Chapter 535: Perserque

The one born into nobility, specifically as a young noblewoman, faced unimaginable pressure. There were things she couldn't do because of her status and things she had to do for the same reason. Except for a few special cases where they ventured outside, the lives of young noblewomen were extremely monotonous and pressured.

This was why she, a daughter of the Yurbara family, disliked commoners. She envied their freedom, the freedom to abandon unwanted privileges. She despised the foolishness of commoners who, despite having the most precious freedom, yearned to become nobles.

From morning to evening, the weight of her noble responsibilities suffocated her. Hearing commoners, who knew nothing about her life, express envy or admiration for the nobility infuriated her. She disliked those ignorant commoners as well as her parents and fellow nobles who claimed to enjoy such a life. When she saw a child being harshly beaten for a minor mistake at a breakfast etiquette, something twisted inside her. She felt like giving up everything, even life itself.

However, her resolve was shaken by the memory of a boy she saw long ago at a royal banquet. Despite living a life arguably more miserable than hers and knowing his unfortunate circumstances, he did not despair but shone brightly. She wondered how someone who had never left the palace and was powerless could be so affectionate and warm.

[Miss, do you need that? Shall I get it down for you?]

The boy appeared before her as she frantically searched for her scarf, blown away by the wind. He climbed a tree with an agility uncharacteristic of nobility and retrieved her scarf. The pure and friendly smile he gave was something she never saw among nobles, leaving her puzzled about him. Soon, her curiosity turned into a twisted obsession.

"Do you remember me?" she asked Davey cautiously.

Davey remained silent. Of course, he remembered her. He knew her from his investigation of noble families due to Perserque.

The Duke Yurbara's daughter, known for her cold and detached nature. Her cold demeanor was not always so, but her strict family upbringing played a significant role in shaping it. Understanding this dawned on Davey about where Perserque might be.

"I do remember," he admitted.

"I've always wanted to meet you," she said, avoiding eye contact, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

"You wanted to meet me?"

"Yes, for a very long time."

But she felt he was too far out of reach, especially when he was comatose, and even after he woke up, he seemed too distant for her to approach. So, she mustered her courage, sensing this might be her last chance.

"Can you give me a chance?"

"A chance for what, my lady? I don't understand what you mean."

"For a long time... I've watched you from afar! As a powerless lady, I had to put in a lot of effort to be by your side!"

At her frantic plea, Davey was about to respond when his expression suddenly turned icy.

Although the Duke Yurbara's daughter heard nothing, Davey, with his exceptionally sensitive hearing, clearly heard the disdainful words.

"How dare this lowly commoner!"

Who the target was and where and what had happened—even Davey, who had no interest in social circles, inevitably knew.

After a brief silence, Davey said, "The night air isn't always good for health. Please go inside."

Woosh!

She found herself unable to give up and threw herself at him, clinging to him from behind.

"Don't leave, stay with me! I've watched you longer than anyone else! Not some commoner! Give me a chance, just once!"

As she sobbed desperately, Davey called her by name. "Duke Yurbara's daughter."

"..."

Her tearful eyes met his. Despite her soft appearance, she sensed a coldness in his gaze, as if he knew everything.

"Was it unexpected jealousy, or is this your true nature? Quite polite for a scheme."

"Ugh..."

"I warn you."

At his chilling voice, fear crept into her face. Regardless of her reaction, Davey coldly threatened, "It would be wise to let go before I decide to cut off your hand."

Frozen by his words, she watched him disappear before collapsing to the ground.

* * *

What followed was straightforward. Perserque subdued the ladies attempting to harm her with a restrained, murderous intent, causing them to faint.

"It's over. It'll be difficult to investigate quietly now."

The unconscious ladies, including Baroness Isabelle, Countess Asana, and Countess Aserin, couldn't even contemplate getting up.

Perserque woke up Baroness Isabelle using magic and asked her, "Baroness Isabelle, are you conscious?"

"Ah... Ah..." As she looked bewilderedly at Perserque and then at Davey, her eyes widened in terror.

"See, Davey? This is what happens when you instill too much fear," Perserque commented, lightly embracing the trembling Isabelle and dispelling her magic.

Gradually, Isabelle's shivering began to subside.

"Ah... Ah..." she stuttered, clearly terrified.

It became apparent that obtaining accurate information from her would be difficult.

"Over there!"

"Don't let anyone escape!" The guards, seemingly prepared, surrounded the dark forest, disregarding the fact that those present were all daughters of noble families, swords drawn.

"What's going on?" Davey inquired of a man who seemed to be the guard captain.

Instead of replying, the man gestured to his soldiers. "We've received reports of the consumption of a strictly prohibited drug. Please step back, Your Highness."

"A prohibited drug?"

"Moon Honey. Consuming it warrants the death penalty, and even possession incurs severe punishment."

"Hmm, Moon Honey... Such an ill-fitting name," Davey pondered aloud.

The guards quickly bound the unconscious ladies and began moving swiftly.

"Please, save us! Save us!" Baroness Isabelle, the only one conscious, was shocked and did not know how to react to the sudden restraint.

Queen Anisha's birthday banquet had turned into chaos due to the sudden revelation that these noble ladies were consuming Moon Honey, a strictly forbidden narcotic. The report came from an anonymous letter delivered to the royal guards, detailing the involvement of multiple noble ladies, led by the Duke Yurbara's daughter, in the consumption of Moon Honey.

King Krianes was furious upon hearing the news. The banquet was abruptly halted, and the ladies were brought to the hall, tied up. Baris had to scramble around, trying to calm the startled dignitaries from other countries.

The ladies, bound and tearful, seemed utterly confused.

