Ch. 481..490
Chapter 481 Questioning Catherine
In Ravenloth Palace, Branden held Catherine’s hand as their group of four appeared at the entrance of Ravenloth Palace.
All four had been disguised, and their original appearance was difficult to distinguish.
Ravenloth was worthy of being one of the wealthiest countries in the world, and its palace was not only exquisitely constructed but also permeated with a rich atmosphere.
The guards of the palace were very strict. The four of them met the palace attendant who came to receive them at the entrance of the palace.
Withal handed the invitation letter from the palace to the palace attendant for inspection.
After reading the contents of the invitation, the palace attendant looked at them with an instantly different look in their eyes. Even his attitude toward them became much more respectful.
The remuneration provided by the king of Ravenloth was exceptionally high, so there were many talented and extraordinary individuals coming to take on the mission.
The palace attendant could receive experts who came after taking the task every day, but the matter remained unresolved after so many experts came.
But the invitation letter Withal showed him was different. It was an invitation letter personally issued by the king. Catherine was the expert the king had been searching for months, so her treatment was naturally different.
“After you, please!”
The group of four people was brought to the hospitality hall of the palace. The one who received them there was the chief attendant, the superior of the palace attendant.
The chief attendant stood in front of them with a dignified face, wearing the traditional livery of Ravenloth. He looked to be in his early fifties. With a serious face, he scanned the four of them with sharp gazes.
Catherine’s group was a combination of three men and one woman. The chief attendant’s sharp eyes remained fixed on the man and the woman standing in front.
He realized that both of them had quite a powerful aura, and they had a noble aura emanating from all over them. At first glance, he knew that these two people were not ordinary people.
Surprisingly, he could not tell who was the real expert among these two people for a moment.
This was quite a rare thing!
After a few seconds of contemplation, the chief attendant took the initiative to ask, “May I ask which one of you is Dr. Sugar, the biology expert?”
It was rumored that this biology expert was highly mysterious, and no one knew her background and identity information. No one even discovered what school she graduated from.
It was only known that every time she made a move, it was a major event that stirred the world, and in the end, this mysterious expert would leave nothing behind. All the documents she signed only left a code name, Sugar!
So, the outside world honored her as Dr. Sugar.”
Ravenloth Palace had tried to contact this expert from the very first moment of the incident. However, Dr. Sugar’s whereabouts were too secretive and hard to find.
After searching the world for several months and finding nothing, Ravenloth Palace contacted the Hacker Alliance, a powerful organization. It was said that Dr. Sugar had worked with them before.
After a lot of trouble, Ravenloth Palace contacted Dr. Sugar. To ask her to help, Ravenloth Palace had to pay a lot. They even promised to offer a gold mine’s mining rights.
They were afraid that they would be rejected by this top-notch bigwig outright if they provided a low compensation.
Catherine looked up at the chief attendant. Her clear eyes coldly swept over the face of the chief attendant. The chief attendant understood immediately and nodded politely at Catherine.
“Dr. Sugar, it’s been a long journey. Thank you for coming!”
After saying that, he dropped his gaze on the man at the side.
This man’s aura was just too special. It was intense and contained incomparable nobility. This aura made the man look even more noble than quite a few outstanding royals in Ravenloth Palace, and this kind of aura was extremely rare.
Without knowing the man’s background and identity, the chief attendant asked the man in a very polite manner, “May I know who you are?”
Because the chief attendant asked Branden, Withal was in no position to answer. He could only wait silently for Catherine’s command. But before Catherine said anything, Branden made his own explanation.
He said, “I’m her assistant!”
The chief attendant’s eyes twinkled momentarily, and he did not say much after a light laugh.
“The king is already waiting in the main hall. Please come with me!”
It was not an easy thing to enter the main hall of the palace. Every time they passed through a gate, there were heavily guarded soldiers inspecting them.
Although Catherine and the others were impatient, they were used to it. The palaces were just like that. The procedures to enter a place were complicated and troublesome!
If it weren’t for the high price they offered, Catherine would not even look at them. Arriving at the main hall, the group was arranged by the chief attendant outside the door.
“Please wait a moment. I’ll go report to the king!”
Catherine nodded slightly with a very indifferent attitude.
Once the chief attendant left, Withal could not help but spit out in a low voice, “Catherine, the orders of palaces are troublesome. There are too many procedures. We’d better not accept such orders in the future!”
Catherine turned her head and gave him a cold look.
“Who was that greedy person?”
The low pressure lingering around Catherine’s surroundings intimidated Withal completely. He turned pale with fear and apologized cautiously.
“Catherine, I was wrong!”
This could not be blamed on him, and it was the old scheming people at the base who should be blamed. They actually made him, the head of Withalist Clan, in charge of receiving customers and taking on orders now.
If it weren’t for the fact that Catherine was the one to do the orders, he would have quit long ago. To have more contact with Catherine, he would just endure it!
The chief attendant left quickly and came back quickly. It did not take long for him to come back and ask Catherine and the others to go in.
When they entered the hall, they realized that there were some strangely dressed people within the main hall besides the king.
Noticing Catherine’s frown, Withal explained hurriedly in a whispered ventriloquist voice.
“Catherine, in order to cure the palace’s bizarre condition, the king of Ravenloth has issued a mission around the world. These people all came upon hearing the news!”
It was the norm for people to be driven by profit.
The chief attendant introduced Catherine and the others to the king on the main seat above.
“King, this is Dr. Sugar!”
At these words, the hall was quiet for a few seconds.
Everyone focused their eyes on Catherine.
Dr. Sugar was well-known worldwide, and many people had heard of her name. They were all surprised that Ravenloth could be able to have this big shot there.
Some people worshipped Dr. Sugar, and naturally, there were also people who questioned her. After all, there were many scammers these days, so one had to be cautious.
No one expected that the famous Dr. Sugar was actually a little girl with a delicate figure. Although Catherine was wearing a mask and the crowd could not see her appearance, they could still tell she was very young!
Not only was she young, but the three men standing beside her also looked particularly young.
Could these people really be able to solve the matter?
Doubts arose in the hearts of the crowd!
The king’s eyes fell on Catherine. The king was getting old and already looked a little out of his depth.
If it were not for the fact that this incident affected the entire palace members, the old king would not have personally intervened.
“Dr. Sugar, you have a long day. Thank you for your coming!”
Catherine stood there with an expressionless look. She was fearless as the crowd looked at her up and down.
The chief attendant approached Catherine slowly and asked, “Dr. Sugar, may I ask when you can start checking? If you need to use any equipment or instruments, just tell us. We will definitely try our best to prepare for you!”
At these words, the crowd became interested and gazed eagerly at Catherine.
Everyone wanted to see what superior abilities Dr. Sugar had!
Chapter 482 I Finally Got You
Catherine shook her head at the chief attendant. “No need to prepare the equipment. Just take me there!”
The chief attendant thought that Catherine and her group should have brought their own equipment after he saw the silver box in Withal’s hand. Without much hesitation, the chief attendant took Catherine to the patient.
There were already more than thirty infected patients in the entire palace.
In order to allow capable and talented individuals to have a clear understanding of the situation, the palace chose a member of the royal family with the lowest status and the most humble identity. This member was used as the object of being diagnosed.
To put it bluntly, they were making this royal family member by the name of Bert, a lab rat.
After all, no one knew now whether this situation was caused by a disease or a virus. Or else, as some supernatural figures claimed, the royal family had been cursed.
Catherine was brought to Bert, who sat weakly in his wheelchair. With a pale face, he looked in a very bad situation. He was like a dying man.
After observing him for a moment, Catherine made a request.
“I need to take a tube of his blood for lab tests!”
The chief attendant responded immediately, “Is one tube of blood enough?”
Catherine glanced at Bert’s arms. They were covered in pinholes of all sizes. It seemed like Bert had already had his blood taken many times.
As a lab rat, he must have suffered inhuman treatment. Catherine glanced coldly at the chief attendant. “Judging from his situation, how many tubes of blood do you think I can take from him?”
