557.Chapter 557
557.Chapter 557
Aria knew Louisa was asking with a purpose and yed along, showering her with ttery. "Even the Holy Lady can''tpare to you. The Holy Lady may be divine, but you-you''re an angel from the heavens. How can mere mortal beauty everpare to yours?"
Louisa replied, “Hmm, well said. I like that."
Louisa nodded, clearly satisfied.
She had seen Eliza''s portrait, but it only struck her as pitiable at best.
But in terms of beauty? Eliza didn''t evene close to her own appearance.
Louisa was confident that no matter what rtionship Eliza had with Prince Regent, it posed no real threat to her.
As long as Prince Regent saw her once, he would be hopelessly captivated.
Louisa smiled to herself, pleased with the thought.
Just then, the carriage came to a sudden stop.
The coachman reported, "There are dozens of disaster victims blocking the road ahead. They seem to be heading toward Centrina City."
Louisa, still adjusting her hair in the small mirror, asked indifferently, "Are there any young men and women among them?"
"Five or six," came the reply.
"How old are they?"
"There seems to be a pair, a man and a woman, around the age of twenty, and the others are a bit older."
Louisa raised an eyebrow, set down her mirror, and smiled, calling out, “Aria."
Aria immediately understood and sighed inwardly.
She turned, stepping down from the carriage, signaling the guards as they headed toward the group of victims. Thirty minutester, the victims remained, but the five young men and women were nowhere to be found.
***
Meanwhile, Eliza and Nn''s relief team had already reached the outskirts of Centrina City.
Logically, the imperial relief supplies and provisions should have arrived by now, with Prince Regent and the ck g Army already present. The people of Centrina City should have been ready to wee them-or at least open the gates. But now, as dawn broke, the gates remained shut.
Despite the presence of guards on the city towers, even when the ck g Army disyed their gs and issued orders, the people on the towers remained unmoved.
They simply said, "Please wait quietly. We will report to Lord Jefferson, and he will decide."
Eliza and Nn exchanged a nce, both puzzled.
Wherever the ck g Army went, Nn was present-unless it was a royal
order from the King, no one should stand in their way.
Yet, here they were, blocked at the gates of Centrina City.
Nn said, "Bring Rafe forward."
"Yes, sir," a soldier responded:
Nn decided to question someone.
And that someone was Rafe, the man they had captured from the bandits.
When Rafe was brought forward, he was shackled but appeared unharmed. Having spent the past two days with the ck g Army, eating, drinking, and dressed, he looked much healthier than
when he was with the bandits.
Rafe asked, "Your Highness, are you asking about Centrina City?"
Rafe had be used to this by now, since every the fort koeto question him, it was always about simple things-directions or Woteria''s situation. Sessfully unlocked!
But now, seeing Centrina City just ahead, Rafe had a feeling he knew what Nn was going to ask.
Nn didn''t keep him guessing. He asked directly, "I recall the governor of Woteria''s name is also ''Malone, correct?"
Rafe nodded, "Yes, Your Highness."
557.Chapter 557
"What''s his full name?"
"It''s ''Jefferson Malone."
Nn raised an eyebrow. "It''s a fine name. But I''m curious about something."
Rafe lowered his head, appearing both respectful and humble. "Please, go ahead."
"The governor of Woteria is Felix Malone, and the magistrate of Saint Snow City is Jefferson Malone. If there''s no connection, I don''t believe it. So, are all the officials from Woteria rted to you?"
Nn''s use of the word "you" made Rafe''s heart skip a beat.
Rafe thought, Has Prince Regent figured something out?
But then, he quickly realized something was off and calmed himself. ''He''s testing
me. He''s truly not someone to be underestimated.''
Rafe dropped to his knees, terrified, and said, "I don''t know. All I know is that Woteria does have a Malone family. They''re a prestigious family, a hundred-year- old family with many generations. The governor of Woteria is probably one of them. As for Mr. Malone from Saint Snow City, I don''t know much about him because I''m not from Saint Snow City."
Nn had already sent someone to confirm that no one recognized Rafe. "Then where exactly are you from?" Nn asked, his eyes locked on Rafe. Clearly, Nn wouldn''t let Rafe off the hook until he revealed the truth. Rafe reluctantly replied, "I should be from Centrina City, but not from within the city itself. I''m from a vige about ten miles north of Centrina City."
It sounded like a remote location.
Rafe thought that by mentioning such a ce, Nn would probably not bother to verify it. After all, people like him, insignificant as he was, didn''t warrant such attention.
But Rafe didn''t know Nn trusted his instincts.
Nn immediately said, "Fine, stay put. I''ll be conducting relief operations in Woteria. Since you''re from a vige, after Centrina City''s relief operation is finished, I''ll send someone to deliver the supplies to you."
Rafe''s expression nearly faltered.
He thought, ''Wait, is he serious?''
Rafe had just randomly mentioned the vige. Though it did exist, he had no real connection to it.
''What should I do now? How am I supposed to get out of this? Should I run?'' Rafe thought.
Despite thinking this, Rafe didn''t n on running just yet.
After all, he hadn''t finished what he needed to do.
Rafe stole a nce at Eliza while continuing to answer Nn''s questions, deep in thought.
After questioning Rafe about Centrina City and the governor of Woteria, Nn had a clearer understanding of the situation in Centrina City.
In short, it was controlled by the "local power."
Jefferson, the governor of Woteria, came from the prestigious Malone family and was of direct descent from the family''s main line.
Originally, he had been assigned to a different province, but thanks to the Malone family''s influence, he managed to stay in Woteria.
Over the years, he climbed the ranks and soon became the governor. ording to Rafe, Felix was despised by themon people, but Jefferson was highly regarded by Woteria''s citizens. When the snowstorm began, Jefferson had already opened the grain stores to provide relief, and his officials, pressured by the Malone family, cooperated.
As for Saint Snow City, it was entirely the result of Felix''s wrongdoings.
While Rafe said this, Nn remained nomittal.
Even Eliza, standing beside him, showed no expression.
She simply stood quietly, and in an angle unnoticed by the others, released the
poisonous insects from the pocket farm.
558.Chapter 558
558.Chapter 558