Chapter 247

Chapter 247

“Sir Zion? Ah...”

Isella remembered her last thoughts. Just as she believed she could survive, she was thrown into the water. She remembered the torment of struggling in the endless flood.

“Yes, he saved you. He looked for you all over and, by sheer luck, managed to rescue you.”

“I see...”

Isella touched her neck. It was a miracle that she was breathing. Was it because Zion often walked by the water with her that he could find her? It was fortunate she had been found not long after being kidnapped. A little more time, and she would have died.

“And he killed the man as well.”

“Who?”

“Who else? The man who tried to drown you.”

Isella realized the situation hadn’t been fully understood. Since she had fainted, everyone seemed unaware of what had happened before. Now wasn’t the time to lie leisurely and discuss other matters.

“Father, no, it wasn’t... it wasn’t just that incident.”

“What?”

“I wasn’t thrown into the water right away. I was kidnapped for almost a whole day.”

Isella looked out the window. The morning sunlight was streaming in. It meant she had been kidnapped for at least a day longer. She urgently sat up.

“Yes, I understand you’ve been through a lot. Now, rest. I’ll handle the rest.”

“Yes, Isella. Listen to your father. Come with me.”

“No, I can’t go just yet! Wait, there’s... there’s a real culprit.”

Isella shouted urgently. Her marriage wasn’t the issue right now. Now wasn’t the time to speak so calmly. But Verdic looked at Isella with pity.

“Wouldn’t it be better to discuss bad news later?”

“Yes, rest first.”

Why are they acting like this?

The atmosphere felt strange. Isella looked up at her parents in confusion, but Verdic and Selena still had unclear expressions.

“We want you to rest comfortably. We hope you settle down soon...”

“What?”

It was absurd for Isella to hear such words from parents who openly kept separate lovers, but Verdic and Selena kept talking about different matters, exchanging glances.

“Father, what on earth are you talking about?”

“Haven’t you always wanted to get married quickly?”

That was because she was anxious about where Raymond might go. But that was all in the past. Isella couldn’t understand why her parents were pushing for marriage in this situation. It was so sudden it was bewildering.

“Not just me... there was someone else who was kidnapped too. She might still be alive. We need to save her immediately.”

“Besides you? Ah, you mean Carynne Hare.”

“You knew?”

“Good.”

Verdic looked down at the young knight.

The marriage must happen as soon as possible, and all this must be buried. As far as anyone was concerned, Isella had never been kidnapped.

* * *

“I wasn’t harmed. Are you satisfied? There was a girl who took my place.”

“Isella!”

Isella raised her hand to cover her eyes.

She loved her father. She respected him. She didn’t deny that everything she had was thanks to him. But Isella, despite being warmly dressed, felt her body grow colder at seeing this side of her father.

“Father, you have ties with Crown Prince Gueuze, don’t you?”

Isella remembered that Verdic had connections with the royal family. Verdic never went into details with her, but he often boasted about his business dealings during meals. She recalled that he had bragged about his connections with Crown Prince Gueuze.

“Crown Prince Gueuze kidnapped Carynne and me. Because we witnessed something.”

“Selena, please check if there’s anyone outside the door.”

Selena quietly got up, checked outside, and securely locked the door.

“There’s no one.”

“Good.”

Verdic took Isella’s hand. She looked down at her forcibly held hand and listened to him.

“How did you get involved in such a dangerous situation?”

“Carynne and I went for a walk and ventured too far. We witnessed people disposing of bodies... we were captured and woke up in the palace dungeon.”

She felt nauseous.

“Carynne begged to stay behind in my place, so that man would let me go. But he didn’t actually release me. He and his men tried to kill me.”

“Crown Prince Gueuze wouldn’t do that. The attendant must have misunderstood. It was just an accident.”

“Do you really believe that?”

“Yes.”

Verdic wasn’t surprised. He simply denied it. Crown Prince Gueuze wouldn’t do that? His daughter was kidnapped and returned, and it was just an accident? That wasn’t an accident. Isella couldn’t understand. An accident? She had been kidnapped and returned, yet her father was dismissing it as a mere accident?

It took Isella a moment to understand.

When Verdic said Crown Prince Gueuze wouldn’t do that, he didn’t mean he wasn’t capable of it. He meant he wouldn’t do that to his daughter, Isella.

“...Father, you... you knew?”

“Royalty often have... peculiar hobbies...”

For the first time in her life, Isella felt disgust towards her father.

/subliminalwayfarer