Hearing the mocking meaning in Catherine’s words, the chief attendant did not say anything more. With a faint smile, he stepped back.
Withal opened the silver case. There was not much inside the case, only a piece of very simple lab equipment.
This seemingly simple equipment was made by Catherine herself. Catherine placed the blood sample on the equipment for testing.
The lab data from the equipment was connected to the Arbotte Laboratory. Within minutes, Rodge would forward the analyzed report to Catherine.
While waiting for the results, Catherine began to carefully examine Bert’s condition again. She asked several questions.
The main reason some people said this bizarre illness was someone’s curse on the royal family was because all the people infected were members of the royal family. The disease was only spread between members of the royal family, and non-royal members would not develop it even if they had close contact with the infected members.
After asking a few simple questions, Catherine was ready to leave. She had gotten the sample she wanted, and she had also seen the symptoms.
Although she knew medical theory, she was not a doctor. So, there was no way for her to do what Thomas did in terms of checking the patient with the ways of diagnosis. Her specialty was in research.
Now, all she needed to do was bring the blood sample back for testing. Catherine took off her gloves, and Withal immediately began to pack up.
Those who had been waiting to see what shocking actions Catherine would take were all dumbfounded. She actually started packing her things to leave just after taking the blood sample.
That was all?
Finally, someone could not hold back and shouted in Catherine’s direction, ” Dr. Sugar, are you going to leave just like that? Are you worthy of the money the king paid you?”
The chief attendant stood aside and did not say anything. Catherine was an expert that the king had spent a lot of effort to hire. They could not afford to offend her.
Although they could not afford to offend her, they could not do much when Catherine was accused. At most, they would come out and control the situation before it got too big.
When someone started to stir up, there was someone to respond.
For a moment, the people present began to talk about Catherine.
Withal was furious. These people actually dared to talk about Catherine like that. Did these people really think Catherine was someone they could mess with?
Before Withal could do something, Branden, who had been silent for a long time, suddenly spoke up.
“Have you finished your words?”
His words carried a powerful majesty, instantly shocking all the people present. Everyone’s gaze turned toward Branden, standing next to Catherine. In the next second, they were all shocked by Branden’s sharp gaze.
This man’s aura was too powerful. His body exuded a hint of a king’s demeanor, which made people dare not easily offend him.
As for the first person to question Catherine, after being stared at by Branden, he was so scared that he choked on his own saliva. He coughed violently in confusion.
This unusual scene made the chief attendant once again notice Branden standing next to Catherine. He could guarantee that this man was definitely more than simply an assistant.
As for the reason why he was disguised as Dr. Sugar’s assistant, the chief attendant did not know yet.
Under Branden’s powerful aura, the questioning voices around disappeared.
Catherine led her group, strutting out of the main hall.
No one present noticed that in the dark corner behind the main hall, there was a pair of fierce eyes staring at everything with a cold light.
This person was mainly focused on Catherine.
Staring at Catherine’s back, the person said in a low voice, “Dr. Sugar, I finally got you!”
Catherine and her group did not accept the palace’s arrangement of accommodation. They chose to continue living in the Duncans’ villa in Ravenloth.
Everything there was specially designed by Branden to Catherine’s liking.
No matter how good the palace was, it could not make Catherine feel as comfortable as she was staying there.
Besides, the things Branden had prepared for her were by no means inferior to those in the palace.
After Catherine arrived at the villa, she changed her lazy state from the previous two days. She did not even sit on the sofa for a while before rushing straight upstairs.
On the attic of the top floor, there was a laboratory that Withal had temporarily built out. It was exclusively for Catherine’s use in doing research.
When Catherine was doing research, no one could disturb her. Even Branden could not go upstairs to disturb her.
An afternoon passed, and they did not hear any noise coming from upstairs.
Catherine missed two meals.
Paxton realized that Branden had no intention of going upstairs to ask Catherine to have some food.
That was something strange!
According to Branden’s concern for Catherine, not to mention that she did not have any food for two meals, she could make this always calm big shot frown even by taking a few bites less. After a long hesitation, Paxton decided to ask Branden.
After all, serving Branden’s future wife was one of Paxton’s tasks.
“Mr. Duncan, do you need the kitchen to prepare a little of Miss Swann’s favorite food and send it upstairs?”
Hearing the inquiry, Branden put down the work in his hands. He raised his eyes to Paxton. “Just have the kitchen prepare it and keep it warm. No one is going upstairs!”
Not to mention the top floor attic, in order not to affect Catherine, everyone was not even allowed to enter the second floor.
To create a quiet and comfortable environment for Catherine, Branden was even working directly in the living room.
Withal was leaning over and studying ” The Ten Tortures” on his cell phone. After hearing the conversation between Branden and Paxton, he could not help but give Branden a thumbs up in his heart.
Branden really knew Catherine well enough. At that time, not to mention delivering food, even if the world was destroyed, no one could go and disturb Catherine.
Catherine could not bear to be disturbed when concentrating on her research. Withal had gotten used to it after so many years of following Catherine.
Anyway, when it was time, Catherine would naturally go downstairs. They did not need to worry about her at all.
Chapter 483 Catherine Knew Medicolegal Expertise
At eight o’clock in the evening, a little noise finally came from the quiet villa. Catherine swaggered down the stairs. She once again fell into a state of lethargy and exhaustion.
When she went downstairs, she swayed and looked like she was about to fall. Seeing her like this, Withal still admired her.
Branden stopped working and stepped forward. He put one hand around her waist to help her down the stairs. Only when Catherine was sitting on the sofa did Withal dare to start asking her how things were going.
“Catherine, how’s the research going?”
Catherine reached up and pinched the bridge of her nose. She had stripped and decomposed Bert’s blood and also checked Bert’s genes.
However, she did not find anything suspected of being viruses, nor did she see any foreign viral invasion inside the blood.
For a while, she was still unsure whether the cause of this strange disease was related to biological viruses. She might need to spend some more time researching it. Seeing Catherine not responding, Withal panicked.
There were actually things in the world that could stump Catherine.
It was over.
Ravenloth Palace was over. If even Catherine could not help, then no one could save them.
“Catherine, the palace has invited many famous doctors to check the patients. All the check results show that the patients are fine and healthy, but the vital signs of all the patients are gradually declining.”
The more Withal thought about it, the more he felt scared. He felt this matter was horrible after thinking about it carefully. “Catherine, could it be true that it was a curse on the royal family by the former queen?”
The former queen had died for over ten years, yet a rumor had been circulating in the palace. The rumor said that the former queen was killed, so she placed a curse on the royal family before she died.
The rumor was spread even more intensely in the palace after the outbreak of this bizarre illness. Even the old king had to come out to refute the rumor.
The matter had come to a point where it must be resolved. Otherwise, the old king would not have cost so much to launch missions worldwide.
Branden was not interested in any of that research. Even if all the people in Ravenloth Palace died out, it would not matter to him.
All he cared about was Catherine. His beautiful eyebrows furrowed as Catherine did not eat the oatmeal.
“You don’t like it?”
Branden made the oatmeal in person. Catherine often ate oatmeal.
Catherine looked down at the oatmeal. She felt that the food arranged by Branden was becoming increasingly light and tasteless.
She pushed away the oatmeal in a rude manner and said lightly, “I want to have a barbecue!”
Once Catherine wanted a barbecue, no one could change her mind. Hearing her words, a faint smile appeared on Branden’s face. For Branden, it was better for Catherine to have a barbecue than to eat nothing at all.
The man looked at her tenderly with a doting look in his eyes. Instead of refusing Catherine’s request directly, he coaxed Catherine to eat some oatmeal patiently as if she were a child.
“Eat some oatmeal first. I’ll prepare the barbecue for you right away!”
Catherine did not say anything. She ate the oatmeal off and on while choosing the food to barbecue on the laptop Paxton handed her.
Before the barbecue was ready, an accident suddenly occurred. Withal suddenly received a call from Ravenloth Palace.
“Catherine, the first case of death has occurred.”
