You all are obliged to me [Bonus chapter]

Christian crumbled the paper and continued, "Maurice, I may not be loyal to my Queen, but I was always loyal to my son. No matter how many times conflict arises between us, in the end, we understand each other. I hope you deliver this message to Ariane," he asserted.

Maurice gazed at the King for a brief moment. "Yes, Your Majesty," he said.

"I know what you are scared of," Christian said.

Maurice stopped blinking his eyes for a brief moment.

"I tasked Prince Édouard to find the past. My brother and his wife died in a deadly fire, which was definitely not my order. Oliver could never betray me but I have no trust in you. So, if you had your hand in that, you must come clean before me," Christian warned Maurice.

"I was not the one, Your Majesty," Maurice said.

Christian noted his confident tone and dismissed Maurice.

He stood up and bowed to the King. "May I ask His Majesty a question?" Maurice asked while keeping his gaze low.