Chapter 47
Fortunately or unfortunately, Alice was the only one who saw Kylus’s sneer.
Edellm was simply smiling at Madam Quillian, who was patting his shoulder, as he spoke.
“Mother is right. I was worried about Brother, but I was too busy studying to find time to visit. This is all effort for the future of the duchy, so please understand, Brother.”
“Kylus will understand it all, Edellm. Isn’t he such a broad-minded brother?”
“Indeed.”
The two agreed, smiling at each other. As if extremely satisfied.
They seemed to think they had scored a point against Kylus, but Kylus merely sneered once again.
As if finding the happy mother and son pair amusing.
Kylus put down his knife and looked at Edellm.
Alice swallowed hard, sensing something was about to happen given Kylus’s ominous gaze, but the words that came out were surprisingly devoid of any emotion.
“Effort for the future of the duchy… Yes, I suppose I should understand then.”
But the words that flowed from him were utterly nonchalant.
“Thank you for understanding.”
“I congratulate you on your excellent grades as well.”
Kylus raised his wine glass in a toast, his previously glinting eyes now calm.
His demeanor was so perfect that Alice momentarily mistook them for very close brothers.
“Hah…”
What is he really thinking?
She couldn’t outright ask him either.
As Alice sipped her water in frustration, a pleasant voice sounded beside her.
“My lady, are you feeling unwell?”
The person addressing Alice was none other than Lady Meltain.
Turning her head, she saw Lady Meltain’s green eyes full of concern.
Alice tilted her head in confusion.
“Pardon?”
“You’ve only been drinking water. Perhaps the food doesn’t suit your taste?”
Did your taste buds become like a rabbit’s too?
Lady Meltain added softly, looking at the untouched steak on her plate.
Rabbit?
Alice wanted to ask what she meant by that, but the sudden attention focused on her was more pressing.
Before she knew it, not only Lady Meltain but everyone at the table was looking at her.
“No, it suits my taste.”
As she gave an awkward smile under the uncomfortable gazes, Madam Quillian’s sharp voice rang out as if she had been waiting for this moment.
“Then stop making that gloomy face and eat. You’ve been sitting there with a dark expression since earlier… How rude on such a joyous day. Tsk.”
Madam Quillian clicked her tongue as if she found Alice’s very presence distasteful.
If you find me so unpleasant, why invite me in the first place?
It was Madam Quillian who had insistently gathered everyone – not just Kylus, but Alice and Lady Meltain as well – for this banquet to celebrate Edellm’s arrival.
Did she want them to watch Kylus being poisoned?
Whatever the reason, Alice was the person who least wanted to be here.
But she couldn’t just storm out.
She still didn’t know how Kylus’s poisoning would unfold.
Of course, that didn’t mean she intended to meekly follow Madam Quillian’s words.
Their relationship had already soured completely after the Fordley incident anyway.
Alice picked up her glass of red wine, pretending not to hear Madam Quillian.
“I’m fine, so please don’t worry about me, Lady Meltain.”
She gave Lady Meltain a faint smile and took a sip of wine. In real-time, she could see Madam Quillian gripping her fork as if about to snap it.
But perhaps because Kylus was present, she couldn’t unleash the anger that seemed to be rising to her throat.
Instead, Edellm, who had been ignoring her until now, spoke up.
“Ah, come to think of it, we haven’t had a proper conversation yet, Sister-in-law. I’ve heard a lot about you from Mother. I hear you caused quite a commotion, saying you’d become a priestess.”
Commotion? Oh, look at this.
Her hand tightened on the wine glass at the word loaded with so much meaning.
Seeing Edellm’s eyes revealing hostility towards her, it seemed he was about to exact revenge on behalf of Madam Quillian.
But Alice’s accumulated experience in social situations was far too great to be bested by Edellm, who hadn’t even come of age yet.
Alice widened her eyes and set down her wine glass.
“Commotion, young master? Everyone was briefly surprised by my holy power, but now they’re all rejoicing that the Duke awoke due to my devout prayers blessed by the gods. Moreover, that day was a very meaningful day when the Duke regained consciousness…”
“No, that’s not what I meant…”
Edellm’s nostrils flared in confusion, his reaction not what he had expected.
Like a donkey snorting.
Alice quickly lowered her gaze from the unsightly sight.
While lowering her gaze, she also lowered her eye corners and deepened her voice.
“It seems you’ve forgotten the most important part and only remember that there was a commotion…”
Lastly, a sigh full of disappointment.
