Being criticized by Gautama Carana, Nean muttered, “Great master never latches the door, and no one dares to disturb great master. Now that the door was suddenly latched and Madam Barbosa was slamming the door, I knew that the fifth mistress must have hidden here as what Madam Barbosa has said.”
Mary still not intended to let him go. She had listened carefully behind the door just now and Madam Barbosa had given him a lot of hints in her words. It could be that Nean was involved in the side consort’s evil conspiracy too. His master was Gautama Damma, if Gautama Damma wanted to do something bad; he should follow him to do the same too as his disciple.
“Then why didn’t you tell Madam Barbosa I was hiding here just now?”
Nean laid down the basket on a stone table beside him. He gave a cautious glimpse at Gautama Carana and said, “How could I expose your hideout when you’re the one protected by great master? I would get beaten up if I do.”
Carana burst out laughter seeing his grand-disciple’s loyalty. He pointed airily at Nean, and spoke sternly keeping a straight face, “Spit it out, is your disappointing master wanting to harm people again?”
His voice was thunderous and did not resemble a typical old man’s voice, Nean was frightened and slumped to his knees, “Great master, please calm down and mind your health! Master has recognized his fault and he has asked me to apologize to great master on behalf!”
Carana could never harden his heart towards his grand-disciple, he smiled and scolded, “Alright, get up! Your great master, I, is still alive and well!” Catching a glimpse on Mary’s gloomy face, he then kept away his smile and asked, “If your master has known his mistake, why didn’t he come apologize himself?”
Nean hugged Carana’s legs cheekily and grinned, “Master is still making preparations to save the fifth mistress!”
Mary snorted, “It would already be nice if you two don’t cast me any danger, why won’t you want to save me?”
Nean could not tolerate anyone who badmouthed his master, even though it was someone with such a beauty. He leaped to his feet and puffed angrily, “Don’t be ungrateful! My master might be avaricious, but he would never harm someone’s life!”
Mary smirked, “Then what about my eldest sister?”
Nean seemed baffled; it was obvious that he did not know about the eldest mistress of the Debeur family, Elsa Debeur’s incident.
Giving a few grim smiles, Mary turned and started off, yet she heard Carana heaving a deep sigh and said, “Wait, young lady. Perhaps you’re mentioning the eldest mistress of the Debeur family, Elsa Debeur? I did know a thing or two about her.”
Mary went to a halt and paid attention to Carana’s words.
“My disappointing disciple came to plead for forgiveness after what had happened to the eldest mistress. He said he was only willing to cooperate with the side consort to accuse the eldest mistress being possessed in order to earn money for the sake of Munashii Temple. He has also kindly prescribed some medicine to ask the side consort to let the eldest mistress take it. I’ve seen that medicine before and it was true that the eldest mistress’ illness would be alleviated if she took it for long periods of time. What a pity.”
After a moment of pause as if lamenting the eldest mistress’ poor fate, he continued, “Who knows when few days had passed, Lord Regent brought people to Munashii Temple and said that the eldest mistress has gone crazy along the way and her whereabouts were not known. My disciple joined the search too and they finally found her at the back of the hill of Munashii Temple.”
“After that, my disciple began feeling suspicious about the incident, because he had let the eldest mistress take sleeping pills before they went and it should be no problem for her to return to the palace silently. How could she go crazy in the middle of the way? Since then, my disappointing disciple knew that the side consort was not someone good-hearted.”
Still bearing an expressionless face, Mary asked, “Since he has known the side consort was not someone good-hearted, why didn’t he inform father about that?”
Nean answered bitterly, “Easy for your Highness to say, that side consort of yours has class! How could we inform when we’re just some peasants?”
Carana caressed his beard and nodded in agreement, “Indeed, that’s right. My disciple was only conjecturing without any evidence, so how could he do that? What if he failed to inform and irritate his Majesty, this small Munashii Temple could no longer be kept.”
Mary lowered her head and pondered, it was indeed not much of Munashii Temple’s fault.
Nean said, “That side consort is cruel enough to harm your Highness and divert the blame to the fourth mistress.”
Mary lifted her eyes, her cold gaze made Nean shuddered, “Has your master received the money and agreed?”
A trace of embarrassment flashed through his eyes, he muttered after taking much time, “Master has received the money long before, yet master has made up his mind, he would definitely not do anything that harm lives and contradict to morals.”
Mary had already had some insights on his mind and sneered, “Since he doesn’t want to do it anymore, why didn’t he directly refuse it in front of the side consort?”
