Chapter 888 The thick curtains were drawn so tightly that not a breath of air could pass through. There were four or five charcoal burners scattered throughout the room. With the windows slightly open and the charcoal not producing smoke, the air circulated just enough to make the room warm without feeling stifling. Horace moved a stool into the second layer of curtains, then approached and gently placed the hand of the person lying in bed on the edge. “Mr. Wright, please sit and check His Highness‘ heart rate. Seth sat down, intending to lift the curtain to see Harvey’s face, but Horace stopped him. “His Highness mustn’t be exposed to the cold.” “It’s necessary to observe his complexion, not just his heart rate,” Seth said, frowning. What was going on? * Harvey was sick it was only right to focus on treatment. Keith stepped forward and pulled back the curtain with one swift motion. The figure lying in bed was trembling uncontrollably–he was clearly not Harvey. As Horace’s face drained of color, his mind raced with several possible explanations, but none of them were plausible. They had never expected any issues with this. No one had ever paid much attention to Harvey and his family. Over the years, whenever the prince left the estate, no one had come to inquire. “This is truly absurd,” Seth said, stunned. “You got someone to impersonate Prince Harvey?” Horace could only smile bitterly. “To be honest, His Highness has gone to a secluded residence to rest, but Her Grace didn’t want to seem unappreciative of Her Majesty’s kindness, so she arranged for someone to pretend to be His Highness.” Keith nodded, his expression indifferent. “Well then, shall we report this to the queen dowager?” Seth nodded slightly. “Lady Heather, we’ll take our leave.” Before he left, he glanced once more at the figure on the bed. Though covered by blankets, the coarse fabric of the clothing at the neck was clearly visible–it was obvious this person was a servant from the estate. To deceive Victoria, they had made a servant sleep in Harvey’s bed. How would Heather sleep in the same bed after this? Keith cast a look at Heather. “Is His Highness still traveling?” Heather, whose nerves were still on edge, instinctively nodded. “Yes, he’s been away for a long time.” Keith said nothing more, only giving a slight nod before he and Seth took their leave. After returning to the palace, Keith reported everything truthfully to Victoria. Upon hearing the news, she wasn’t the least bit surprised. She simply murmured, “A silent dog can bite the hardest.” She turned to Solana, instructing. “Go and inform the king that he’s to join me for dinner tonight.” +25 BONUS Chapter 265 “Yes, Your Majesty,” Solana accepted the command before leaving. It was not unusual for the queen dowager and the king to dine together in the palace. Salvador was an extremely devoted son, and whenever he had time, he would come to accompany Victoria. The queen dowager usually ate in silence, without discussing state affairs. Tonight, once the meal was finished, the servants came to clear the dishes and brought them water to rinse their mouths. It was only after they left that Victoria calmly said, “Your Uncle Harvey has been ill for some time. Today, I sent a royal physician to treat him, only to find a servant lying in his bed. That family, despite their quiet appearance, is utterly without discipline.” Salvador’s eyes flickered for a moment. wasn’t just a lack of discipline. It was far worse–there was something sinister at play. How had he not seen it before? When Salvador was still the crown prince, Harvey kept a very low profile, appearing both timid and cowardly. Salvador recalled a royal banquet where several dancing women performed a sword dance. One of them made a mistake, and the sight of it was enough to make his uncle scream and faint. From then on, it was well known that Harvey was a coward. His fief was located in a remote area, and because of his cowardice, he didn’t dare go there. He begged Sigmund to let him stay in the capital, and the king at the time, seeing that his brother was utterly spineless, had no objections. Living in the capital, Harvey had to be overly cautious and was afraid of offending anyone. Even when Leona was bullied by Samuel, the prince didn’t dare step in. His timidity was so extreme that it was unmatched anywhere in Starhaven. e weakness He had always been this way, but no one had ever stopped to consider that such excessive was abnormal. “Sometimes, if it weren’t for the palace banquets, I would forget all about that uncle of mine,” Salvador muttered, so preoccupied with his thoughts that he accidentally sipped the water meant for rinsing his mouth It was the first time since ascending the throne that he felt so unsettled. He had investigated everyone he was suspicious of, even sending people to follow them. But Harvey, who had always been right under his nose, had never seemed to pose a threat. Salvador had briefly considered that his uncle might not be as simple as he appeared, but then quickly dismissed the thought. After all, Harvey had always been so meek and harmless–there couldn’t possibly be anything more to him. Or so Salvador thought