Seeing that glass of drink standing on top the table alone made Yuri felt a moment of splurged emotions. Surprised, flabbergasted, disappointment, sadness, etc. She's not sure which one it is, but she felt like something landed on her heart, weighing it down. Another unfamiliar feeling.
Yuri doesn't even noticed that her eyes kept staring at that isolated glass, until a sudden commotion woke her up from her moment of daydream and emotional thoughtlessness. When she turn her eyes to where the commotion is, she saw Mikel in a kneeling position while his arms are holding onto Vanessa, whom for some reason, seemed to have fainted.
Yuri furrowed her brows together not understanding what the current situation is with the four UV lights, but she knows one thing for sure; the plot of this world is running where it should be going, as plotted.
---I just looked away from them for couple minutes, and something has already happened....
"His Royal Highness!"
A sudden voice erupted out of nowhere, then soon, that person came up front to the four main characters, and kneeled down in front of them, while his face knitted into a horrific and nervous emotions.
"His Royal Highness and Your Grace! As--as I was serving the drinks to the guest, I...I saw someone poisoned Lady Vanessa's drink!" The man said nervously.
The room suddenly became quiet again, waiting for that man to continue his words. Mikel, Lumen and Sabrina also didn't say a word, as they are waiting for him to explain his words. Seeing that the room became quiet just to wait for him to continue his speech, he became even more nervous.
"I, I saw someone sneakily put some weird looking powder into one of the drinks then hand it to Lady Vanessa herself, before Lady Vanessa shows her courtesy to Your Grace and His Royal Highness. And....and...that person that poisoned Lady Vanessa is... Lady Sabrina herself..."
Within a second, the room became an uproar with whispers from all different directions. People starts to stare at Sabrina Arden. Some with disbelief, while some with pride, claiming that Sabrina Arden looks like someone that does anything to get what she wants. Then there's Yuri, calmly watching the situation, watching the plot of this world slowly unfolds itself. With an empty mind, she is not thinking of anything, she has no thoughts of anything. She is not surprised like everyone else, since she knew that the world she is in is a novel, and cause of that, dramatic scenarios are expected. However, her eyes shifted to Sabrina's direction, as curiosity is part of of human's nature, Yuri wants to know how Sabrina is reacting to the situation. Sabrina slightly lifted one of her eyebrows, but other than that, her expression stayed calm and steady. Seeing that Sabrina still hasn't said anything yet, Duke Lumen Augustine spoke out first.
"So, Lady Sabrina, do you have anything to add on?"
The duke looked at her expressionlessly. Sabrina turn her head and look up, staring into the duke's pair of calm ocean eyes fearlessly. She didn't answer his question automatically, instead, her red lips slightly curved upward, making her look mysterious but beautifully elegant at the same time. After few seconds, she slowly parted her lips and calmly spoke out to the duke while containing her mysterious smile.
"I apologize Your Grace. I was just waiting to see what else this man has to frame me for. After all, this is the first time I have seen Lady Vanessa myself. So hearing that I have poisoned Lady Vanessa makes me think that I have dementia at such a young age. But then...hehe~"
Sabrina stopped, then let out a light giggle before she continues
"...I remember that I don't. So I am just curious as to why this man that I don't even know, will frame me on poisoning Lady Vanessa...when it is our first meeting."
Then the man hurriedly spoke out after her
"I saw Lady Sabrina poisoning the drink myself! So I know Lady Sabrina is definitely lying..."
"But I could say that you are lying too. Maybe you were the one that poisoned Lady vanessa, and used me as your scape goat, no?"
Sabrina calmly cut out that man's sentence. Her eyes are smiling at the man, but Yuri can tell that her beautiful smile hid more than just what it is showing, it's almost like she is testing that man to see how far he will go. As Yuri is examining Sabrina's expression, she also noticed that her boss, Duke Lumen, is staring at Sabrina. She felt like the stare that her boss is giving to Sabrina has started to change. Something more intense, more...raw and fresh. The man start to talk louder, to the point of shouting, as a way to show that he is being wronged.
"Why would I ever poi...!"
"Then why would I ever poison her?"
Sabrina once again calmly cut that man's sentence off. The she looked at the audience around her, including Yuri, and calmly spoke out
"If there is a second witness, or maybe a third or a fourth witnesses out here that saw me poisoned Lady Vanessa, please step out...But please, do keep in mind, according to our kingdom's law, framing an innocent person with murder will lead to several ten years in prison, and for the worse, an execution."
After a few second of silence, no one stepped out from the group of audience to claim as a witness to Sabrina's murderous inclination. It seems like Sabrina's last couple of words have put fear into their heart. Even though it sounded like a reminder to people, but it is more like a blackmail for them to think twice before framing her, as there are consequences. Especially to that man. And because of that, that man started to shiver. His eyes became more horrified, while someone else became more gleeful. Yuri saw that her handsome boss's pair of ocean eyes has darkened, like it is starting to ripple into small waves of unexplainable emotions, as his lips curved into a small smile as he kept staring at Sabrina. Soon, that man suddenly laid his head lower and cried out in stutter, like flies has went into his mouth.
"Yo-Your Highness and Your Your Grace! A lowly person like me, would, ne-never dared to speak lies!! Ple-please believe me!"
Mikel let out a sigh, then finally spoke out
"Guard! Bring Lady Vanessa to a room for her to rest in and also bring in a royal doctor to check on her."
As the guards came running in to obey his command, Mikel stood up after Vanessa was taken away and said in a steady tone to the audience that are watching this drama in front of them
"Thank you for everyone that came and attended this banquet, but that will be all for tonight. I hope you all will get back home safely..."
