Because of Wendy’s high emotional intelligence since childhood, although she couldn't make all of her brothers and sisters like her, she could at least ensure that they didn't dislike her.
As a result, she had almost never suffered any punishment growing up, let alone been thrown into a dungeon cell.
Strangely, despite this being her first time locked in such a dark and damp place, she had begun to experience an increasingly strong sense of déjà vu over the past few days.
It felt as if she were repeating a period of time she had already lived through, where every detail seemed familiar.
The shape of the water stains on the walls, the patterns of rust on the iron bars, the angle of the light filtering through the window... everything filled her with an inexplicable sense of familiarity.
It even reached a point where she couldn't distinguish whether she had actually experienced it before or... if she had dreamed it.
“You still haven't changed your mind, have you?”
A voice interrupted her thoughts.
Wendy looked up and saw the man who called himself the Crown Prince's steward standing outside the cell door. He had his hands folded in front of him, a look of interest on his face.
His appearance, as well as his current demeanor and tone, also gave Wendy a powerful sense of déjà vu.
Wendy sat with her hands folded on her lap and replied calmly, “Change my mind? I have never done anything that requires me to change my mind. As for you, isn't it boring to ask me the same question again?”
The steward smiled slightly, a smile carrying an inscrutable depth. “It’s not boring, because I am giving you an opportunity.”
Wendy shook her head gently, her tone remaining steady. “Then I advise you to give up sooner. I will not walk out of this cell in such a manner, nor will I cooperate with you in any way!”
The steward looked at her, fell silent for a moment, and then sighed softly.
“You really are stubborn. It seems you don't understand at all how exhausting it is for a lowly steward like me to have to worry about so many things.”
Wendy didn't respond to that.
As her gaze inadvertently swept over his cuff, she experienced another surge of déjà vu, which happened to allow her to catch a faint, hard-to-notice dark red stain.
It was blood. Although it had dried, it still left a clear mark on the dark fabric.
A mocking smile played on the corners of Wendy’s mouth.
“You can't even clean the blood off yourself properly. Why don't you stop this clumsy acting? Mister mysterious man from the dungeon?”
The steward looked down at his cuff and let out a light chuckle.
“How rude of me, Your Highness. A mad dog I had already shaken off somehow managed to catch my scent and chase me down yesterday. I dealt with him as I pleased, but I seem to have forgotten to clean my clothes. My apologies for the oversight.”
He didn't mind revealing such insignificant information to a prisoner who couldn't even resist.
His words confirmed one thing to Wendy: someone else had indeed noticed something unusual about this man before.
But she quickly became puzzled.
If someone had noticed something unusual about him, why hadn't they informed the relevant authorities of the Empire?
Even now, the other members of the Imperial Family remained completely oblivious.
Several possible answers surfaced in Wendy’s mind, but she didn't press him.
She had another sense of déjà vu—if it wasn't an illusion, her sister Sarah was about to arrive.
Thud, thud.
Sure enough, before long, footsteps echoed from outside the cell.
“You—you’re one of the Crown Prince’s men, aren't you?”
Sarah’s figure appeared at the cell door.
She immediately spotted the steward standing there, and her eyes instantly filled with alertness and hostility.
She stepped forward quickly, placing herself between the cell door and the steward, her tone sharp with questioning. “Are you here because he wants to do something to Wendy ahead of schedule?!”
Facing the interrogation of the Third Imperial Princess Sarah, the steward unhurriedly bowed, his posture respectful and proper.
“Please calm your anger, Princess Sarah. I have only come on behalf of the Crown Prince to pay a visit to the Fifth Imperial Princess. After all, as her brother, he still can't quite let go of his sister.”
“Can't let go?”
Sarah sneered.
“If he really couldn't let go, he wouldn't have locked Wendy in here! Go back and tell him to stop these nauseating displays.”
The steward straightened up, that polite smile still plastered on his face. “I will convey your words exactly as they were said.”
With that, he turned to leave, but as he passed by Sarah, his gaze swept over her shoulder to give Wendy a meaningful look.
He knew Wendy would never reveal his true identity, because even if she did, no one would ever believe her.
Wendy met his eyes for a brief moment before looking away.
The steward’s footsteps gradually faded, disappearing at the end of the corridor.
Sarah watched him leave before turning around, the alertness on her face softening slightly.
She crouched down and handed a food box through the gaps in the iron bars. “I brought some more delicious food for you. Eat it while it’s fresh.”
Wendy took the food box and opened the lid, seeing several types of snacks she used to enjoy.
Given her current situation, hardly anyone was willing to even see her, let alone bring her such delicious treats.
Wendy looked up and gave Sarah a smile. “Thank you, Sister Sarah.”
Sarah sat on a relatively clean patch of floor outside the cell, watching Wendy through the bars, her eyes filled with heartache and pity.
Wendy was her favorite sister.
She was smart, sensible, and understanding, having been more mature than their other siblings since they were young.
Sarah had even privately thought that if the Empire were to have a great monarch in the future, Wendy was more qualified for that position than the current Crown Prince.
So when she learned that Wendy was to be sentenced to burning at the stake immediately upon her return, she could hardly believe her ears. At the same time, she was certain that Wendy had been framed by the Crown Prince, whose ambitions had recently begun to swell.
But even knowing this, she was powerless to change the current situation.
“Wendy...”
Sarah spoke softly.
“Have you been happy out there these past six months?”
Wendy nodded. “Yes, happier than ever before.”
Because there was someone in the religious order who could see further than she could, she hadn't needed to hide herself at all during these six months. Instead, she had been able to display her talents to her heart's content and realize her true value.
Thus, Wendy had lived every day to the fullest, feeling that this was what it truly meant to be alive.
“I see.”
Sarah felt relieved as she looked into her sister’s clear eyes.
Now she could be certain that during these six months, Greg had indeed taken good care of her sister.
“By the way, I have a letter to give to you.”
Sarah pulled a letter from her pocket and handed it to Wendy through the bars, adding, “Greg went out of his way to find someone to contact me and specifically asked me to deliver this to you.”
Wendy’s movement as she took the letter faltered for an instant.
Her heart skipped a beat, and a look of excitement crossed her face.
This meant the Lord Bishop was finally going to take action!
Seeing Wendy suddenly perk up, Sarah became even more convinced of her previous suspicion.
She gave a light chuckle and teased, “It seems your taste in men isn't bad either. Not only is he handsome and talented, but he also hasn't given up on you even at a time like this. If you had confessed this to me sooner, I definitely would have supported you.”
Upon hearing this, Wendy looked up at Sarah with a completely blank expression.
Taste in men?
Support me?
What on earth is Sister Sarah talking about?
I clearly—
At that moment, a thought flashed through her mind like lightning.
She looked down at the letter in her hand, then back up at the 'I know everything' smile on Sarah’s face. An almost unbelievable possibility slowly began to emerge in her heart.
Rate on N.U.
