Nyssa pov

    :

    b99 /b

    E55 vouchers

    Everyone deserved a second chance. After all, I had been given one by the moon goddess, to make things right in this lifetime. So, I decided to extend the same to the culprit: the chance bto /bstep forward now, on her own, before I called her out.

    It was simple.

    If she came out willingly, I wouldn’t do anything to her. Of course, she’d lose her job, Darius would never let her stay in the packhouse after what she’d done but that would be the end of it. If she didn’t, then punishment would be unavoidable.

    Another reason I was doing this was because I couldn’t shake the memory of how terrified Serena had been when she was dragged to the dungeon. I didn’t want to send someone there unless I absolutely had to.

    So even as everyone turned to me, suspicion flickering in their eyes about whether I truly knew the culprit, I didn’t flinch, didn’t move, didn’t give anything away.

    Instead, I raised my voice just enough for everyone to hear.

    “I know who the maid was, the one who lured me into that room earlier today. But I want you to step forward yourself, admit your mistake, speak the truth, and ask for forgiveness. If you do, I won’t pursue the matter further. The king has already granted me the right to punish the culprit myself, so don’t think I’m bluffing. I won’t let this spiral out of hand… however—”

    My words trailed off as my gaze sharpened, sweeping over the maids and pinning each one of them in ce.

    “But if the culprit doesn’t do that, then she’ll be thrown into the dungeon. And from there, I won’t care what happens to her.”

    i said before turning my head slightly, narrowing my eyes at the clock as I checked the time.

    “You have three minutes to reveal yourself. If you don’t iby /ithen, I’ll call you out myself.”

    As soon as those words left my lips, the air grew heavy with tension. The maids began ncing at one another, suspicion flickering in their eyes as though searching for the one who would step forward. But just as I expected, none of them moved. The silence pressed down thick and suffocating, everyone’s attention fixed on the maids, while they in turn looked nervously among themselves.

    From the corner of my eye, I caught sight of Drake, already downstairs. Serena and Isabe stood quietly at the far end of the sitting room, their faces etched with worry bas /bthey watched

    b8:38 /bFrib, /bbSep /bb5 /bB…

    everything unfold.

    b99 /b

    55 vouchers

    Even Darius looked at me with a flicker of confusion, though he said nothing because he was a man of his word.

    His expression made it clear he didn’t quite believe me, that he thought this was just another tactic to draw out the culprit. He only sighed, running a hand through his white hair before leaning back in his seat, silent.

    The corner of my lips curved into a small smile, pleased that even if he thought that, he hadn’t said anything.

    “Are you sure about this?” I heard Cassian’s voice behind me, and I turned to find him at my side, leaning in slightly to whisper.

    “I mean… don’t you know who the person is?” he asked softly, his blond hair falling over his face, his eyes fixed on the clock. “I don’t think anyone will step out,” he added, and I followed his gaze to see that a minute had already passed. He was right.

    No one would step forward. They all thought I was bluffing, that I didn’t know who the culprit

    wasb. /b

    “We’ll find out who the culprit is in two minutes, whether they step out or not, so it’s fine,” I said with a grin, flicking my gaze back to the maids. They were whispering among themselves now, asking one another where they’d been at that time, their faces tight with nerves.

    All but one person.

    The culprit.

    The girl who stood at the end of the row, her face calm andposed, as though none of this concerned her, as though she wasn’t guilty of anything. Even the innocent ones looked terrified, whispering and pleading among themselves for the real culprit to step forward and spare them all.

    But the girl? She didn’t move. She didn’t speak. Her expression was cold, unblinking, yet I caught the faintest tilt of her lips, a subtle smile.

    The corner of my own mouth curved into a smirk, a low chuckle slipping from me as I finally looked away. She probably thought, just like everyone else, that I didn’t know. That she was

    safe.

    From the corner of my eye, I caught Darius watching me. He followed my gaze, and in that instant, I knew, he had realized who the culprit was too.

    “One more minute,” I announced, my smile widening as I nced back at the maids. Their

    b8:38 /bFrib, /bbSep /b5 B

    …

    :

    bfaces /bhad gone pale, their voices rising in panic.

    b199 /b

    E55 vouchers

    “If it’s any of you… please speak,” one maid begged, turning desperately to the others.

    Another quickly agreed, her voice trembling.

    b“/bbYes/b, please, don’t drag the rest of us down.”

    I watched them, amused. Maybe they really thought I didn’t know who it was, that I’d just pick someone at random. I couldn’t understand why they were so afraid if they were innocent but I didn’t waste time dwelling on it.

    Because the very next second, as the clock struck the time, my lips curved into a wild smile.

    “Time’s up,” I said with a sharp p of my hands.

    The sound cut through the room, silencing every whisper. All eyes snapped to me, and the tension thickened until it felt almost suffocating.

    “Well, that’s disappointing,” I continued, my tone smooth, cold. “I’d hoped you’d step out,

    you didn’t.” show some remorse, maybe even avoid punishment altogether. But

    I shook my head slowly, then lifted a hand to point at my neck.

    “And because of you, I almost died. I was willing to look past that, to forgive you… but I suppose some people don’t deserve forgiveness after all.”

    The maids went even paler, though the culprit still didn’t so much as flinch.

    Damn–she must really believe I haven’t recognized her.

    “So why don’t youe out already?” I said, raising my hand and pointing toward the line of maids.

    The moment my fingernded on one girl, she flushed red, eyes going wide. She opened her mouth, ready ito /istammer out a denial-

    But then my finger shifted.

    To the girl at the far end.

    As soon as the words left my lips, the room frozeb. /b

    “Talldy with a small mole at her neck”