Then he stared at that man that is still kneeling on the floor, shivering. Mikel turned his head around to look at Sabrina's direction. Still composed and calm, like she was never part of this commotion.
"I will eventually find out who's lying and who's not, but right now, there's not enough evidence proving who's right and who's wrong...so until then...."
Mikel look at that man that is kneeling
"Guard! Escort this man to a confined room. Until we find out who is the one that is being wronged, I will need you to stay put."
The guards bowed and obey his command. The man shivers. He lifted his head to look at Mikel and beg for mercy, stating how everything he has stated are true. Mikel let out a big sigh before stating once again that nothing will be done until the truth is settled. That he is not sending him to prison, but just a regular room that he will need to confined until the case is solved (which is no different from prison in Yuri's thought). The guard lifted the man up, not too aggressively, but also not very gentle. Then escorted the man out from the banquet, as the guests for the banquet are also being escorted out by the servants that work for the castle. Soon after, only Lumen, Mikel and Sabrina are left in the banquet hall. Of course, the servants that work for these three UV lights are in the room with them also, but since they are not the main characters of the plot, it doesn't even matter if they exist in the room or not. This suddenly brought back memories of that man that Yuri saw at the corner of the room, just a couple minutes before. As Yuri is in the middle of remembering that mysterious man that she just met, Mikel voice interrupted her thoughts.
"Lady Sabrina, as you are a suspect of this case, I apologize but I also need you to be confine in a room. I promise you that as long as you are innocent, you will be released soon. Guard, bring Lady Sabrina..."
Before Mikel put in his order, Lumen spoke out
"His Highness, I don't think that will be a good idea."
Mikel stare at him with his eyebrows furrowed together, showing his dislike of him suddenly being cut off. Of course, Sabrina also turned her head toward Lumen's direction, wondering what he is about to say next.
Lumen bowed his head slightly to show his courtesy towards Mikel status as a crown prince, as he explain his words.
"The Arden family is one of the families that protect our kingdoms border. Although her family status may not be the highest, but her family reputation is one of the strongest. The Arden family has won a lot of battles for our kingdom, and protected the safety of our civilians. Even though Lady Sabrina became a suspect of Lady Vanessa being poisoned, confining her in the empire's castle may lead to the Arden family's dissatisfaction, since it could ruin their family reputation."
Mikel understood what Lumen is trying to say, but he once again again furrowed his eyebrows and stated
"But I can not have her confined at her own home, as she is a suspect after all. Plus, I am not locking her inside the prison."
Lumen smile slightly smile to Mikel and continue
"I do understand what His Highness is trying to put out...how about this. Why don't we have Lady Sabrina be confined in my manor until the case is set. I believe that being confined in a duke manor will look less intense than being confined in the kingdom's castle. It will at least not make the Arden family too unhappy."
Mikel raised one of eyebrows showing his surprise, while Sabrina also look at Lumen with surprise. After all, the duke is famous for not liking to be included affairs between nobles, unless it cause a war outbreak. After couple second of thinking and silence, Mikel slightly nods his head showing his agreement with what Lumen have just said.
"Well then, I will have Lady Sabrina be under your watch, Duke Lumen" Mikel said as he let out a sigh at the same time, then he looked at Sabrina
"I apologize Lady Sabrina, but we will have to settle like this for now. I also hope that you will provide enough evidence stating your innocence."
Sabrina just smiled at Mikel without saying anything. After all, it is not like she has a choice.
"Then, the night is not young anymore. I believe you guys should also call it a day."
Everyone, including Yuri bow their heads down to bid the Crown Prince a farewell before they leave. Sabrina and the duke rode together in the same carriage, back to his duke manor. While the carriage that Yuri is riding became a four people carriage instead of three people carriage. The extra maid is Sabrina's personal maid. She is a young girl with short orangish hair, named Nina. At first, the three girls that were together with Yuri kept trying to start a conversation with Sabrina's personal maid, but soon after, the carriage quiet down to a silence, since Sabrina's maid didn't really say anything other than letting out a smile from time to time. Yuri appreciated the quietness throughout the carriage ride, since her mind is filled with some person's pair of red and seductive eyes, and his tall silhouette.
When the Lumen arrives back to his manor, he told the head maid to prepare a guest room for Sabrina and her maid. Before he bid Sabrina a good night, Lumen looks at her with a gentleman smile.
"Although you are under confinement, please do tell me or my head maid what you need to have a comfortable stay in my manor. And also, you are free to walk around my manor, as long as you stay within my manor's premises."
Sabrina nodded her head
"Thank you for your kindness and your graciousness. I also apologize for my inconvenience to you."
Lumen smiled
"No need to apologize. Either way, I am looking forward to it."
He didn't state what it was exactly, but it is obvious that he is enjoying Sabrina's inconvenience. Since he wants to see what Sabrina will bring to the table to proof her own innocence. she didn't say anything, other than a smile. Just like that, the long night has ended. After Yuri and the three maids finished setting up the guest room for Sabrina, they also went back to their own room. Yuri look out at her open window, letting the wind blows onto her wet hair that she just washed. She dazed at the moon, trying to sum up the situation that happened tonight.
It seems like the story is proceeding on with no problems. Although Yuri still doesn't know what the future withhold, but she want to meet that person again. That person that stands at the dark corner, observing the crowds with his emotionless pair of red eyes. For some reason, she felt like if she ever does meet him again, she will be able to recognize that person automatically even though she hasn't seen his face clearly. She knows that she will. That pair of blood lusted eyes that stares into her own, has already engraved not only in her memories, but also somewhere deep in her. Somewhere that even the marvelous bright sunlight can't lit up. Like the isolated dark corner of a room.