What's Going On?

Lily Evans listened to Belle and nodded. She couldn't find Lola here, and she couldn't keep taking leave from the Academy and disrupting the students' lessons.

"Alright, I'll head to the Academy for class. If there's any news about Lola, have someone notify me immediately," Lily said.

Belle nodded, escorting Lily to the door. "Princess, you can't be without a personal guard at the Academy. Why not take Bella Bell with you?"

"That works," Lily agreed, accepting Belle's arrangement.

Originally, the study page beside Susan Evans was actually Bella Bell in disguise. Later, Lola took over, so now that Lola is missing, Bella Bell can fill in for her.

Besides, Eight Treasures Bistro has had almost no business lately, so Bella Bell isn't busy anyway.

So the carriage heading to the Royal Academy made a detour to Eight Treasures Bistro first.

At this time, Eight Treasures Bistro was nearly empty due to poor business, but across the street, Suxin Pavilion was bustling with customers eager for morning tea as soon as the doors opened.

Lily's carriage stopped in a quiet little box behind Eight Treasures Bistro. Belle got off and went inside to find Bella Bell, while Lily waited in the carriage.

Bella Bell was currently sitting at the counter, bored out of her mind. With no customers, she was so idle it hurt.

Suddenly, White Dew arrived. Bell hurried to greet her, "Sister White Dew, what brings you here?"

White Dew smiled and linked arms with Bell, whispering, "Today, you need to play the role of a scholar's attendant for a day. Her Highness is waiting outside in the carriage. Hurry and grab your costume and mask and come with me, we're running out of time."

"Alright, I'll go get my things right away." Bell rushed into her room to grab her disguise clothes and mask. Since they were pressed for time, she decided to board the carriage first and change her appearance inside.

After gathering their things, White Dew and Bell slipped out through the back door. White Dew helped Bell into the carriage but didn't get in herself, as she had other responsibilities and wouldn't be going to the academy.

Once Bell was aboard, the coachman drove the carriage out of the alley. White Dew stood at the door, watching the carriage leave before turning and heading back to the Prince's Manor.

After both the carriage and White Dew had disappeared, a head poked out from the crack of an inconspicuous back door in the alley—it was Cynthia Green, formerly known as Lana Evans.

Cynthia held a basin filled with hot water from her morning wash.

This back door belonged to the small courtyard Jasper Cheng rented in the capital for his studies. Cynthia had come early to dump water out the back, and hadn't seen Bell board the carriage. She only happened to catch White Dew standing beside Professor Jade Evans's carriage, speaking to someone inside.

"Huh? Why is White Dew interacting with Professor Jade Evans?" Cynthia asked herself, looking puzzled. She remembered that last time at the academy, she'd glimpsed Bell beside Professor Jade Evans.

"White Dew and Bell are both personal maids of that wretched Su Li. Why are they both connected to Professor Jade Evans?" Cynthia rubbed her chin, pondering the connection, when suddenly Jasper Cheng's furious voice rang out from inside: "Cynthia, you lazy wench! Why aren't you back yet? I'm starving! Are you trying to kill me? If you slack off again, you're out!"

Cynthia shuddered and hurried back inside, clutching the basin tightly.

She glanced back once more at the alley, her mind swirling with questions, before disappearing into the house.