Chapter 1199

Carissa felt an overwhelming sense of guilt. For the past few days, preoccupied with events at the gentlemen's retreats, she had neglected her responsibilities at Gracewood Women's Academy. Kyle's earlier warning about exercising caution had gone unheeded; had she been more vigilant, this might not have happened.

The Royal Citadel responded swiftly. Anthony himself led the investigation, underscoring the gravity of the situation. Six men were apprehended, bound tightly. After a few sharp slaps, all but the assailant of Rosalind were roused.

Their identities revealed them to be dock laborers. They worked long hours, unloading cargo and carrying heavy sacks of copper coins, barely making ends meet. The previous night, their foreman had offered them a job paying fifty silver coins—to infiltrate Gracewood Women's Academy, create a minor disturbance, and escape.

The men, hardened by their work, were wary of this "easy" job. Yet, fifty silver coins—more than two years' worth of labor—was tempting. Two men refused, as did the foreman, who merely relayed the message. The remaining six, after some hesitation, accepted.

Before departing that morning, the foreman provided wine to calm their nerves. None had ever committed such a crime. Hank Carter, a normally timid man with a sick father and a newborn child, desperately needed the money. He drank his wine quickly, while the others sipped theirs. Hank, the man who assaulted Rosalind and suffered broken legs at the hands of Claire, consumed the entire glass.

By the time Ivy arrived, interrogations were complete. A troubling discovery emerged: all six men were poisoned with varying strengths of aphrodisiacs. The foreman's instructions weren't merely to disrupt; he intended for them to assault, even violate, the students.

Anthony immediately dispatched men to apprehend the foreman, but found only his body at the docks. He had apparently fallen into the sea while intoxicated. Dockworkers reported that this was not unusual for the foreman, the difference this time being that nobody noticed him until it was too late. It appeared to be a tragic accident.

The officers' inquiries into the foreman's contacts yielded nothing. The six men, already shaken, trembled further upon hearing of their employer's death. Anthony suspected a mastermind with a clear motive against the academy, but with the foreman dead, the trail went cold.

Anthony spoke with Carissa, inquiring about potential suspects. Initially, she considered a member of the Quinton family's fourth branch seeking revenge for Jocelyn. However, the escalation to murder made her doubt this theory. She had suspicions, but no concrete answers.

Anthony sighed. “For now, we return these men to the law. The trail is cold; further investigation rests with you, should your suspicions prove fruitful.”