Chapter 97 I didn't expect her to do this. She was just a civilian.
"they?"
Catherine frowned, her tone ending in displeasure.
She thought of something but didn't say it, her eyes fixed on Scarlett, sharper than before.
Their eyes met.
Scarlett just felt a tightness in her chest.
If Catherine's previous gaze was a sharp sword that pierced her soul, now it had become a towering mountain that suffocated her.
She could hardly straighten her back.
But there are some things that must be said in one go, otherwise you won’t have the courage to continue later.
Scarlett raised her eyes neither humbly nor arrogantly.
The invisible mountain pressed down her body, but it could not suppress her unyielding soul.
"Your Majesty, I've been reviewing the institute's files recently and have discovered something quite coincidental: all of the employees who have resigned from the institute are civilians from the underground. The projects they were researching were quickly taken over and completed after they left."
"It's not easy for commoners to enter the Imperial City. Only one person in a city can take the top spot and enter the Imperial City. How could they leave so easily?"
"I suspect someone at the institute is abusing their power for personal gain, stealing their achievements, and threatening their lives!"
"Your Majesty, please grant me permission to enter the research institute for investigation!"
silence.
Deathly silence.
No one spoke in the empty hall.
The sunlight slanted into the hall through the window, creating a vast expanse of white that made people feel dazed. When it fell on the body, there was no warmth at all. If one didn't know, one would think that winter had arrived early and the hall was covered with frost.
Scarlett knelt until her knees became numb, her bones ached, her body became increasingly tired, and her vision became blurry.
Finally, Catherine spoke.
"Stand back."
Catherine's voice was filled with fatigue.
Without looking at Scarlett, she picked up her pen again, pulled over the documents at hand, and continued reviewing. "Scarlett, from today on, you will reflect on your mistakes behind closed doors. You are not allowed to leave Hurda Palace before the resource competition begins."
"Your Majesty!" Scarlett knelt forward and begged again.
"Back off!" Catherine shouted angrily, interrupting her harshly, "Go back to your Huldah Palace and think about what you did wrong!"
"I have done nothing wrong!" Scarlett refused and wanted to argue again.
Catherine's eyes were like knives. She glared at Scarlett fiercely, threw the pen in her hand, and shouted sternly, "Get out!"
"Queen Mother!"
"His Majesty."
Katrina had been standing outside the hall. Hearing the mother and daughter's argument intensifying, she walked in at the right time to break the tense atmosphere.
She walked over to Catherine, put down the documents in her hand, and said, "Your Majesty, this is a document that the cabinet has just sent. You need to deal with it urgently."
Catherine looked at her, her eyebrows moved slightly, and her eyes flew to Scarlett.
Katrina understood and walked towards Scarlett with a smile. She took Scarlett's arm and tried to help her up. "Your Highness, you have come at an inopportune time today. The Cabinet and the Privy Council have documents to submit that concern the people's livelihood. We cannot delay."
"Your Highness, please go back and rest early. His Majesty will summon you after he finishes handling government affairs. Don't worry."
Scarlett opened her lips.
Katrina held the back of her hand, shook her head gently, and her eyes advised her not to say anything more.
After a sudden pause, Scarlett calmed down. She knew that Catherine was angry and that continuing would not produce any results.
After a few seconds of silence, he stood up with Katrina's hand.
"I'll take my leave."
After she finished speaking, she walked out of the hall, came to the door, and looked at the midday sky.
The sky is blue, the white clouds are like wisps, the sun hangs high in the sky, and the sunlight falls like golden gauze, covering the earth, warm yet gentle.
Scarlett paused.
Stop at the door.
Stand for a few seconds.
She suddenly turned around and returned to the hall with a resolute attitude.
She took out the pen case she carried with her and presented it to Catherine. Every word she spoke was clear and loud, echoing throughout the hall. "Your Majesty, you once said you would make me Duke of Melios. Do you still mean to do that?"
Catherine narrowed her eyes. "What are you going to do?"
Scarlett said in a resounding voice, "I no longer wish to be Duke Melios. I want to investigate the research institute!"
Hearing this.
A trace of surprise flashed in Katrina's eyes, and she moved her body, trying to persuade her again.
But Catherine raised her hand, signaling her to leave and not to bother with it.
Katrina could only stand there, motionless.
Catherine looked at Scarlett coldly. "Scarlett, you should know that this power was granted to you by the Emperor, and I can take it back at any time. You think too highly of yourself to use this matter to negotiate with me."
At first, Catherine said she wanted to make Scarlett the Duke of Melios, but there was no follow-up.
Firstly, as Katrina said, the title is not legitimate, and she wants to wait until the resource competition is over before conferring the title.
Secondly, Catherine wanted to temper Scarlett's temper, so she kept a cold eye on the matter.
If Scarlett loses her patience and asks her for the position of Duke, she will give it to her, but she will also be disappointed in Scarlett.
I'm afraid Scarlett can only become a duke in her life.
But now, Scarlett exchanged the dukedom for something else, something that had nothing to do with her.
She was angry, but also delighted.
Her Scarlett has really grown up.
However, she couldn't express it, she had to leave her isolated and helpless, so that she could see the importance of power.
She wants Scarlett to truly seize power from the bottom of her heart!
She couldn't stay with Scarlett for much longer.
She can only force Scarlett to grow up.
"Katrina."
Catherine frowned, her relief and loneliness masked in her anger. She ordered Katrina, "Put the pen back, drive Scarlett out of the palace, and pass orders that Scarlett be confined to Huldah Palace until ordered!"
…
…
As soon as Scarlett returned to Herda Palace, the emperor's decree of house arrest arrived.
Scarlett returned to the bedroom in a depressed mood.
Riley and Holst glanced at each other, their brows furrowed slightly.
Scarlett has always been favored by His Majesty. The only time she was severely punished was when she caused a disturbance at the research institute and destroyed important reagents.
What is the reason this time?
Riley has been busy with the Privy Council's affairs these days and rarely comes back. He doesn't know anything about Christine's situation, so he is confused.
He asked Holst: "What has Your Highness been busy with these days?"
Holst was injured and was still recuperating. Except for a few trips out, he spent most of his time at Herda Palace.
Besides, it was he who accompanied Scarlett into the Lost Continent last time. He knew everything about it, so he would be the one who knew the most.
Holst thought back to the conversation that day, not knowing whether to say it or not.
He glanced at Riley twice.
Based on his understanding of Riley, he knew that speaking out about this matter would do more good than harm, so he said, "His Highness is looking for someone."
"Who?"
"Murderer."
Riley's heart trembled slightly, and he vaguely sensed the danger. His brows moved, and his expression was fierce. "What murderer?"
Holst told the story of Duke.
When Riley heard this, he immediately understood what Scarlett had done and asked anxiously, "Why didn't you tell me?"
Scarlett didn't mention it either.
I just told him Gra.
Holst looked towards Scarlett's bedroom, his brow furrowed. "I didn't expect she would actually do that. She's just a commoner."
(End of this chapter)
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