Chapter 241 - The King’s Recovery

Redivo felt that a heavy burden was lifted from his chest. 

'They are safe… It is good, they are safe.'

"Inform the Queen secretly about it. Do your best to keep it from the Ninth Prince and his men."

"Yes, sir."

"Do you think they recovered something, Big Brother?"

"I'll doubt it if the only one deciding was Vaughn, but Zenia was with him. I'm sure she wouldn't want to leave empty-handed."

Ruvin sneered at his stupidity. It slipped his mind that Zenia was with Vaughn. He did not ask again and couldn't wait for their return in Tissuria.

King Tarendino was showing significant progress in his recovery. The concubine who colluded with the Left Minister was apprehended immediately. Queen Mina instructed her trusted aides to keep Concubine Hera in the secluded villa that she owned before she married the King of Tissuria. The medical staff was brought along together with Concubine Hera.

The Ninth Prince did not know about the deal between Concubine Hera and the left Minister, but Princess Odette knew all about it. The moment she learned that Concubine Hera had been given permission to visit her maternal family, Odette knew that the Queen had discovered something about Hera. Moreover, the bribed medical staff was also missing. Was it a coincidence? No! Odette was certain that the Queen acted fast.

She had not made her move yet, but the Queen was able to point out the people that they were going to use. Before the Left Minister went to Prazia, he had a deal with Concubine Hera. She came from a declining royal family from a faraway kingdom and was given as a gift to King Tarendino for the sake of uniting the two kingdoms. 

The King immediately neglected her when she lost her child. She bore hatred to Queen Mina because she suspected that the Queen was the one responsible for her loss. At the time, Queen Mina was not favored and remained childless. She did not know when it started, but the King began paying attention to the Queen and even conceived the Crown Prince. Everything went awry when the King met Concubine Jayda.

Even so, she could not forgive the Queen for harming the child in her belly. Concubine Hera and Concubine Jayda bore some similarities in their features. The Left Minister thought that it would be wise to keep Hera by his side as his pawn in case his plan failed. He specifically told her to provide some assistance to Princess Odette.   

Crash!

Odette slammed the teacup on the ground. She bit her fingernail and blurted, "How come the Queen discovered my hidden pawn right away when I have not even made my move yet?"

"Your Highness, how can you be sure that the Queen was the one who discovered it?" Merida, her faithful maid asked Odette.

The Princess glared at Merida and scorned, "Who else is there to act swiftly? Vaughn is not here, and the King has not woken up. Redivo has no authority to move people that fast. I underestimated my adoptive mother."

Merida was one of the few maids with the ability to analyze things. She had always been suspicious of Hera's loyalty and her desire to bring down the Queen. 

"Your Highness, is it possible that Concubine Hera acted on her own?"

"What do you mean?"

"She bore great hatred toward the Queen, and the Left Minister used that to gain her trust. What if she took advantage of the possibility that the King might not wake up again, and everything could be blamed on the Queen?"

"Hmm," Odette looked out the window trying to figure out something and said, "I don't think she will get a lot from implicating the Queen alone. She had been unfavored for a long time and has no authority in the harem. It's impossible for her to replace the Queen. She has no son who can usurp the throne."

"How can she gain favor and kick the Queen out of her position?" Merida asked her master.

Odette's eyes sparkled and seemed to figure out everything. Hera was a scheming b*tch but foolish in many ways. Odette sneered and wanted to verify her hunch.

"Send someone to investigate the deal between the medical staff and Hera. If I'm not mistaken, that medical staff did something to the King's medication on Hera's order."

"Right away, Your Highness."

Merida did not waste a single minute and looked for the Ninth Prince's right-hand man named Olvido. Princess Odette promised Olvido the kind of life that Damien failed to assure him. He also found out that Odette was a better master than Damien. He also noticed that the Left Minister favored his granddaughter more than his grandson.

Olvido was diligent and reliable. Odette never thought that the  gifts  she had given were for naught. Damien did not suspect Olvido at all. He had a poker face, but he could easily show Odette the gentle side of him whenever he talked to her. He had feelings for Odette, but he also knew that it was pointless. However, he still wished to remain by her side and be her source of strength.