Nean gave a grimace of distress. Why did this fifth mistress that hard to deal with? Nean secretly swore for his bad luck upon remembering what happened last night. Firstly, he encountered the side consort who had a ferocious look, and then a few people wearing masks. One of them who seemed to be the leader even threatened them maliciously until he and master pissed their pants.
He did not expect the delicate beauty in front of him was that difficult to deal with too!
“Easier said than done,” Nean held a bellyful of grief and bleated, “How could this matter be refused in front of her? The side consort has such a cruel mind, how would she not murder us and bring the secret to grave when we refuse? My master is not an idiot.”
If not for her current disadvantageous situation, Mary would laugh upon looking at Nean’s grieving looks. “I don’t believe that your master is kind enough to try to save me.”
Nean threw his hands up helplessly and replied, “I know you won’t believe it. How about this, let me tell you : My master and I actually hesitated and not dare to take you and your sister’s life as what the side consort ordered, and we’re thinking ways to make up for it. Yet last night a guy with mask found us and asked us to follow what he said, he said he’ll hold full responsibility if things go wrong.”
Nean looked like he was not afraid to encounter death, yet he would not disclose that he and master were actually kidnapped last night.
“That guy with mask also mentioned, if the fifth mistress does not believe master’s and my words, tell her that it’s the guy with mask and she’ll understand.”
Mary knew who that person was in her heart. She did not expect that Munashii Temple had so much underlying secrets that attracted so many people to come over.
Firstly it was the nine princes gathering here, next was Norman Leeway. Was it pure coincidence? Mary was certainly not narcissistic enough to think that Norman actually came to Munashii Temple for her.
Norman’s appearance must concern one of the princes.
Having remembered Norman’s sidekicks used to address him as “boss”, suspicions stirred within her. She had no idea of Norman’s true identity, nor which prince will he advocate and whether he would let his family in for it.
Now that Mary was not alone, her life and honor lied with the Debeur family. She would be dismissed of any benefits if things happened to Ralph or anyone from the Debeur family had made a lethal mistake. Mary was afraid that Ralph was befuddled and made the wrong decision especially at the juncture of securing her position.
Judging from the current situation, Norman was clearly an extremely dangerous character. If the prince he chose went against the prince Ralph chose, then he would be the enemy of Debeur family. Therefore he must have other plan in mind when approaching her for countless times.
Mary was overwhelmed with anxiety. She knew that Ralph was loyal to the emperor according to her understanding to him these few days and he might advocate the crown prince Henry. But what would be Norman’s choice?
Seeing Mary remained silence, Nean knew she had believed his words by and large. He gained back the arrogance and confidence as a priest and said, “Your Highness, please come with me quick. We might still make it if we prepare for it now.”
Mary threw a cold glimpse at him and his arrogance immediately vanished into thin air.
“Tell me, what are you going to do? And what should I do?”
Mary’s glare had almost scared the daylight out of him; he then answered obediently, “Master has said that your Highness need only to play deaf and cooperate on time, you can count everything on master.”
Mary was still doubtful against Nean’s words; she rejected every thought she had before just because she was dubious of Norman. What if Norman was actually intending to harm her? How trustworthy was this little priest’s words?
The yard lapsed into silence once again. Carana suddenly spoke in a light-hearted manner, “Go ahead, young lady. Trust me, I’ve lived for so many years, and you’re gonna be alright. You’re not from here in the first place, therefore things would not be that smooth for you to fit in nicely.”
Mary was stricken by his words; she whirled and gazed at Carana with a surprised yet doubtful look. How did he know that she was not from the present?
As if able to read her mind, Carana smiled, “Go ahead and don’t be scared nor have doubts. You need to go look for the answers you want, and the things you want at your own. Remember my words, don’t trust what you see with your eyes, but feel it with your heart.”
Listening to Carana showing off his philosophy impatiently, Mary still had not recovered from the shock. Do clairvoyants really exist in this world? How could he tell her real identity with just a single sight?
Mary wanted to ask Carana a few more questions. To be honest, she really wanted to return to the era she belonged to take revenge for herself.
Yet Carana had entered the house with the food basket. Nean went to Mary’s front, plucked her sleeve cautiously and whispered, “Let’s go, it’s clearly that great master doesn’t want to talk to you anymore.” His glance towards Mary was full of bewilderment.
Mary lowered her head and pondered for a while; she then gave a bland smile and followed Nean out of the yard. Cross the bridge when one comes to it they said. Nevertheless, she must live a free and satisfying life!