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Nardodia

In one room of an inn, Theo was meeting General Randal again. Though the two friends worked together and shared about their investigations almost every day, it's hard to find any clue.

"Minister Colson is busy with supervising the raise in tax," the General said to his friend. "He rarely went to other places and even those places are not suspicious at all." He paused and said, "Do you still believe that he must be getting involved? There are also many other officials who can do this."

"No matter how much I think about it, there is no official who will want His Highness dead," Theo stated with a troubled face. As he had no evidence, he was struggling but... he still believed that if it was the doing of someone from Nardodia, it must be Colson Leland.

General Randal stared at his friend for a while and nodded. "Fine. In a week, I will be returning to the camp with the grains I collected. I will continue to keep an eye on the Minister till then."

"Thank you, Randal. I really appreciate it."

The General flashed a small smile. "Stop thanking me. It's for His Highness and that means it's my duty too."

* * *

General Trevor had already arrived at the palace with the corpse of the King. The whole Jerivia was mourning for their King and a funeral was held in the huge hall inside the palace. The officials and the high-ranking military officials from various private armies were in attendance, paying their last respect to their late King but...

The Queen was nowhere to be seen.

"Father, doesn't anyone know the whereabouts of Her Majesty?" General Trevor asked his father who was standing beside him. "In two days, the mourning will be over but if she's not here, everything will be a mess."

"She's been missing for days now, Trevor. She disappeared right after you left with His Majesty and even before we heard the news of His Majesty's death, we already look for her," Minister of War Edin said and sighed. "The soldiers are still looking for her. Let's hope that we will find her soon."

The moment the Minister of War finished talking, the door to the huge hall was suddenly opened and the Queen arrived with Aziel right behind her. In an instant, all eyes were on the young Queen who appeared to be devastated.

"Your Majesty."

Athena neglected all the stares and walked straight to the platform where the coffin was kept. The officials and military officers bowed when she walked past them but she didn't even seem to notice it. Her gaze was on the coffin all the time!

Athena stood near the opened coffin and glanced down at her lifeless husband lying inside. She reached out her shivering hand and touched his face. Once she did that and felt his body, tears rolled down her face.

This wasn't how she was expecting to see him again.

He said to talk when he returned but... this was it?

How was she supposed to talk to a dead person who can't even answer her?!

When he was adamant about joining the war, this was what she feared. Maybe because she believed that the Qalagon Queen won't let him do that, she was scared for his life.

What she feared really came true.

Suddenly losing all her energy, Athena abruptly sat on the floor and her body pressed against the coffin of her husband while Aziel stood still on the side, watching over her.

No matter what kind of person Zaro Aventine was, she still loved him. Ever since she first set her eyes on him when she came to Jerivia as an envoy, he had a special place in her heart and that never once changed!

Back then, he was still a kind-hearted and innocent Crown Prince who wasn't tainted by darkness. She had never seen a Crown Prince with such traits and it instantly drew her to him. However... those traits were gone in a short amount of time and... it was the exact thing that led him to his death!

*

It was afternoon when Athena arrived but when she finally tried to get back on her feet, the sun already set.

As she sat beside the coffin for hours, it was hard for her to even get back on her feet. As such, Aziel rushed to her and helped her up.

A few minutes passed and the Queen was in her chamber with the Prime Minister, Minister of War and General Trevor.

The attention of the three men was on the young Queen who sat on the couch with a pale face. With the Prime Minister sitting on her right and the Minister of War on her left, the two men exchanged glances with each other, unsure of what to do or say.

After what felt like hours, the Queen finally spoke up but... her words were directed to General Trevor who was standing on the side.

"Tell me what happened."

General Trevor let a few seconds pass before he bowed his head and said, "We suffered an ambush in the Mane Valley, Your Majesty. We were all surrounded and... everyone died. Only I survived."

"Is it the Queen of Qalagon?"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

When silence occupied the chamber, General Trevor squeezed his clothes and eventually dropped to his knees. "His Majesty took his own life, Your Majesty. I was taken away when it happened but... " He fell silent when he saw the shock on his father and the Prime Minister's face.

It's his first time saying that and... maybe it was beyond their imagination! Nevertheless, the Queen didn't even seem to be surprised.

"I don't know the details, Your Majesty. Please forgive me," the General continued in a low voice.

Queen Athena maintained her silence for a few more seconds before she said, "Did the Queen of Qalagon have any words for me?"

General Trevor was rendered tight-lipped by the Queen's question.

Why did she talk as if she was expecting this to happen?!