As Alice drove the final nail in, Lady Meltain’s cold voice rang out as if on cue.
“Is this how you treat the life-saving benefactor who saved the Duke? Who would believe your words about being truly glad the Duke awoke?”
“I wasn’t talking about my brother…”
Edellm’s protest to Lady Meltain, as if feeling wronged, was cut short by Kylus.
“You’d better stop there. She is my life’s benefactor, but before that, she is your sister-in-law and the mistress of the duchy. Show her proper respect.”
Show proper respect?
Isn’t she just a fake woman Mother bought? Yet she betrayed Mother so blatantly.
In a surge of indignation, Edellm unconsciously whipped his head towards Kylus.
To argue with him.
But the moment his eyes met Kylus’s directly, Edellm could only clamp his mouth shut.
Eyes so cold they made every hair on his body stand on end.
It was that inhuman gaze he had seen when he first encountered Kylus right after his return from the battlefield.
Hadn’t they said he hadn’t fully recovered due to the poison…
Even though Edellm had clearly grown since then, and Kylus’s body was damaged, that single gaze rendered him immobile.
Edellm lowered his eyes like an animal aware of the difference in power.
“…Yes, Brother.”
Just as Madam Quillian, watching her son yield to Kylus before her eyes, clenched her hands so tightly her cutlery trembled, the clock chimed briefly to mark the hour.
Madam Quillian smoothly raised the corners of her mouth and spoke.
“My, look how time has flown while we were talking. Kylus, isn’t it time for you to take your medicine?”
Medicine?
Alice, who had been lowering her head while receiving comfort from Lady Meltain, jerked her head up.
She felt Lady Meltain beside her flinch, but that wasn’t important right now.
She just said medicine.
The time had come. When Helkin would appear with the poison!
“…Yes, but we’re still in the middle of the meal, so it’s fine if I take it later.”
“Nonsense. The doctor said your body hasn’t fully recovered yet, so you need to take your medicine diligently to focus on recovery. You mustn’t skip your medicine. Butler, tell the doctor to bring the medicine right away.”
Alice looked at Kylus.
He absolutely must not call Helkin.
She shot him an intense gaze as if signaling danger, but-
“Adolf, call the doctor.”
Kylus deliberately opened Pandora’s box.
He’s out of his mind!
Alice silently screamed in shock.
Unless his mind had gone haywire from the aftereffects of the poison, how could he follow Madam Quillian’s words?
He had been ignoring Madam Quillian just fine until now.
Where had his usual headstrong attitude gone? At the banquet, Kylus was moving according to Madam Quillian’s words.
And Alice felt like her head was about to explode from anxiety.
She could clearly envision the situation that was about to unfold.
How to stop this…
Unaware of her feelings, the others remained peaceful.
Especially Madam Quillian and Edellm, whose faces were full of sinister smiles.
They looked like they were about to commit a crime even to a casual observer, so why wasn’t anyone suspicious?
Alice looked at Sienna and Kylus, but the two were simply enjoying their meal elegantly.
And finally, the butler who had left the banquet hall returned.
“Your Grace, the doctor has arrived.”
With Helkin.
Helkin, who greeted with a slight bow, passed the butler and approached Kylus.
One step, two steps.
As Helkin drew closer to Kylus, Alice’s heart beat faster and faster.
What should I do, what should I do?
Just as her mouth was going dry from anxiety, Helkin stopped in front of Kylus.
“Helkin, quickly give Kylus his medicine.”
Madam Quillian’s voice rang out.
Her voice was slightly higher, as if anticipating something.
Edellm had even turned his body towards Kylus.
As if wanting to watch the rare spectacle about to unfold from the best seat.
Helkin extended a crystal bottle to Kylus with trembling hands.
If this continues…
Just as Alice, who had been watching the entire situation without blinking, shifted her bottom to try to do something,
“Your Grace, please spare me!”
Helkin’s loud voice simultaneously echoed through the banquet hall.
What…?
Helkin suddenly fell to his knees before Kylus as if he were a great criminal.
Alice froze at this sudden twist. At that moment, Lady Meltain softly called out to her.
“My lady, are you alright?”
Lady Meltain was looking at her posture, neither fully standing nor sitting.
“Huh? Ah, yes. I’m fine.”
Alice awkwardly reseated herself, having half-risen.
The atmosphere felt like something momentous was about to happen.
As Alice tightly clasped her sweaty hands together, Helkin’s theatrical voice rang through the banquet hall.
“Your Grace. I simply cannot poison you!! Please, spare my life!”
