CHAPTER 799: ONE BIG CONSPIRACY

Not long after the assassination attempt, Empress Vilena decided to abruptly stop the banquet. All of the guests were checked before they could leave. Normally, they would protest, especially those from the opposition faction. If there was a sudden inspection of their belongings, that would be the same as exposing some of their secrets.

However, they knew that this occasion was a special case, and if they protested or said anything, they would likely be seen as accomplices of the attacker. This was a sensitive situation, and they did not want to be considered as one of the attacker’s accomplices.

Grand Duke Freindor’s healing and detoxification process was also successful, as the poison had not spread for too long and the ones who treated him were the best physicians in the Verdyn Empire. After making sure there was no problem with his body, the physician excused himself.

Not long after, Grand Duke Freindor himself also excused himself. Empress Vilena did not say anything and simply let him go. After making sure there was nothing strange and all of the guests had left, Empress Vilena came to Sylphia and bowed to her, followed by Princess Vaelir.

"I truly apologize. I truly did not expect that something like this could happen. I did not expect that a noble from my faction would be the one to try to assassinate you. This is truly my negligence for letting down my guard, and I have nothing to say if Your Majesty is angry. This incident was partially because I did not prepare enough for your protection," Empress Vilena said in a regretful tone.

Sylphia knew that the empress truly felt self-blame and regret for the incident that had occurred during the supposed festive welcome banquet. Her life had almost been taken, and even the one who saved her was supposed to be her enemy. She must have felt terrible at this moment.

However, despite all of that, Sylphia showed her smile as she approached Empress Vilena and stopped her from bowing.

"Your Majesty, it’s okay. The most important thing is that I am still alive and well. To be honest, I do not really care about my own safety because I have my trusted guardian here. I believe that even if Grand Duke Freindor had not saved me, that attacker’s dagger would not have reached me because of him," she said reassuringly.

Empress Vilena still felt self-blame, but she looked at the avatar more curiously. She finally sensed that this man had a low pseudo immortal establishment cultivation, which in her opinion was still lacking as a personal guardian for Sylphia. For someone like Sylphia, her personal guardian should at least be at the pseudo immortal stage.

However, if Sylphia said that she trusted this man, then she had nothing more to say. Her reassuring words also gave her some relief, as Sylphia did not blame her for the assassination attempt.

"I will make sure to look into this matter until it is finished. From what I know, Baron Stargis is someone who would not do such a thing because he has no reason to do so. If he moved according to someone else, I will pursue them. I will not let anyone target Your Majesty again, and I will punish them regardless of their identity or faction," Empress Vilena said firmly.

Sylphia nodded. "Thank you for the effort, Your Majesty. If you need anything for your investigation I would gladly help. Or you could ask my guardian here to assist with the investigation. I must say that any problem could be solved if this man is involved."

Empress Vilena and Princess Vaelir raised their eyebrows and looked at the avatar again. To think that Sylphia had given such high praise to this guardian. If she said it like that, then there must be something special about him. Someone trusted by Sylphia and even by Aldrian the Great to guard his fiancée must be extraordinary.

They realized they could not measure his ability by cultivation level alone; this guardian might possess something greater.

"I see. Thank you for the offer, and once again I apologize for tonight’s event. If we truly need Your Majesty’s help, then I will inform you. And if Your Majesty wants anything from me, I will do my best to fulfill it," Empress Vilena added.

After that, Sylphia returned to her room with the avatar following closely behind. On the way, the avatar asked her,

"Scared?"

Sylphia raised her eyebrows and looked at the avatar beside her with a smile, shaking her head.

"No, I’m not. Although I was quite shocked by that sudden attack and felt tense, I was not scared. I believe that you will protect me from anything, no matter how great the problem is. With you beside me, why should I feel afraid?"

Hearing her words, the avatar couldn’t help but smile warmly. He was Aldrian’s avatar, carrying the entirety of his character and personality, so of course his love for her was also real. Sylphia’s words truly warmed his heart and made his stomach flutter. They greatly eased the fury he had been storing inside since earlier.

"Anyway, why did you inject your energy into me earlier after I almost got stabbed? Is there something wrong with me?" Sylphia asked curiously.

When she had nearly been stabbed, the avatar had instantly raised a spatial barrier and stood in front of her to shield her from harm. He had touched her hand, both to comfort her and to check with his senses if anything was wrong with her body.

He simply wanted to make sure the attacker had not hidden any trick aimed at Sylphia in case the initial strike failed. At that moment, he finally sensed something, and it made him inject his energy into her.

They kept walking as the avatar replied to her.

"When I checked inside your body to make sure there was nothing wrong, I sensed something spreading within you. Inside your body, there is actually a potent poison that could truly kill you. It is a type of poison that only takes effect after some time, and from my estimation, you will feel its effects around midnight."

This was also the reason why fury burned inside his heart. The fact that the poison had entered her body without him noticing meant that it must have been taken in through food or drink.

The only time he had seen her consume something after arriving at the empire was during the discussion with Empress Vilena, and later at the banquet where she drank wine. Whatever the case, the suspect was likely someone working with the imperial family. Combined with what he had sensed from the attacker and from Grand Duke Freindor, he was certain this was one big conspiracy, all tied together.

Sylphia was truly shocked upon hearing the avatar’s answer.

"A poison? I never ate or drank anything that seemed suspicious from—" she suddenly stopped as it finally dawned on her. "I see. There must be someone inside the palace who mixed my drink with poison. There are rats even Empress Vilena does not know about," Sylphia said, her expression turning thoughtful.

"Is this also connected to the assassination attempt at the banquet? If that is the case, then they truly want me dead in the palace. I can only think that the ones who want me truly dead are either those who want to give a bad impression of the elves as a whole, or those who specifically target the imperial family."

"This could also be the machination of the opposition faction, as they are the side that could gain the most benefit from the situation if I were to die in the palace. The imperial family would likely come under heavier pressure than ever before if I died, and they could take advantage of it to get rid of the imperial family." Sylphia’s eyes narrowed as another thought crossed her mind.

"The attacker is from the imperial faction, and Grand Duke Freindor was the one who saved me. The real perpetrator’s target seems to be the imperial faction, or specifically the imperial family. Is this a case hidden beneath the surface? Is this also part of a conspiracy from Grand Duke Freindor or someone else?" she said in confusion.

The avatar smiled behind his mask. Sylphia was truly smart for thinking through all of that, and what she had deduced was not wrong.

"You are truly smart. Your guess hit the nail. However, whatever the case, whether this is the plan of Grand Duke Freindor or someone else, it is a fact that he is involved in this play," he said, which made her raise her eyebrows.

"He’s really involved? How do you know that?"

"Earlier, I could sense the feelings and a little of what was inside the minds of Baron Stargis and Grand Duke Freindor. What I sensed from Baron Stargis was a mix of fear, fury, and regret, while from Grand Duke Freindor I felt excitement, anxiety, and hope. From your opinion, why do you think they would feel that way?" Aldrian asked.

Sylphia widened her eyes as she finally understood something.

"I see. So that’s why you know that Grand Duke Freindor is involved in this. With those kinds of feelings, he is more likely to be the real perpetrator, while Baron Stargis is under some kind of pressure. He is more likely acting under someone’s orders rather than on his own, just like Empress Vilena suspected, right?"

Aldrian nodded.

"That’s why, at this moment, our target will be to bring down Grand Duke Freindor as soon as possible. I will deliver judgment on those who dared to implicate you and even dared to use your life for their plan," he said, his eyes glimmering.