Chapter 44
Helkin, who had been examining the First Prince, raised his head with a troubled expression.
“…It won’t be easy, I’m afraid.”
“So it’s impossible to identify the poison after all.”
It was a poison that even all the doctors in the empire, let alone the palace physicians, had been unable to identify.
He had brought Helkin with half-belief, half-doubt.
But it seemed even Helkin couldn’t identify the poison.
Well, it had been over two years since the Prince collapsed from the poison.
Just as Kylus was about to turn his gaze away from Helkin, Helkin hurriedly exclaimed:
“No! I’ve identified the poison.”
“…You’ve identified it?”
“Yes. The poison His Highness ingested is a neurotoxin from a plant called Loropora, found in the desert kingdoms of the Western Continent. It doesn’t kill instantly upon ingestion, but causes loss of consciousness and hallucinations.”
For a moment, Kylus’s eyes narrowed slightly.
To discern whether Helkin’s words were true or false.
If he had really identified the poison… it would mean Helkin’s abilities were even more outstanding than he had thought.
He scrutinized Helkin’s eyes and face, wondering if this was just a vague excuse, but saw no signs of deceit.
Being a cowardly man, if he were lying, he wouldn’t have been able to hide his trembling gaze.
But now, Helkin’s eyes showed not a hint of wavering.
So he must have really identified the poison.
A deadly poison that countless doctors couldn’t identify.
Though his ability was quite impressive, Kylus spoke calmly:
“Loss of consciousness and hallucinations… Similar to what I ingested.”
“Ah, while similar, its potency is certainly different. The poison you ingested, Your Grace, was a special toxin I crafted with great care, incomparable to this raw poison…”
Helkin, who had been proudly explaining his special poison to Kylus, stopped abruptly at the sharp energy piercing his skin.
“You seem quite proud of having poisoned me?”
Helkin clamped his thick lips shut as he met Kylus’s ominously gleaming eyes.
A bead of cold sweat rolled down Helkin’s spine.
Swallowing dryly, Helkin moved his trembling lips desperately to save his life.
“P-proud? How could that be? I-I was merely trying to provide accurate information about the poison… I’ve committed a mortal sin.”
Should I really kill him?
The thought crossed his mind for a brief moment, but Helkin was too valuable to kill.
He had proven his worth with his expertise in poisons.
Kylus needed Helkin.
For the main business of the Dearrut duchy.
Just as Helkin’s knees were about to buckle, Kylus spoke:
“Enough. More importantly, can you save His Highness or not?”
“I’m sorry, but it’s been too long since His Highness ingested the poison, and proper treatment was delayed, causing significant damage to his internal organs.”
“Hmm…”
“Moreover, the antidote can only be obtained from the desert kingdoms. As it’s a tricky poison, it takes quite a while to produce the antidote… By the time the antidote is ready, His Highness’s condition will likely have worsened further.”
Kylus’s brow furrowed deeply at the less than positive answer.
“…Of course, if we monitor His Highness’s condition daily and provide treatment, it’s not entirely impossible, but…”
Helkin continued speaking as Kylus’s face darkened, but he trailed off, unable to find an answer no matter how hard he thought.
Unless the miracle that happened to the Duke occurred for the First Prince as well, the First Prince would not be able to wake up normally.
Even if he regained consciousness, there would likely be severe aftereffects.
While it might be weaker than the poison he had created, the Loropora poison was still a deadly toxin.
A poison among poisons, known to very few people.
“So in the end, the chances of survival are slim, is that what you’re saying?”
Helkin bowed his head deeply, faced with the difficult situation he had to acknowledge.
“Yes. That’s correct.”
Kylus lowered his gaze to the First Prince.
“Unable to save him…”
It would be impossible to place Helkin by the First Prince’s side to pin hopes on that slim possibility.
They might be able to secretly administer the antidote once, but it was impossible to completely change his attending physician to Helkin.
No matter how much the Emperor feared him, as a duke, he couldn’t interfere in internal royal family matters.
Moreover, judging by Helkin’s troubled expression, he didn’t seem confident even in that small possibility.
For a very brief moment, Alice’s holy power crossed Kylus’s mind, but he immediately dismissed the thought.
Her holy power was too dangerous for her personal safety.
Even if they looked for another doctor… the result wouldn’t be different.
They wouldn’t even know what the poison was.
Helkin was the only one who had identified the poison.
So in the end, there was only one conclusion.
The First Prince could not be saved.
Faced with this certain answer, Kylus let out a heavy sigh.
While he felt great sympathy for the hopeless First Prince, the most important issue of imperial succession had been blocked from the very first step.
“…I’m sorry I can’t do anything.”
“It’s not your fault.”
