Two black carriages stopped before an orange three-story villa south of Brussels.
Perna, dressed in full military uniform, stepped down from the carriage. Her polished leather boots struck the gravel path with a rapid tap-tap.
She squeezed the letter in her pocket, her brows faintly drawn together, praying without cease: God bless, let nothing have happened to His Highness...
But when she saw that the Crown Prince's Personal Guards nearby were all perfectly composed, she immediately breathed a sigh of relief.
It seemed His Highness was fine. Otherwise, this place would have long since become a pot of boiling chaos.
Then what exactly had happened?
She recalled the contents of the letter. It had roughly said that something major would happen tonight at the Crown Prince's temporary residence, in Room 203, and that she absolutely had to come—or she would surely regret it.
A soldier had delivered the letter that afternoon, but she had no idea who the sender was.
After reading it, Perna had rushed here without stopping.
When the Guard soldiers outside saw Perna, they snapped to attention and saluted, allowing her to walk straight into the villa.
After taking a few steps, Perna suddenly turned back and asked an officer of the Royal Guards, "Second Lieutenant Croix, His Highness the Crown Prince has been well today, hasn't he?"
"Yes, Miss Perna. His Highness should be bathing right now."
Perna looked somewhat surprised. "Are you certain nothing has happened?"
"I am certain."
"Thank you." Perna continued upstairs, passing between the guards stationed on the south side of the second floor and entering a corridor filled with rising mist.
At the corner of the corridor on the other side, Veronique watched her valiant silhouette, a smug smile appearing on her face.
The show would begin very soon.
She laughed