Chapter: 356

Norah had never been in the presence of so many members of the royal family before. Most of the people at the table were Otland's nobility.

Sat across her was Prince Antoni, whom she had met the night before.

“Your Majesty." Norah nodded politely.

To be seated at the same table as the Queen of Otland was something a sensible commoner wouldn't even dare to dream of, yet here they were.

“How is Ailie's condition?"

"Please rest assured, Your Majesty. Everything is under control."

Norah kept her tone neutral, neither arrogant nor submissive. It was also worth noting that she remained unfazed under the heavy pressure that the Queen seemed to directing toward her.

“I heard from the butler that you will perform the surgery this afternoon. I hope for your sake that you do not fail."

“I will not fail." Norah's words rang out through the hall, causing the rest of the party to perk up.

Norah spoke with confidence in the face of the Queen's absolute authority. In those nobility's eyes, it was a testament to her mental fortitude. At the back of their mind, they began to think that perhaps this young woman was indeed the real deal.

The dishes were served shortly after, filling the hall with their tempting aroma. The Queen said some words and then invited everyone to start eating.

Throughout the entire meal, other guests studied Norah and Alice. But Norah and Alice were experienced enough on the subject to be subtle with it. They ate slowly and carried on with mundane conversations.

Antoni himself was eyeing the two women opposite him as he brought a forkful of food to his mouth. They were both dressed in black, with wide-brimmed black hats and black masks to complete their rather macabre outfit. Although he couldn't see any of their features, he couldn't shake the sense of familiarity that he felt toward them. He racked his mind to see who they might be, to no avail. He wondered whether he was mistaken.

The Queen retired to her chambers after Lunch. Antoni, on the other hand, followed Norah and Alice to the operating room.

"I'd Like to remind you that should the operation fail, the wrath of the Otland royalty will descend upon you. And I can guarantee that it isn't something you would want to endure." Whether it was his words or his tone, Antoni always carried an air of threat about him.

Norah had already noticed it at the VIP lounge yesterday.

Unfortunately for him, she was not one to be intimidated. "Then let us wait for the results of the surgery, shall we, Prince Antoni?"

Antoni felt his heart skip a beat at Norah's voice. That nagging suspicion that he knew her reared its head, but he dismissed it by telling himself that women tended to sound similar, anyway.

Worried about his sister, Antoni opted out of Cristiano's invitation to race and decided to stand vigil outside the operating room.

Norah stopped just outside the door and turned to the butler. “Have you prepared everything I asked for?"

The butler offered her a small bow. “Yes, Supernatural Doctor. Do you have any other instructions?"

"No one is to come in and disturb us until the procedure is over.

Aileen, you will come with me."

Norah and Alice always used aliases whenever they were out and about in public.