Catherine raised her eyes toward Withal with a calm look. “Is it Bert?”
Withal widened his eyes instantly. He said in shock, “You’re amazing. You even know this!”
Withal had always suspected that Catherine had precognitive powers. He just did not have the evidence to prove it.
The best way to cause panic was death!
“Catherine, the palace asked us to come into the palace. They said they wanted us to learn as much as possible about Bert’s condition. What do you think?”
Withal dared not make decisions without authorization. He had to ask Catherine’s opinion. Catherine casually handed the laptop to Paxton and faintly commanded, “I’ll have a barbecue later when I come back!
Not daring to hesitate, Paxton took the laptop in a hurry.
“Miss Swann, don’t worry. I will definitely prepare the barbecue according to your tastes!”
And then, the group of four entered the palace, once again in disguise. Ravenloth Palace was lit up late at night due to the first case of death.
Members of the royal family stood nervously inside the palace. No one knew before that this unknown disease would be fatal. Now that they knew, who wouldn’t be scared and panicked?
Not only those members of the royal family but also some talented individuals who were invited also started to retreat.
What if the disease mutated and spread to non-royal members?
This was something that no one could guarantee. It was still the chief attendant who received Catherine and her group. He took them to the temporary mausoleum to check Bert’s body.
He handed the four of them masks made of plants that the people of Ravenloth believed could ward off evil spirits. “Dr. Sugar, please!”
Withal could not help but ask, “May I ask if this is a tradition in your Ravenloth Palace? Do you need to wear this to see the dead?”
The chief attendant shook his head.”
Not really. It’s just that Bert died in a bad way. In order to avoid the evil spirits from his body affecting you, it would be better for you to cover yourselves with the mask!”
It turned out that the mask had an allegory to ward off evil spirits. If this was a tradition of Ravenloth Palace, Catherine might have respected it.
But it had nothing to do with tradition and was frankly a superstition. Catherine had seen a lot of gory horrors on the battlefield, so how could she possibly be afraid of evil spirits?
Catherine walked straight into the mausoleum and said in a cold voice, “I don’t need it!”
After having her take the lead, the rest of her group also refused the chief attendant’s good intentions. Catherine pulled out her white gloves and put them on. She then began to examine Bert’s body.
She did not treat Bert’s body rudely like the others. She had a solemn expression and a strict attitude. Her respect for the body was evident in every movement she made.
Her professionalism could be seen in her movements. Paxton, who was standing by the side, could not help but be a little shocked by this scene.
He lowered his voice and asked Withal at the side. “Miss Swann also knows medicolegal expertise?”
“Haha!” Withal let out a smug sneer and said with a face full of pride, ” Catherine knows a lot more. She’s examined a lot of corpses, so she’s top- notch at examining them!
“There are many things that are not the matter of whether Catherine knows about it or not. They are the matter of whether she’s willing to do it or not.
“As long as it’s something she’s interested in, she only needs to put a little effort into it to achieve the ultimate in it easily.”
If Withal praised others like this, Paxton would definitely refute him.
Few people in the world could be that excellent.
But Catherine was indeed such a perfect person. Some things might sound unbelievable, but some people had the personal charisma to make others believe it was all true.
Catherine was one of those people who had the personal charisma!
After examining it, Catherine came to a conclusion.
She raised her eyes, her cold gaze falling on the chief attendant. She faintly opened her mouth and asked, ” He died of heart failure?”
Chapter 484 A Carefully Designed Game
The chief attendant’s eyes lit up unconsciously after hearing the conclusion Catherine had reached.
Catherine did not use any instruments to test. Based on her observation of the corpse with only her eyes, she was able to give the same conclusion as the one prescribed by the most brilliant forensic experts in the royal family.
This was too impressive.
The chief attendant nodded silently, affirming Catherine’s conclusion.
“Dr. Sugar, according to the joint judgment provided by the forensic bureau, it is currently determined that Bert died of heart failure!”
Catherine said no more and continued to observe the body. Suddenly, a small pinhole on Bert’s neck caught Catherine’s attention.
This small pinhole did not stand out on Bert’s body. There were too many scars on his body, and the pinholes of all sizes were dense on his body.
There were those left from treatments and those left from experiments to determine the disease. No one knew what the pinhole on his neck was for!
Catherine looked at that pinhole for a while. She did not attract anyone else’s attention to that pinhole when she looked at it. After examining Bert’s body, Catherine took off her gloves and threw them in the recycling bin on the side.
She and her group did not leave the palace immediately. The palace only provided the entrance passage, but not the exit passage for the time being.
The chief attendant did not want to snub Catherine, so he arranged for them to take a night tour inside the palace.
Even if only part of the palace were open, it would still take half a day to complete a tour. Catherine was not interested in wandering around all the time. Her physical strength was not for walking. After casually strolling around the back garden, Catherine followed the crowd back to the mausoleum.
Noticing that Catherine’s gaze was fixed on the recycling bin in front of her, Branden inquired with concern, ” What’s wrong?”
Catherine said faintly, “The gloves I threw away are missing!”
Paxton glanced at the recycling bin. There was a pile of white gloves thrown together, and it was impossible for him to tell which pair Catherine had just used. He admired Catherine for being able to tell the difference.
“Maybe they were put away by the servants! There are so many gloves, and you may misrecognize them!”
“It’s impossible!” Catherine answered with a firm tone. Everything she used was specially prepared by Ronin. Even her gloves were customized by Ronin with special symbols on them.
As for Paxton’s comment about the gloves being taken away by the servants was possible, but Catherine dismissed it the next moment.
Because all the other gloves were still there, only the pair she used disappeared.
The servants could not just take away her gloves alone, right?
Catherine’s expression was serious. Branden trusted Catherine’s judgment.
He swept a glance toward Paxton.
Paxton dared not hesitate. “Mr. Duncan, I will check it out right now!”
The missed pair of white gloves were now being carefully placed on a dark rosewood table deep in the palace.
The person placing them was observing them with an extremely admiring look in his eyes. It was the first time the servant who brought the gloves there saw Prince Harry showed such a dedicated and serious gaze.
Perhaps the servant’s gaze was too persistent, and it caused Harry to suddenly look up. Harry’s sharp eyes were fixed on the servant.
The servant was so frightened that he immediately knelt. He was trembling all over and couldn’t even speak.
His slightly trembling appearance made Harry burst out laughing uncontrollably. He lifted the servant’s chin with his toe slowly, forcing him to lift his head.
“Jesse, don’t be afraid. I am not going to put my hands on you. All you need to do is to keep an eye on Dr. Sugar for me. Report to me if there is any news. Got it?”
Jesse nodded in a hurry. He was afraid the prince would kill him if he nodded a second late.
“Please don’t worry. I will do my best to serve you!”
“Okay, I let you go!”
After getting Harry’s order, Jesse fled the place as soon as possible. He only felt a strong sense of oppression when he was by Harry’s side. That feeling made him feel as terrifying as if he was in hell.
Jesse’s fleeing figure made Harry’s mouth outline a malicious sneer. In a low voice, he slowly cursed, “Useless lackey!”
After cursing Jesse, his gaze once again fell onto the pair of white gloves. Harry picked up the white gloves and sniffed the fragrance on them affectionately. He had finally found Dr. Sugar after all his efforts.
He should think carefully about how he should appear in front of Dr. Sugar in order to attract her attention.
More than half an hour later, Catherine and the others got permission from the palace to leave the palace. Just then, Paxton returned. Withal was responsible for driving. Paxton sat in the passenger seat and reported the situation.
“Mr. Duncan, I’ve checked the surveillance. Someone should have picked up Miss Swann’s gloves. This person is especially familiar with the palace, and none of the surveillance cameras captured his face. He was wearing the clothes of a palace servant, so it was a bit difficult to track him down. I’ve strengthened my manpower to continue tracking him down!”
Without waiting for Branden to respond, Catherine gave her decision in a cold voice. “There is no need to continue tracing!”
Paxton looked at her in surprise. He did not understand Catherine’s purpose.
