Chapter 66
“Everyone… died.”
“…!”
Calliope’s eyes widened. It was as if a massive hammer had struck the back of her head—an overwhelming shock.
“At first, I thought it was an accident.”
Watching her, Lerasier continued calmly.
“It’s not common, but sometimes snakes appear in the palace. Sometimes, they’re venomous.”
The servants who were bitten by the snake’s venom lost their lives. Everyone mourned and held proper funerals for them.
“Then there was a servant who fell while shaking out a blanket.”
It was an unfortunate accident.
But no one knew why that servant had been shaking a blanket from the balcony on the top floor.
“One day, two servants who took care of Arsen’s meals and sleeping arrangements disappeared at the same time.”
They were found drowned in a nearby pond.
“A nearby pond? But if it’s near the 9th Prince’s palace…”
“Yes. It doesn’t even reach the waist of an ordinary adult.”
Even in a shallow pond, it was possible to fall in.
But for two people to drown simultaneously in the same place was undeniably suspicious.
“That’s probably when the rumors started quietly circulating in the palace—that the 9th Prince’s palace was cursed.”
Palace staff became hesitant to be assigned there.
Whether it was ghosts, curses, or some other reason, there was an instinctive fear that the 9th Prince’s palace was dangerous.
No one considered their life expendable.
“Even with limited staff, we somehow managed the 9th Prince’s palace. But eventually… an incident occurred.”
It was Arsen’s third birthday.
Because he was a prince with a commoner mother, he had no powerful backers, and his birthday was normally insignificant.
But that day was different.
From morning, soldiers brought in boxes of gifts, and the staff were rewarded as well.
“There were gold coins, linens, a sack of wheat… quite generous gifts for them.”
A party was held that evening.
Delicious foods were delivered in abundance from the central palace. Everyone at the 9th Prince’s palace was excited.
“That day was probably the happiest for Arsen. It was the first time he saw the servants who cared for him so overjoyed.”
The young prince, having lost his mother at an early age, always hungered for love and attention, relying on his servants.
“He was the first to fall asleep.”
Even after the young master had dozed off in his bedroom, the party continued late into the night.
At some point, alcohol had naturally made its way into the festivities. No one questioned who brought it or what type it was.
Caught up in the excitement, everyone started passing drinks to each other.
By dawn, the 9th Prince’s palace had become eerily silent.
“If I hadn’t come to the palace at that time, Arsen would have witnessed that horrifying scene.”
Lerasier, having been away from the palace for a few days, happened to pass near the 9th Prince’s palace and felt a strange sense.
He took the sleeping Arsen into his arms and left the palace without knowing the full horror.
“Arsen stayed at my palace while the situation was resolved. Even the higher-ups didn’t intervene at that time.”
With the emperor’s tacit approval, Arsen spent some time at the 7th Prince’s palace. That’s when he grew close to Lerasier.
“So that’s why Prince Arsen follows Lerasier so devotedly.”
At just seven years old, Arsen followed Lerasier like a newly hatched bird.
No one would have guessed the backstory behind it.
“But do you know what’s strange?”
Lerasier suddenly asked Calliope.
“Strange?”
“During the incident, the palace guards were completely unharmed.”
“All of them?”
“Not a single one was harmed.”
They had not touched any food while others ate and drank.
“Not even until I went inside to see what happened did anyone realize the disaster.”
Calliope scowled.
“Is that even possible?”
It takes time for poison to spread. People would have eaten in different orders, and each would react differently.
“If people were collapsing, someone should have tried to call for help…!”
“Exactly my point.”
“Could it be… someone smuggled in poison secretly…?”
Calliope’s shocked violet eyes trembled like stormy waves.
“But there was no evidence at all.”
Later investigations revealed that poison had been in various foods consumed by the staff.
Yet, the culprit was never identified.
“Anyway, even after everything was resolved, no one wanted to work at the 9th Prince’s palace.”
Everyone in the palace now understood.
Those who had died were not victims of accidents—they had been deliberately killed.
Moreover, they realized that the staff at the 9th Prince’s palace were all commoners, expendable without consequences.
“As a result, many chose to quit rather than be assigned there.”
The 9th Prince’s palace was left unattended.
“We had no choice but to send palace staff from the 7th Prince’s palace to manage things, but fear limited what they could do.”
Even then, they only worked if Lerasier or Aegis were present. Alone, they refused out of terror.
Calliope nodded, understanding.
“I would have felt the same. There are very few who can command the palace guards and keep them quiet.”
The emperor, empress, or crown prince—perhaps all three.
“Outwardly, it looks grand and glamorous…”
Lerasier muttered bitterly.
“But the most filthy, vile, and horrifying events happen here—in the palace.”
Without someone to protect you, you couldn’t survive.
‘Perhaps you too…’
Calliope guessed. Lerasier’s life must not have been smooth either.
She didn’t ask, fearing it might touch a sore spot, but perhaps he helped Arsen because he reminded him of his own childhood.
Because he didn’t want Arsen to live as he did.
“So, Calliope Verdi.”
Lerasier called her, locking eyes.
“Thank you for offering me your help.”
Though the subject was omitted, Calliope understood immediately.
“Yes.”
She tugged at her lips and nodded slightly, easing the serious mood.
“If I’d known, I would have asked the emperor to take Arsen too.”
“That might have been nice, but it probably wouldn’t have been accepted. You have no justification to take Arsen.”
Calliope agreed. Without the Verdi family’s influence, extracting Lerasier would have been difficult.
“But is there really a way?”
“Yes. There is.”
The calm yet resolute answer made Calliope even more curious.
“What is it?”
“It’s a secret.”
“What? That’s impossible!”
Calliope jumped up in exasperation and grabbed Lerasier’s shirt collar with both hands.
“…!”
As she moved suddenly close, Lerasier’s eyes widened.
Her outfit was deeply cut, and the thin fabric traced her figure.
“Wait, this is too close…”
“If you don’t answer immediately, I’ll—”
Just then, a voice interrupted.
“Your Highness, Lady Calliope.”
Calliope froze in her tracks.
