Chapter_26: Weighted Conversation

Guinevere shot a fierce glare at Garnette before swiftly pulling her into the nearest maid-only room and closing the door tightly behind them.

"That man was your driver, right?" Guinevere asked.

"That man was a damn intruder all this time."

As Guinevere spoke, Garnette remained silent, clearly shaken by the ordeal. She seemed at a loss for words.

"Garnette, tell me everything he said while driving all of you," Guinevere urged, her voice filled with urgency.

But Garnette stayed quiet, her breaths coming out in powerful and loud pants.

Finally, Garnette spoke in a soft tone: "The man didn't try to communicate with us, but his voice changed after we left his carriage. It was deep and rough while driving, but then it turned into the soft tone of a boy."

"I see, Garnette. What that man did was despicable, and he needs to be apprehended immediately. But we must wait until tomorrow to inform Lady Ana about this, as we cannot disrupt the day of the ceremony."

Garnette nodded with wide eyes, gradually regaining her composure.

"Garnette, do you think that man is an enemy of the royalty or just a thief? It's clear from the items he stole that he is attempting Mystical Enhancement and Mystical Refinement. It seems likely that he is targeting someone within the royalty, most probably Lady Ana.

"From the syringes he stole, I can guarantee that those blood syringes will also be used in Blood Morpheus. Garnette, you must be cautious; that man will pose a threat to us in the future, and he is still evolving."

Garnette looked down with a sorrowful expression and asked, "Guinevere, what did that man do to you? Are you alright?"

Guinevere was visibly taken aback by the concern and replied, "Do you worry about me that much? Well, I suppose you do."

"That man didn't do much to me; he tied me to a pole and covered my mouth so I could witness everything he did. He brutally assaulted me and nearly choked me to death.

"But what puzzled me is why he ensured that I remained alive. When he realized I was on the verge of passing out from his choking, he stopped and smiled at me.

"He didn't inflict any sexual harm on me; I could sense that he had no lustful intentions. From his actions, I know he has a plan. His decision to spare my life was perplexing, and I have no doubt he will use me for his scheme."

The room fell silent for ten seconds, only to be interrupted by Guinevere's deep voice: "Remember, Garnette, don't breathe a word of this to anyone here, not even Ragnar or the other man."

"Now, you're free to go, Garnette," Guinevere said, ushering her towards the door.

Garnette was swiftly escorted to the door, and she stole a quick glance at Guinevere as she waved goodbye and carefully closed the door behind her.

With that, Garnette proceeded with her mission to find Lady Ana, although she already knew her whereabouts.

As she made her way through the regal surroundings, engaging in conversations with various nobles, Garnette turned left and found herself amidst a crowd. Her gaze settled on a particular door, leading her straight to her destination.

Upon entering the room, she found Sir Apollo and Lady Ana engrossed in conversation. Lady Ana was gazing out the window while Apollo observed her with interest.

"Garnette?" Apollo inquired, puzzled.

"Sir Apollo, it's a pleasure to see you again, but I'm here for Lady Ana," Garnette replied respectfully as she kneeled before them. "Lady Ana, Ragnar has returned from his task and he has completed it. He also asked me to call you as he has brought an important guest—his alibi."

"An alibi already? Ragnar has acted swiftly. I'm proud of him," Lady Ana remarked, still gazing out the window.

She took a deep breath and turned her attention to the kneeling Garnette. "You need not kneel for me, Garnette."

"Garnette, I will go to his room. Would you care to accompany me and wait?" Lady Ana suggested, casting a glance at Apollo.

"Apollo, hand me the key," she instructed.

Apollo promptly handed over the key, saying, "Here you are, princess."

Lady Ana smiled at the compliment and then addressed Garnette. "Let's go, Garnette."

She walked past Garnette, who followed closely behind as they made their way to the lobby. Being a popular figure among the nobility, Lady Ana received numerous greetings along the way, graciously acknowledging each one without delaying their progress.

The greetings were brief and did not lead to lengthy conversations, allowing them to reach the lobby in a relatively short time.

Lady Ana and Garnette made their way up the staircase to the hallway of rooms. Lady Ana carefully examined each door before slowly entering Ragnar's room. Garnette followed suit, entering the room at the same pace.

"You're finally here," Ragnar said loudly.

Before sitting down, Lady Ana glanced at each of them and noticed Bane sitting close to Ragnar.

