The Crown's Seduction
Chapter 98: A Bad Omen

Chapter 98: A Bad Omen

Mineah was minding her own business when a sudden chill ran down her spine. She wasn’t sure where that came from, but for some reason, she felt like something bad was about to happen.

"A bad omen?" she wondered to herself. "I didn’t think some of those sayings were true though..."

Her eyes narrowed, seemingly feeling as if there was more to things that met the eye. However, after a few minutes of nothing happening, she shrugged to herself before going ahead and continuing about with her business.

If this was nothing, then perhaps what she just felt was nothing but a coincidence? While she practiced magic and was literally a cursed individual, most premonitions like that were actually-

"AHH!"

Her eyes widened as she immediately stood on alert. That sounded like one of the many servants stationed in her palace. What happened?

She shook her head as she stood up. She didn’t think that omens such as this came with a shiver down one’s back, but if this was one of them, then she’d just have to take them more seriously in the future.

Mineah was alarmed as she made her way to the source of the scream. Rounding the nearest corner, she was faced with a sight that made her sick to her core.

Lying dead on the floor was a servant, clutching a pulsating black rock in her lifeless hand. The malevolent aura emanating from it sent shivers down Mineah’s spine. It was vile, and it took her everything to not kick it away from the dead woman’s hand as she approached her.

"S-She... She’s dead..."

She looked at the source of the voice. A young servant stood frozen, her eyes fixed on the lifeless body. She wanted to ask her what happened, but there was no time for questions now; something dark and dangerous was at play.

"Stand back!"

With a commanding shout, Mineah swiftly pushed the servant aside, clearing a safe distance between them. Kneeling down beside the cursed object, she focused her energy and began chanting. The pulsating black rock lost its aura, disarmed by her magic. Mineah could finally let out a sigh of relief. Now that that’s out of the way-

"What happened here!?"

Mineah almost froze at the familiar voice. She turned around, locking eyes with Rosela, whose accusatory smirk only fueled her anger, wanting to cast a spell or two on her.

"Someone entered the palace and left a deadly object in the halls," Mineah firmly relayed, her voice carrying authority as more servants and guards gathered around them. "It’s filled with dark magic, and I have no idea how it got here."

"So it would seem," Rosela murmured, raising an eyebrow. "And you know this because?"

"I know what dark magic looks like," Mineah responded, her frown deepening. "They’re vile, and I already purified this specific object before it could do more damage," she explained. She could feel her patience wearing thin in the face of Rosela’s insolence. Rosela’s uninvited presence and impeccable timing seemed suspicious to Mineah. It was as though she was waiting for an incident like this to happen.

"I see... Have you perhaps found more objects around the castle?"

"Excuse me?"

So this seemed to be her plan... ’Let’s see what you got,’ Mineah thought with a raised brow.

With a smug smirk, Rosela continued, "Isn’t it convenient that such a thing happened only after you arrived here? Nothing of this sort ever occurred in the history of Valcrez, but now that you’re here, suddenly this happens?"

A primal rage surged through Mineah’s veins, but she suppressed it, refusing to stoop to Rosela’s level. "I would never do such a thing. It’s illogical, not to mention stupid."

An impasse settled, enveloping the crime scene in an uneasy silence. Mineah did her best to exert her authority as Queen and swiftly took charge, commanding the servants to cordon off the area around the deceased servant and the cursed object. Likewise, Rosela tried to take charge although with limited success as the guards followed their orders.

In the midst of the tension, a sudden revelation shattered the stillness.

"I-It’s her... She did it..." the servant, who had been saved by Mineah, stammered.

Mineah’s eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at the young girl she had just saved.

"You insolent! How dare you accuse our Queen without any solid basis!" Dani’s voice thundered at the scene. She had arrived with Krisha and Zaila, whom she had sent outside the Amaranth Palace on an errand. It was clear to Dani that Rosela had taken advantage of their absence to orchestrate this situation.

"Oh? It seems we have a witness," Rosela sneered, dismissing Dani’s words and the arrival of the shadow maidens.

"The queen did this, you say?"

"Y-Yes..."

Mineah almost wanted to laugh at this situation. She had just saved this girl and yet here she was accusing her of something she didn’t do?

Channeling her powers, she delved into the servant’s thoughts confirming her suspicions. This girl was obviously in this together with Rosela.

[I-I didn’t want this... Someone is dead because of me... She hasn’t done anything wrong... Lady Rosela... Why have you changed so much?]

Mineah’s eyes narrowed at what she just heard. She had her confirmation, at least. But just to make sure, she read Rosela’s thoughts...

[Hah! I have you dead to rights! How are you going to worm your way out of this, Cursed Princess?!]

She suppressed a scoff when she heard it. Did she seriously think this pathetic attempt would be enough to frame her?

"I did nothing," Mineah confidently retorted. "I was simply doing my duties when I heard a scream. I arrived here immediately to find out what happened."

"The witness says otherwise," Rosela rebutted. "How can you disprove her claims?"

Rolling her eyes, Mineah moved her gaze to her so-called witness, immediately seeing the fear in her eyes. It was clear that the cause of it was the viper in front of them. Turning to her shadow maidens, Mineah exchanged a meaningful nod with them.

’Rosela... Rosela... you just handed me the perfect opportunity to kick you out,’ Mineah mused, maintaining her calm demeanor.