CHAPTER 60: CHAPTER 21: STARTLED BY THE MERE RUSTLE OF LEAVES AND A FLOCK OF CRANES

Li Yu sent Nicole and the others home first, then returned to Teacup Castle with Clara and Jordi. Before entering, they sensed an intense tension in the atmosphere.

The number of guards at the gate had nearly doubled since he had left, all neatly dressed and armed, with some patrolling below the castle walls.

Upon seeing Jordi and Li Yu, they did not immediately let them through but asked them several questions and then someone went back to report.

After a while, Jude came out and led them inside.

Li Yu asked, "Why didn’t I see Alfred?"

The Knight Harvey, who had originally been responsible for the castle’s defense, had put down his responsibilities and retired. Consequently, Alfred had temporarily taken over this duty, and it was common to see the old knight patrolling the walls.

Jude said, "After the incident, Alfred rushed to Ireya’s side at once and has since been inseparable, protecting that stingy rabbit."

"And Fosto?"

"Fosto, the steward, is under heavy suspicion and is now alone in his room."

Li Yu looked around again and noticed that various shopkeepers, the coachman of the stables, and some of the servants from around the well were all missing.

Before he could ask, Jude quickly answered, "The others have been gathered in the castle’s second-floor hall, where they are being interrogated one by one, and yes, Ireya is also there."

Hearing this, Li Yu didn’t ask any further questions and went up to the second floor.

The hall, normally quite spacious, was now packed with people, a dense crowd filling the air with the smells of sweat, feet, and even horse dung.

Miss Rabbit, with a stern face, sat behind a long wooden table, with an old knight in armor standing next to her, hand on his long sword, piercingly scanning the crowd. His attendant, a man named Thomas, stood on the other side of the girl.

The two of them guarded Miss Rabbit on either side, with a team of guards maintaining order.

It was not just the castle’s servants and various laborers, who remained for various reasons, but also Ireya’s blood relatives from the Arias family who were now in the hall.

Unlike the commoners and servants, they at least had chairs to sit on, but many of their expressions did not look good.

Ireya’s great-grandmother Ona had an especially ashen face.

Although the girl didn’t explicitly say so, by calling them all together here, she clearly did not trust them, especially considering everything that had happened since she had taken back Teacup Castle.

Although she had respectfully welcomed them back into the castle that evening, she then used travel fatigue as an excuse to force them to rest, effectively stripping them of their power.

Subsequently, disregarding the taint of surrender and betrayal, she swiftly promoted individuals like Gold Snake and other knights, filling the vacancies.

This action was disheartening.

The nobility of the Red Lion Empire always prioritized family because in this world, few bonds are more solid than blood ties.

In times of crisis, your subordinates might betray you, your friends might abandon you, allies might desert you, but only your family will stand by you unwaveringly, your eternal support.

Therefore, the important positions in the major families had always been held by their own members, and Ireya’s current actions were almost seen as an insult to them.

Now that an assassin had appeared in the castle, the young girl had not forgotten her relatives, calling them together for the investigation as well, a move that was bound to breed more discontent.

But what made them even angrier was yet to come.

Upon seeing Li Yu, Ireya’s eyes lit up, her expression softened a great deal, and she seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. She waved at him, "You’re back? Come, sit here!"

As she spoke, she pointed to the empty seat next to her. Not far away, her uncle by marriage, a man slightly overweight and constantly wiping sweat from his brow, couldn’t help himself and burst out, "Why? Why doesn’t he have to be interrogated?"

"Because Merlin wasn’t in the castle when it happened, Uncle," Miss Rabbit explained.

This rationale was indeed irrefutable.

However, everyone knew that wasn’t the real reason. Otherwise, Ireya could have simply told this man in the black outfit to stand aside or continue with his own business.

After realizing there might be an assassin hiding in the castle, Ireya first called the Guardian Knight to protect herself, and then summoned the Purple Sparrow Flower Knight from outside the castle to find Li Yu, instructing the Purple Sparrow Flower Knight to ensure Li Yu’s safety at all costs.

None of her blood relatives enjoyed such treatment.

Apart from sending someone to ask if her great-grandmother had encountered any danger, the rest were simply invited to the hall.

Though the word used was "invite", everyone knew they had no right to refuse.

Ireya’s great-grandmother, Ona, said coldly, "I’ve been in my room all afternoon, I haven’t gone out at all, why would you suspect me?"

"I’m not suspecting you, Great-Grandmother. Didn’t I tell you first thing this morning that you just needed to stay in your room and I would handle the rest?" the girl replied innocently. "It was you who insisted on coming here to see for yourself."

"If I hadn’t come to see you with my own eyes, who knows what you might have done to your own family?"

"I’m not Vanessa, that lunatic. How would I harm my own kinspeople?" Ireya said. "You don’t have to worry at all. I just wanted to ask a few questions. After all, it’s not just me in danger here in the castle; I believe everyone wants the assassin caught as soon as possible, just like me."

The girl’s last remark was somewhat profound.

Every member of the Arias family picked up on the implications of her words.

Lucio’s face turned red. This typically amiable old man, rarely angry, raised his voice, "Are you suggesting that we colluded with Vanessa and Blanco to let the assassin in?"

"I never said that," Miss Rabbit retorted.

She also recalled what Li Yu had analyzed with her before—that many in the family knew she was bound to lose before the voting even started.

So when the assassin appeared in the castle, her first instinct was to suspect some of her relatives of colluding with Vanessa to eliminate her, the legitimate lord, and bring Blanco back.

Of course, such an accusation could not be made openly, at least not until there was irrefutable evidence.

Thus, after denying it, Ireya said nothing more and turned to look at Li Yu, only to hear him say, "You go on, I’ll listen from here."