"Is this the man? Is this your alibi, Ragnar?" Lady Ana asked, looking at Bane with interest.

Bane was taken aback and speechless, realizing that the girl standing in front of him was Lady Ana, the daughter of Mr. Smith.

Ragnar looked at Bane and confirmed, "Yes, he's my alibi—the companion who stayed in the town and chose not to follow us into the dark forest."

Lady Ana was visibly intrigued by Ragnar's alibi and turned to Bane, asking him directly, "Is this true? Ragnar told me that you chose to stay in a town instead of venturing into the deep, dark forest. Is that accurate?"

Bane nodded before responding, "Yes, it's all true. I stayed in a town instead of following them."

Lady Ana smiled in response and decided to pose more questions.

It was a wise decision to tell Bane to accompany me before Lady Ana arrived.

Bane's response seemed genuine to Lady Ana, and it was the first time he had deceived her with a lie.

Both of them maintained straight faces, which could contradict the idea of Lady Ana thinking it was a lie. So, Lady Ana pondered another question in her mind.

"What was the name of the town you stayed in? Since Ragnar mentioned that you stayed in a town, not a city, the town you stayed in is not here. Also, how did you get here?"

Ragnar felt a subconscious sense of panic upon hearing the questions, despite maintaining a straight face.

Damn, I wasn't prepared for this.

However, Bane remained composed, his expression unchanged, as he calmly considered his answers.

"I did stay in a village, but that village was attacked by the Empire's soldiers that night. The people had to evacuate to the nearest towns and cities."

Bane paused for a moment before continuing, "Would you like me to tell you the whole story?"

Woah! Bane! That was unexpected from a dumb friend.

Bane's demeanor remained calm as he spoke, but inside, he felt a surge of excitement at how composedly he had answered the question.

Lady Ana decided to recall an assault near the city before drawing any conclusions about Bane's account.

As expected, Bane provided an accurate response, citing numerous soldier sightings in the region and records of attacked towns.

In conclusion, Bane once again deceived Lady Ana, leaving her unaware of the truth.

"I don't mind you sharing the entire story; it would help me gather more information."

After a lengthy conversation, Lady Ana finally settled back into the chair she had previously occupied.

"While I was resting, I chose to linger outside the place I was sleeping and admire the view of a small lake. To my surprise, soldiers raided the village and killed anyone they encountered. Fortunately, I managed to escape with only a few bruises.

"As I journeyed along this path, I encountered no one, as the soldiers had already entered the town. Eventually, I reached a forested area with numerous roads and encountered a blacksmith heading toward this city.

"He kindly allowed me to ride in his carriage. We conversed for hours, and before dawn, we arrived at this city. I disembarked in the farmlands, where I could purchase bread. So, Lady Ana, that's the complete story of how I arrived here."

It was a convincing narrative; even I might have been taken in. Bane, when did you become so smart?

Lady Ana nodded in agreement, once again deceived by Bane.

Bane felt a surge of excitement once more at his ability to craft such a compelling story.

"How did you encounter Ragnar again, Bane?" Lady Ana inquired once more.

This marked Lady Ana's third query regarding the truth about what truly happened to Ragnar that night.

"Lady Ana, I will once again recount the entire story. Upon arriving in the city, I made it my mission to locate my companions, like Ragnar and Cliffe. I scoured every district in my search for them. I faced brutal beatings on several occasions, but my determination never wavered.

"Just yesterday, an old woman and her son discovered me outside their home and graciously took me in for the entire day. I even had the opportunity to meet the woman's husband. Then earlier today, Ragnar stumbled upon me there by chance, and we conversed for a while before arriving here. That's all."

Once again, Lady Ana nodded in agreement and smiled approvingly.

"That husband was none other than Arawn; you can verify with him later," Ragnar interjected.

"Arawn, you say? Then I'll speak with him later."

"Ragnar, I must admit that you have indeed proven the truth of what transpired that night. However, let the Stazyc Ritual reveal the ultimate truth. For now, I choose to believe in you."

"Speaking of the Stazyc Ritual, it will take place on the next moon of your stay in this city, which is three days from now. It will be held at the local church here, just so you're aware."

Ragnar acknowledged the new information about the ritual.

It's sooner than expected.

"I consider this conversation concluded, but your judgement will not, Ragnar."