I Became the Villain Alpha's Omega (BL)

Chapter 291: A Dangerous Assumption

While the eastern wing of the imperial palace was drowning in a silent, suffocating panic, the royal quarters on the whole another side of the grounds were a picture of absolute serenity.

Philia stood in front of a tall, silver-framed mirror, casually unbuttoning the stiff, gold-embroidered collar of his formal doublet. He looked entirely relaxed, stripped of the tense, performing anxiety and the sweet, gentle facade that usually defined his posture in front of the Auzelian court.

Behind him, Valen was quietly watching.

Philia let out a soft, amused sigh, tossing his outer coat onto a nearby armchair. "What a truly spectacular mess," he murmured as he brushed a stray lock of hair from his forehead. "I really wanted to visit the Solaric princess’s chambers. As their assigned imperial escort, how could I possibly ignore my duty to stand by their side?"

"But King Alderon’s lockdown orders were absolute, My Lord. No one is permitted to leave their quarters, let alone cross into the eastern wing," Valen responded.

"Yes, it is deeply unfortunate," Philia replied, walking over to a small side table to pour himself a glass of water. His voice carried the slightest hint of disappointment. "The King is practically vibrating with terror at the thought of an impending diplomatic war with Solaric. Only Prince Gillian, the High Priest, and a select few royal physicians are allowed past the perimeter. Anyone else trying to sneak a glance at the dying princess is viewed as a security threat."

He took a slow sip of the water, his eyes tracking the dancing orange flames of the hearth. To Philia, the entire situation was going... how should he put it? A spectacular train wreck that somehow worked in his favor? A wonderfully entertaining mess?

Valen moved slightly closer to the firelight, his posture remaining humble and respectful. "My Lord, I did manage to overhear a rather peculiar piece of gossip. It seems Princess Iryna’s condition is incredibly serious. Far worse than the court is letting on."

Philia’s hand hesitated over his glass.

"It’s so severe that even the High Priest himself was urgently summoned to the Palace."

"Oh... even the High Priest came," Philia murmured. He set his glass down with a soft, anxious click, his fingers trembling slightly as he processed the news. "If His Holiness was called directly to her bedside, then the situation must be truly dire. The Grand Temple rarely intervenes unless a soul itself is in jeopardy. I can only pray that his holy purification magic is enough to cleanse whatever monstrous substance is inside her."

Valen shifted on his feet. "There is one more thing, My Lord. According to the guards, the Northern delegation didn’t immediately return to their quarters like other nobles," Valen spoke quietly, keeping his voice low enough that it would not carry beyond the doors. "In fact, Duke Zarius and his companion, Lord Cherion, reportedly barged straight into Princess Iryna’s bedroom earlier. It happened right before the King officially enforced the strict isolation protocols and locked down the wing."

"The Northerners?" Philia scoffed, shaking his head as he set the glass down with a soft, dismissive click. "What on earth for? To stand around her bed, look at her fading face, and feel sorry for her? What do a bunch of uncultured barbarians from the frozen wasteland think they can accomplish by staring at a dying Solaric royal? Do they think their cold northern winds can somehow reverse the damage?"

He slowly shook his head, a faint, pitying sigh escaping his lips as he crossed his arms over his chest. Inside, he just couldn’t wrap his mind around the sheer pointlessness of their actions. What could they possibly accomplish in a crisis like this? None. Absolutely none. They were completely out of their depth, yet they chose to barge into a room drowning in critical political tension just to stand around like decorative statues.

Are they seriously just going to sit there and watch her fade? Philia thought, a wave of genuine disbelief washing over him. It was almost comical to imagine.

"It does seem entirely pointless on the surface, My Lord," Valen agreed, though his brow remained slightly furrowed as he recalled the details. "However, we must remember that the Solaric siblings have spent a strange amount of time interacting with the Northerners since they arrived. Not to mention the Duke had to step in and help them deal with the bandits. A sentimental, desperate visit to say their final goodbyes before the curtain drops?"

Ah, right. He had completely forgotten about that. It was true, against all logical explanation, the proud Solaric royals and those Northerners had somehow managed to forge a somehow decent relationship during their remarkably short time together in the capital. Gillian and Iryna weren’t the type to mingle with outsiders, yet they had actively sought out the company of the Northerners on multiple occasions.

For some reason, the realization didn’t sit right with Philia.

"Sentimental," Philia muttered softly, turning his back to his aide as he walked over to the large, floor-to-ceiling glass window that looked out over the sprawling capital. He placed one pale hand against the cool glass, his eyes tracking the dark silhouette of the Grand Temple’s spires rising in the distance like sharp, black needles piercing the night.

Valen watched his master’s back for a moment before a thought crossed his mind. "But My Lord... do you think they will find the source of the poison?"

Outside, the night was crisp and perfectly clear, the stars stretching out like a blanket of silver dust over the kingdom. A full moon hung high up in the center of the dark sky, creating a pale, ghostly silver glow over the silent courtyards, the manicured hedges, and the heavily guarded towers of the eastern wing where Iryna lay frozen.

Philia stared up at the moon, his reflection in the glass showing a faint hint of sympathy. He let out a long, slow breath that misted faintly against the glass, entirely detached from the frantic, useless scrambling of the mages just across the palace grounds.

"They can try," he murmured to the silent night air, his eyes reflecting the cold silver of the moon high above. "They can scramble, they can search, and they can try to analyze... but I’m afraid they might never find it at all."