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Chapter 1329
Chapter 1329
Strangely, the movements that had been occurring every night suddenly stopped.
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Violet and her group went to investigate, only to find that the Willowbrook Estate was eerily quiet. There wasn’t a single patrol guard, and the servants had all gone to bed early.
Everyone had a strange feeling that something was wrong with Willowbrook Estate. It seemed like it was covered by a thin veil. If they could just lift it, they would see what was really going on.
The problem was, where was this veil?
It felt close, yet far away. They couldn’t figure out the right approach.
Meanwhile, Hayden continued his usual routine–eating, drinking, and occasionally going out. He would take Violet and the others with him to dine, drink, listen to music, watch plays, and sip a little wine. Then, he would return home in a slightly tipsy state as the evening sun set.
His days were nothing but leisure, completely unaffected by the turmoil at court or the wars beyond. He often boasted to Gordon and Sonny, “The life I’m living is far more comfortable than the king’s.”
Gordon would always smile and agree, “You’re right, Your Highness.”
However, Violet felt that living in the estate hadn’t allowed her to uncover anything of note. Days were spent following Hayden from one indulgence to the next, and she had gained two pounds in the process. It felt like wasted time, with no progress on the matters at hand.
Looking back, Violet thought that Hayden’s invitation to stay might have just been a polite gesture. Maybe she and Carissa had overthought it. At present, Violet didn’t feel that Hayden wanted to use her or needed any help from her.
She discussed with Bun and Cynthia the idea of returning to Hell Monarch Estate.
However, Bun remained suspicious of the things at Willowbrook Estate. “We haven’t even figured out the food issue yet. Also, do you remember when we arrived, there were a lot of people moving around outside? Where did they all go? Doesn’t it feel like something is happening right under our noses, can’t see it?”
Cynthia rested her chin on her hand and frowned in thought. “But we haven’t found anything, and Prince Hayden hasn’t said anything to us. We’re just here to eat and drink.”
“Now it’s like we can’t leave, but we also can’t stay,” Bun said. “It feels like there’s something here, and we won’t feel right if we don’t figure it out.”
Violet suddenly looked up at Bun, her expression sharp. “If it seems like there’s something, could it be that someone wants us to see it on purpose? The flaws are too obvious, but after it was exposed, they’ve patched everything up, not letting us see anything.”
Bun rubbed his temples, his lean face taking on a hint of resolve. “You’re right. But who made this flaw? Was it Prince Hayden? If it’s him, why not just tell us directly?”
“Because,” Violet continued, following his train of thought, “he wants us to find something, just enough to keep us here. If we don’t get the answer, it will gnaw at us, and we won’t leave.”
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Chapter 1329
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Cynthia frowned. “In short, he still wants to keep us here. But why? People always have a reason for what they do. He can’t just want to keep us around for fun like he’s a child, right?”
The three of them pondered, deep in thought, but none of them could figure it out. So, they decided to head to the Capital Guard headquarters to seek out Carissa.
When they arrived, Carissa was still sitting with Rafael’s letter, reading it over and over. The seal had been broken and re–waxed, so Rafael must have anticipated that Salvador would see it.
Since there was only this one letter, she needed to carefully consider every word to see if Rafael had left any hidden hints.
to take care of herself, warned her
But no matter how many times she read it, all she found were the usual words of concern. He asked her
that the weather would soon get hot, and advised her to place ice beside her when sleeping at night. He cautioned against drinking too many cold beverages in the summer, as it could upset her stomach.
The letter also reminded her to avoid rivers and dangerous areas while on patrol.
Did he think she was a child?
Nothing was mentioned about the situation at the Southern Frontier, likely because it was in the formal reports sent to Salvador.
When Violet and the others arrived, Carissa was still focused on the letter. She didn’t even notice when Violet leaned in to peek.
“To my beloved?” Violet read aloud and chuckled softly. “How cheesy.”
Carissa kicked her and quickly put the letter away. “Get lost!”
Bun burst out laughing. “My beloved? Why not ‘my darling wife‘? That’s hilarious!”
Cynthia kicked Bun next. “Between those two, I prefer my beloved‘. Got a problem with that?”
Bun jumped, clutching his legs in mock defense. “No problem! None at all!”
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