Chapter 249 - The Big Day (Part 2)

"Lewis Cordove?" Renaria asked as she tried to recall the name.

"Mother…" Zenia and Odessa uttered at the same time.

Both women looked at each other and chuckled. Zenia decided that it was best for her to explain everything to Renaria.

"Mother, he is the Head Pharmacist of Tissuria and sister-in-law's sworn brother. He helped us cure Doctor Hugo."

"Hmm, is that so? He must've come all the way here to attend Odessa's wedding," Renaria opened the door and told the steward, "Let the gentleman come in and lead him to the receiving area. We will go there to welcome him."

"Yes, Madam."

The steward informed the guard to lead Lewis to the receiving area. The guard obeyed and let Lewis in. While he was walking, Lewis couldn't help but be stunned at the things in the Anisen Manor. Everything seemed simple from the outside, but it was completely different in the inside.

The manor was lavishly decorated without going overboard. It made the whole place warm and comfortable. Everything was well-coordinated to make anyone feel at ease. He could even smell the scent of different flowers and herbs. The nice blending of scents made him feel so relaxed to the point where he wanted to just lie down and sleep then and there.

The steward led Lewis to a seat and told him, "Gentleman, please wait here for a while."

Lewis nodded his head and took his seat. After some time, the steward came back with a pot of freshly steeped tea and some pastries. Lewis felt like he was in a first-class café when he tasted the pastry and sipped his tea. The tea and pastry were well-matched.

He looked like a little boy enjoying an afternoon snack when Renaria, Zenia, and Odessa saw him. Lewis was unaware that the people he came to seek were already there in the room.

Odessa felt embarrassed when they saw that scene and shouted, "Lewis, what brings you here?"

Odessa intentionally made her voice loud to startle Lewis and make him go back to reality. Odessa knew that Lewis' mind was beginning to wander off somewhere far away.

The pastry in Lewis' hand fell when he heard Odessa's voice. Odessa covered her face with her hand when she saw what happened. Zenia gawked at Lewis while Renaria tried to suppress her laughter.

Lewis stood up quickly when he finally noticed the women. He did not even bother wiping the crumbs from his mouth. Odessa motioned him to wipe his mouth. Lewis could not understand her hand gestures and looked at Odessa with furrowed brows.

Odessa put her hand on her mouth and wiped it slowly, and she glared at Lewis for acting like a fool.

Lewis went, "Oh," and wiped his mouth vigorously.

He dusted off the crumbs that fell on his clothes and straightened his coat. He ran his fingers through his hair to comb it, and he flashed a smile.

"Greetings Madam Anisen, I am Lewis Cordove, one of Prince Vaughn's most trusted friends, Crown Princess' new friend, and Odessa Munchefort's sworn brother. I apologize for barging in like this, but I've been trying to catch up with your carriage ever since you left Tissuria. Please allow me to attend my sworn bro…sister's wedding."

Renaria was completely dumbfounded and wanted to laugh out loud, but she did her best to restrain herself. It had been years since she last saw and heard such declaration and action. Odessa was touched but still had an urge to smack Lewis' head.

"You come here like this did you ask permission from Queen Mina? Who will take care of the Royal Apothecary in your absence? What about the King's medication? Are you INSANE?!"

Zenia could no longer hold it in. She knew that Lewis could be muddle-headed and impulsive sometimes.

"Doctor Hugo already volunteered to take care of things for me. No one will go to the Royal Apothecary because I already posted a notice that I am on the verge of discovering something. My trusted assistant knows what to do. I did not leave just like that without proper instructions."

Lewis pouted as if he was wronged. Zenia wanted to hang Lewis on the wall and shook him to get back to his senses.

"How did you know about the wedding?"

"Odessa mentioned it to me before, but I don't know when it will be held."

"How did you know that they left for Ishelon?"

"One of my new assistants informed me."

Zenia glared at Lewis for his lack of tact. That assistant could be a spy that the Ninth Prince had planted. The Main Palace was not divulging anything about the King's condition, and the medications must come from the Royal Apothecary.

"Guard!" Zenia shouted at the top of her voice using her authoritative tone.