At first, he thought Catherine was making a big deal out of it. It was only a pair of gloves that were missing, and it was entirely possible that Catherine was mistaken.
But later, Branden gave him the order, and he had to check it out.
When he arranged for an elite squad to infiltrate the palace’s surveillance system and check the surveillance equipment, he was once again shocked by Catherine’s sensitivity.
Unexpectedly, the matter of the gloves was really done by someone on purpose. Although the other party did it cautiously, under their careful investigation, they still found clues.
Paxton had been following Branden for many years and had always been cautious, He would not let go of any details.
Although it was only a pair of gloves that were missing, it had already aroused Paxton’s inner alarm.
This was too unusual.
He was ready to transfer manpower to conduct a full investigation.
However, Catherine refused so lightly.
Paxton could not guess what Catherine was thinking and could only fall his gaze on Branden. He would do what Branden asked him to do.
Branden looked at Catherine calmly. He did not comment on the decision she made.
Facing the curiosity of the crowd, surprisingly, Catherine was in the mood to give them an explanation.
“Just let it be! When it’s time for him to appear, he’ll appear, right?”
That person would even secretly take her gloves, so he would inevitably try to appear in front of her by all means. Since that was the case, why should they bother looking for that person?
They might as well just wait peacefully for the other party to show up. When it was time for him to appear, he would appear!
Branden held Catherine’s small hand and gently kneaded it. Catherine’s skin was especially delicate, and her hands were soft and smooth to the touch. While playing with Catherine’s hand, Branden thought about the chaotic situation they were facing.
Initially, he thought that their trip to Ravenloth was simply to fulfill a mission, but now it seemed that this mission was somewhat like a carefully designed game.
If this game was really aimed at Catherine…
Inside the dimly lit car, the man’s deep eyes suddenly darkened, and the darkness in his eyes was bottomless.
Chapter 485 The Secret
Withal had been wrestling with a question for some time, and he finally decided to pose it to Catherine.
“Catherine, you’re not a doctor, so how did you determine that Bert died from heart failure?” he inquired.
Catherine, who had never performed an autopsy herself, had relied on the outward signs of the body to deduce the cause of death. Even the chief attendant, who had witnessed her assessment, couldn’t help but be amazed.
“Catherine is truly remarkable!” he thinks.
In response to Withal’s question, Catherine, who was leaning against Branden, groggy and half-asleep, gave her answer.
“Well, when waiting for the test results, I flipped through some medical books out of sheer boredom,” she said.
Upon hearing this, Withal couldn’t resist giving Catherine a thumbs-up.
It was evident that she was a top-notch expert, effortlessly surpassing others with her remarkable insights.
Withal chose to remain silent, and he didn’t want to pursue the matter further. He felt that pressing on would only be an affront to himself.
The following afternoon, Catherine was once again summoned.
She headed to the palace.
Bert had passed away, but the mysterious illness hadn’t ceased. Another royal member had been assigned for experimentation and analysis.
This new member’s mother held a higher maternal status within the royal family than Bert’s mother did, so initially, he wasn’t the first choice.
No one had anticipated that Bert would pass away so quickly, and thus, this new member had to fill his position.
When Catherine met Henry, she found his condition to be quite dire. It wasn’t that his illness was more severe than Bert’s, but his emotional state was in tatters, on the brink of collapse.
The torment of his ailment and the mental pressure had accelerated the deterioration of his physical condition.
After examining him, Catherine found that, apart from the emotional stress, the rest of his symptoms were identical to Bert’s.
Catherine had been there for two days already, and there was no improvement to report. Those who had been keeping a close eye on her couldn’t help but indulge in gossip.
“Oh, I thought these self-proclaimed top global biologists were extraordinary. It turns out they’re just using the title of ‘Doctor’ to pull the wool over everyone’s eyes!”
“You see! When it truly comes down to it, she can’t handle it!”
Catherine paid no attention to the idle chatter.
Her expression remained cold and distant, like an island of serenity amid turmoil. Just as she had finished her examination and turned around, Henry suddenly convulsed, frothing at the mouth.
It seemed that he was on the brink of death. The attendants were in a panic, urgently calling upon various experts, mystics, and even energy healers to try and save him.
However, various healers, charlatans, and even Reiki therapists all made their appearances, but they were all equally helpless, providing no solutions.
Henry was in a state of complete breakdown, overwhelmed by anxiety. His eyes bulged, and he stared at the onlookers in terror, his pleas barely audible.
“Please, save me, please…”
It was a heart-wrenching scene.
Were all these people just going to stand by and watch his life slip away before their eyes?
Finally, Catherine took action.
She stepped forward with a commanding presence that compelled the experts surrounding Henry to part and make way for her.
Catherine knelt by Henry’s side and, in full view of everyone, began to unbutton his shirt. Henry’s servants attempted to rush forward to stop her, but Withal intervened directly.
One of them shouted, “Release His Highness! You lowly woman, you’re not allowed to touch His Highness’s noble body.”
In Ravenloth, it was still an era of monarchy, and as a result, the deeply ingrained concepts of male dominance and female subservience held significant sway.
There were strict rules against women touching a man’s chest or anything above it.
If this rule was violated, it was believed that the man would face ill fortune, and the woman responsible would face execution.
After understanding the situation, Catherine cast a cold, disdainful glance at the servant who had attempted to intervene.
She questioned him in a frosty tone, When His Highness’ life is hanging by a thread, are you still concerned about his fate? Is that a joke?”
The servant was momentarily stunned by Catherine’s words. As Catherine had pointed out, Henry’s life was on the line, and at a time like this, adhering to antiquated customs was utterly futile.
Catherine had no time for further discussion with the servant. She unbuttoned Henry’s shirt, revealing his emaciated chest.
Simultaneously, she withdrew a silver needle she had carried with her. After returning home the previous night, she shared her research findings with Mr. Theo and sought advice on treating the ailment.
When she arrived at the palace today, she had brought the silver needles with her, not expecting that they would be put to use so quickly.
The onlookers watched Catherine’s actions anxiously. As she inserted one silver needle after another with precision into the acupuncture points, Henry’s condition appeared to improve.
Witnessing Henry’s transition from labored breathing to gradual relief and a less pallid complexion was a relief for everyone.
Several minutes later, Henry was able to speak slowly.
His consciousness was returning, and upon seeing Catherine, he recognized her. Yesterday, when Catherine made her appearance, he had been present and knew her identity.
Gratefully, he looked at her and said, Thank you, Doctor.”
Catherine remained unresponsive, wearing an aloof expression as she carefully put away the needles.
Those who had mocked her earlier now felt the sting of embarrassment as they witnessed her capabilities.
However loudly they had laughed before, the current situation left them utterly mortified.
Many among them wished the ground could have swallowed them now!
The chief attendant immediately reported this situation to the king. The king personally summoned Catherine and invited her to the stage.
“Doctor, I heard you used a mysterious acupuncture technique to save my nephew?”
The king, despite being related to Henry as his uncle, was anxious.
“Doctor, have you discovered the secret to unraveling this mysterious ailment?”
The strange illness had already caused panic among the entire royal family and had significantly impacted external trade with Ravenloth Palace.
This had the king in a state of urgency. After all these days, Catherine was the first one who seemed reliable.
With just a few simple needles, she had successfully cured Henry.
It seemed their extensive efforts in searching for the right person worldwide had not been in vain.
In the king’s presence, Catherine maintained a cold and indifferent demeanor, treating everyone with the same expression except those close to her.
Regardless of the person’s social standing, she remained impartial.
“No, Your Majesty. Right now, I can only seal his meridians to prevent blood circulation. But to fully identify the cause, I need time,” she replied.
Through her study of Bert’s blood, Catherine discovered that the pathogenic factors resided within it.
The most effective way to prevent complications during an outbreak was to inhibit blood circulation.
Given the risks involved, Catherine had reached out to Mr. Theo the previous night to learn acupuncture techniques to minimize these risks.
