Looking for a Husband to Confine Me - Chapter 37.2
Chapter 37.2
“Wait.” Bashar raised a hand, interrupting me. I sighed and closed my mouth. Please, let me finish. Every time I tried to say something important, I was interrupted.
“Damian, was it?” Bashar glared at Damian with hostility. Damian, in contrast, met his gaze with a relaxed smile.
“Yes, Damian Ditronil, Your Highness.”
“Is there any proof you’re not the one colluding with Pazl? How can I trust you?”
“…Are you suspecting me?”
“I have no reason to trust you. Everything you’ve said could be a lie.” Bashar Kisha’s voice and expression were both hardened. The gentle demeanor he had shown when we were alone had vanished. He radiated a similar aura to when I first entered the mansion’s drawing-room and greeted him with Harun.
“Perhaps you received the antidote from Pazl beforehand and drank the poisoned wine on purpose.” Bashar seemed already suspicious of Damian.
However, it felt less like suspicion based on concrete evidence and more like dislike. It was hard to believe Damian was the conspirator based on what Bashar was saying. Glancing at Damian, I saw he had no intention of actively defending himself. In the end, I spoke up. “Your Highness, I was the reason the poisoned wine glass broke. If it weren’t for me, Damian wouldn’t have collapsed near you.”
“That’s…”
“Moreover, because Damian drank the wine and vomited blood, we learned that Pazl’s wine was poisoned. If Damian were the conspirator, he wouldn’t have intentionally put Pazl at risk.”
“…Do you believe this Damian?” Bashar asked. I could see the muscles in his jaw tensing as I defended Damian. If I were next to him, I would have heard his teeth grinding. Did he not want to admit he was wrong? Even without power, he was still a prince.
“At least I believe he’s not involved in this incident.”
“…Fine, I understand.” He spoke as if reluctantly dismissing his suspicion, turning his head sharply away from Damian.
“Amelia.” Damian kept tapping my hand. I tried to ignore him; I was even defending him, and I couldn’t understand why he kept interrupting. I gritted my teeth and muttered to him, “Can you please stay still?”
“You should say you trust me in times like these.” Damian was smiling brightly, seemingly pleased that I had spoken up for him.
I deliberately avoided his smile. If I got caught up in that face, I wouldn’t be able to leave this place for days. “Anyway, Pazl has been spreading a black oil throughout the annex. He’s either planning to set it on fire and burn down the annex, or he’s planning something else using the oil.”
“And you said the oil smells foul?” Bashar recalled my words. I nodded.
Although Pazl had followed me because of Kelliard’s cry, he probably hadn’t stopped spreading the oil while coming here. He might even be checking other rooms and spreading it now.
“Oil… is he planning arson?” Bashar muttered, wondering if Pazl intended to burn down the annex and kill everyone inside.
I initially thought the same as Bashar. But it was too uncertain a method. Besides, it felt like he was spreading the oil for a different purpose, not just to start a fire. The black oil emitted an unpleasant odor, a smell that instinctively repulsed me.
‘Just like this space…’
Dark and damp due to the darkening. I unconsciously glanced out the window. Although their numbers had decreased, I could still see beasts prowling around.
‘They seem closer than before…?’ I tilted my head, observing the beasts outside. They were closer to the annex than when I had looked out the window earlier.
“Wait…” I let go of Damian’s hand and approached the window. I wasn’t mistaken. The beasts affected by the darkening were getting closer and closer to the annex.
“What’s wrong, Amelia?”
“What is it?” Damian and Bashar asked simultaneously, surprised by my sudden action. I turned to them and spoke.
“The beasts outside are getting closer.”
“You don’t have to worry; they can’t come inside.” Bashar spoke in a softer voice, as if thinking I was scared. It was a significant improvement from when he was wary of me and reacted with displeasure.
The problem was that it wasn’t something I could be at ease about. Just as I opened my mouth to explain, Damian’s voice rang out. He knew exactly what I was worried about.
“They shouldn’t be able to get close because of the divine power here.”
I nodded at Damian’s words. Bashar finally realized the problem. The fact that the beasts, who instinctively avoided the sanctuary, were getting closer meant only one thing.
“The sanctuary’s divine power is weakening.” There was only one thing that came to mind. It was probably the black oil Pazl was spreading throughout the annex. It seemed to be eliminating the divine power and attracting the beasts.
