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Join the ServerBetty Lane carried Lucia to the mansion’s entrance, where a carriage had been waiting for some time. The coachman, upon seeing them, respectfully removed his hat and offered his greetings to Betty Lane.
As Betty Lane set Lucia down, the servants trailing behind them couldn’t help but notice. The playful bickering they had engaged in throughout their journey seemed less like an argument and more like the affectionate teasing between close companions.
Bound by their station, the servants dared not utter a word. Yet, their gaze upon Lucia now held a newfound, profound respect.
Lucia watched Betty Lane board the carriage, her gaze fixed until the vehicle vanished at the horizon. Only then did she turn and walk towards the mansion.
A maid, quickly setting aside her tasks, hurried over to offer her an arm, ready to assist her in walking.
Lucia paused for a moment, then remembered her feigned eye condition. She accepted the assistance, walking into the living room before settling onto a seat.
“Could you please find me a walking stick?” Lucia asked the maid who had helped her.
“Of course, young miss.”
Soon, Lucia received a lightweight walking stick. She took it, tapping it against the ground with feigned blindness, and walked around the living room twice. She was establishing her ‘no assistance needed’ persona.
Despite this, the maid’s eyes remained glued to Lucia. If the young miss were to stumble, they, the servants, would not escape the Viscount’s wrath, potentially losing a comfortable job that allowed for eight years of slacking.
Lucia twirled the walking stick, finding it quite handy. She yearned to perform a fancy trick with it. What child, after all, could resist a perfectly straight wooden stick?
However, Lucia didn’t actually perform any tricks. With someone watching, she couldn’t indulge in her childish whims and simply returned to the sofa.
Seeing Lucia sitting idly, the maid proactively offered, “Miss, would you like some refreshments?”
“Refreshments? Oh, yes!” Lucia immediately agreed. She was finally free, ready to seek justice for her miserably neglected stomach.
Before long, a small dining table was wheeled to Lucia’s side, laden with a colorful fruit platter and a glass of an unknown beverage.
Lucia disliked being spoon-fed by the maid. Mimicking a visually impaired person while eating snacks, she deliberately missed the fruit on the platter several times, which proved quite tiring. This made her realize the limitations of her ‘eye condition’ disguise.
While this facade could hide her angelic Star Eyes, it was incredibly inconvenient. Furthermore, the disguise wasn’t entirely foolproof. Even if no commoner had seen the true face of the angel Lucia, members of the Valga royal family certainly had. There was always a chance she might encounter one of them unexpectedly.
As this thought crossed Lucia’s mind, the fruit in her hand suddenly lost its sweetness. She glanced at the maid standing beside her, who, believing herself unseen, was frantically swallowing her saliva.
“You can have it.”
“Oh, thank you, Miss,” the maid replied respectfully.
Lucia picked up her walking stick and headed deeper into the mansion. “I want to explore on my own. None of you need to follow.”
“Yes, Miss,” the maid responded, though she had no intention of truly obeying.
Betty Lane’s orders were to look after Lucia. They couldn’t possibly allow a blind girl to wander alone. Consequently, another maid openly positioned herself at a distance, silently trailing Lucia.
Lucia noticed, but found it awkward to expose her. With eyes constantly watching her every move, she dejectedly retreated to her room.
Only within this particular room, specially designated by Betty Lane, could Lucia escape constant surveillance.
This discomfort intensified Lucia’s desire to change her disguise.
She sat on a high-backed chair, untying the bandage and holding it in her hand, contemplating a new facade.
****
Meanwhile, Betty Lane, accompanied by a group of knights and hired construction workers, was analyzing the terrain of Crowlina’s estate. As expected, they uncovered two secret rooms and a hidden passage.
They spent an entire day meticulously searching every inch of the property.
Even though Betty Lane knew it would ultimately be futile, she conscientiously directed the entire operation.
During this time, the special investigation teams dispatched to the other seven suspicious factions returned, reported their findings, and were then pressed into service by Betty Lane. Their participation significantly boosted efficiency.
As the sun dipped below the western mountains, Betty Lane wiped the fine perspiration from her forehead with a handkerchief, her expression troubled. The surrounding knights also struggled to hide their disappointment.
Their mission had failed.
That evening, Betty Lane brought the news to the palace, presenting it to Prince Rod Valga.
Prince Rod paced his study, his brows furrowing deeper with each step.
‘This shouldn’t be…’
‘The culprits who abducted the angel must be one of those suspicious factions. Why can’t we find them?’
‘Where exactly did things go wrong?’
Prince Rod stopped, looking at the dejected Betty Lane, whose head was bowed.
“You were the commander on the front lines. Did you notice any suspicious points?”
Prince Rod had asked the right person. No one knew the truth of the matter, or Lucia’s whereabouts, better than Betty Lane. However, she was no longer a knight of Valga, but a knight of Lucia.
Betty Lane chose not to lie, instead picking some verifiable truths to answer honestly:
“The Third and Seventh Teams met with severe resistance, which rendered their surprise attacks meaningless.”
“Princess Crowlina Yass left the country overnight after I sealed off her mansion. Although inspections of both the mansion and the border revealed no irregularities, her actions themselves are suspicious.”
Prince Rod nodded subtly, looking at Betty Lane with approval. Just then, Betty Lane said despondently:
“Your Highness, I wish to resign.”
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