Chapter 711
The newcomers reeked of filth. Two appeared utterly mad, rushing to the offering table to grab and devour the fresh fruit as if starving. Others were too weak to stand, lying on the ground, their pale, drawn faces hinting at prolonged illness.
As onlookers tried to comprehend the scene, another group was ushered in. Even before they entered, a nauseating stench, reminiscent of rotting flesh, filled the room. Molly covered her nose with a handkerchief and retreated, seeking distance from the horrific odor.
The high priests opened their eyes. Seeing the limping, maimed, and battered women, they uttered a short prayer. Despite their compassion and spiritual practice, the suffering stirred their anger.
The noble ladies gasped, instinctively recoiling in horror. Rosalind quickly covered her mouth and nose with a handkerchief, joining the others as they approached. At the sight of the gruesome injuries, her face went ashen.
“Hurry! We need to get them to the infirmary!” she exclaimed.
Most, however, fled. The overpowering smell and horrific sight were enough to make anyone retch. They felt sick to their stomachs.
“Is there a physician in the palace? Where is the household physician?” Nadine cried, grabbing a maid. “Find the household physician, quickly!”
Startled by the chaos, the maids froze. As attendants in the main courtyard, they knew nothing of the dungeons. They could only see the thin, injured, and maimed figures being carried out—some familiar, some not.
Hearing Nadine’s plea, the maids scattered to find the physician. The noble ladies, usually attended by flustered servants at the slightest injury, were dumbfounded, too frightened to move.
One woman, her leg broken, was too weak to sit up. Lying on the ground, her eyes flickered between despair and delirium.
“Is it finally time to die? Just make it quick, I beg you! Give me a swift end!” she cried, her words mingling with eerie laughter—a terrifying and heartbreaking sound.
Irene knelt, grasping the woman’s frail hand. “It’s all right, dear. The physician will be here soon.”
The woman’s stench was overwhelming, even from a distance, but Irene seemed oblivious. She gently brushed back the matted hair from the woman’s face, caressing her cheek.
“It’s all over now. Everything is behind you.”
Perhaps it had been a long time since someone had shown her such kindness, or perhaps she hadn’t heard such a gentle voice in ages. After a moment, she broke down in deep sobs, her cries piercing the oppressive silence of Harmony Palace.
Florence, overseeing the preparation of a nutritious soup in the distant kitchen, arrived to find the household physician already summoned. Seeing the women from the dungeon, along with the Capital Guard and Garrison Unit, she realized Harmony Palace’s darkest secrets could no longer be protected.
After a moment of panic, relief washed over her. She leaned against the door and sank to the floor. Whatever the outcome, it was finally ending.
However, the ordeal was far from over for those still trapped in the dungeon. Barrett fought fiercely, taking down several attackers but sustaining multiple injuries. His martial arts training helped him evade critical blows, but the pain left him on the brink of collapse.