Reborn Assassin Princess: The Only Path To Revenge Is Falling In Love!

Chapter 3: My Plan

I pace the room, my thoughts racing as I try to make sense of everything. So this is the first time I failed a mission. Clearly, it was a trap. The same noble who could use Telekinesis, the one responsible for my demise as Raven, must be behind it all. Was he the one who ordered Prince Hartley's assassination by the Phantom's Hand? But if he ordered the assassination of Prince Hartley through the Phantom's Hand, why kill me, the assassin? Was it an intervention by a third party? Or is there another reason to betray the Phantom Hand?

"Princess Seraphina?" Lily's voice calls from the other side of the door, jolting me back to reality. "I have arrived with the doctor."

"Uh, just a moment!" I reply, trying to hide the panic in my voice.

The door rattles as Lily tries to open it, only to find it locked. Her worry seeps through her voice as she asks, "Are you alright, Your Highness?"

"Yes, yes, I'm fine," I say, quickly grabbing a silk pink dressing gown and putting it on. "Please give me a moment, I'm... in my undergarments."

I need more time to think, so I decide to fake being ill. Not that it's too far from the truth - the taste of Sablethorn berries still lingers in my mouth. That's when it hits me: Damn it, does this mean someone was trying to poison the princess? It's not the kind of poison one would take if they want to die by their own hand, but the kind of poison one gives to another person if they want them to die slowly and make it seem like natural causes. My heart pounds in my chest as the gravity of the situation sinks in.

Lily knocks at the door once more, her voice a touch urgent. "Your Highness, are you presentable now?"

"Ah, yes!" I call out, faking my best sick voice, which, admittedly, is not very good. I hurry to unlock and open the door. The maid and the doctor both raise their eyebrows as they take in my best impersonation of an ill person, which isn't very good either.

Lily guides me to the bed, her hand steady on my elbow, as though I might collapse at any moment. Once seated, the doctor begins his examination, peering into my eyes, taking my temperature, and even inspecting my tongue.

"Hum...," he mutters, making notes on a small pad. But not even the best doctor could detect Sablethorn berries poison. If he tasted it, he'd likely mistake it for blueberry juice. It requires a special kind of training to identify the substance.

"Has the princess been feeling out of sorts lately?" the doctor asks, looking up from his notes.

"Um, well..." My thoughts come to an abrupt halt, my mind blanking.

"Your Highness has been particularly tired and a bit dizzy for about a month," Lily chimes in, saving me from embarrassment.

"That's the Sablethorn berries," I think to myself, inwardly cursing whoever's responsible for poisoning the princess. The doctor nods thoughtfully, ultimately ordering me to rest for a few days. "Thank you, Doctor," I say, forcing a smile. Surprisingly, he smiles back - a genuine, warm expression that catches me off guard. It's so weird. Usually, no one smiles at me, but it's kind of...nice.

"Would you like some tea before you rest, Your Highness?" Lily offers, her voice full of concern.

"Uh, sure," I reply, almost getting up to follow her before she stops me with a gentle hand on my shoulder.

"Where are you going?" she asks, confusion flickering in her eyes.

"Um, to the kitchen to make some tea?" I say, puzzled.

Lily laughs, her tinkling voice filling the room. "Oh, Your Highness is so funny!" I stare at her, completely perplexed. She wipes a tear from her eye before continuing. "Well, of course, I'll make the tea and you can sip it in bed."