Chapter 487 Jealousy
Upon Catherine heard Paxtonâs explanation, her eyes sparkled with curiosity.
âWell, this story is unexpectedly intriguing. Itâs more captivating than some period dramas penned by those boring playwrights.â
Paxton was surprised that Catherine had the inclination to jest about such matters. Currently confined within the palace, every time they mentioned leaving, the king presented various reasons to convince them to stay.
If sweet words didnât work, heâd resort to spending exorbitant sums.
In their eyes, Catherine had now become the lifeline for the entire royal family. After learning about the queenâs curse, Catherineâs interest was piqued by another matter.
She raised an eyebrow at Paxton, who instantly felt a chill running down his spine. The voice that spoke again was almost trembling.
âMiss Swann, feel free to ask if you have any concerns!â
As long as he didnât have to endure that terrifying look, he was ready to do anything for her!
Catherine raised an eyebrow, her tone calm and unhurried. âDonât be alarmed, itâs nothing serious. Since you seem to excel at gossip, letâs just chat for a bit!â
Paxton felt a rush of despair in his heart. Just chatting for a bit? That attitude alone was enough to suffocate him.
Could she please not chat with him?
Catherine rested her arm on the armrest, absentmindedly tapping it as she asked, âWho is Prince Harry?â
âPardon me, Miss Swann, but may I ask why youâre inquiring about him?â Paxton looked at Catherine with a touch of suspicion.
Catherine gave him a sidelong glance, nearly causing Paxton to kneel in fear.
He immediately realized his mistake.
He hastily apologized, âMiss Swann, I was wrong.â
After a slight reprimand, Paxton knew better than to cross her again.
He understood that displeasing Mr. Duncun was less dangerous than offending the woman in Mr. Duncunâs heart.
Offending Mr. Duncun might result in punishment, but upsetting Mr. Duncunâs beloved could lead to permanent exile.
Paxton had diligently gathered information, even about peripheral figures within the royal family. One such figure was Prince Harry.
He was the kingâs thirteenth son, commonly known as Prince Harry. In a culture that found the number thirteen unlucky, this prince did not enjoy the kingâs favor.
Furthermore, Prince Harryâs mother came from a humble background, making him a less influential member of the royal family.
An unfavored prince, compounded by a less influential maternal lineage.
In this powerful royal family, the underprivileged Prince Harry naturally found himself on the fringes. Rumors had it that he had been once exiled for offending Queen Lina.
It wasnât until the kingâs birthday that he had been granted amnesty and allowed to return to Ravenloth. However, even back in Ravenloth, his status remained low, and he was not held in high regard.
âMiss Swann, this is all the information we have at the moment. Thereâs no data available about what this prince experienced during his exile. If you wish, I can arrange further investigation,â Paxton explained.
Catherine did not respond.
But the silent man beside her suddenly spoke, âGo ahead and investigate this prince.â
Seemingly anticipating Catherineâs next move as if he could read her thoughts, he took care of things for her without her having to say a word.
âYes.â
After Paxton left, the man took Catherineâs hand and gently kissed it.
âWhy the sudden interest in this person?â he inquired.
Catherine raised an eyebrow, her gaze filled with mischief.
âIs it wrong to find him cute?â
The man immediately tightened his strong arm and brought Catherine closer, shortening the distance between them.
He possessed a face as exquisite as a sculpted masterpiece, with well- defined and deep-set features. His eyes, particularly, were captivating weapons, gazing directly into Catherineâs soul.
âBetter looking than me?â
Facing the solemn question from the man, Catherine pretended to give it serious consideration for a while. She responded, âHmm⦠I suppose he falls a bit short compared to you!â
Hearing her answer, the man finally looked relaxed again.
This girl had learned how to tease him.
As the time was drawing near, Catherine prepared to leave.
âWithal, please inform the attendants and arrange our travel documents,â she instructed. Withal set aside his work and promptly stood up.
âAlright!â
Even before Withal could step out of the doorway, the chief attendant hurriedly entered and found Catherine.
âDoctor, itâs urgent! Please come over right away!â
This level of urgency was unprecedented compared to this morning when Henry fell ill.
Noting the gravity of the chief attendantâs demeanor, Catherine asked, âIs it about the king?â
The chief attendant shook his head and replied, âNo, itâs not the king! Itâs Prince Levi!â
Upon hearing his words, Catherine knitted her eyebrows.
Prince Levi was the heir to the throne of Ravenloth and the son of Queen Lina.
No wonder the chief attendant was in such a hurry, for he was the heir to the throne and the beloved queenâs son. If anything were to happen, it would be trouble for the entire Ravenloth Palace.
Catherine quickly grasped what was going on.
âPrince Levi wasnât listed as one of the ailing members, was he?â Catherine questioned. She had received a list of the sick members from the royal family before, and even though she had just glanced at it, she remembered the names of the people listed.
But Prince Levi wasnât on that list!
The chief attendant nodded, confirming Catherineâs observation. â Youâre right, Miss Swann. Prince Levi, indeed, wasnât part of the initial group of patients. The royal family takes extreme precautions to protect the crown prince and isolates him from other members. However, accidents do happen. When Bert passed away, the physician suddenly discovered that Prince Levi was also ill!
âAnd Prince Leviâs condition seems more severe than others. He was diagnosed as soon as he fell ill, and his symptoms are identical to Henryâs,â the chief attendant added.
Catherine furrowed her brows. There was something unusual about Prince Leviâs illness. Although she didnât believe in the supernatural, she couldnât help but think of the queenâs curse.
Seeing Catherine lost in thought, the chief attendant couldnât wait any longer.
He urged, âHis Majesty and others are waiting for you, Doctor. Please come with me right now!â
Catherine had initially intended to leave the palace, but it seemed she couldnât escape this time.
The task was getting more intriguing.
She wondered what astonishing revelation would come when the mystery unraveled.
Catherine followed the chief attendant to the door of Prince Leviâs chamber.
A crowd of priests gathered and prayed together at the door, making it look quite grand.
Catherine glanced at the scene and faintly smiled. Then, she followed the chief attendant into the chamber.
Inside the chamber, a considerable number of people had gathered, and even the king was present, which indicated Prince Leviâs importance.
Beside the elderly king stood a woman who appeared mature in age but impeccably preserved. Her beauty was accentuated by meticulously applied makeup on her exquisite face.
She adorned herself with numerous precious jewels, radiating an air of opulence and exuding a powerful presence.
If Catherineâs guess was correct, this should be the king of Ravenlothâs favorite woman, Queen Lina!