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Prince Henry’s head had been placed on the table, where it rested on a silver tray. Beside it sat an ordinary platter, holding a dark, formless mass that reeked of rot.
“Horse manure,” Mr. Bede stated.
“Horse manure?” Karon asked.
“It was taken out of Prince Henry’s mouth.”
Karon looked back at the prince’s face. It was pale, but otherwise unblemished.
“We cleaned him,” Bede explained.
“Doesn’t that destroy evidence?” Karon asked.
Bede hesitated. “That’s… aristocratic etiquette.”
“Etiquette?”
“In short, even if you’re starving to death, when you see a full table, you must still look displeased that the cutlery isn’t silver.”
“Heh."
“How did it get here?” Karon asked.
“The head was tied to a saddle. The horse happened to be one our family gave to the royal household years ago. Following its instincts, it brought Prince Henry’s head home.”
“So this is a setup?” Karon asked.
“My father is already on the phone with the palace, but if this is a frame-up, it would be far too crude, and the price too high.”
“I didn’t mean the royal family framing us,” Karon said.
“I understand, Young Master, but I don’t think anyone would do this. The Gloria family has remained on the Veyn throne precisely because they avoid stirring up trouble. They focus on staying… well-behaved.” Bede coughed lightly. “So even if Prince Henry is dead, it will still be difficult to provoke a confrontation between the crown and the Allen family. They don’t act on impulse. Their impulses are spent elsewhere.”
Karon recalled Pu’er saying something similar before. “So you don’t think this was a setup?”
“No. I think the killer was simply waiting for an opportunity. Prince Henry got drunk and left the palace, and then he was killed. The...
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