Someone rushed to her side – it was one of the Anisen Manor's secret guard.

"Yes, Junior Commander."

"Send a message to Luna Inn and tell them to intercept anyone coming to or going from the Royal Apothecary. They need to find the spy that the Ninth Prince has planted, and they need to eliminate him at all costs."

Odessa and Lewis shuddered when they heard Zenia's order. They winced, even more, when they heard the secret guard's nonchalant reply.

"Yes, Junior Commander. I will make sure they get it immediately."

"Do you think that spy already reported everything to the Ninth Prince?" Renaria asked Zenia casually.

"I think he will gather more information inside the Royal Apothecary. No one knows how fast we can transfer a message. He might be taking his sweet time after he got rid of Lewis."

"Will it put Doctor Mion in danger?"

"I don't think so, Mother. Doctor Hugo already learned his lessons and will not trust anyone immediately. He can always use poison to kill his enemy when necessary."

Lewis and Odessa wanted to faint when they heard the conversation between mother and daughter. Odessa felt like she was experiencing something outrageous. They just had a lively mealtime and now the mother and daughter were discussing eliminating someone as if it was an ordinary subject to tackle.

Zenia turned to Odessa and uttered, "I will ask for sister-in-law's understanding, but we really need to perform the wedding ceremony right away. We need to take Lewis back to Tissuria immediately."

"W-why? I just got here," Lewis protested with all his might.

Zenia walked to him and stressed out each word on his face, "You just put your kingdom in a tougher situation."

Lewis turned pale and realized what just happened. He did not find the assistant's action as something suspicious because he was excited to attend Odessa's wedding and to visit Ishelon. It was the assistant who prepared his carriage for him and got him the fastest horse.

Lewis slumped back to his seat and began to sweat a lot. Odessa tried to console Lewis, and Renaria ordered some maids to prepare a room for him. Zenia did not dawdle any longer and went out of the manor to find her Big Brother.

Zenia asked where her Big Brother went, and the maids informed her that he went out together with Vaughn. She had an idea where her Big Brother could've taken her husband. She whistled, and Thunderbolt came running to her side.

The guards opened the gates quickly when they saw Thunderbolt rushing toward them. They knew that their Young Miss must be going out to look for his Big Brother and her husband.

It didn't take long before Zenia found Vaughn and Zander. It was a good thing that she had decided to go to the Jubilant Tavern first. She saw an empty bottle of wine on their table. She let out a sigh of relief and was certain that they had just begun their drinking spree. It was still early, and it would be easy to make changes in the plan.

Zander saw Zenia coming and immediately thought that something must've happened in the manor. He stood up abruptly, and it startled Vaughn.

Zenia sat down beside Vaughn and said, "Take your seat, Big Brother. We need to discuss something."

She began explaining about Lewis' arrival and the possibility that the new assistant was a spy planted by the Ninth Prince. She also told them that she already sent a message to Luna Inn to eliminate the spy to stop him from relaying any information to the Ninth Prince.

"That Lewis… He did not even suspect that it might be a trap?" Vaughn was furious.

Zenia shook her head, "He must've been too excited to travel to Ishelon that he overlooked it. Although I think that the spy is yet to inform the Ninth Prince, who knows what kind of information he gathered already? It's too risky to let him live."

"I agree with Zenzen. We need to eliminate him right away."

Zenia turned to her Big Brother and said, "I will trouble you, Big Brother, to perform the traditional sword dance now so we can proceed with the wedding."

Zander looked at his sister with a ghastly expression on his face, "Do I still need to do it?"

"You have to! What will sister-in-law think about you the moment she learns how important it is for the people of Ishelon to perform the sword dance?"

"What's the importance of that sword dance?"

Zenia looked at Vaughn and explained, "It's actually a courtship dance in Ishelon. The groom should perform the dance in front of his bride before the actual wedding ceremony takes place. It's a very solemn ritual."

Vaughn fell silent and thought for a while. He never did such a thing in front of Zenia and wondered whether she was also expecting to receive one from her groom. 

"Did you ever dream of going through that ritual when you get married?"