Chapter 9 The Reason Scarlett Fainted  

“No! Help me!”

Scarlett woke with a start. For a moment, her vision swam and everything spun, so she pressed her fingers hard against her temples.

“Miss, you’re awake! Oh, thank goodness you’ve finally come to!” Mia exclaimed tearfully, her face red and puffy from crying.

“Mia… what happened?” Scarlett asked, still dazed.

“You collapsed suddenly last night, right at the very climax of the banquet,” Mia answered quickly. “I’ll go fetch the healer and Grandfather Elder at once!”

Scarlett grabbed her maid’s hand to stop her.

“Wait, Mia. How long have I been unconscious? Tell me everything in detail, and do not leave out a single thing,” she commanded.

Mia paused to think for a moment.

“You fainted last night and have been asleep until now, almost evening. Grandfather Elder was so worried about you, he stayed by your bedside all night and only left this morning when he was summoned to the palace,” Mia explained anxiously.

‘In my past life, I announced Levi’s name right away, drank that potion without ever knowing it was poisoned, and collapsed immediately. But last night… I never even touched it. Why did I still faint? Yet, if I hadn’t collapsed, I would never have heard that name spoken again. That’s right…’ Scarlett thought to herself.

‘Was it Levi who called me “Scalio”?’

“Then… who carried me here and brought me to bed, Mia?” she asked, her curiosity piqued.

Mia hesitated for a second. “Please forgive me, Miss. I… I didn’t see clearly. At that time, I was in the kitchen helping prepare the food to be served,” she replied.

“Why were you doing that? That is not your duty! You are not a kitchen maid, your only job is to attend and accompany me!” she said, her tone sharp with annoyance.

Mia immediately fell to her knees on the floor, trembling all over. “I beg your forgiveness, Miss, I… I…”

“I’m not angry with you, Mia. It is they who should know it was not your place to be there,” Scarlett said, softening her voice. “Stand up.” She reached out a hand to help Mia up.

‘Thank goodness she didn’t ask me who told me to go. If she had, I wouldn’t have been able to lie… I’d have had to say it was Miss Viviane’s order.’ Mia thought silently, looking troubled.

Scarlett let out a long sigh, pressing her hand to her temple, which had started throbbing again. That was when she realized something. Although she had been unsure before, she was now certain, what she had suspected was true. She would grow weak, fall ill, and her energy would drain away if she listened to too many people’s thoughts at once. That was the real reason she had fainted.

“Mia, you haven’t told me everything yet. What happened after I collapsed?” she pressed.

Mia explained how the hall had descended into chaos the moment the potion spilled, how the liquid had melted the floor and burned holes right through the stone. Most people believed Scarlett must have swallowed a little bit of the mixture, causing her to faint, some had even feared she was dead.

“But the High Elders and the healer confirmed you were simply exhausted. There was no sign of poisoning whatsoever,” Mia finished, her face bright with relief.

Scarlett sniffed the air lightly, then squeezed Mia’s hand. A faint scent lingered on her skin.

“Mia… someone is coming. Do not tell anyone I am awake. Pretend to everyone that I am still unconscious.”

Mia nodded obediently. “Very well, Miss!”

Scarlett lay back down, chanting a sleep spell to shroud her entire body. Just then, there was a soft knock on the door. Mia hurried to open it, putting on a look of panic.

“Miss Viviane, Master Levi, Master Damian… welcome,” Mia greeted nervously.

“Is my sister still not awake yet?” Viviane asked, her voice sounding strained and anxious. “What did the healer say, Mia? Is she… is she never going to wake up again?” she rambled, wringing her hands together.

‘Excellent! It looks like she did swallow a drop or two of that potion. Good riddance, she never needs to wake up ever again!’ Viviane screamed inside her head, her mental laughter ringing so loud and sharp that Scarlett’s temples throbbed with pain.

Then came Levi’s stream of thoughts. ‘If she dies, everything will be perfect. I won’t have to pretend anymore. The position of Luna will naturally fall to Viviane, which means I will automatically become her mate, and then we can be married openly at last.’

Levi cleared his throat softly. “Now, Viv, calm down. I am sure Scarlett is a strong woman, she wouldn’t die so easily. She will wake up soon and recover completely,” he said soothingly, his tone so sickeningly sweet it made Scarlett’s skin crawl.

‘How could I have ever been so blind, so hopelessly infatuated with him? I only saw the truth when it was already too late… right at the moment of my death.’

Hearing such pure falseness, Scarlett nearly lost control. Now she even doubted if Levi was truly the boy who had once saved her long ago, his behavior was so completely opposite to what she remembered.

“The healer said last night that Miss is only suffering from simple exhaustion, Sirs, Miss,” Mia chimed in quickly, her face brightening. “It is nothing serious. Hopefully, she will wake up before dinner, by the time Grandfather Elder returns.”

That statement visibly shocked Viviane and Levi. The slight catch in their breaths betrayed their deep disappointment, a reaction not missed by Damian, who had been standing quietly observing everything all this time.

“Why do I feel like you two sound… so very disappointed?” Damian remarked casually.

The atmosphere in the room instantly grew heavy and tense.

‘Damian, you really have a death wish!’ Levi’s thoughts roared.