"Your Majesty! The tea tested positive for Moon Honey!" An aristocrat announced after wiping a cup with a special cloth that turned red, astonishing the nobles.

However, the young ladies still seemed unable to grasp the situation.

"Your Majesty, please save us! We really don't know anything about this!"

"Please, have mercy!"

"Silence!!"

King Krianes' enraged expression was something Davey hadn't seen in a long time.

"Speak! Who introduced the Moon Honey?!"

"We really don't know anything! Just..."

Baroness Isabelle's plea was cut short as Countess Asana also cried out in desperation, "Your Majesty, please save us!"

The drug consumption scandal had created a significant uproar. Under such circumstances, it wouldn't be strange for the ladies' noble families to step in.

"Speak, Count! Are you involved in this incident regarding your daughter, Countess Asana, consuming Moon Honey?"

"No, Your Majesty! This is all my foolish daughter's doing!"

"Oh, Father!"

"Silence! You are no longer my daughter for consuming drugs strictly forbidden by the state!"

The nobles swiftly disowned their daughters, including Countess Asana and the others.

"I agree, Your Highness!"

The ladies, despite their upbringing in noble families, were shocked by such blatant abandonment. "If you do not speak now, I will consider all of you as the instigators of this incident and punish you severely according to the law!"

"Your Majesty, please save us!"

"We really don't know anything!"

In fear for their lives, the ladies sobbed and begged for mercy, but the nobles remained cold.

"It was the tea given by Duke Yurbara's daughter! It must have been her tea!" One of the bound ladies suddenly exclaimed in panic.

"What?!"

The Duke Yurbara's daughter, her eyes swollen, shouted in surprise, "What are you saying, Countess Kirina!"

As Countess Kirina's accusation drew attention, Duke Yurbara's daughter desperately tried to defuse the situation, but the other ladies joined in the accusation.

"Yes, Duke Yurbara's daughter said that Perserque has no right to be engaged to Prince Davey as a commoner, and she should be humiliated and expelled from this banquet..."

"Countess Aserin!"

"Did I say anything wrong? Duke Yurbara's daughter herself said that commoners don't belong in the world of nobility! Your Majesty, we did not know anything! Please look upon us with your generous mercy!"

"What does that have to do with this incident?! Don't be misled, this is a frame-up!"

The Duke Yurbara's daughter, overwhelmed by the sudden turn of events, looked around with a pale face, receiving only cold stares. Even her father, the Duke, glared at her sternly.

"I have not raised my daughter this way... Your Majesty, please allow me to handle this. I will judge and punish these heinous criminals justly and coldly."

The Duke of Yurbara was more relentless than the other nobles in pressuring his daughter.

Pale with fear and not knowing what to do, the Duke's daughter screamed out, "It wasn't me! It's true I didn't like Perserque, who suddenly appeared and became close to Prince Davey, but I never planned any violent actions!! And drug trafficking, of all things?!"

"What are the royal guards doing? Seize her immediately!"

The Duke of Yurbara shouted, believing that any further issue might endanger the entire family. He thought every word she uttered could be fatal for their house. He strode toward his daughter, glaring at her. "Worthless girl... I never taught you to be this way!"

"Father..."

"Don't even call me father! Wretched girl! It must be your intent to ruin our house! As if it wasn't enough to insult the one who is to be the prince's wife, calling her unworthy, you went as far as to distribute a forbidden drug?!"

Slap!

"Ahh!"

Struck on the cheek, the Duke's daughter fell to the ground, crying and wailing. "No, it's not true! I didn't do it! Moon Honey, you say? Your Majesty! I am truly wronged. Please, believe me!"

However, the Duke's daughter's desperate cries fell on deaf ears, as no one sympathized with her. It was as if everyone was avoiding her, fearful of being implicated themselves.

"Imprison the Duke's daughter in the dungeon. I will personally interrogate her to find out where this devilish drug came from!"

"Your Majesty! What about the other ladies who took the drug...?"

"Imprison them all in the outer tower of the castle until the whole truth of this matter is revealed! We must root out everyone involved in distributing this demonic drug!"

As King Krianes displayed his anger, Duke Yurbara's daughter was being dragged away by the royal guards. In her desperation, she cried out loudly, pleading for her innocence.

"No, it's not me!! I'm not the one, Your Majesty! Please listen to my words! I'm really not guilty! I'm telling you, I'm not!!"

Her voice was a mix of intense betrayal and sorrow as she was roughly pulled away.

At that moment, when the other ladies were also about to be taken by the guards, Perserque spoke calmly, looking at Davey.

"This isn't what you wanted, right?"

"I initially wanted to investigate this quietly, but I did not expect them to fan the flames from their end. It's unsettling to start on such a note."

"Do you trust me, Davey?"

"Yes."

"Then, you need to capture the informants from the Echo Guild who provided you with the list of nobles and their information," Perserque suggested, referring to the informants sent to Davey by the Echo Guild as a replacement for Aina.

Davey quickly understood what she was implying.

"Was the information false?"

"Baroness Isabelle seemed out of place when the other ladies were acting impulsively."

"Hmm..."

"Some things just don't add up. I'll handle things here. You need to find those informants before they escape."

Perserque, not hiding her breathtaking beauty, confidently addressed the king, "Please halt your decision, Your Majesty."

All eyes turned to her, but Perserque was not the type to flinch at such attention. Even as King Krianes glared at her with a menacing look, Perserque met his gaze with confidence.

For a moment, a charisma, strong enough to overwhelm even a king, emanated from her, leaving the nobles looking at her in surprise. The aura she exuded was unusual for someone of commoner origin, which began to raise questions about her background.

"Please postpone your decision for now."