Chapter 249: DIDN’T KNOW PEOPLE HATED ME SO MUCH
After they returned to the palace, servants came to take away the dead body.
The families returned to the banquet hall, but the banquet was no longer the same.
The nobles talked about what had just transpired in lowered, hushed voices.
When they saw them entering the hall, they became careful.
However, the banquet ended a lot earlier than it was supposed to because no one felt like continuing after what happened.
The nobles began to leave.
When it was time for Wade to leave, Aristia moved towards their carriage’s entrance.
She stuck her hand out in a fist bump, and Wade bumped her fist, prompting scattered gasps around them. But Aristia didn’t care, and neither did Wade.
[These nobles are so old-fashioned. These kids are being modernized by me... a bit. This is normal in our group now.]
"Thank you, princess Tia." Wade whispered.
"Anytime, Wade. We’re all friends. If anyone does, what would I do?" She asked.
George and Charlotte who were leaning out of the carriage window heard it.
This confirmed George’s suspicion that she knew the sweets were poisoned.
The question then was, how did she know?
He put his head back into the carriage, thinking about this.
A note suddenly appeared in his mind. ’Go without tea.’
George shook his head. Even if she was smart, it was impossible for her to know what was going on in his mansion. He also hadn’t been able to trace the note’s sender. How could it be this child?
"Well, I guess I’ll see you in the East." Aristia said with a small smile.
Wade’s eyes lit up. "Yes. Of course."
"Goodbye, princess Tia." Wade said, turning and walking into the carriage.
"Bye, Wadie. Don’t worry too much. Laura’s fine." Aristia said.
Wade had been frequently apologizing to Lauren because of what had happened. It was obvious he felt guilty.
The tips of Wade’s ears turned red at the nickname and he nodded.
Charlotte chuckled and patted his head, but a sheen of worry passed her face at how bad things could have turned out.
A warm palm covered her hand.
She raised her head and looked at her husband. His eyes held reassurance. It instantly calmed her down.
She smiled and leaned her head on his shoulder.
George ordered the Coachman to start the carriage and the carriage left the palace.
Aristia turned around, seeing that the Antons were about to leave but were still speaking with her parents.
Lauren stood in front of Aristia. They stared at each other for a long time before Aristia pulled her into a hug.
If it were another time, Beatrix and Serina would interrupt them, but they understood that Lauren wouldn’t need that now. Even Alaric stayed put with them.
"You don’t have to be scared, Laura."
Aristia’s words filled her eyes with tears and she hugged her tighter.
"Huu~"
When Aristia had snatched the sweet out of her hand, she had been stunned.
She had never doubted her. She just felt hurt and confused.
She had even wondered if she had done something wrong to make the sweet Aristia angry with her.
She then thought. ’That’s right. Tia likes sweet things. Maybe she just wants more.’
She had been willing to give Aristia all her sweets since that was what she wanted, but she couldn’t even get the words out be she had been too stunned to speak.
Only to find out the next moment that the sweets were poisoned when the servant was forced to eat it.
She stared at Aristia, and all of Aristia’s actions made sense.
She realized. ’Tia doesn’t want sweets. She knew it was poisoned. She saved me.’
She felt a whirlwind of emotions for the first time in her life.
She felt relieved that Aristia wasn’t angry with her, but she also felt scared from almost dying. She felt grateful to Aristia for saving her, and she felt happy that Aristia cared about her.
"Thank you, Tia."
Remembering how Aristia had snatched the sweet from her while yelling, ’Don’t eat that!’ made her cry again and she gripped her tighter.
She now felt guilty because she knew that the nobles would secretly say bad things about Aristia. About how she was unreasonable, rude and mean when she was only just trying to save her life.
"There, there." Aristia pated her back. "It’s alright, baby girl."
Lauren sniffed and released her to wipe her tears, saying in a stuffy voice. "I’m not a baby."
"Are you sure? Because you cry like one. I just might have to put you to bed and read you a bedtime story." She said with amusement.
Lauren’s hand wiping her tears paused and she looked at Aristia.
"What?" Aristia asked, getting an ominous feeling.
"Can you?" Lauren asked, sniffing sadly. "I’m scared."
[What? You’re scared? Your parents can protect you.] Aristia thought, flabbergasted.
But looking at Lauren’s pitiful face, she couldn’t bear to reject her.
"Fine. You can sleep over at my house." She agreed. She was sure that neither of their parents would object.
"Yes!" Lauren beamed brightly, holding Aristia’s hand.
She turned towards her parents who were standing in front of their carriage talking with Wilson and Catherine and yelled in a totally inelegant manner.
"Mama, papa. I’m sleeping over at Tia’s house!" She swung the hand holding Aristia’s excitedly.
[Hold up. You don’t look or sound a least bit scared.] Aristia thought, looking at Lauren with wide eyes.
Lauren maintained an innocent expression.
Lilith looked at them with wide eyes and walked over to them, muttering. "Me too."
The parents exchanged gazes and smiled helplessly before nodding.
Once their conversation with each other was over, they each entered their own carriages and left the palace.
They waved at the royal family through the carriage window before their carriage finally moved out of sight.
In the carriage home, Lauren and Lilith had fallen asleep.
The carriage moved for a while before Catherine asked Aristia.
"How did you find out about the poison?"
Aristia looked up at her. "That... Millie told me."
Catherine hummed.
"She told me that she was just wandering the palace grounds when she passed by the Oswalt carriage and heard the servant talk about poisoning the sweets."
Before anyone could say anything, she continued.
"Apparently, whoever gave him orders told him to make sure none of the princesses are it. But the servant was hoping I’d eat it. I didn’t know people hated me that much."
Everyone’s faces snapped towards her.
"That servant!" Wilson gritted out coldly, his hand clenched into a fist. If the servant hadn’t already been dead when they arrived, he...
Catherine’s face was cold, but she still smiled gently.
"People don’t hate you, Tia. The commoners can only say good things about you, and the aristocrats can only acknowledge your good deeds. This servant just happened to be a bad egg, rotton to the core."
"Ugh... thanks, mama." Aristia nodded.
The carriage finally arrived at the mansion.
"Laura, Lily. Wake up." Aristia woke them up.
The mansion was still brightly lit, but there weren’t many servants moving about.
Adeline was standing and waiting for them.
The children headed straight to Aristia’s room with Adeline.
Aristia met a sleepy eyed Owen standing in front of her room.
"Owen?" She called.
Lauren and Lilith looked over curiously. They had met Owen a handful of times, but there wasn’t much of an encounter. They knew him as Aristia’s aide though.
"Princess." Owen bowed, holding back a yawn but failing.
[He’s so sleepy. I wonder why he even bothered staying awake at my door.
"Mm. What are you doing here? What about Kai?"
"He’s gone to sleep. He’s been practicing his magic. He’s always quite tired whenever he’s done." Owen replied.
A loud yawn from Lilith reminded Aristia that she had three sleepy children with her.
She glanced at Owen.
"Okay. I think you’re also feeling sleepy. So I’ll leave you to get some rest."
But looking at him standing in front of her room, she rephrased her words.
"Or maybe you’ll leave us to get some rest."
Owen nodded, yawning again before walking past them in sluggish movements and leaving. "Then we’ll see tomorrow, princess."
"That’s for sure." Aristia replied before looking away from his back and opening the door.