Although the king seemed disappointed by Catherine’s response, she was the only one who had given him a glimmer of hope after all these days. He still had faith in her.
“Very well, Doctor. I’ll give you the time you need. I just hope you can resolve this issue as soon as possible,” the aging king said.
There was a hint of resignation in his expression.
Catherine raised an eyebrow, her dark, penetrating eyes revealing a cold and distant countenance. With an air of nonchalance, she nodded.
Chapter 486 The Curse
Catherine found herself in the spotlight once more due to her impressive display of skill. She had initially disagreed with the king’s request to stay at the palace. The King of Ravenloth increased the stakes once again!
Money could make almost anything happen, and seeing how generous the king was, Catherine agreed to stay until evening.
Alone in the royal garden, Catherine enjoyed a leisurely walk. Before long, a handsome young man approached her.
Judging by his attire, he was undoubtedly a member of the royal family, perhaps even a prince. His complexion was fairer than that of the ordinary royal members, and his well-defined features were captivating. However, what drew the most attention were his eyes, which held the captivating depth of the ocean, drawing anyone into a world of unspoken secrets.
Catherine could sense that he was heading straight toward her and even paused intentionally in front of her.
But for Catherine, whether he was a king or a prince, there was no point when she chose not to engage. As Catherine passed by him, she continued walking without so much as a glance in his direction.
In response to her aloof demeanor, Harry didn’t show any anger. A faint smile adorned his handsome face.
If any palace servants had witnessed this scene, they would have been astounded. The usually ice-cold Prince Harry displayed such a gentle smile, which was nothing short of astonishing. Before Catherine could get too far, Harry stopped her.
“Dr. Sugar, please wait!” he called out.
Catherine halted and turned to give him a sharp, curious look.
Harry quickly introduced himself, not wanting to delay a moment.
“Dr. Sugar, hello, I’m Harry, Prince Harry!”
Catherine didn’t care whether he was a prince or a servant, and she could not care less about his identity.
Her impatient expression might have clued Harry in, so he immediately revealed his intention.
“Dr. Sugar, I’m Henry’s cousin, and among all the siblings, Henry and I are the closest. I’m very grateful for saving Henry today, and I don’t even know how to express my gratitude!”
Catherine gave him a cold glance.
“No need. Just don’t block my way.”
There was a hint of impatience in her words, and it was clear she had no interest in this prince. However, Harry didn’t seem to have any intention of giving up. He looked at Catherine with a puzzled expression.
“Dr. Sugar, am I going to suffer from this incurable disease soon, just like my cousin?”
Catherine heard Harry’s plea.
“Come see me when you’re sick,” she responded bluntly.
With that, she walked away without even giving Harry a chance to say another word. Harry watched Catherine’s departing figure with infatuation. No woman had ever been so indifferent in his presence, but Catherine was the first.
“Dr. Sugar is different from others!’ he thought.
He was interested in this doctor.
Catherine returned to the royal resting room where the other three were waiting. Withal reported the latest news to Catherine.
“Catherine, we’ve received word that many members of the royal family have secretly fled Ravenloth in recent days.”
The wealthier they were, the more they feared death.
These royal members, rich as Croesus, valued their lives above all else. Since Bert’s death, the royal family had been far from calm. The king had tried everything, seeking talented experts, but he still couldn’t calm other royal members down.
They believed it was a curse on the royals and that the only way to survive was to leave. Catherine sat on the sofa, her legs crossed casually, one foot raised even higher than Withal’s. She made herself comfortable.
Withal reported the situation, and Paxton also shared the information he had gathered. Catherine indulged in the snacks Branden had prepared for her, listening half-heartedly.
Meanwhile, she yawned occasionally to express her weariness.
“Tell me more about that curse from the former queen.”
Catherine interrupted Paxton’s report, showing unexpected interest in these strange phenomena. Paxton paused, surprised that Catherine was showing interest in these peculiar occurrences.
However, now that Catherine had inquired, he had a duty to explain it thoroughly. Otherwise, Mr. Duncun, who had become infatuated with his beloved wife, would probably deal with him in no time.
Now, the aging king, who had not been the ideal heir in the first place.
He had only ascended the throne because he had married a powerful and influential woman as his queen, snatching her from his brother.
The king’s love story with the queen did not live up to its romantic beginnings. After three years of rule, the king had been involved with two mistresses, including one of the queen’s maids.
This had been a direct slap in the face to the queen.
Subsequently, he continued to have more mistresses, numbering well into the double digits.
The queen had born two sons and a daughter, and the eldest son was declared the heir to the throne at the age of five.
But ever since his establishment as heir, the queen was plagued by illness, succumbing not even two years later.
As for the queen’s two sons, both had fallen victim to various accidents, never reaching adulthood.
The only princess had become mad after losing her loved ones one by one.
Rumors in Ravenloth began to spread, attributing the deaths and misfortunes to the curse cast by the former queen, a curse born from the king’s affection for his mistresses and disregard for his queen, ultimately affecting their children.
In the third year after the death of Prince Toby, the king defied popular opinion and chose Prince Levi as the heir to the throne, bypassing the order of succession.
Initially, it seemed unlikely that Prince Levi would ever ascend to the throne.
However, the king’s infatuation with Prince Levi’s mother, the new queen, Queen Lina, led him to firmly and decisively select Prince Levi as the crown prince.
The year the heir was confirmed, strange occurrences began. The unexplained cracking of the former queen’s tomb had occurred first, and a grave illness had struck the king.
Some even claimed to have seen the former queen’s ghost wandering in the palace, loudly vowing revenge.
So, news of the former queen’s curse started circulating wildly and gained firm believers among the people.
Later, at the king’s request, the most renowned psychic in the country was summoned to perform a spiritual cleansing. Following the psychic’s guidance, the king would be buried next to his former queen after his passing, finally putting this matter to rest.
The eruption of this strange illness coincided with the king’s preparation for retirement and his intent to abdicate the throne in favor of Prince Levi.
Given the timing of this mysterious outbreak, it was hardly surprising that some connected the illness to the curse of the former queen.
Many believed it was her restless spirit seeking revenge because she couldn’t accept the son of Queen Lina ascending to the throne.
It was because Queen Lina, taking advantage of the king’s favor during the reign of the former queen, had shown extreme disrespect towards the queen.
In the end, the former queen achieved what she probably desired most, which was the extinction of her successor’s lineage and the downfall of the royal family.
As a result, rumors of her curse continued to escalate, with many staunch believers.
Chapter 487 Jealousy
Upon Catherine heard Paxton’s explanation, her eyes sparkled with curiosity.
“Well, this story is unexpectedly intriguing. It’s more captivating than some period dramas penned by those boring playwrights.”
Paxton was surprised that Catherine had the inclination to jest about such matters. Currently confined within the palace, every time they mentioned leaving, the king presented various reasons to convince them to stay.
If sweet words didn’t work, he’d resort to spending exorbitant sums.
In their eyes, Catherine had now become the lifeline for the entire royal family. After learning about the queen’s curse, Catherine’s interest was piqued by another matter.
She raised an eyebrow at Paxton, who instantly felt a chill running down his spine. The voice that spoke again was almost trembling.
“Miss Swann, feel free to ask if you have any concerns!”
As long as he didn’t have to endure that terrifying look, he was ready to do anything for her!
Catherine raised an eyebrow, her tone calm and unhurried. “Don’t be alarmed, it’s nothing serious. Since you seem to excel at gossip, let’s just chat for a bit!”
Paxton felt a rush of despair in his heart. Just chatting for a bit? That attitude alone was enough to suffocate him.
Could she please not chat with him?
Catherine rested her arm on the armrest, absentmindedly tapping it as she asked, “Who is Prince Harry?”
“Pardon me, Miss Swann, but may I ask why you’re inquiring about him?” Paxton looked at Catherine with a touch of suspicion.
Catherine gave him a sidelong glance, nearly causing Paxton to kneel in fear.
He immediately realized his mistake.
He hastily apologized, “Miss Swann, I was wrong.”
After a slight reprimand, Paxton knew better than to cross her again.
