relaxing and calming.

"Me? What for?"

Lucien sips her cup and it tasted great. Better than any drink she had tasted so far in this palace.

"I needed your help." Renee hesitated for a second before she continued with a nervous tone. "Since you help me in that tea party."

Lucien awkwardly laughs. "I don't understand what you are saying, however, I don't recall helping you. I only explained unreliable things." As much as she wanted to, she wished to avoid the female lead. That's what she wanted however, with this situation, she feels like it would be impossible.

"And can you stop smiling like that?" Lucien turned to her left where Alina was seated beside her. "You are creeping me out."

"I can't help it. You are a very nice friend if I think about it now." Alina smiles again with a cheery voice.

'What kind of a person did you think of me before then?'

Lucien didn't even want to think about that.

"Anyways," Lucien turns towards Renee. "What kind of aid are you expecting?" The only thing she could think of was helping her status to uplift or business trading or making a friendly relationship with the Valentious family or...

"I wish to obtain aid from you in my creation of a medicine."

"Yes...yes...of course, medi–" she paused her hand holding the cup from touching her lips. "–wait, what?"

"Yes, your suggestion at the tea party has helped me to lighten my trouble. And, you're the only one who could help me." Renee was beaming bright not even nervous anymore.

"I don't think I could be any of your assistance," Lucien responded in shock. "I've no knowledge about this illness or medicine you are looking for." She sips her tea with a straight face.

"Are you sure?"

Alina questioned finally with a smile and it was seriously creeping her out. There was something behind those smiles. 

"Ha..ha..ha... I don't lie."

As much as she wanted to keep that poker face, it wasn't helping when Alina wouldn't stop staring at her.

"And here I thought you could communicate with plants."

As soon as Alina spoke, Lucien choke her tea out. Rosetta hurriedly walks forward and pats her back while Lily hands her a clean napkin. Lucien excuses them to leave before Rosetta was about to contend with Alina but Lucien stops her.

"I apologize but I don't seem to understand what you mean?"

Lucien carefully daps her lips with a napkin.

"I saw that night..."

Alina continues with a smile but she looks more like she could cut anyone with her sharp gaze.

"From your balcony, you were ordering to assassinate a person."