NOT THE USUAL CINDERELLA (Season 2)

NEXT PLAN

"Eh..." Evan muttered softly in a shocked tone, almost without being able to control himself, Evan walked over to Deanda to make sure that Deanda was okay and had not had time to taste the food containing arsenic poison.

Evan's awareness of his position as a duke of the Gracetian state, however, led him to force himself to restrain his bodily movements to approach Deanda, if not to be considered as bold to act brashly towards a Gracetian empress. And is also considered to be in opposition to Alvero, as king of the Gracetians, as well as the legal husband of Deanda.

Deanda herself was still quietly glued to her place, trying to calm herself down, feeling a little shocked by what had just happened. Not expecting that there is someone out there who wants her death, which will definitely affect the baby in the womb, even though no outsider knows about her pregnancy.

"I've never liked a food that includes nuts in it. Any kind of nut. And Avitus, who had been working as a food taster of the palace family, knew for sure about my custom. As for Empress Deanda, she was quite fond of foods containing nuts. An Avitus also knew about such a thing well. So their real target is obviously Empress Deanda, not me." Alvero tries to explain his analysis to Evan about the reason why he suspects that the target of the killer is Deanda, not her.

"Why is that guy after the empress' life? What revenge do they have?" Evan asked as if he was saying to himself, with the corner of his eyes staring at Deanda with a sense of relief seeing Deanda still fine at the moment, making him subconsciously sing a thin smile towards Deanda, and certainly the smile was seen by Alvero who immediately turned his face while grunting quietly, without being noticed by anyone.

"I don't know what the reason is, because we can't name who's responsible for all this. The important thing now is to find evidence of who gave Avitus the order, even though we might have guessed who was trying to play with fire with me and die!" Finally Alvero said as he looked back at Evan, hoping that Evan had shifted his eyes from Deanda, or he would no longer be able to hold himself back from finding a way for Deanda to leave this place so that other men could not enjoy the beautiful figure of his wife.

"The suspicious waiter had a tattoo on his back of a picture of a semi-circular sun and a roaring lion's head. Some time this, I purposely asked someone to always keep an eye on the maid's actions with that tattoo." Alvero's words successfully made Evan buy his eyes.

"So the traitors are really still gathering followers and trying to attack the royal family." Evan said with a frown, feeling unsettled.

However, the security of the Gracetian state is under his responsibility as a duke with the highest status among the other dukes because he holds the highest power in the military of the Gracetian kingdom.

During his life, duke Lexi, his father once told Evan how cunning and cruel the members of the rebel group who used the sign of the picture of the semi-circular sun and the roaring lion's head.

According to Duke Lexi the leaders and members of the group often easily kill innocent people or who he thinks could harm and become a hindrance to their group.

They are known as a group that is often brutal and often carry out massacres and robberies. No matter men, women, children or adults they would easily kill them without guilt, including those in the village of Erich at that time.

"Your Majesty, it's good that we move faster than them. Give me permission to do the cleaning at the palace. I will mobilize people now to check all servants and workers, including the royal guards. Anyone among them who has a tattoo on their body should get rid of it immediately from the palace." Evan said as he looked straight at Alvero who immediately nodded his head.

"From the beginning I've planned it if the right moment comes. And it seems like this is the right time. Do what you just said duke Evan. But...." Alvero hung his words for a while, as he looked at Deanda who chose to sit on the dining chair while listening to the conversation between Evan and Alvero.

"I want the news of Avitus' arrest not to spread to the other side. For that, we must do something so that the person who gave the order to Avitus thought that his plan worked well, that Avitus had already managed to poison the empress. So we know what her next plan is after the empress has been poisoned. Therefore, I need the empress' help to pretend to be poisoned. And Ernest, give Avitus's resignation to the HRD department, let them assume Avitus has left the city of Tavisha without a message." Hearing Alvero's words, both Evan and Ernest immediately nodded and smiled with satisfaction at Alvero's plan.

"Alright, then, duke Evan, I will give you the king's plaque as a sign you were given permission to do a sweep in the palace. Waita minute. I'll take it for you. And Ernest, call our celebrity doctor to pretend to be treating the empress. In order not to raise any questions, since we had lunch in the penthouse, let the empress be cared for in this penthouse. It was also good that the two of us could give duke Evan full rights to tear apart the palace this afternoon." Evan and Ernest nodded their heads at Alvero's orders.

"I'm sure after this, that person will find a way to vent his anger on us. When that happens, it will benefit us. Let's just wait, I'm sure his actions this time will be reckless and without calculation because it is dominated by emotions as well as fear." Alvero said in an optimistic tone.

“Lion whose position is pinched, he will attack the surrounding carelessly. Even he would no longer be able to discern which comrades and opponents.” Alvero said with a small smile with one corner of his lips raised upwards.

"I'll take the king's plaque for you duke Evan." Alvero said as he stepped towards his room.

And as soon as Alvero passed Deanda, his hand quickly grabbed Deanda's wrist and held her tight enough, inviting her to go with him leaving Evan staring straight at her departure, and also Ernest who was calling the doctor.