“…”
“Let’s go back.”
Kylus, who had been looking at the First Prince, swallowed a bitter breath and turned away.
* * *
Tweet tweet-
On a morning when clear birdsong filled the garden.
Alice was blinking at the ceiling.
“…It’s dawn.”
Alice murmured absentmindedly, looking at the ceiling brightened by sunlight.
She had stayed up all night.
It was the first time she had truly not slept a wink.
Her whole body cried out in exhaustion from lack of sleep, but Alice’s mind was becoming increasingly clear.
Only one thing had tormented her thoughts all night long.
It was Maris’s poisoning plan that she had accidentally overheard yesterday.
She had hoped Madam Quillian would do something, but she certainly hadn’t wished for her to try to kill Kylus again.
But to kill him, and with poison again!
Madam Quillian’s persistence and unscrupulous attitude in attempting the same method again were beyond imagination.
It wasn’t a case of exceeding expectations, no matter what one imagined.
Alice had pondered all night.
Whether she should tell Kylus about this or not.
She wasn’t Kylus’s person, nor was she Madam Quillian’s.
She didn’t want to get involved in their power struggle.
And telling Kylus about this felt uncomfortable, as it might give him some leverage.
So at first, she had intended to pretend not to know about the poisoning plan, even if it seemed too cruel.
She had tried to spend the day normally, pretending she hadn’t heard anything.
Their plan seemed quite amateurish anyway, and the chances of success seemed low.
So she had repeatedly told herself it was fine, but in the end, Alice had stayed up all night.
‘It was you who pulled me out of there, so take responsibility’
His voice had haunted her ear all night, tormenting her.
Moreover, she had heard about Kylus’s mother who had died in that annex yesterday.
She shouldn’t have heard that too.
But in the end, she had heard it all.
Unfortunately, Alice’s skin wasn’t thick enough to ignore all of that.
“Haah.”
Alice rubbed her tired face as she got up and changed her clothes.
The current time was 6 o’clock.
The servants would just be having their breakfast now.
This should be a good time.
Given the importance of the matter, she needed to tell Kylus directly, without drawing attention.
Alice, who had changed clothes alone, hurriedly left her bedroom after roughly fixing her hair, before Aileen arrived.
As expected given the early hour, there was no one in the corridor leading to Kylus’s bedroom.
“Phew.”
Standing in front of the familiar door, Alice took a deep breath as if to steel herself.
Soon, she carefully knocked on the firmly closed door.
Knock knock-
“Come in.”
But before she could say anything, an answer came from inside.
It sounded like he had been waiting for someone.
Alice, who had been walking while running simulations in her head, was momentarily dumbfounded when things went off-script from the start.
Oh, this isn’t right.
Unable to say the words she had prepared, she couldn’t immediately think of what to say.
As Alice was flustered, a voice sounded from inside the room again.
“What are you doing? Not coming in?”
And before Alice could answer, the door swung open with a bang.
“Ah!”
She startled, and Kylus also paused as he saw Alice standing in front of the door.
His eyes widened uncharacteristically, as if he hadn’t expected her to be there.
“Alice?”
Snapping back to her senses at his call, Alice quickly organized her thoughts and said:
“Ah, I came because I have something to tell you.”
“Something to tell me? At this hour?”
“It’s important.”
Kylus looked at Alice with a strange gaze before stepping back.
“Come in.”
Click-
The sound of the bedroom door closing behind her echoed.
Alice took two steps to the side, as if avoiding Kylus who stood right in front of her.
It was a gesture that clearly looked like avoidance to anyone, but it couldn’t be helped.
Kylus’s current state was a bit much for close proximity.
Unlike the neat appearance she had seen before, he now wore only a nightgown, as if he had just woken up.
Of course, Alice had seen this appearance quite often.
She had seen… and touched the body hidden by that gown several times, but she couldn’t treat it as casually as then.
Unlike then, Kylus was now wide awake, and conscious Kylus was excessively sexy.
Moreover, he was looking at Alice with a strangely persistent gaze.
As if he would devour her breathtakingly if he found an opening.
Alice cleared her throat, trying not to look at the loosely open space between his nightgown.
“I’m sorry for coming suddenly at such an early hour.”
“It’s fine. Morning, day, or late night – you’re always welcome to seek me out. I’m always prepared.”
What kind of preparation…?
Alice was flustered but didn’t bother to ask.
It felt like she might get caught up in his pace.
How could he say such things so nonchalantly?
Somehow, his glibness seemed to be evolving every time they met.
Still, it wasn’t as flustering as when she first experienced it.
Alice pretended not to hear his words and spoke:
“I have something to tell you about Madam Quillian, Your Grace.”