"The Princess wants me to investigate the deal between Concubine Hera and that medical staff? But from what I heard, they just suddenly disappeared."

"I only come here to relay the message. How you do it is up to you."

Merida turned around and left Olvido. Damien was having another drinking spree and wished to be left alone. Olvido took advantage of that time to carry out what his beloved Princess Odette asked him to do. He was even willing to kill Zenia Anisen for Odette just to make the Crown Princess position available for her to occupy. A bitter-sweet smile flashed across his lips as he walked out of the Ninth Prince's palace.

* * * * *

Queen Mina was attending to the King when she received Redivo's message about Vaughn and Zenia. The Queen uttered a sigh of relief. She planed to keep the information to herself in the meantime. 

"How long do I need to follow this kind of diet, Doctor Odessa?"

King Tarendino could already sit and walk a bit on his own. Queen Mina had decided to stay by his side. He already knew what happened to him. He told his wife that all through the years ever since he met Concubine Jayda, there were things that he could not remember. Someone kept telling him to change the Crown Prince, but he refused time and again.

King Tarendino did not remember clearly the dealings he made with other kingdoms and all other unscrupulous things that happened during those times when he was not in his right mind. He even forgot the promise he made with his beloved Mina. He could remember the condition involved in the marriage between Vaughn and Zenia as well as some of the things that would be beneficial to Tissuria. He could also remember how his dear son was looking forward to that marriage.

"Your Majesty, it is best to keep following the diet I have given you even if you have fully recovered. The diet plan can help keep your body healthy and energetic. You need to keep drinking the tonic until you don't feel any pain in your upper abdomen."

"But, I…"

The Queen cut off the King's sentence. She knew that her husband was about to protest. 

"Thank you, Doctor Odessa. We will keep everything in mind. I will make sure that the King will follow the regimen that you have recommended."

The Queen signaled her most trusted maid to bring in the gift that she prepared for Odessa. The luxurious box was already enough to be given as a gift. Odessa was certain that the box had the precious item in it.

The Queen handed the box to Odessa and said, "Please, accept this small token of our appreciation. This is not enough to repay all the things that you have done for us."

Odessa stopped the Queen from pushing the box to her.

"Your Majesty, it is my duty to serve and protect you. I must do everything I can to make sure that you are both safe from harm."

Queen Mina put the box on Odessa's hand, "You can regard this as a wedding gift. We wish you a blessed and blissful married life."

Odessa blushed and uttered, "Thank you, Your Majesty. Zander and I will cherish this gift."

"Zander?" King Tarendino suddenly asked his wife.

Queen Mina looked at the King and explained, "Zenzen's Big Brother, Zander Anisen. Their wedding is already set in Ishelon."

"Hmm. I was planning to bestow the title of a Rank One Senior Medical Doctor to Doctor Odessa when I start working again. I guess I should bestow it to you now and announce it when I fully recovered."

Queen Mina looked at Odessa and asked, "What do you think? With your new title and position, Baroness Munchefort's influence will become stronger than ever. She is entitled to have Royal Guards in her manor to protect her."

Odessa looked at the Queen while trying her best to hold back her tears.

"Thank you, Your Majesty. You don't know how much it lifted the burden off my chest just thinking of the way to protect my dear aunt when I get married."

"You will always have a place here in Tissuria, Doctor Odessa. We will always welcome you back when you and your husband have decided to settle down here."

"I will keep that in mind, Your Majesty."

Odessa continued treating King Tarendino, who made huge progress after taking the new elixir that Doctor Hugo, Lewis, and Odessa had concocted. The Mortellium plant was propagating nicely, and Lewis was almost always teary-eyed each time they discovered new things using Mortellium plant. In Odessa's estimate, King Tarendino should be able to return to his usual routine after three days. 

Nine days after Olvido received Odette's order to investigate the deal between Concubine Hera and the medical staff, he finally obtained the answer.