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Chapter 627
Chapter 627: 36 chapters 3 people’s diagonal drama Chapter 627: 36 chapters 3 people’s diagonal drama “`
After Aiwass laid Sherlock down on the bed, he lowered his voice and turned back to look at Isabel: “He’s asleep and can’t hear anything.”
——That was a mystical skill from the Path of Dusk, the “Turtle Breath Skill.”
It allowed one to adjust various bodily indicators to a state of sleep while still maintaining keen awareness of the surroundings.
It wasn’t a profound skill, and could be forcibly executed by mimicking the abilities of a mage.
Isabel was unaware of the existence of this skill.
But she understood what Aiwass meant——he wasn’t actually asleep; he was feigning sleep.
So what am I supposed to act?
Isabel looked at Aiwass with an inquiring gaze and also in a lowered voice: “What should I do then?
And...
...
with Mr.
Hermes injured so badly, how long will he take to recover?”
“At most four to five days, but I hope to heal him by today or tomorrow.”
Aiwass glanced at Isabel and quickly replied.
——He didn’t rule out the possibility of keeping him alive until the end of the ceremony, but it’s also possible to kill him within a day.
“However, before treating him, there’s something else I need to say to you...”
Then, Aiwass gave a respectful bow to Isabel: “Your Highness the Princess...
no, I should now address you as Her Majesty the Queen of Avalon.
Let us talk frankly with each other.”
Isabel’s heart stirred, and her tone grew colder: “What is it, is there something wrong?”
Following Aiwass’s expressions and actions, the tone of Isabel’s impromptu performance turned forceful in an instant.
She knew what Aiwass wanted her to act out.
“I am just a bit confused...
or rather, I suddenly had a thought.”
Aiwass sat on the edge of the bed, lifted his head to look at Isabel, and said softly: “The conspiracy of the Star Antimony, could it have gone a bit too smoothly?”
“...What do you mean?”
“——It’s about the Star Antimony’s plan to replace you with a puppet.
Assassinate Queen Sofia, then arrange a puppet princess to replace the real Princess Isabel...
“This conspiracy, I had previously investigated it with the great detective Mr.
Hermes.
He reported to Queen Sofia, and I wrote to you, but both attempts were blocked.
Yet now I’m wondering if my letter was really intercepted?”
Aiwass gazed intently at Isabel: “I am considering another possibility—that maybe the ‘Isabel tied up’ that Lady Shafiya mentioned was, in fact, the real Isabel?”
“——You mean to say, I’m the puppet?”
Isabel let out a cold laugh: “Why would you think that?”
“Of course, there’s another possibility.
That the ‘Isabel tied up’ is indeed a puppet, but you who have been living in the Hall of Silver and Tin might have been replaced long ago.
Not the original princess.
Only, she was a low-grade puppet with ‘ball joints,’ and you are a technically superior new model puppet.”
Aiwass said earnestly: “After all, as far as I know...
that Princess Isabel was a small, timid girl who had never received the education of a monarch, fragile and naive.
“Don’t you think——it’s too calm how you behaved when Avalon was undergoing drastic changes?”
Indeed.
The counselor lying on the bed thought to himself.
The current Isabel was vastly different from that timid young girl in the impression—she seemed to be even more timid than Aurora, yet now she appeared even more assertive than the Queen Consort herself.
“...So that’s why.”
A look of fatigue appeared on Isabel’s face.
She glanced at Aiwass and said indifferently: “I see what you’re driving at—I accompanied my grandmother to the banquet, and then was persecuted offstage.
Then a new ‘fake Isabel’ appeared.
So if I just fight my way back, anyone would believe I’m the real Isabel.
No one would consider that maybe from the very beginning there were two fake Isabels putting on an act...
You’re smart to think of this.”
“So?
“...Yes.
When we interacted before, I had always believed that ‘Princess Isabel’ was a fragile girl who needed my protection.”
“What a joke.
If I were really so naive, I probably would have died long ago.
If you observed carefully, you would notice that I never dine with strangers—because no one can be fully trusted by me.”
Isabel’s lips curved into a captivating yet emotionally cold smile, “What’s the matter, are you disappointed now?”
She stepped forward, lifting Aiwass’s chin with a finger, “Or is it that...
you like frail and weak little girls so much?
Can’t a true queen touch the heart of dedication in Archbishop Your Excellency?”
Her voice was measured, like the tone of Minister Aiwass during a meeting at the Round Table Hall.
Leaning close to Aiwass’s ear, she whispered softly, “Or should I prove to Archbishop Your Excellency...
that this warm body is not a puppet?”
“...I dare not.”
“I think you’re quite daring.”
Isabel sneered, “Forget those words—Heal Mr.
Hermes’s wounds; we’re preparing to leave.”
Upon hearing this, the counselor could finally confirm...
the information from the “secret chamber” was indeed accurate.
During this promotion ceremony, he indeed collected very important secret intelligence that could not be acquired through normal channels.
The real Isabel was indeed very assertive, just extraordinarily good at disguising herself.
The Transcendents of the Path of Beauty are like that—although some are not good at acting, there are others who are exceptionally skilled performers.
But at the same time, there was a problem with the information—
Because they had vastly underestimated Isabel’s assertiveness and dangerous nature!
A woman who has been disguising herself and playing the fool since she became sensible, what kind of insane actions would she take now that she’s finally stopped pretending and showing her fangs?
—The counselor even entertained a dangerous thought.
Could Emma’s loss of control be a deliberate inducement by Queen Isabel?
She hoped for Emma to lose control and attack her, thus deceiving the Holy Nation into supporting her!
Think about it, if Emma really wanted to kill Isabel, how could Isabel possibly have survived?
Queen Isabel was not even twenty years old; how high could her level as a Transcendent be?
If Emma truly intended to harm Isabel, why would she choose a time when Ligeia was nearby as a guard?
Just the thought made the counselor shudder.
All of this was Isabel’s conspiracy!
Even in this world line, Star Antimony’s plot to assassinate Queen Sofia and replace the false princess in order to attack Avalon...
could also fail.
—Because of that “Ceremony of Avalon’s Shadow”!
If their forces truly reached Glass Island, the ritual could be triggered immediately.
And at this time, Aiwass coincidentally asked, “We indeed need to leave; that Flame Demon is too dangerous...
But where shall we go?”
“Take me to the Holy Nation.”
“Leaving Avalon?
Aren’t we initiating the Ceremony of Avalon’s Shadow?” Aiwass retorted.
“...It depends on the situation.”
Isabel paused for a moment.
—Aiwass implied he wanted to initiate the Ceremony of Avalon’s Shadow?
A flicker of concern crossed her eyes.
But she spoke with enough firmness, “If we truly need that ritual—then we must first report back to the Holy Nation.
We are the victims now, and can gain the support and assistance of the Holy Nation.
But if we preemptively initiate the ceremony, it may not be the case.”
The counselor was struck with realization—indeed!
The Avalonians are too crafty; it certainly is a trap!
We must steer clear of Avalon!
We can no longer provoke this crazy woman!
There are likely new traps waiting for us—