︿16. Conspiracy? [ II ] ︿.

"Did he want me dead?!..."

The possibility was not far-fetched.

He was the heir to the richest family on the planet; attempts at assassinations weren't uncommon.

But why the butler?!

Why in broad daylight and in a way that would be easily traced to him?

"Don't worry about Winston," Kaida's face darkened.

"The family inquisitors have taken him in. He will soon face..."

"Family inquisitors?" Richard's unconsciously muttered, interrupting Kaida.

His heart skipped a beat, somewhat hyperventilating.

His pupils began to dilate as a thought he was sure of came to mind.

"Someone higher up was after my life..." he concluded.

To have a family butler so blatantly attempt his life right after he was brought from the hospital—and even the mana poisoning could be questioned.

He had to be the perpetrator of both, or his backing—which was sure to be someone higher up.

No matter what, a servant would never be so bold as to take his master's life in broad daylight for no reason.

Unless...

Instructed by a higher-up—someone with motive and something to gain. Someone who could save the servant even after he was caught, or even compensate him or his family for his sacrifice.

"These people... they had planned this for a long time," he thought, remembering what Kaida had said about mana poisoning.

A disease that accumulates over time.

No matter how much of a brat he was, there was no way the heir of a dynasty would be allowed to do what he wants, to the extent of even endangering his own life.

"Master Richard, are you alright?" Kaida drew closer, her brows furrowed in worry.

She reached out her hand to the hyperventilating Richard only to halt at a glare from the bodyguards.

"Huh?" Richard's hyperventilating ceased, a horrified expression in his eyes.

He was dying, somewhat.

And they stopped her from getting closer.

No matter the reason— whether because of his heavily injured state or because she was suspected of his murder attempt— they had stopped her, and to a paranoid mind, that meant they were in on it.

"Shit... Where has this f*cking Genie brought me to?" he started to smile nervously.

He had been thrown into a viper's pit, and he the rat.

"Will I die just after returning from a near death experience...?"

"Why... I shouldn't have come here..."

"I should have changed the details of the wishes..."

"Sh*t!! ...Sh*t!! ...Sh*t!! ...Sh*t!!"

His mind raced, his eyes darting in a frenzy. If he were one to bite his finger, he would have been chewing his arm.

He only gritted his teeth, his unfocused gaze staring dangerously at the guards.

The guards and Kaida looked at him as if he were a madman.

A look of contempt and pity in their eyes.

They knew about the eye frogs, believing they might have driven him insane.

Then—silence!!

His mind seemed to snap—or just finally calmed.

"Can you leave me alone with her..." he spoke, his tone composed.

"I am sorry, young master, but we can't comply..." one of the guards bowed respectfully as he rejected Richard's request.

"Oh, so that is how you wish to play it," he smiled internally.

He wasn't going to give up now, just like he did in the past—without a fight.

There seemed to be no hope once again.

Even mere guards were disrespecting his orders, when he was supposedly the heir to a dynasty.

He was in the hospital, and even the doctors meant to treat him could be bribed to end his life.

Yet he decided that this time, he would fight.

As long as he was still alive, there was still hope.

"Sigh?!..." His gaze turned deadly.

"Is it because I am in this state that you choose to disrespect me?" he growled.

Though having no mana, the temperature in the room seemed to drop.

The guards felt a shiver run down their spine, their emotionless façade broken.

"No... No... young master, we didn't mean any disrespect," the guard on the left spoke, quickly defending his comrade.

"Yes, young master, we were instructed by the First Lady," the other added, feeling Richard's cold gaze locked on him.

He might be unawakened, but with the power he held, their heads could roll with a flick of his wrist.

"First Lady?!" Richard echoed.

"Yes... the First Lady, your stepmother..."

"You mean his mother," a voice interrupted Kaida as the door opened.

A beautiful middle-aged woman stepped in, her sapphire-blue eyes staring warmly at Richard, the latter reciprocating with an indifferent gaze.

He knew not who she was—a mother, a stepmother—he cared not.

Someone wanted him dead, and for all he knew, it could be her.

"Hey, don't look at me like that, Richie..." the First Lady stepped closer, ignoring those in the room.

She then sat beside him. "I know you don't remember, but I am Charlotte Auric, the first wife of George Auric and the First Lady of the dynasty," she introduced herself, Richard's gaze remaining unchanged.

"The First Lady... is that a title for marrying a president, or are there more wives?" he thought internally but didn't voice out, his guard up around the stranger.

"Sigh!!... You can't remember your own mother..." her voice quaked, tears glistening in her eyes, "...and look at the state you are in..." She turned to Kaida, her gaze accusatory.

"Why are you still here? Annul the contract and get out of here before I change my mind," she snapped, her voice raised at Kaida.

"I am sorry, my lady..." Kaida pulled closer, once again taking out the scroll.

Charlotte rudely snatched the scroll, then turned to Richard. "Richie, this woman is irresponsible. You need to annul the contract with her," she presented the scroll to him.

"Is she the one..." Richard's gaze narrowed as he thought internally, suspecting Charlotte as the culprit.

He wanted to know, but a mishap in his speech or behavior could bring them to the realization that he was aware they wanted him dead.

He had to play it well.

Such were his thoughts.

"You are right. She and that butler almost got me killed," he voiced out, his displeasure evident.