XXI: Cooked Up Lies

Further confusion had taken Judith upon hearing this, but before she could speak, Tsai had screamed "Done!" Which both interrupted her and had been a starter pistol for the rest of the maids to shout the same thing.

For a moment, Judith had wondered how it was possible that every maid had perfectly synced up the preparation time for their meals.

But then Judith had remembered what had initially caught her by surprise, so she turned to Tsai who had left her side and proceeded toward the far end of the kitchen, where a cupboard of ceramics were awaiting her.

She along with several maids that had flocked to the cupboard returned to their pots, where they began to fill the ceramics with a sizable portion of food before laying the ceramics on a tray.

As this proceeded, the aroma of the foods sank into Judith's nose, causing her mouth to water.

It was in this instant that Judith had realized she hadn't eaten all day and was extremely famished.

Once Tsai had seen the expression of absence on Judith's face, she smiled and returned to the pot so she could dish out a small portion for her.

After which she made her way to Judith with the plate of food in hand.

"Here, we're not supposed to eat the master's meal, but I don't think he'll know." She had said with a gentle smile.

Judith took the plate into her hands before raising her head to meet Tsai's eyes.

"Thank you." She had said, genuinely meaning every word.

Tsai had smiled then bent her head like a cat, before returning to her ceramics and pots.

"Just hope you know how to use chopsticks." The older maid said with an ironic smirk, just before she left the kitchen with her tray, being the first to do so.

And like a synchronized dance, the others began to follow behind one at a time, leaving Tsai to be the last to exit the kitchen.

With Tsai gone, Judith had been left alone in the kitchen, with a plate of sweet smelling food in her hands.

Judith was hungry, but did not have the appetite for it, as her appetite played a game of coy each time she remembered her conversation with Qui Lin and what she needed to do to prove she was telling the truth, even though she really wasn't.

But captain Qiao had to take the fall, there was no one more perfect for that role.

Knowing full well she would need her strength, she picked up a pair of chopsticks — being no stranger to them — and began to munch away, whilst feeling ever grateful she decided to do so when the flavors had melted into her tongue.

By the time Judith was done with her meal, the maids had also finished up serving and then began to scrape together the leftovers so they could eat before preparing their gruel which was lunch.

Once the maids were done scraping together the leftovers, Judith offered to do the dishes, just before another maid had burst into the scene startling everyone.

All eyes were turned to the maid panting hard with disheveled hair and then she spoke.

"The prince's killer has been found."

Astonishment mixed alongside fear and anxiousness had gripped everyone, most especially Judith.

Following this news, they all rushed out of the kitchen, with Tsai sticking close to Judith as they made their way through the hallway till they entered the hall. Here they found a multitude of Tethereds standing in a circle like some sort of ritual was being performed.

Judith had peered through what little gaps there was in the circle of Tethereds, and found the captain on the floor, covered in blood and panting hard.

Beside him, was a body lying motionless.

And as though the atmosphere wasn't chaotic enough, a presence had suddenly pierced the thick atmosphere, and everyone felt a great unease.

This unease became accentuated by footsteps that seemed to shake the very foundation of the earth as it echoed and lingered.

It didn't take much thought for everyone present to know what and or who was the one permeating this aura of unease.

Qui Lin.

She walked across the balcony overlooking everyone before stopping at the rails, which she placed her hands on and leaned against.

The first thing she eyed from below was none other than Judith, whose gaze she met for several seconds before Judith had fallen her head.

After this, Qui Lin turned her sights to the crowd of Tethereds and then toward the middle of the crowd, where she saw the captain, and his right hand man.

"Lady Qui Lin," the captain called out, as he struggled onto his feet, with the help of his subordinates. "I have found, the prince's killer." Once these words had reverberated into the air and sank into everyone's heads, gasps and murmurs had flown from several lips.

Qui Lin on the other hand, was not amused.

She kept a steady gaze on the captain, then on the body of the captain's right hand man.

"Please captain, do elaborate on how you arrived at this conclusion." Qui Lin said with a calculated look in her eyes, as she didn't once remove her gaze from the captain.

Judith as well kept her gaze on the captain, eager to hear what lies he has cooked up for Qui Lin.