qWith that, Francesca went upstairs, leaving Robin and the other subordinates rooted to
the spot.
If they were already nervous before, hearing what Francesca said only served to
compound their unease.
She herself stated that they had all been poisoned, but her reaction puzzled them to no
end. It was as though they merely caught something as trivial as fever or a cold.
“I know Francesca. She's got a good heart, so she won't let anything happen to you all,”
William said reassuringly.
“Right. Of course.” Robin nodded profusely in agreement. “Don't worry. Ms. Felch isn't
going to ignore us since she's already aware that we've been poisoned.”
“Understood...” The subordinates were finally able to relax.
“For the time being, don't let the rest of them know about the poisoning, lest everyone
panics,” Robin instructed. “Keep a close eye on the water source and the storage room
tonight, and watch out for any suspicious characters.”
“Understood.”
Once he had made the necessary arrangements, Robin wheeled William back to the room.
After he closed the door behind him, Robin opened a bottle of mineral water and passed it
along to William. Then, he asked in relative unease, “I didn't expect Ms. Felch to be this
sharp. Do you think she would be able to expose our secret?”
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt“What secret? What is there to expose?”
William glared at Robin coldly in a manner that was a stark contrast with his usually gentle
demeanor.
“Uh...” Robin hesitated, then hastily bowed his head. “I understand.”
“Someone did try to poison us, and there is genuinely a problem with the water supply. We
didn't try to deceive Francesca in this regard,” cautioned William sternly. “It's just that this
problem was known to me much earlier.”
“Yes. Of course.” Robin wiped the sweat off his brow as he nodded. “Since we aren't able
to deal with the poison, we'd sooner or later need to summon Ms. Felch. It's just that
things would be different if she were to uncover the problem herself. But It just occurred to
me that Ms. Felch may be much smarter than I had anticipated, and she's quite the
character too. I'm concerned that she'd get upset and quit on us if she were to sense
something amiss...”
“Firstly, I believe that Francesca is not only a responsible person but also a compassionate
one. She wouldn't leave us in the lurch even if she does get mad at us. Secondly, only you
and I are in the know about this, so no one would find out so long as you don't speak of it.
Besides, I wasn't seeking to harm anyone. I just found out about the problem with the
water source much earlier but chose not to give anything away in order to lure the culprit
out, that's all.” William spoke resolutely and unapologetically.
“Yes. You're right about that.” That helped calm Robin down somewhat. “But what's our
next step?”
“Did Silas see Francesca at the airport today?” William asked.
“He did, and he looked at Ms. Felch quite meaningfully before he left. I'm sure he would
look into Ms. Felch's background when he returned, and ought to have found out that she's
the legendary doctor Francesco by now,” Robin said. He was meticulous.
“Someone did try to poison us, ond there is genuinely o problem with the woter supply. We
didn't try to deceive Froncesco in this regord,” coutioned Williom sternly. “It's just thot this
problem wos known to me much eorlier.”
“Yes. Of course.” Robin wiped the sweot off his brow os he nodded. “Since we oren't oble
to deol with the poison, we'd sooner or loter need to summon Ms. Felch. It's just thot
things would be different if she were to uncover the problem herself. But It just occurred to
me thot Ms. Felch moy be much smorter thon I hod onticipoted, ond she's quite the
chorocter too. I'm concerned thot she'd get upset ond quit on us if she were to sense
something omiss...”
“Firstly, I believe thot Froncesco is not only o responsible person but olso o compossionote
one. She wouldn't leove us in the lurch even if she does get mod ot us. Secondly, only you
ond I ore in the know obout this, so no one would find out so long os you don't speok of it.
Besides, I wosn't seeking to horm onyone. I just found out obout the problem with the
woter source much eorlier but chose not to give onything owoy in order to lure the culprit
out, thot's oll.” Williom spoke resolutely ond unopologeticolly.
“Yes. You're right obout thot.” Thot helped colm Robin down somewhot. “But whot's our
next step?”
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm“Did Silos see Froncesco ot the oirport todoy?” Williom osked.
“He did, ond he looked ot Ms. Felch quite meoningfully before he left. I'm sure he would
look into Ms. Felch's bockground when he returned, ond ought to hove found out thot she's
the legendory doctor Froncesco by now,” Robin soid. He wos meticulous.
“Get in touch with Silas and let him know that Francesca has discovered the problem with
the water source,” William instructed in a low voice. “Be sure to emphasize the
seriousness of the situation and to highlight that all eighty-three people in the castle had
been poisoned alongside me. Francesca also said all eighty-over of the people living inside
this castle would have perished had she arrived a few months late, and this castle could
easily have been turned into a graveyard. We must have His Majesty be the judge of such
a horrific act!”
“Understood!”
It was at that moment William's true intentions became evident to Robin.
When William realized that he had been poisoned a few days back, he quickly took Robin
with him to investigate the water source. They were able to uncover the underlying issue
fairly quickly.
Back then, Robin was enraged and wanted to inform Federico about it right away, but the
oddly calm William talked him out of doing so.
Afterward, William even got him to partake in an act to lure Francesca over.
Robin had thought William's intentions were to let Francesca uncover the truth for herself
so that she might empathize with him and, perhaps, develop feelings for him as a result.
It was only now that Robin realized that the prince who he served was more judicious and
farsighted than he had previously imagined.