Avishai•The villainess strikes back [DISCONTINUED]

The murder

   After five grueling days of examinations, the exam period was now over for us seniors.One of the popular people threw a party in the student lounge.Everyone was invited, even the juniors.Everyone, which also includes me.

  As they celebrated, I was worrying about what would happen after graduation.I sat on a chair in a corner of the room, unable to focus on the book in my hands.Alastair lied to his parents a while back that we intend on getting married after graduation.And graduation was just three months away...

  'Ugh what am I thinking about?!Focus on what this world will throw at you for the next seven weeks first!'I thought, rubbing my temples.

  However, graduation exams and graduation seemed to be approaching so quickly. Since in this empire, the school year starts in July and ends in April.This exam was to prep the seniors for what was in store at the graduation exam.

  Suddenly, Carina squeezed through the crowd and appeared before me, panting.I cocked my head as Carina catched her breath.

  "My Lady, I apologize for interrupting you in your leisure time but you have to visit the city of Plaides with his highness at 4!"Carina burst out, waving her hands frantically.

  I immediately jumped up and closed my book shut.Keep calm...you have to keep your composure in public...

  "Then we shall hurry there."I said.

  The crowd parted for us, the perks of being the Crown Princess.As we hurried to the carriage, Carina explained the details of what Alastair and I would be doing there to jog my memory.

  I could not believe I forgot something this important.Plaides is a prosperous city within our empire, but in contrast, it's slums have the highest crime, violence and illegal slavery rates in the empire.

The Emperor wanted to solve this issue for a long time, working with the governor of the region, Archduke Plaides, to try and solve this issue. However, all their efforts have been in vain as the people in the slums had a strong distrust towards nobles and the imperial family.

  Hence, the Emperor was now sending as there to try and break some ice between the richest and the poorest of the empire.

  Alastair was already in the carriage by the time I arrived.As always, he helped me up first then went in himself.

  This carriage had been prepared last mintue in correlation with the Emperor's equally last minute order. Hence, the carriage was a bit small for Alastair and I so our knees bumped against each other.

  Even after we shuffled to opposite directions, whenever the carriage turned our knees bumped against each other too.This left both of us embarrassed.

  "So how long is the ride to Plaides?"I asked, after thrity minutes of silence.

  "An hour or so.We should arrive just in time."Alastair replied almost instantly, looking at his pocket watch.

  I rested my chin on my fist, and looked out of the window at the scenery slowly passing by.Before I knew it, I fell asleep.

  Alastair woke me up when we arrived and we went to Archduke Plaides's office to find him.

  The first red flag was raised when Alastair knocked on the dark oak door leading to the Archduke's office.

  The second was when the archduke did not respond when his butler called him, thinking the archduke did not hear Alastair's knocking.

  There was still no reply.

  Realising something was horribly wrong, Alastair grabbed the brass doorknob and opened the door.