Chapter 162
‘I knew it. My prediction was right.’
As Alice smiled with satisfaction, the Count, uncharacteristically unable to hide his excitement, exclaimed, “To think there’s actually a way to prove it… How would we do it? If proof is possible, I’ll help with anything!”
Helkin waved his hand with a sullen expression and said, “Well, there’s nothing particular you need to help with. It’s not difficult to prove. In fact, it’s almost identical to the method I explained earlier.”
“Really?”
When the Count asked with surprised eyes, Helkin elaborated.
“The slight difference is… this time, instead of using His Highness’s blood, we sprinkle fresh lolopora poison onto the book that had poison on it.”
Helkin continued with a slightly more intense gaze, as if picturing the scenario in his mind.
“When we apply new lolopora poison to the poisoned book, as per the characteristic I just mentioned, the book will prevent the absorption of other poison.”
“I understand how the blood wouldn’t mix, but how would a book reject new poison? It’s just paper.”
Alice asked with furrowed brows.
“That’s right. It is paper. But paper infused with lolopora poison is no longer ordinary paper.”
Helkin explained in detail with a serious expression.
“Because the poison has such strong absorption and adhesive properties, it hardens the paper as if something has been coated on top. That forms a defensive barrier that prevents absorption of other poisons.”
“To use an analogy, it’s like water-resistant fabric that repels water,” Helkin offered an example with the most similar principle for easier understanding.
“Ah…”
Count Latrang let out a low exclamation, and both Alice and the First Prince nodded as if they completely understood.
But unlike the brightened faces of the three, Helkin narrowed his brows as if troubled and carefully broached a subject.
“However… to use this method, there’s an absolute prerequisite.”
“Prerequisite?”
When Alice asked, Helkin answered with a serious expression.
“The book. To prove that poison was on the book, the book that His Highness was reading that day two years ago must still exist.”
“…That’s true.”
Alice’s expression darkened.
Two years had already passed since the First Prince collapsed.
Moreover, according to Count Latrang, all the palace servants from that time had been beheaded.
He had also mentioned that everything on the table had been taken for examination, so the Prince’s room was likely left in disarray during the investigation.
The book he was reading might have been discarded somewhere, or the Empress might have gotten rid of it when the palace servants were changed.
‘Yes, that seems more likely.’
‘If the book doesn’t exist, then bringing down the Empress will be impossible.’
What had seemed like a good opportunity was about to collapse before it even began.
‘Should I be content with having saved the First Prince and solidified the Third Prince’s position?’
‘After all, this wasn’t part of the original plan.’
‘Yes. Let’s give up.’
Just as Alice was about to completely abandon the idea, Count Latrang spoke.
“I have that book.”
“The book is with you, Count?!”
Alice turned her head sharply toward Count Latrang, her face brightening considerably.
“Yes. When I heard the news of His Highness’s collapse, I immediately came to the palace.”
The Count nodded slowly as he spoke.
“Of course, by then all the palace servants had already been arrested. The bedroom where the incident occurred was also in disarray, having been ransacked by the knights.”
Count Latrang frowned as if recalling that moment, then continued.
“At that time, I noticed the book among the items the maids assigned to clean up were organizing. His Highness was fond of books, and even after reading them, he had a habit of keeping them rather than discarding them.”
“…That’s true.”
When the First Prince responded to the Count’s gaze, the Count smiled faintly and said,
“So I asked the maid for the book. I told myself that since you collapsed before finishing it, you would surely want to read it again when you woke up.”
Count Latrang had kept the book, desperately believing that his grandson would awaken.
Alice let out a soft exclamation at the Count’s deep affection for his grandson.
“Ah…”
She felt slightly embarrassed at how delighted she had looked upon hearing the book still existed.
As Alice lowered her gaze slightly to hide her awkward expression, the First Prince asked the Count.
“So the book is in the South now?”
“No. It’s at Selena, a villa not far from the capital. So, Doctor Helkin…”
The Count turned his gaze to Helkin.
“Yes, Count.”
“Come to the villa tomorrow and examine the book first. To confirm whether there really is poison on it.”
“I will do so.”
“And if it’s certain that poison is on the book, I will immediately request His Majesty to reopen the investigation into the First Prince’s poisoning case.”
Just as the Count concluded, Alice urgently called to him.
“Count!”
Startled by her rather loud voice, the Count looked at Alice.
Alice carefully said to the Count,
“I think… it would be better to wait a while before requesting His Majesty to reopen the investigation.”