He understood that displeasing Mr. Duncun was less dangerous than offending the woman in Mr. Duncun’s heart.
Offending Mr. Duncun might result in punishment, but upsetting Mr. Duncun’s beloved could lead to permanent exile.
Paxton had diligently gathered information, even about peripheral figures within the royal family. One such figure was Prince Harry.
He was the king’s thirteenth son, commonly known as Prince Harry. In a culture that found the number thirteen unlucky, this prince did not enjoy the king’s favor.
Furthermore, Prince Harry’s mother came from a humble background, making him a less influential member of the royal family.
An unfavored prince, compounded by a less influential maternal lineage.
In this powerful royal family, the underprivileged Prince Harry naturally found himself on the fringes. Rumors had it that he had been once exiled for offending Queen Lina.
It wasn’t until the king’s birthday that he had been granted amnesty and allowed to return to Ravenloth. However, even back in Ravenloth, his status remained low, and he was not held in high regard.
“Miss Swann, this is all the information we have at the moment. There’s no data available about what this prince experienced during his exile. If you wish, I can arrange further investigation,” Paxton explained.
Catherine did not respond.
But the silent man beside her suddenly spoke, “Go ahead and investigate this prince.”
Seemingly anticipating Catherine’s next move as if he could read her thoughts, he took care of things for her without her having to say a word.
“Yes.”
After Paxton left, the man took Catherine’s hand and gently kissed it.
“Why the sudden interest in this person?” he inquired.
Catherine raised an eyebrow, her gaze filled with mischief.
“Is it wrong to find him cute?”
The man immediately tightened his strong arm and brought Catherine closer, shortening the distance between them.
He possessed a face as exquisite as a sculpted masterpiece, with well- defined and deep-set features. His eyes, particularly, were captivating weapons, gazing directly into Catherine’s soul.
“Better looking than me?”
Facing the solemn question from the man, Catherine pretended to give it serious consideration for a while. She responded, “Hmm… I suppose he falls a bit short compared to you!”
Hearing her answer, the man finally looked relaxed again.
This girl had learned how to tease him.
As the time was drawing near, Catherine prepared to leave.
“Withal, please inform the attendants and arrange our travel documents,” she instructed. Withal set aside his work and promptly stood up.
“Alright!”
Even before Withal could step out of the doorway, the chief attendant hurriedly entered and found Catherine.
“Doctor, it’s urgent! Please come over right away!”
This level of urgency was unprecedented compared to this morning when Henry fell ill.
Noting the gravity of the chief attendant’s demeanor, Catherine asked, “Is it about the king?”
The chief attendant shook his head and replied, “No, it’s not the king! It’s Prince Levi!”
Upon hearing his words, Catherine knitted her eyebrows.
Prince Levi was the heir to the throne of Ravenloth and the son of Queen Lina.
No wonder the chief attendant was in such a hurry, for he was the heir to the throne and the beloved queen’s son. If anything were to happen, it would be trouble for the entire Ravenloth Palace.
Catherine quickly grasped what was going on.
“Prince Levi wasn’t listed as one of the ailing members, was he?” Catherine questioned. She had received a list of the sick members from the royal family before, and even though she had just glanced at it, she remembered the names of the people listed.
But Prince Levi wasn’t on that list!
The chief attendant nodded, confirming Catherine’s observation. ” You’re right, Miss Swann. Prince Levi, indeed, wasn’t part of the initial group of patients. The royal family takes extreme precautions to protect the crown prince and isolates him from other members. However, accidents do happen. When Bert passed away, the physician suddenly discovered that Prince Levi was also ill!
“And Prince Levi’s condition seems more severe than others. He was diagnosed as soon as he fell ill, and his symptoms are identical to Henry’s,” the chief attendant added.
Catherine furrowed her brows. There was something unusual about Prince Levi’s illness. Although she didn’t believe in the supernatural, she couldn’t help but think of the queen’s curse.
Seeing Catherine lost in thought, the chief attendant couldn’t wait any longer.
He urged, “His Majesty and others are waiting for you, Doctor. Please come with me right now!”
Catherine had initially intended to leave the palace, but it seemed she couldn’t escape this time.
The task was getting more intriguing.
She wondered what astonishing revelation would come when the mystery unraveled.
Catherine followed the chief attendant to the door of Prince Levi’s chamber.
A crowd of priests gathered and prayed together at the door, making it look quite grand.
Catherine glanced at the scene and faintly smiled. Then, she followed the chief attendant into the chamber.
Inside the chamber, a considerable number of people had gathered, and even the king was present, which indicated Prince Levi’s importance.
Beside the elderly king stood a woman who appeared mature in age but impeccably preserved. Her beauty was accentuated by meticulously applied makeup on her exquisite face.
She adorned herself with numerous precious jewels, radiating an air of opulence and exuding a powerful presence.
If Catherine’s guess was correct, this should be the king of Ravenloth’s favorite woman, Queen Lina!
Chapter 488 Mess with the Wrong Person
The moment Catherine appeared, all eyes were on her.
Seeing her arrival, the old king couldn’t wait and said, “Dr. Sugar, please come over and check the crown prince. He suddenly fell ill, and the physicians were helpless.”
Catherine took a step forward.
“Your Majesty, are you sure she’s up to the task?” Queen Lina, who was sitting beside the king, spoke.
Her words dripped with disdain as if she held Catherine in contempt.
The old king, holding the queen’s hand, filled with affection, said, “My love, the doctor is truly skilled. It was she who used mysterious Eastern medical arts to cure Henry’s illness. I believe in her, and she can help the crown prince.”
Queen Lina’s eyes scrutinized Catherine from head to toe, her gaze thorough and unrelenting. Catherine stood tall and unbothered by Queen Lina’s condescension.
When Queen Lina continued her inspection without pause, she casually moved to a nearby chair and took a seat.
Knowing it was Queen Lina’s son who was suffering, Catherine was aware that every minute delayed meant another minute of agony for him.
Seeing Catherine’s audacious attitude, Queen Lina, who was accustomed to a position of power, couldn’t contain her anger.
She glanced at a nearby servant, and the burly servant immediately understood and walked toward Catherine.
His grim expression suggested he intended to give her a harsh lesson.
In Ravenloth, no one dared to disrespect Queen Lina. The servant strode menacingly toward Catherine, but before he could reach her, he suddenly dropped to one knee.
He clutched his knee in agony, screaming continuously.
No one saw how the previous scene had unfolded.
Withal coldly glanced at the servant writhing on the ground. This servant had dared to lay a hand on Catherine. If it weren’t for Branden intervening more swiftly, he would have crippled the insubordinate servant right then and there.
With her servant injured publicly, Queen Lina’s face darkened.
She sharply reprimanded Catherine, ” Daring to harm someone within the palace, it’s a complete disregard for the law. Arrest all of them!”
Facing Queen Lina’s anger and indignation, Catherine remained calm, stood up, and looked at everyone with cold, unwavering eyes.
“It seems I’m not needed here. I’ll take my leave,” she said.
The next second, she left without hesitation.
The royal guards immediately surrounded them, enclosing the group in a tight formation. Confronted by the numerous royal guards, the three of them stood composed and unruffled.
Withal discreetly approached Catherine and sought her permission, “Catherine, may I negotiate with them?”
Catherine, not wanting to move, agreed to Withal’s decision. Withal bypassed the royal guards and engaged the old king in negotiations.
“Your Majesty, through the task you issued via the Hacker Alliance, you must be aware of the rules of the alliance. Dr. Sugar is a highly protected individual within the alliance. If you don’t want to stand against the entire global membership of the Hacker Alliance, you should reconsider!” he advised.
With these words, the face of the king of Ravenloth immediately changed. Who didn’t know about the global influence of the Hacker Alliance?
Eighty percent of countries used chips manufactured by the Hacker Alliance.
Offending the Hacker Alliance could bring significant trouble to Ravenloth, so the old king hesitated. Queen Lina, who had been the beloved queen of the king for years, hadn’t experienced such treatment before.
