Helena opened her eyes and found herself in an unknown place. The sky was grey, the trees were dead and twisted, and the soil was black. Helena moved between water as tall as her calf and shouted for help. "Hello? Is there anybody in here?"
Helena heard a sound from her back. Finally, she found someone in this place. Her relieved smile turned into terror. Helena saw a corpse walking toward her. Her whole skin was pale white, while some part of her body was rotten. There was a clear rope mark on her neck.
Helena recognized that person. It was the maid that hung herself on Helena's second life. The dead body spoke in a low, croaky voice.
"Why did you torture me? Why?"
Helena ran away from her. No matter where she moved, the scenery was always the same. More corpses appeared from the surface of the water. They were people she humiliated, tortured and abused in her second life. Helena fell when a hand grabbed her feet. Corpses crawled into her ankle and cursed at her with their hollow eyes.
"We will never forgive you!"
"AAAAA!"
Helena screamed and woke up in bed. She touched her painful head and observed her surroundings. This was not her bedroom at home. Helena tried to remember the last memory before she was unconscious. She remembered the striking pain and the blood spilt from her mouth. Her thought was cut off by the sound of a broken plate. A maid stood in her room and covered her mouth in surprise. She opened the door and shouted.
"She is awake! Everyone, Lady Blackmoore has woken up!"
There was a commotion outside her room. The knights and servants passed the news around the palace. Prince Sapphire barged into her room within a minute. He looked relieved at her condition.
"Oh, God. This is a miracle."
"Prince Sapphire, what just-"
"Don't move too much, Lady Blackmoore. You have just recovered from the poison. Call the doctor here!"
The royal doctor checked her pulse and her overall condition. He took a deep breath after finishing his check-up. "My Lady. You are lucky. The dose of the poison was so big that one sip could kill you! You had been conscious for a week!"
"I've been what?!" Helena was shocked after hearing one week had passed. "How about my parent?"
Prince Sapphire gave a hand sign. The doctor and the servants left the room. He answered her question. "We had informed them. Unfortunately, we could not move you because of your condition.."
"Is Lady Bronze all right?"
He was stunned by her question. She just woke up from a coma yet asked about the condition of the concubine. "She is fine, just a bit shocked. Heliodor is staying next to her side right now. He will be in here any minute. Before that..."
Prince Sapphire leaned to her face. His cold blue eyes glared at her. The piercing gaze made her frozen. "Answer me, Lady Blackmoore. How did you know the tea contains poison?"
Helena's body was trembling. She did not know whether it was from fear of almost dying or intimidation from the Prince.
"It-it had the same taste of poisoned tea I drank before. The poison from Crest Flower."
Prince Sapphire dug her information before. She heard both of the Blackmoore's daughters were poisoned. The case hit a dead end because they could not find the culprit or evidence. The Crown Prince stared at silent Helena. She was lost in her mind. If Helena did not attend the invitation, Concubine Elena would die. Yet, something more sinister appeared in her mind.
Someone tried to kill her as well.
Prince Sapphire bowed to her. "I'm sorry to intimidate you. I shouldn't do that."
"It is fine, Your Highness. It's just..." Helena was trembling. She lived three times but was closer to death without being aware of it. "If I never tasted the poison before, I might drink the tea as usual. I-I never thought that horrible experience would save me."
"And saving a concubine. This news got leaked to the public since Noble involves in the incident. Looks like you have become famous again."
"Did you lead the investigation?"
"Yes. This is an assassination of the concubine. The culprit is the maid. She admitted to her crime after interrogation. We found the poison in Queen Patricia's bedroom. She denied it, of course. "
Helena's forehead was frowning. "Do you think she is the suspect?"
"What do you think?" He pulled a chair and sat across her. "You are a smart woman. I want to hear your opinion."
She was thinking for a moment. "I have my doubt. If anything, the Queen might be framed. It's hard to think of her motive. Jealousy? The Queen has more standing than Lady Bronze. The throne for her son? She will try to poison you, not the concubine. The King's love? She would not approve Lady Bronze in the first place if she wanted attention."
Prince Sapphire was satisfied with her answer. "You sure you don't want to be Crown Princess? I need an intelligent lady like you next by my side."
"No thanks. I am not interested in politics."
He laughed at her blatant response. "Anyway, your answer is right."
"Huh.... I never thought the Crown Prince would agree with me."
"Queen Patricia raised me since she was the Lady in Waiting. She would get rid of me if she wanted Ruby to be the Crown Prince. I am also thinking of her as a good Queen. She may not be my biological mother, but she does a splendid job. Besides..." He stared at the window. "I never know my real mother."
There was sadness behind his voice. Before Helena could speak, Prince Heliodor appeared by banging on the door. He ran from the Concubine Palace to her room. His body was covered in sweat, while his breath was disorganized. "Lady Blackmoore, I must apologize! You go through something terrible because of us. My mother is safe because of you. Is there anything you want as a reward? Golden? Land? Jewellery?"
Sapphire tapped his brother's shoulder. "Calm down, Heliodor. Let's talk about that later."
"I am sorry..." The Third Prince bowed at her. "You are in this situation because you are together with my mother. I did not know she had a guest."
"I am fine, Your Highness! Please raise your head!"
After speaking for a short moment, they allowed Helena to take a rest. Everyone treated her nicely during her stay in the palace. Helena returned to her house two days later. Her mother ran to her side with tears on her cheek. Helena was surprised to see her crying. Her mother was a prideful woman. She must be concerned about her daughter to shed tears in front of the servants and the guards.
"My daughter, you have returned! I am so worried for you."
His father caressed her shoulder. Two of them hugged Helena tightly. It almost made her cry as well. Part of regret lingered in her heart. Helena did not care about them in her second life when her parents loved her.
Her step-sister wiped her fake tears with a handkerchief. "I am happy you survive, sister!"
Helena almost forgot about Ethel. A bright idea came into her mind. She smiled and hugged Ethel. "Thank you, sister. Please, don't worry about me." Helena whispered in her ear. "I will live a long life for you."
Ethel's eye twitched, but she did not say anything. She must remain a good girl in front of her father.
Helena spent that afternoon with her family and told them about the incident. They were surprised to hear the whole story. Ethel was fuming when Helena was invited by the Royal Family, but even her step-sister never expected the assassination. Helena watched her expression without worry. Even Ethel knew best not to slander Royal Family.
Her family took her time the whole afternoon. Helena finally met her maids in the evening. Violet, Azure and Scarlet broke into tears. Helena had to soothe them one by one.
Everyone finally left her alone when it was rest time. Helena sat on the desk and wrote in her book. Drinking poison twice and surviving was more fortunate than regressing her life three times. She somehow shifted the future once again by preventing Concubine Elena's death. Now Helena had no idea where the future would lead her.
Gaining access to Crest's Flower poison was hard. A noble lady like Ethel could not get her hand that easy on the poison. She had to investigate her step-sister from behind. However, there was one thing she must do before that. Helena stared at the black envelope on the hidden shelf.
The time to attend Sabbath was getting closer.