“Why?”
“We mustn’t arouse unnecessary suspicion regarding His Highness’s miraculous recovery of consciousness after two years.”
“But…”
“That’s why we agreed that he would pretend to still be unconscious. If we suddenly request a reinvestigation because the doctor identified the poison—which no one could determine for two years—at his first examination, everyone will find the quick proceedings suspicious.”
Isn’t that right? Even if they explained it away by saying Helkin was a mysterious master physician from the South, there were numerous master physicians in the capital as well.
If they claimed Helkin immediately recognized a poison that those physicians couldn’t identify in two years, the Emperor, nobles, and other doctors would certainly be suspicious of Helkin.
Perhaps the court physicians might even try to check Helkin out of jealousy.
They might say they wanted to know his secret methods for being such a miraculous physician and ask to observe the First Prince’s treatment process.
Then attention would focus on them… and other suspicions might arise.
So it would be least problematic to say that Helkin naturally discovered what the poison was while treating the First Prince.
Fortunately, Count Latrang seemed to understand Alice’s concerns and agreed without showing any displeasure.
“Hmm… You’re right. I was too hasty, Duchess.”
“Not at all. I also desperately want to catch the heinous criminal who tried to poison His Highness, so it’s natural that you would feel even more strongly.”
“I won’t deny it. I want to reveal the truth… and ensure they receive a fitting punishment.”
Alice smiled awkwardly.
The Count had said “fitting punishment,” but she had seen the murderous intent that flashed in his eyes with his momentary hesitation.
Alice understood. If someone had tried to kill her family member, she too would want to tear them apart.
“That will certainly happen.”
Alice responded with a serious look.
As she watched a faint smile form on the Count’s lips, Alice spoke again.
“Since everything seems to be well settled, I think it’s best if we leave now.”
Though there was a slight issue with his legs, the First Prince had awakened well, and they had unexpectedly gained a pretext to bring down the Empress.
Having completed her mission perfectly, it was time for Alice to return to the Duke’s residence.
Sienna had said the disguise spell she cast would last about three hours…
With a little over two hours having passed, returning to the Duke’s residence now would allow her to revert to her original appearance just in time.
The Count replied,
“Yes, that’s for the best. Thank you for your hard work today, Duchess. And once again, truly, sincerely, thank you.”
The Count bowed deeply to Alice.
It was an overwhelming gesture, but this time Alice did not refuse it by waving her hands.
She had heard the tremor in the Count’s voice. The Count’s face, now bowed, was probably streaked with tears.
Alice waited a moment to allow him to compose himself.
When the Count finally raised his head with reddened eyes, Alice gave a slight nod and turned to the First Prince.
“Your Highness. I will come to see you in my true form when you have officially risen.”
“Yes. I’ll look forward to it, Duchess. And I, too, thank you for saving my life.”
Alice responded to the First Prince with a gentle smile and shortly afterward left the palace with Helkin.
At the same time Alice and Helkin were leaving the palace in a different carriage prepared by the Count…
Kylus was reading a report in the Commander-in-Chief’s office.
However, this report wasn’t about ordinary knight brigade business.
It was an illegal surveillance report sent by a spy monitoring the Empress’s Palace and Hasis Winston.
Despite the secretive and dangerous nature of the report, the contents were rather unremarkable.
This was because absolutely no one unusual had been entering or leaving the Empress’s Palace.
The Empress spent her days offering prayers of repentance in the prayer room set up in the palace and tending to the garden.
And Hasis Winston likewise focused only on his knight brigade duties without any other unusual movements.
In other words, neither of them exhibited anything particularly suspicious.
They hadn’t met secretly anywhere either.
After quickly reading the report, Kylus held the parchment to a scented candle placed at the edge of the desk.
The parchment flared up in the candle’s flame, and soon only black ashes fell onto the desk.
He looked at the black ashes, leaned back in his chair, and let out a heavy sigh.
He couldn’t be completely reassured by the lack of movement from the Empress and Hasis.
No, rather, their quietness felt exactly like the calm before a storm.
Especially the Empress.
Because the Dark Specter was in the Empress’s Palace.
A Dark Specter whose seal had greatly weakened, at that.
Just a few more sacrifices would allow the seal to be broken, so why was the Empress keeping so still?
Kylus deeply furrowed his brow in contemplation.
His exceptional mind worked rapidly, and eventually, one hypothesis flashed through his head.
