To His Hell and Back-Chapter 401: A Detective Minister-II

All the people in the room began to see their eyes back and forth from Arabella and then the glass shards. Although some of them had heard about herbs and knew of it, they didn’t think that such trick had been pulled here. That would be the reason why Arabella had fallen into such a deep sleep without ever waking up did it? And with just minister Luis’s words, the suspicion and anger that was once directed toward her disappeared in a blink.

"Let the guards all search of that servant and I’m worried that there is something more in play here, something like magic or witchcraft. After all there are many unhappy that now Versailles is under the control of a vampire," explained Ministers Luis and all the guards bowed to accept the information.

"Now that you are all done making a scene, leave," demanded Cassius with a cross of his arms. And though the ministers blinked when looking at him at first, they all quickly disperse, leaving only minister Luis as he watched the guard bringing away the dead servant into the morgue. His expression was that of peace while he stared at the dead bodies. "Lying now, are you? Bold." Cassius pointed out and turning around, minister Luis smiled.

"Aren’t I doing a great job, your majesty?" Minister Luis walked and blocked the door, pushing it with his back to close it. "When I heard the news I could tell that those other ministers who had heard the news would be swayed to think that Lady Arabella is dangerous as a witch. Before feeding them with suspicion, I controlled the situation."

Arabella didn’t understand at first but now she did. So minister Luis is saying that he hadn’t brought the ministers here because he was really curious on who the murderer was, rather he was putting a stop before those ministers began to make up their own rumors and sow more seeds of distress for her.

"By lying, you should be thankful none of them had ever gone to the battlefield," remarked Cassius with a slight hint of frown, "They would have known that the blood under their hands are from them trying to fight being choked and that the milk wasn’t tampered with."

"It wasn’t?" She echoed.

"It wasn’t," minister Luis nodded. "Well the smell of mint was true, at least if the milk was tampered with it but it would have left a black mark on the floor if the drop of milk had spilled. But you drank your milk spotless that there’s not even a drop for me to prove your innocence!"

"..." looking back at Cassius, she blinked, "Is that true?"

Cassius nodded his head. No wonder he seems upset! Because he knows what minister Luis had said was all A lie!

"But I don’t think you have killed the servant, lady Arabella," Minister Luis said at once as he sighed, "I know when a killer is guilty and when an innnocent person is being accused falsely. I could see in their eyes and action, even the smallest bits of it and I can tell you haven’t paid much attention to the servant to know him into killing him."

"Such words, how are you sure?" She asked him as they don’t know each other much but he seemed confident.

"I’ve seen all sinners in battlefield, liars, cheater, I can tell them at a glance, and separate them easier than it is a document," chimed minister Luis as he looked at Cassius, seeing the cold and borderline murderous gaze which sent chill down to his spine.

But instead of being fearful, Minister Luis had smiled and Cassius scoffed.

Since their first meeting, Cassius recalled him running to follow him whenever they’re in the castle. A young boy at the age of fourteen yet its first words to Cassius who was known to be a hellhound was: "If I work under you, your highness, I can promise I will hide all the skeletons you have in your room properly."

Yes. Since then minister Luis has always been so excited to "clean up his mess", smiling when he’s annoyed or grinning when Cassius glare at him, a creepy freak to Cassius’s eyes but he was useful to kept around.

"I suspect, lady Arabella that you have a habit of sleepwalking," Luis said first before he wanted to leave. "I didn’t want to mention this but since you haven’t noticed it, I suppose that it’s better for me to point it out but, the soles of your feet they aren’t covered with slippers."

"I must have forgotten them?" Arabella didn’t remember clearly last night about her slippers but saw minister Luis shaking his head as a response.

"You could forget them but how is it that one of your slipper under the bed while the other is missing? Seeing you don’t remember it, I’m worried that you sleep walked."

Arabella gulped when she saw that indeed only one slipper was under her bed while the other flung far from where she stood.

"Your time is done Camillius, leave us alone now," Cassius’s curt warning immediately made Luis to stand straight. He was still smiling as he bowed down his head.

"Apologies for taking your precious time, I should go now, have a blessful day ahead, your majesty."

Cassius said nothing as the door came to close and when it does, he turned toward her, taking her hands and gently looked at her skin, "It happened under my nose," guilt and anger resounded from his words.

"No," she immediately tried to comfort him, "I’m afraid that this is... this is my doing."

"The demon’s doing," Cassius reiterated, "Even if there is a vile soul inside of you, what it did is not your fault."

"I know, I’m trying to understand that but I’m afraid," she looked at her hands that had been shaking, "what if I do things that I didn’t want to do because of the demon? But it is still my fault in the end as I’m the one with the body that host the demon."

"I know," he whispered, closely pulling her to his embrace. "But it wasn’t the demon who had done this," whispered Cassius, "I can prove to you that this is a human’s doing."