Chapter 199 Who helped you?

Translator Yue

Igor snapped back to the present and clenched his teeth. He didnt want to remember what had happened later. Just thinking of that made his heart hurt.

Youve always been nasty and dishonest. Youve had a different life this time, but Im astonished youve still changed so little. Had I known youve have done something like this, Id have killed you when I had the chance six years ago.

Your Majesty, what?

Igor freed himself from her grip, making Leticia fall to the ground. He raised from his seat and approached her. She was shivering from fear on the ground, and Igor simply kept looking at her like a pathetic insect. Only then did she realize hed had no interest in her all along. No, worse than that. He loathed her.

This was their first meeting, she was sure of that. Then, how could he feel such deep hatred against her?

Igor ducked in front of her. That simple movement froze her to her bones.

Who saved your life? Who helped you into the palace? he asked, whispering.

If you dont want to talk, I dont mind cutting off your fingers one by one.

Igor looked at Leticias body up and down, slowly. That gesture made Leticia realize the hidden real nature of this man. Was he that cruel to Rihannan in private, as well?

His face, which gave off a gentle, kind impression, was nothing but a faade. What hid behind that mask was nothing more than a cruel beast lurking in the shadows. His cold purple eyes filled with ill-will bore into hers.

How could she not see this before?

His face seemed ready to jump on her with sharp fangs and claws, wishing to tear her apart. Leticia was frozen, unable to say anything. Her lips were trembling.

Igor grabbed the knife he had hanging on his hip and fixed his gaze on her. If you dont want to talk after Ive cut off your fingers, Ill rip your eyes out and pull off your limps, one by one. That useless tongue of yours will be the last to go.

With a quick movement, he took hold of Leticias hand and pinned her to the ground. Before he could stab her finger with his knife, Leticia yelled, horrified.

Someone working with Count Clovis helped me.

Count Clovis?

Leticia hurriedly nodded her head.

After saving me from the carriage, he took me elsewhere

Where?

I dont know. Someplace completely surrounded with huge trees

Holding back her sobs, Leticia kept talking.

He took me there, and then he told me hed help me get revenge on the Queen. Hed already had everything prepared for me to stalk into the Palace. So, please, dont do this to me and go talk with Count Clovis instead. Im sure he knows everything.

In truth, Leticia didnt know anything about that man. Not his name, not even his face.

I honestly dont know anything else. Im saying the truth

Leticia sobbed and cried. She was trembling in fear thinking her answer wouldnt be considered enough and therefore hed actually cut off her finger this time. Fortunately for her, once Igor let go of her hand, she immediately got away from him by sprinting to the corner of her cell and curling up into a ball.

youd better be telling the truth. If we find out you are lying, Ill make you experiment exactly what Ive just said.

Leticia nodded pitifully with her head. After Igor left her prison, she crumbled to the ground. She realized only then that shed had been containing her breath all this time.

She realized too late that she should have never laid her hands on him.

***

When Igor left prison, Basil hurried to his side.

You Majesty, how was your tal-

When Basil saw Igors expression, his mouth froze. Igor had a visage hed never seen before in his life. A face void of emotions, with eyes so shadowed they were almost completely dark. Basil felt as though he was seeing someone elses face.

Basil suddenly realized he had actually seen the same expression in someone elses face in the past; specifically speaking, the people whod come back alive from horrible warzones. People who had to cut down others till they didnt think of them as human beings anymore, but simple pieces of meat, finally losing all vestige of their humanity.

Igor had that expression on his face now. He felt a cold shiver running down his spine.

Your Majesty?

Hearing Basils voice, Igor blinked very slowly. Little by little, light came back to his eyes.

Your Majesty did something happen in there?

No. Theres no need to worry

His face went back to his old self, so Basil sighed, relieved.

She said someone working with Count Clovis helped her.

Someone working for Count Clovis? So shes trying to say Count Clovis requested that? But Leticias order of arrest was given when the Count was in prison, he didnt have time to do anything.

We have to find that out from now on.

Actually, Id gathered all of Count Clovis servants and inquired about the past. They said someone who looked like a mercenary recently visited Count Clovis mansion, so maybe it was him who helped Leticia.

A mercenary, uh

If hes really a mercenary, then hed have already left long ago. Thats how they would usually operate. Well continue investigating, but there wont be any more immediate threats to the Queen, so you dont have to worry.

People only hire mercenaries for two reasons. Either as bodyguards, to protect someones life, or to hurt someone else. As soon as they finished their part of the agreement, mercenaries would hide while avoiding being linked to the incident. People who worked only for money would usually behave that way.

Actually, theres one more thing I should tell you.

Basil took something out of his pocket and showed it to Igor. In the palm of his hand, there was a small stone that shone with a white light.

this is an Arc Stone

This stone was hidden in the wall cracks around the Queens quarters.

Igors expression turned stone cold. He knew many things about Arc Stones, so he understood what would happen if they were planted in such places.

They wanted to plant explosives in the Queens Palace? They were aiming at Rihannan?