Villain, Let Me Touch You! - Chapter 119
Helios needed an ally. He couldnât protect Rienna alone.
Who could possibly help him?
It was hard to find someone he could trust in his small circle of relationships.
Moreover, the imperial palace was full of those whose eyes were bloodshot, each ready to consume the other.
Eat or be eaten.
In such a barren environment, it was hard to extend a hand in good faith.
And to protect Rienna, he needed someone with power â someone who held as much or more influence than he did.
So, he could only count on a few candidates.
The Marzov family or perhaps Demyr would be the best options.
The idea of seeking help from the Emperor was long discarded.
The Emperor didnât spare a single thought for Helios. Such a person would never offer assistance.
“Duke Marzov…”
Helios thought of him. Judging by the lack of any memorable impressions, he seemed neither good nor bad.
But he did have a clear memory of his son, Carsey.
The commander of the 2nd Cavalry Regiment.
With a tall, imposing figure, a disciplined face, and impressive skills that could have easily earned him a spot in the Sun Knights, he was a man of considerable ability.
What if he were to ally with him?
As Helios imagined it, a deep wrinkle appeared between his brows.
The image of Rienna standing side by side with him came to mind.
“Doesn’t suit her.”
Helios dismissed the idea of seeking help from the Duke Marzov and turned his thoughts toward Demyr.
“Demyr likes Rienna.”
If he said that to Demyrâs face, the woman would likely make a face as if sheâd just chewed on a bug, but from a step back, it was clear.
She clearly liked Rienna.
And there was one thing common between Helios and Demyr.
âWe both donât like Priscilla.â
Helios decided to go see Demyr. He immediately called for Vincenzo.
âWhereâs Demyr?â
***
After finishing Benz’s consultation, I stepped out into the corridor, where Jamie was waiting for me. Her face was unusually pale.
âIs something wrong?â
Jamie, holding the bag of medical tools, rolled her eyes and scanned the surroundings before whispering softly as she walked away.
âThe maid⌠sheâs dead.â
The maid Jamie was referring to was the laundry room maid I was planning to meet.
âHow did you find out?â
âVincenzo told me. His Highness asked me to check in secret since you werenât allowed to leave. But it seems like His Highness already knew.â
The reason Helios had forbidden me from going out was because he was worried that the maidâs death might trouble me.
âIt seems like the maid did bring in the snake.â
The person who tried to kill me is dead, and I survived. I should feel relieved, but instead, I felt frustrated.
Her death made catching the real culprit even harder.
âThereâs no evidence, and now the witness is gone.â
She didnât just disappear. Priscilla must have made her vanish.
Even though she was a maid, she was still a person. How could it make sense to throw her away like a chess piece?
A fleeting, forbidden thought crossed my mind: if I had died, would she have lived?
I squeezed my eyes shut and took a deep breath, trying to push the bad thoughts away.
Whether I lived or died, if it was Priscilla, she would have severed all connections with the dead maid. That was the logical conclusion.
It wasnât my fault.
The fault was all Priscillaâs.
âSo we canât investigate anymore?â
âThey’re almost certain it was him, but the man seems to have disappeared, and Vincenzo says they’ll have him in 24 hours.â
âMilchin? So it looks like theyâre settling on him as the culprit?â
Jamie nodded, but her trailing words made it clear that even she was not convinced by how the case was wrapping up.
If things continued this way, only Priscilla would benefit in the end.
Heliosâs departure from the hunting grounds had made the Emperor uneasy.
Coincidentally, the suggestion to pass on the reception of the Byzantian delegation to Macaulay had come up.
Priscilla must have stirred things up among the nobles.
What an impressive person. Amidst dealing with the snake incident, she was still playing political games.
Or maybe she just thought little of me and Helios.
She was clearly confident that with the solid evidence, the case would be closed with the culprit as decided.
I hated fighting with those in high places, but it had become unavoidable.
