Harper's words were so shocking to Miguel that his mouth fell open and his face turned pale. When he came to his senses, however, he snapped at her, saying, "Your Highness, please mind your words!"
"Mind my words?" Harper sneered. "I think it's you who should pick your words carefully."
Miguel opened his mouth to respond, but before he was able to, Harper had already interrupted him. "Lilian is Rolando's concubine and she is pregnant with his child. Yet, I don't see him being as panicked as you are right now. You are just a courtier but you really tried to break into the Imperial Palace, question me, and even threaten me just to save Lilian? People who don't know you may think she's your wife and her baby is yours!"
"Your Highness! Please, stop speaking such nonsense!" Miguel was panicking. A significant number of guards were stationed around the Harmony Palace, and after they heard the things that Harper was saying, they wouldn't hesitate to tell it to everyone they knew. He had a notorious reputation for being offensive to a lot of other courtiers, and so he was sure that they were eagerly waiting for his downfall!
Moreover, even though Rolando favored him, it wouldn't make any difference to his case—in the Great Jade Kingdom, it was considered a crime for someone to have an affair with any concubine of the king! He would be executed without being given a chance to explain himself!
"Nonsense? Am I talking nonsense?" Harper stretched her arm out and immediately, Forsythia handed her a cup of hot, freshly brewed tea. After taking a sip of it, she asked Miguel, "Tell me. Am I really talking nonsense here?"
"Your Highness, why are you so heartless? Lady Lilian is your niece. As her aunt, why don't you want to help her? She will be forever grateful to you if you could give her a hand. Please!" Miguel tried to ask for Harper's help in a much softer tone. Lilian was in such a dangerous situation and only Harper had the ability to save her, so he knew he couldn't ruin the only chance.
"Be grateful to me?" Miguel's words amused Harper so much that she started laughing. "Oh, please! Not her gratitude! How can I bear the weight of such a coveted thing?"
Miguel took a step forward, but Fernando blocked his way. From a distance, he began to beg, saying, "Your Highness, please forgive Lady Lilian! She didn't know what she was doing! Please save her and her unborn baby, I beg you! I will do anything for you if you do! I promise!"
"Well, what if I ask you to kill Rolando?" asked Harper with interest. "Will you go do it?"
"Your Highness, please don't make fun of me! This is a matter of life and death! If we're a minute late... Lady Lilian and her unborn baby will..."
"Well, that's why I'm asking you. If I ask you to kill Rolando, will you go kill him?"
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