Why Are We Cleaning the Pool?

"I'm not the girl he likes! We just met by chance, and I only asked him for a little help, that's all."

If you're not the girl he likes, would he really help you? Do you even know who he is?

"Believe it or not, I'm leaving!" Grace ran off.

She was headed to find Quentin Chin and Louis Lin.

When she entered the General's Manor, the guards told her that the two of them had apparently gone to the back garden together.

Grace didn't ask them to announce her arrival and headed straight for the back garden.

She couldn't find anyone anywhere, but then she noticed that the gate to the forbidden garden was actually open.

Holding her breath, she tiptoed over and hid outside the door to eavesdrop.

She had a feeling that they all actually knew where Evan Xiao was, they just weren't telling her.

Because if Evan Xiao had really gone missing, there was no way they'd all be this calm.

So she wanted to secretly observe the two of them—were they worried, or acting totally normal?

She heard Louis Lin's voice from inside: "...Shouldn't he rest a lot longer before coming back? Why is he coming back so soon?"

"Exactly! He was badly hurt, unconscious for days, and even the Spiritual Alchemist said he might not make it. He just woke up a few days ago, so why is he coming back already?"

Hearing this, Grace couldn't wait any longer—she rushed in and asked, "Was the General seriously injured?"

"Ah!" Louis Lin was squatting by the pond, scrubbing stones. Grace startled him so much he nearly fell in.

Luckily, Steward Qin grabbed him just in time, so he managed to stay upright.

"Miss Grace! What are you doing here?" Louis Lin asked, still shaken.

"You just said the General was injured? How did it happen? Where is he now?" Grace fired off questions.

"Huh?" Louis Lin's eyes darted around, and then he had a sudden idea: "We weren't talking about the General! We were talking about... the Divine Dragon! Why else would we be cleaning the pond? Right, Steward Qin?"

"Exactly!" Steward Qin nodded enthusiastically.

"The Divine Dragon? The Divine Dragon was injured too?"

"Yeah! His enemies are super tough. Not only did Cutie Pie get badly hurt, but the Divine Dragon was injured too!"

"What about the General? Where did he go?" Grace asked.

"The General... We heard from the Imperial Advisor that you divined he went somewhere far away, but he'll come back safe, right?"

Here we go again...

Grace said firmly, "Enough! The Imperial Advisor already told me you know where the General is! Spill it!"

"We really don't know!" Quentin Chin said. "Didn't you divine it yourself? Why ask us again?"

"I got it wrong before."

"Oh, I see..." The two exchanged glances but said nothing.

"Just now, you two were definitely talking about the General, weren't you?" Grace's gut told her so.

"No! No! We were really talking about the Divine Dragon!" Louis Lin waved his hands frantically. "We swear on the Dragon God—if we lied, may lightning strike us dead!"

They really were talking about the Divine Dragon—well, sort of!

Louis Lin felt very clever.

"You really don't know where he is?"

"We. Really. Don't. Know!" they both said in unison.

When Crown Prince Evan Xiao left, he said not to tell her about his injuries. Military orders are absolute—how could they dare disobey?

Grace's eyes dimmed. She said, "Well, sorry to bother you," and headed out.

As she reached the door, she heard Louis Lin and Steward Qin both let out a huge sigh of relief.

Like they'd finally gotten rid of a plague god.