Enraged, she told the king, “See how insolent these people are before you, completely disregarding the royal family. Even if the target is protected by the Hacker Alliance, would the alliance oppose the entire Ravenloth just for one person?
“Those who dare to be so audacious in your presence, Your Majesty, are a threat to the royal family and must not be spared!” she continued to persuade the king.
Under the influence of the queen and her provocations, the king’s demeanor changed once again.
In his view, Catherine was indeed too arrogant. If they could crush her spirit, it might be beneficial for the future.
“Apprehend them!” the king ordered.
With that command, the royal guards rushed toward Catherine and her companions. The three of them remained calm, only making their move when the guards approached.
They acted with precision, taking down the guards as if they were mere kittens. In no time, the dozens of royal guards lay defeated on the ground. Their cries of agony echoed throughout the palace, leaving the onlookers dumbfounded.
Queen Lina was the first to react, shouting at the attendants, ” Attendant, come quickly to protect His Majesty!”
The old king turned pale with fear, and his eyes widened.
For many years, he hadn’t experienced such a situation.
The attendant rushed in and came next to the king.
He remained silent.
Queen Lina impatiently issued her command, “Attendant, I order you to send troops immediately to take these three people and confine them to the dungeons of Ravenloth.”
However, the attendant did not heed Queen Lina’s command. Instead, he looked at the king with a grave expression.
This attendant, who had been in the king’s service for many years, was well understood by the king, who ordered him to stand up and speak.
The attendant got up and approached the king, quietly reporting the message he had just received. Upon hearing this message, the king immediately changed his face. He stared in disbelief at the attendant, repeating, “Are you sure the message is accurate?”
The attendant wore a grim expression and replied, “Your Majesty, I would never dare to deceive you.”
The king knew the attendant would never have the audacity to lie, but the message had come so suddenly that he struggled to process it.
After a moment, the king fixed his gaze firmly on the three individuals in front of him and inquired, “Who are you, and how are you connected to the Red Star organization?”
Just ten minutes ago, the Red Star organization had unilaterally terminated the weapons agreement with Ravenloth, refusing to provide any weapons or equipment to the nation.
What was more, they had declared that if Ravenloth dared to harm Dr. Sugar, they would stand in opposition to the country.
Moreover, they would offer advanced weaponry to any of Ravenloth’s adversaries free of charge. If this news became public, Ravenloth’s enemies would undoubtedly unite to exploit the situation.
With the world’s foremost intelligence organization, the Hacker Alliance, providing them with favorable information, it would be a dire prospect.
With these two powerful forces united against them, the consequences for Ravenloth would be severe.
It might be even to the extent of endangering its existence. Considering these factors, the king could no longer maintain his composure. He gazed at the three individuals in front of him, utterly astounded by their immense power.
The fact that they could prompt both the Hacker Alliance and the Red Star organization to intervene, even at the cost of their interests, and sever ties with Ravenloth was astounding!
Even the king had to surrender in the face of such overwhelming power.
“Let’s discuss matters privately. I assure you, in my capacity as the King of Ravenloth, we will not harm you. You will be treated with the highest honors and respect,” he said.
Chapter 489 Who Is He
Withal cast a disdainful glance at the king of Ravenloth, surprised at how quickly the old man could change his demeanor.
The same king who had been shouting and demanding their submission now wore a completely different, ingratiating expression. It made Withal wonder if the king’s reputation was indeed so insignificant.
“Catherine, what’s our next move?” Withal inquired, He knew that Catherine was the only one he truly cared about. Whatever Catherine said, he would heed.
Catherine seemed to be lazy at that moment.
She responded with just two words, ” Let’s go.”
Following her lead, they departed with an air of nonchalance.
Queen Lina was fuming, and her face flushed with anger.
She lashed out at the king, “Your Majesty, how can you let these three walk away like this? They insulted the royal family and even injured our people. Are you just going to let them go unpunished?”
The king looked exasperated.
He tried to calm the furious queen. ” Lina, let this matter be. Say no more.”
Queen Lina, however, was not willing to relent. She couldn’t fathom why the king would be so indulgent toward these individuals.
“Your Majesty, we should not spare them. We should arrest them all and throw them into the dungeons. Let them experience Ravenloth’s punishments and understand the severity of disrespecting the royal family!”
The king heard his beloved woman’s words, and his face darkened. He sharply retorted, “Do you realize the consequences if you go through with this?”
Unperturbed, Queen Lina coldly huffed and said, “They are just three nameless pawns. What harm could they possibly do to us?”
Staring at his beloved concubine, who still wore a look of ignorance and innocence, the king couldn’t help but angrily shout, “Foolish!”
“Do you want to bring about the destruction of Ravenloth?”
It was the first time the queen had seen the king so stern, and she was momentarily taken aback, unsure of how to react.
All of a sudden…
A maid rushed out of the inner chamber, her face filled with panic.
“Your Majesty, it’s an emergency. Prince Levi’s illness has flared up again, and the royal physicians have no solution. Please come and check His Highness!”
Upon hearing his son’s agonizing cries, the king burst into the inner chamber, with Queen Lina following closely behind.
The physicians knelt on the ground, trembling with fear.
The king’s face darkened.
He loudly demanded, “When the crown prince is suffering like this, do you mean to say you have no solution?”.
The physicians all lowered their heads in silence. Seeing her son writhing in pain, his face pallid and contorted, Queen Lina couldn’t contain her anguish.
She yelled at the physicians in desperation, “You bunch of useless people, what good are you to the royal family?”
All the physicians had arrived, but not a single one could alleviate Prince Levi’s suffering or save his life like Catherine.
The chief physician had no option.
He spoke up under life-threatening circumstances, “Your Majesty, at the moment, the only one who might be able to save His Highness is Dr. Sugar.”
In Henry, they all found a glimmer of hope. In the king’s eyes, a hint of powerlessness and helplessness showed, as they had recently greatly offended Dr. Sugar.
Summoning her back to provide treatment might be challenging. As the three were on the verge of leaving the palace gates, they coincidentally encountered Paxton.
He had returned from official duties.
Paxton had already heard about the recent events and couldn’t help but worry for the old king. Daring to challenge Catherine in their presence, the old king might have a death wish.
Moreover, Catherine was formidable in her own right, and anyone considering harming her was incredibly foolish.
Catherine suddenly felt an intense gaze on her and looked up to see Harry not far ahead.
Harry noticed Catherine’s attention and immediately approached her.
After Branden also noticed Harry, his eyes darkened instantly.
He disliked how this man looked, particularly the possessiveness and desire he displayed when gazing at Catherine. It made Branden want to get rid of him.
Harry approached Catherine with a pained and distressed expression on his face.
“Doctor, could you do me a favor?”
This was a completely different demeanor from when Catherine had seen him earlier. Catherine wasn’t particularly interested in unrelated people. She wasn’t a saint, so why should she go around helping everyone?
Catherine was about to depart when Harry suddenly rushed up to her. Branden raised his foot and sent him flying with a kick.
“Whether you’re a prince or a king, if you dare to covet Catherine, don’t blame me for not being polite,” he thought.
Harry never expected the man beside Catherine to make a move suddenly. From the moment he first saw this man, he knew he must be extraordinary.
He had tried to use his connections to investigate, but he couldn’t find any information about this man, not even his name.
Such a mysterious man couldn’t be just an assistant, Harry thought. Moreover, he could tell that the way this man looked at the doctor was different.
Catherine didn’t pay any attention to Branden’s actions. Her man had suddenly made a move, so there must be a reason for it. Harry propped himself up with his elbows, looking at Catherine with a humble gaze.
“Doctor, are you going to stand by and watch someone die?”
“Hmph!” Catherine gave a disdainful snort and took a step closer to Harry, her icy eyes filled with mockery. “If you want help, go find someone from the church!”
Catherine’s response gave Harry a glimmer of hope.
“Of course not. As long as the doctor is willing to help me, I can offer a reward.
“Reward?” Catherine murmured lightly and then let out a cold, mocking laugh.
