Chapter 170

Chapter 170

“Help… help me…” Ronnie rasped.

“Eugene, are you trying to silence him for good?” Maria shot a look at the Soldier beside her.

The Soldier stepped forward and pulled Eugene off Ronnie. Finally freed, Ronnie clutched his throat and gasped for breath.

With a miserable expression, he kowtowed hard to the Queen. “Queen, I have no idea what the Eldest Prince is talking about!”

“As for what happened today…” The Queen’s dark gaze swept over everyone in the hall. “I hope I don’t hear so much as a whisper of it outside these walls.”

Everyone present was still dazed. They had accidentally stumbled onto a scandal this huge-who would be foolish enough to go spreading it around?

Secrets of the royal family could cost you your life if you were not careful.

“The King… the King is awake!”

A Maid ran in from outside, panting as she said, “The King… is out of danger now.”

“Everyone, return for now.” The Queen closed her eyes briefly.

The guests, who had long since wanted to leave, felt as if they had been granted amnesty. They hurried eagerly toward the door.

“I should be going as well.” Charles rose with a smile and looked at the Queen. “Who would have thought that a perfectly good banquet would get tangled up in so many matters? Truly unexpected.”

The Queen nodded to him, her expression still fairly composed. “I have made a spectacle of myself before the Duke, but I will see this matter handled properly.”

“Let’s go.” Charles glanced back at Emily. “It’s getting late. You must be tired too.”

Emily stood as well, curtsied to the Queen, and followed Charles out.

Those who ought to leave had more or less all gone.

The Queen took a deep breath. Looking at Eugene, who was being held by the Soldier yet still struggling madly, then at Ronnie, who was on the floor constantly crying that he had been wronged, she closed her eyes with a headache.

“This is no small matter,” Maria said solemnly. “Since Father is already awake, he must be told.”

“Maria!” Eugene roared furiously. “It was you! You framed me!” His eyes, burning with flames, suddenly turned to Dennis. “Or was it you? You want to fight me for the Throne!”

Dennis sucked in a breath and frowned slightly, then said with cold sarcasm, “I don’t have ambitions like that. Eldest Brother should save his strength and think about how to explain this to Father.”

The Queen sighed silently.

She waved a hand. “Take him away first… and keep him under guard.”

Eugene’s eyes flew wide. He looked at the Queen in disbelief. “Queen… You don’t believe me either?”

“Right now, every clue points to you,” the Queen said mercilessly. “Eugene, if you did not do this, I will never wrong you. But if you did…”

With those words from her, Eugene immediately calmed down.

He believed the Queen would never let anything happen to him.

Eugene was quickly taken away.

“Let’s go see Father,” Dennis said, a trace of worry passing through his features. “I wonder how Father is doing now.”
—
Although the King had awakened, his condition was still far from optimistic.

The doctor looked grave, and the cold sweat on his forehead had yet to subside.

The bedroom door was suddenly pushed open, and the Queen entered with an anxious expression. Behind her were Maria and Dennis, looking just as worried.

“How is the King?” The Queen walked quickly to the bedside and looked at the doctor as she asked.

The doctor wiped the sweat from his forehead and shook his head.

“Say something.” Maria’s eyes were slightly red. “How exactly is Father?”
“The King’s condition… is not optimistic…” the doctor stammered. “He… he could at any moment…”

Before he could finish, the King lying in bed suddenly broke into a violent coughing fit. His body convulsed, and without warning, he turned his head and spat out a mouthful of black blood.

“God!” the Queen cried out. “How could this happen?”

The King opened his cloudy eyes and swept his gaze over everyone present. His voice was so faint that it was almost impossible to hear without listening closely.

“Where… is… Eugene?”

The Queen frowned, a flicker of hesitation crossing her face.

Given the King’s current state, what if telling him the truth enraged him so badly that he died on the spot?

Seeing that none of them spoke, the King’s face darkened. Lowering his voice, he asked again.

“Maria, you tell me!” he demanded stubbornly, determined to have an answer.

Maria paused, then an expression of grief appeared on her face. She pinched a handkerchief between her fingers and dabbed at her tears.

“Father… why do you think you suddenly fainted today?” she said sorrowfully. “Elder Brother has gone mad. He was the one who poisoned you!”

The King’s eyes widened in disbelief. He began panting rapidly, a sound like a broken bellows rasping in his throat, enough to make anyone’s skin crawl.

The Queen rushed forward and stroked his back. “Your health is what matters most.”

“You!” The King clutched her hand, gripping so hard he nearly crushed her bones. “You… tell me!”

The Queen had no choice but to comply, reluctantly and hesitantly recounting everything that had happened.

When she reached the details, anger showed on her face. “Eugene is utterly heartless!”

The King’s eyes rolled back, and he nearly fainted.

“With Father in this condition, how can I leave with peace of mind?” Maria sobbed as she knelt beside the bed. “I must wait until you recover before I marry.”

The Queen’s brows shifted slightly, and she tilted her head to glance at her.

Maria was crying bitterly. The corners of her eyes and the tip of her nose were flushed red, and tears fell like pearls. Her grief did not seem feigned.

The King struggled to breathe, making harsh, wheezing sounds.

He had only just learned that his own son had tried to poison him. Now, seeing Maria care so deeply about him, he felt considerably comforted.

“Good… child…” he said hoarsely.

With the King’s condition worsening, it truly was not appropriate to hold a Wedding for the princess at a time like this.

The Queen lowered her eyes and said mournfully, “Maria is a good child. It’s just that this Wedding is already known to everyone. I’m afraid it won’t be easy to postpone.”

“Father is gravely ill now. I believe Tracy will understand.” Maria wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes. “Please be considerate of me, Mother. My heart is tied to Father now. Until he recovers, I truly cannot be at ease.”

Dennis, who had not been able to get a word in until now, suddenly said, “There is no hurry about the Wedding. Father’s illness is the most important matter right now.” He paused. “Didn’t the Church say before that sacrificing the Saintess would bring down a divine blessing and help Father recover?”

The King’s eyes lit up. He struggled to prop himself up. “Yes… yes… Where is the Saintess?”

Originally, his body had still been holding on, and he had intended to let Maria complete the Wedding first before carrying out the sacrifice. But now, his body was like a piece of wood rotted through by water. Only the gods could make him be born anew.

As long as his body recovered, he could raise another heir for himself.

Eugene was gone. So be it.

His dim, murky eyes fixed tightly on the Queen. Gripping her arm with force, he said, “Go and bring the Saintess here!”