CHAPTER 595: LET’S MOVE TO THE NEXT STAGE

The Prime Minister’s frown deepened. His eyes lingered on Nnenna, studying her, weighing her. The silence stretched until, at last, he rose from his high seat.

Murmurs stirred as he descended the steps, each measured footstep echoing through the hall. Nobody could tell what he intended until he stopped before Nnenna.

And then, he bowed.

"Your Highness," he said, voice steady but filled with respect. "I am but a humble servant, the Prime Minister, at your service. Forgive me for not recognizing you sooner."

Slowly, he raised his arm and pointed toward the highest seat, the very one he had occupied moments ago. "If you please, take your rightful place and preside over this trial."

The Prime Minister’s move shocked everyone. Murmurs burst out, confusion rippling through the chamber.

"What are you doing, my Lord?" a voice cried out. "She’s suspicious, just as Nanny said! And you yourself should sit in the highest seat not her! Also, Nanny’s right. Her room be searched as well. Ever since she arrived, His Highness has only gotten worse!"

"Shut up, Daniel!" the Prime Minister’s voice cracked like a whip, silencing the hall. His eyes burned as he fixed them on the young man. "Where does your loyalty lie?"

Daniel stiffened but answered without hesitation. "With His Highness, the Crown Prince."

"Then why do you resist accepting the one he has accepted?" the Prime Minister shot back. "If she was chosen personally by His Highness, then she is worthy. And from the way you twist your tongues against her, I suspect many of you are in need of... re education on the rules of this castle." His words thundered with authority, making several members flinch.

He turned sharply to Nanny. "As for you, your room will be searched. And know this: making accusations against a royal is not something you walk away from. Whether you are forgiven or punished depends on Her Highness."

Then, bowing slightly toward Nnenna, he continued, "If you please, Your Highness... grant us permission to search her room."

"Of course," Nnenna replied, her voice calm but resolute.

"So this is how you’ll hide?" Nanny shouted at her, her face twisted in rage. "Just because you have His Highness’s recognition, you think you can cover your flaws? I will never accept any judgment unless her room is searched as well! For all I know, she planted something against me! Look at her, so confident that something will be found!"

Her words lit the chamber aflame again, voices clashing, suspicion thick in the air.

"If I wanted to frame you, Nanny, I would have done so long ago," Nnenna said with a sharp laugh. Her eyes glinted as she leaned back. "But since you are so insistent, search my room as well. I don’t mind."

Once her words fell, she gave the order. The Prime Minister raised his hand, and the guards marched out to begin the search.

The courtroom fell into a tense stillness. Every soul present sank into their own thoughts, the air heavy with suspicion and dread.

Lora sat frozen, her mind spinning. She felt as though she had been dragged into a storm with no way out.

Her father was no longer the main suspect, but if not him, then what? Did that mean she now had to prepare to defend her mother? The thought made her chest tighten painfully.

On the other side, Cynthia leaned close to her mother, her voice trembling but soothing. "Don’t worry, Mom. The truth will come out soon. Everyone will see you’re innocent. Don’t let her words shake you. Everything will be fine."

Nanny tried to steady her breathing, but her hands shook as she clutched her dress.

Several staff members hurried over, gathering around her. "We believe in you," one whispered urgently. "You could never do such a thing. Nothing will be found. Please, calm yourself, don’t let your blood pressure rise."

Their reassurances filled the space around Nanny, but doubt still flickered in the crowd, thick as smoke.

Thirty long minutes dragged by before the guards finally returned. All eyes turned to them, the air so heavy with silence that even a breath felt loud.

But the results were nothing like what anyone expected.

"Not only did we find the secret compartment behind the wardrobe," the chief guard reported grimly, "we also discovered... an arsenide derivative." He held up the sealed vial for all to see.

Gasps exploded across the courtroom.

"This doesn’t belong to me!" Nanny shot to her feet, her face pale. "I’ve never seen that thing in my entire life!"

"It was found in your room," the Prime Minister said as he stepped closer, his voice sharp.

"Fine!" Nanny snapped, her voice shaking but defiant. "Even if it was found in my room, that doesn’t prove I poisoned His Highness! Where is the connection? Where is the proof?"

Her boldness stunned some of the crowd. A few murmured in agreement, others fell into uneasy silence.

Daniel frowned. "Finding it there doesn’t necessarily mean she used it..."

Even the Prime Minister hesitated, his brow furrowing. For all his authority, doubt gnawed at him. At last, he turned to Nnenna. "Your Highness... since you raised this matter, I trust you have more to show us?"

All eyes swung to Nnenna.

She rose to her feet, calm but steady, and gave a single nod. "I’m glad you asked. Yes, I do. Let us move to the next stage of my evidence."

From her side, she produced a small vial. The glass shimmered faintly as she held it up for the court to see.

"This," Nnenna said, her voice clear and cutting through the silence, "is a sample of the medicine His Highness himself created. It was his own attempt to slow down his illness until a permanent cure could be found."

The revelation of the undoubtedly brilliance of Carl dropped like a stone into the chamber, ripples of shock spreading in every direction.

Not that they didn’t know Carl’s capabilities before, but everytime they thought they had caught up, Carl seemed to go further.