Chapter 56

Amourora placed the cookies Baxter sent in an ordinary box and wrapped it in a red ribbon. The box looked ordinary, but had a secret compartment at the bottom, where she placed the letters. Then, she visited her uncle to check on him and ask him to deliver the box.

"I heard you were ill, but I didn't expect you to be this sick." she looked at him in surprise, no polite words of greetings or anything. She felt close enough to her uncle to bully him and be cheeky and playful.

"Rosabella... I couldn't sleep a wink all night." he seemed in the verge of tears and had black circles around his eyes.

She found it funny how he acted like a little boy at times. Even after he had grown up to be a man, some of his features still resembled his mother. Despite his height, If one didn't know his real age, they would think he was still a teen. Perhaps his babyish looks and carefree actions are the reason the emperor let him have his way for so long.

"ha ha, why do you look so pale?"

"your father... It's your father. He's the culprit."

"what did he do?"

"Bella, you won't believe it...he made me drink some lumpy liquid. It tasted sooo disgusting!" As if he finally found someone he could confide in, he hugged her and wept invisible tears. "you're the only one who understands me...you, you even brought me sweets! My lovely sweet, sweet niece... "

"...actually, I wanted you to deliver it to Anthony."

He immediately pulled back and snatched the box. "no way! It's mine."

Amourora wasn't about to fight a grown man in his twenties for a box of cookies, so she decided to make a deal instead. "uncle, I promised Anthony to give him it, so..."

"what's this biscuit? I don't think saw it before?" Andrew ignored her and opened the box.

"we had it for dessert yesterday." she sighed. "these three are made of raisins, those are with nuts, these are with oates, but the ones with chocolate are the best. Dark chocolate, and white are good too, but I prefer milk chocolate."

Baxter was an underrated baker, even if he read the recipe once a few days ago, he already mastered it and tried using different ingredients, as chocolate is too expensive, and he has a limited amount of it.

Even if he didn't look like it at all, Andrew secretly loved sweet or flavorful food, the sweeter or spicier the better, but he always ate food with less seasonings like his brothers. He took one bite from the raisin cookies and left it, then devoured the chocolate ones with a bright smile.

"Rosabella, from now on, you are my benefactor!"

"... Can I at least have the box back? I guess I'll need another batch for brother Tony." she wasn't sure he heard her, he seemed too absorbed in savoring the tasty treats. She explored the spacious room, playing with whatever she found interesting.

It wasn't until he emptied the whole box into his belly that he realized what Amourora was doing. He could swear his heart stopped, seeing her go through his drawer of letters.

"Rosabella!" he picked her up and threw her into the air, saying in a fake cheerful tone. "I am suddenly feeling queezy, maybe of so much sweets, why don't you ask someone to make tea?"

He snatched the letter in her hand and dumped her out his door. "thanks !"

"my bo—"

"here."

He shut the door and leaned back on it, slowly sliding to the floor. He fanned his sweating face with the letter, breathing out a relieved sigh. That was close! He placed the letter over his thumping heart. It's okay, she doesn't know how to read yet... Right?

'... I don't think she read anything yet...'

'it's fine, she's like, what? Six? She doesn't even know the alphabet.'

'yeah...there's nothing to worry about, she doesn't understand.'

'how could I be so careless! I should put a lock over it.'

The servants wouldn't rummage through his drawers, they would only tidy the pillows and sheets, he doesn't spend much time here, anyways. But seeing her made his heart leap out of his throat. It's still beating fast! If he didn't catch her quickly, what would have happened?

Still, he wanted to check the letters, just in case. He tried to fight against his lips curling into a smile. They froze. Taking a closer look at it, he realized it wasn't his. The envelope wasn't smooth with gray and paige swirls in the corners. Instead, it was comparatively rough, like the ones used by commoners, easily found on the streets, without as much as a dot for extra design.

'what's it doing with the rest of the letters?' he decided to open it and check its content, it didn't have a stamp or seal either way.

The letter inside was short and direct. It didn't say who it's for, but it was clearly meant for him. The mysterious sender sender was A.J., but he never met Anyone with those initials. It couldn't be any of his friends, because the secret writer gave tips about state affairs, and none of his friends knew he was royalty.

Whoever sent it also has access to private information, and knew the way around the imperial palace, if he had slipped into his room without the wall of guards' notice.

Although possible, it is unlikely that the emperor did it. If the emperor knew a solution, he would work on it, especially if it's as risky as this, he won't send him into a fire unprepared.

The empress is a possible suspect. She has managed the imperial palace alone for so long, even if she was the black sheep of the family, it was because everyone else were geniuses in their fields. Anderson was an unrivaled general, Angelina a flower of society, Edgar and Edmund both showed strong potential despite their young age, and the emperor saved the collapsing empire and helped revive it since a young age.

But, no matter how competent his sister in law is, his brother won't let her near complicated state affairs. She wasn't immersed in politics, and even if she was, wouldn't it be more beneficial to support her brother or someone in their faction?

It couldn't be Angelina, either. Anderson and Edward were too far away, and Edgar, despite being a bookworm and brainchild, the idea was never heard of before, so he couldn't have read it off a book. It actually seemed from a commoner's point of view, but the handwriting wasn't sloppy at all. It mirrored a strong man's sharp writing.

'Could it be one of the knights?'

They have access to his room. But knights are trained to weild a sword, not a quill, and taught to use violence instead of peace. He can't think this letter would benefit anyone other than himself, because it clearly states to take full credit for it. His brother might give him more duties if the plan was a success, but he wasn't sure he wanted that.

On the bright side, he could meet Dilara again and have the opportunity to explain he will be away for a while.

"I will use it!" He stated decisively.