“Do you plan to make a deal with me using a gold mine, just like your old man?”
“No!” Harry immediately denied Catherine’s statement. “Doctor, as long as you’re willing to help me, I can give you a piece of Passam Stone.”
Catherine paused momentarily, her cold face showing a slight deepening of her gaze.
“You have a Passam Stone?”
Harry nodded. “I once obtained a piece of the Passam Stone. If you are willing to help me, I can offer this stone to you. What intrigued Catherine wasn’t that Harry had the Passam Stone, but how he knew she was searching for it.
The Passam Stone was the name of a meteorite that was said to contain immense energy. It had fallen in a once barren area, but the impact had caused flowers to bloom everywhere.
Many people believed this miraculous meteorite had regenerative properties. Scientists and researchers were eager to study its mysteries. Catherine also wanted the Passam Stone, but her purpose was different from others.
She had been searching for its whereabouts for years, but she had kept her efforts a secret, even from the members of the Hacker Alliance. How did Harry know about her quest? Who was he, after all?
Chapter 490 Waiting for You
Catherine’s silence unsettled Harry. He quickly sensed something was amiss, and a perplexed expression crossed his face.
“Doctor, don’t you desire the Passam Stone?” he inquired. “Aren’t scientists like you the most eager to get hold of it? 11
Catherine examined him carefully, finding no traces of deceit on his face.
“Tell me,” she eventually replied. ”
What do you need my assistance with?”
Her response brought relief to Harry. He said, “Doctor, my request is modest. I simply hope that you can help me escape from the palace.”
He went on, “A strange illness is spreading within the palace, much like a plague, afflicting members of the royal family. The king has decreed that no one from the royal family can leave the palace. I only wish to stay alive. If you can aid me in escaping and safeguard my life, I’ll reward you with the Passam Stone.”
Catherine lowered her head, a frigid intensity in her eyes, and her icy gaze swept over Harry.
“Why do you believe I can get you out of the palace?” she inquired. Harry locked eyes with Catherine, unwavering in his resolve. “Because you are the sole person who has dared to offend Queen Lina and depart from the palace unharmed.”
The king’s deep affection for Queen Lina was evident in his determination to elevate her son to the throne despite opposition.
Within the palace, no one dared to cross Queen Lina.
As if concerned that Catherine might doubt his sincerity, Harry emphasized, “Doctor, all I desire is to survive. For me, staying alive is more crucial than anything else.”
A few seconds passed before Catherine responded to Harry. A few seconds later, Catherine turned to Withal, who was standing nearby, and ordered, “Take him away.”
“Understood,” Withal promptly acknowledged. Even before their arrival in Ravenloth, their headquarters had already established a network of informants and personnel within the palace.
Effecting the disappearance of a person from the palace without a trace wasn’t too challenging. After receiving Catherine’s directive, Withal nodded to Harry.
“Your Highness, this way, please.”
Harry looked at Catherine with gratitude and said, “Doctor, thank you. Once they departed, Paxton Duncan spoke softly, “Mr. Duncan, this is Prince Harry, the thirteenth son of the king.”
With that, he shifted his gaze to Catherine. Observing Catherine’s interaction with Harry, it was clear she wasn’t a complete stranger to him.
Paxton dared not press further, mindful of Mr. Duncan’s presence and the boundaries of his role. Unexpectedly, Branden reached for Catherine’s hand, and she turned her gaze toward him.
Are you interested in the Passam Stone? “he inquired.”
Catherine didn’t deny it, simply nodding casually. “I’ve heard it possesses some mystical properties and thought it might be fun to have.”
Branden paid little attention to Catherine’s motive behind wanting the Passam Stone. His focus was on her intentions. Since Catherine desired it, he was determined to acquire it for her.
“Very well, I’ll obtain it for you!”
His tone was gentle.
After all, it wasn’t the role of random men to fulfill Catherine’s desires. Catherine was unfazed, and she was more than willing to accept Branden’s assistance.
Prince Harry piqued her interest; she couldn’t help but feel that this matter was more complex than it appeared. She had only been to the palace twice, and both times, she had crossed paths with him.
There were no such coincidences in this world. Furthermore, Prince Harry didn’t seem as ineffectual as the rumors suggested.
How could he have learned so quickly about her interaction with Queen Lina, given that the information within the crown prince’s chamber was sealed?
The fact that informants were placed in the crown prince’s palace was evident. Could he be an ordinary person?
Reflecting on Catherine, who hadn’t even had dinner, Branden couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy for her.
“Come, let’s return and have a meal,”
he suggested.
He was concerned solely with what mattered to him.
As for the royal family members, they were of no consequence to him. The following day, Catherine enjoyed a peaceful slumber, waking up well into the afternoon when the sun shone brightly. As she descended the stairs, the delightful scent of freshly prepared food greeted her.
Noticing her arrival, Withal, who had been seated on the sofa, immediately stood up and cast an urgent glance her way.
When he stood up, Branden’s gaze followed suit. At that moment, Withal felt an icy chill sweeping in, accompanied by a powerful tempest.
It sent shivers down his spine, and he promptly retreated, too scared to advance. Having overseen the Withalist Clan of the Hacker Alliance for quite some time, Withal had encountered all sorts of ruthless individuals.
However, apart from Catherine, Branden was the only one who could instill such an instinctive fear in him. After seeing to Withal, Branden made his way to the dining table and joined Catherine for the meal.
Catherine raised an eyebrow as she noticed him picking up a fork.
“Haven’t you eaten either?”
A faint smile danced on the man’s handsome face, and a subtle glint graced his deep, enigmatic eyes.
“I was waiting for you.”
“Haha,” Catherine chuckled softly.
After a restful sleep, her mood was quite good. Withal, who was sitting on the sofa, watched the scene from a distance, silently enduring this display of affection.
Even big shots enjoyed displaying affection, and there was no shortage of lovey-dovey moments between them.
After waiting for a considerable time for Catherine to finish her meal and settle on the living room sofa, Withal finally dared to approach.
As he got up, he intentionally glanced in Branden’s direction. Ensuring that the big shot had no objections, he then breathed a sigh of relief.
Times were getting tougher; he was, after all, the head of the Withalist Clan. He not only had to consider Catherine’s wishes but also factor in her man’s sentiments when conducting business.
How frustrating!
Catherine sensed that Withal’s demeanor indicated something to report. She reclined comfortably in her seat, lazily prompting, “Speak.”
Those two words felt like a pardon for Withal, who immediately proceeded to relay the matter he needed to discuss.
“Catherine, Prince Harry has been arranged. He’s in the small villa behind this estate.”
The reason Withal had hidden Harry on Branden’s estate was that he sensed that Catherine held a certain interest in him. To find out what Prince Harry’s true intentions were, he needed to keep him under close observation.
The closer the distance, the clearer the person’s true nature would become.
“Mm,” Catherine grunted in acknowledgment.
Withal felt as if a heavy weight had been lifted from his chest.
He’d guessed right!
After reporting on Harry’s situation, Withal went on to mention another matter.
“Catherine, the royal family contacted me today. Prince Levi is critically ill, and this strange ailment seems to be endangering his life. The king wants you to return and provide treatment.”
After Withal had finished speaking, he cautiously approached Catherine.
He was genuinely concerned Catherine might vent her anger at others if provoked, and he didn’t want to be caught in the crossfire.
Fortunately, Catherine, aside from her usual aloofness, displayed no other expression on her face. She casually replied, her voice sounding exceedingly lazy, “It’s not like I have nothing to do here.”
Withal clearly understood Catherine’s decision.
The King of Ravenloth hadn’t acted in good faith this time. If it were up to him, he wouldn’t have stepped in again.
Thinking that he wouldn’t bother treating the royal family’s ailment, Withal originally intended to inquire about Catherine’s departure date.
However, before he could utter a word, his mobile phone rang once more.
Seeing the incoming call, Withal looked at Catherine with an embarrassed expression.
“Catherine, it’s the royal family calling again!”