AWB Chapter 527: Unfounded Or Exposed? (II)
Chapter 527: Unfounded Or Exposed? (II)
"Will you also kill yourself to escape from your crime?"
Averon stared at Primrose in disbelief. Her tone was calm and flat, but the look in her eyes made it feel like she wanted him dead right then and there.
He swallowed hard before answering, "W-Why would I do that?! I’m not guilty at all, so I have no reason to run!"
A small smile appeared on Primrose’s lips. "I see," she said softly. "You sound so sure that I almost want to believe you... but..."
Her gaze shifted toward the corridor in the west wing. "There’s no harm in checking."
Without another word, Edmund pulled Averon aside and led the way into the west wing. Unlike yesterday, the doors were no longer locked, but every time Edmund opened one, the room inside was empty.
"See?" Averon said quickly. "Like I told you, these rooms are under renovation. No one is staying here." He let out a light scoff. "That woman must have come from somewhere else orr maybe she was brought in from outside to stir trouble between us. After all, our political relationship has never been completely stable."
[I’m not even sure the Emperor sent Primrose to Noctvaris as a symbol of peace.]
Averon thought with confidence. [She’s probably just a tool. If the Lycan King kills his human wife, the Emperor will use that as a reason to start a war with the beastkins.]
[And if she runs away, he can use her as a scapegoat for the conflict between humans and beasts too.]
Primrose quietly gritted her teeth as she heard Averon’s thoughts.
No, she wasn’t upset just because she was being used for something so cruel—well, yes, that annoyed her too—but more because the Emperor looked down on Edmund so much.
To think like that... It meant he saw Edmund as nothing more than a creature driven by rage, someone who would kill humans without thinking the moment a problem appeared.
Yes, Edmund could be cruel, but if he ever did something like that, there would always be a strong reason because Edmund wasn’t a monster, so he wouldn’t bite unless he was pushed too far.
"The only one who will destroy our political relationship... is you," Edmund said at last.
He didn’t even look at Averon, because the King of Azmeria was too disgusting to look at.
"How funny." Averon shook his head, looking clearly disappointed by Edmund’s words. "You couldn’t find any evidence here, and yet you still believe I committed a crime. Your Majesty, are you sure you’re not just trying to find faults in me?"
[He can look all he wants, but as long as he doesn’t find the path to the hidden room...] Averon laughed to himself. [He’ll leave this place empty-handed.]
[He’ll never find the escape route anyway. The door is built into the wall, so it’s not easy to notice.]
When Averon glanced at the wooden panel near the bottom of the wall, Primrose quietly followed his gaze.
Without wasting any time, she leaned closer to Edmund and whispered, "The wooden panel."
She only said that, but Edmund immediately understood what she meant.
"What are you doing?" Averon asked when he saw Edmund walking toward the panel at the end of the corridor.
"What else?" Primrose answered before Edmund could speak. "My husband just wants to make sure he doesn’t miss anything... including hidden passages."
As she said that, Edmund tapped the wooden panel with his foot. A hollow sound echoed through the hallway, making it clear that there was empty space behind it.
"Is there a secret passage behind this wall?" Edmund asked, turning to Averon.
On the other side, the King of Azmeria’s face slowly turned pale, and panic began to show on his face.
"You must be mistaken," Averon replied, his voice uncertain. "I’ve checked every part of this palace. I’m sure there are no secret passages in the west wing."
"That’s strange." Primrose placed a finger under her chin, pretending to think, even though she was clearly mocking him.
"If I remember correctly, this palace was built a long time ago, back when wars were common," she said. "Places like this usually have plenty of hidden passages. I mean... it’s normal for a palace to have secret paths, right?"
Averon glared at her, clearly irritated. [This woman... why does she talk so much?]
[This is why women shouldn’t be allowed to speak so freely.]
Primrose clicked her tongue inwardly when she heard his thoughts. These days, she often felt grateful that the Emperor had married her off to Edmund—even if it was by force—so she didn’t have to live under the rule of a foolish king like Averon.
"Yes, that’s normal, but still, not every part of the palace has a hidden passage," Averon argued. "That’s why you can’t just accuse me like this."
Primrose let out a soft sigh and replied casually, "If that’s the case, why don’t we prove who’s right by breaking this wooden board?"
"What? Don’t be ridiculous!" Averon shouted right away. "How dare you damage the property of a king!"
He tried to grab Edmund’s hand and pull him away from the board, but the Lycan King was faster. Edmund kicked the wooden panel without hesitation. He didn’t even care when Averon threatened to take this matter to court.
To be honest, to hell with Averon. If he really wanted to take Edmund to trial, then so be it. But one thing Averon needed to understand was that Edmund would never do something without a strong reason.
Aside from Primrose telling him that something was wrong behind the wall, he could also faintly hear footsteps coming from the other side. Along with the sound of footsteps, there were whispers from several people.
"Hurry up! Hurry up! We won’t be able to escape if we waste this chance!"
"Wait! Wait! What if this is a trap? I mean, how did you take down the palace soldiers so quickly?"
"Are you slow or what? The soldier lady who stayed in front of Evelia’s door all night said that the poison powder she gave was very powerful! It could even kill a rhinoceros!"
"We don’t even know anything about that soldier lady, so why are you trusting her so much?!"