Conspiracy (9)
“If you’ve judged it that way, it must be right then.”
Roelin opened her mouth calmly. She looked so determined even though it was her own problem. At that appearance of hers, the Duke of Bönt calmed down his own agitation and asked the Palace Doctor once more.
“Then, is there an antidote ready?”
“Of course. I’ve brought an antidote for the common poisons, but…… I can’t guarantee how effective it will be because I don’t exactly know what kind of poison that the Empress had been given.”
“Nevertheless, I’ll try and use it for now. And… we’d better hurry up and get back to Seroif at once.”
Roelin answered the Palace Doctor’s pessimistic words without being disturbed and immediately turned to the Duke before speaking out.
“I’m worried that there will be more problems if we make a delay here. We haven’t even been able to get inside Seroif yet.”
Although they had already crossed the border of Rakain, it did not mean that they had entered the border of Seroif itself. They were still deep in the Samalta Mountains—right in the middle too.
Under these circumstances, if they were attacked, for example, by Rakain, it would be impossible for it to not cause any damage at all.
Moreover, the movement of those who would be escorting the already poisoned person could become even more difficult.
When Roelin had pointed it out with a pale face, the Duke of Bönt’s eyes stood out.
Even though she knew that she had been poisoned, it was simply impossible for most men to overcome their fear while grasping the situation composedly.
However, how could she look around and lead first even with her own entire body in such a vulnerable state?
The Duke of Bönt could not help admiring amidst that moment of crisis.
‘We must protect you properly. We have to take her to the Palace safe and sound.’
Who else would be more qualified as His Majesty’s companion as well as the Empress of the Empire?
“I will promptly obey the orders of the Empress.”
The Duke of Bönt bowed politely with one hand on his chest. Then, he went out of the carriage and called several commanders to deliver Roelin’s order at once.
It was a rather strange sight for a gray-haired veteran, who had already been through all the hardships of life, to deliver the orders of a Young Empress—not under his own judgment at all.
However, it also meant that he recognized Roelin fully.
“……even if you don’t do that—hoo!”
Roelin, who was listening to the Duke’s voice, muttered something before she started vomiting blood once again. It was such dark red blood.
“I’ll bring the antidote right away……”
The Palace Doctor hurriedly turned to the figure as he tried to get out of the carriage, but he suddenly saw something on the carriage seat and stopped moving.
Lucy hadn’t wiped the blood off Roelin’s mouth yet, but when she saw such a behavior, she immediately urged him.
“What are you doing there? We have to get the antidote now!”
“Lucy, this necklace—where did you get this? No, this—did the Empress wear this necklace earlier?”
As if he hadn’t heard of Lucy’s urging at all, the Palace Doctor hurriedly asked while holding out the necklace that had been placed on the carriage seat. Then, Lucy looked somehow suspicious before she finally nodded.
“It’s a gift from Rakain, so she has been wearing it until we crossed the border…… Is there something wrong with that?”
“I’ll have to check one more thing before informing you. Then, have you ever had a reddish sort of tea, Empress? It’s a tea with a rather strong scent. Unlike the other types of teas, the color is quite red, so you must have at least remembered it somewhere.”
“………I drank it once back in Rakain earlier.”
Roelin quivered at the Palace Doctor’s words as she eventually managed to answer. Then, she saw the necklace that the Palace Doctor was currently holding.
A necklace that her mother had gifted her.
And the mother’s own authority.
“……Does the poison have anything to do with those two things? But I wasn’t the only one who drank that tea though?”
Roelin’s voice soon trembled. She didn’t even lose her composure when she found out that she had been poisoned a while ago, but she could no longer be okay at this very moment.
“There’s nothing wrong with just drinking the tea. However, it poses a problem if you have the jewelry of this necklace. It’s because when these two things interact, they’ll instantly turn into poison.”
“……what?”
Roelin’s blue eyes shook at once. She squeezed her fingertips tightly and breathed out.
Just because she no longer expected anything from her mother, it didn’t mean that she could tolerate all of this.
No matter how she had been, she herself was still trying to kill the child whom she had given birth to…
Roelin bit her lips tightly in a freezing pain that etched in her heart.
“Empress, you have a deep cut on your lips!”
Lucy hurriedly placed a thin cloth between Roelin’s lips while feeling that her heart was already breaking in front of the disastrous situation.
Lucy knew fully well who had been the one that gave her the necklace and who it was that she had a conversation over tea with.
Even the third party such as herself felt so miserable, yet Roelin’s own heart was still much stronger.
Lucy immediately forced herself to hold back her tears. Meanwhile, the Palace Doctor continued with a hopeful look.
“But now that we’ve already known the exact poison, we can make an antidote right away. I’m so glad.”
“Can you really make the antidote?”
“Yes! It takes a little time, but we already have all the ingredients for the antidote.”
“……I’m truly glad to hear that.”
Roelin smiled helplessly as she murmured.
