Episode 113
The next day, Callisteon received news that Crown Prince Ernst had left the Academy and returned to Flavi.
It was their last time at the Academy, and he was leaving before Louise.
He must have felt unwell after drinking that wine.
Callisteon waited all day for the servant he had sent to investigate the contents of the wine glass.
He was on tenterhooks alone, fearing that some truly dangerous poison might have been in it, endangering the Crown Prince.
Finally, towards evening, the servant returned.
“They reported detecting a large quantity of a sleep aid called ‘Illusia’ in the wine.”
“Illusia?”
Callisteon tilted his head at the unfamiliar name, and the servant replied with an awkward expression.
“They said it contained twenty times the proper dosage per glass. If I may be so bold, where did you obtain the wine glass from?”
Callisteon’s face twisted into a frown.
“What are its effects?”
“It’s said to be a psychoactive drug that induces sleep and causes desired hallucinations. A very expensive medication used for patients suffering from persistent nightmares who cannot sleep. But the amount used was excessive…”
The servant hesitated slightly before continuing.
“When abused to this extent, the side effects are severe, including memory loss of recent events and an inability to distinguish dreams from reality.”
Callisteon pondered deeply.
‘If the Tower Lord is behind this, he has no reason to use psychoactive drugs on Ernst.’
The Tower Lord was one of the people who would most despise the idea of drugging Ernst to sleep beside Louise.
‘So, separate from him, it’s correct to assume the 2nd Princess targeted Louise on her own initiative…’
In short, she apparently intended to make Louise sleep with someone else or create such a rumor to drive a wedge between them.
‘So, it was just a coincidence that Louise didn’t drink it.’
Callisteon shook his head vigorously.
‘…How despicable.’
Then, the reason for the Crown Prince’s sudden return also made sense.
If he suffered memory loss or confusion, his meticulous nature would not have forgiven himself.
Callisteon decided to visit Louise again to inform her of the truth.
Walking down the corridor, he regretted not telling Louise about the previous day’s suspicious circumstances beforehand.
‘I hesitated, fearing I might be overreacting and misunderstanding…’
But when Louise saw Callisteon, she started in surprise and began making excuses.
“D-don’t misunderstand. It’s not like that, it’s Ren… Ren seems sick. That’s all.”
Callisteon was exasperated to hear the Tower Lord’s name from Louise’s lips.
‘I thought the Tower Lord might be involved in this, but is he saying he was actually a victim of the 2nd Princess?’
Callisteon sighed.
“What exactly do you think I would misunderstand? Where is the Tower Lord?”
This time, the maid intervened.
“My apologies, Your Excellency. May I explain?”
Callisteon looked at the maid, who was gauging her mistress’s reaction, and nodded.
The maid repeated what Louise had said.
“Truly, you must listen without misunderstanding. The Tower Lord is actually in Her Highness’s room right now…”
Callisteon inadvertently let out another sigh.
“…You mean he fell asleep in Lou’s bedroom?”
The maid nodded, startled with a ‘how did you know?’ expression.
Daring to use a magical drug on the Tower Lord—it seemed the 2nd Princess had truly lost her mind.
He was different from the Crown Prince of a vassal state.
The Imperial family would also consider Tower Lord Len Daphte no easy opponent.
‘How does the 2nd Princess possibly intend to take responsibility for this?’
Barely suppressing his irritation, Callisteon smiled kindly at Louise and her maid.
“He must have suddenly lost his place to sleep. You, take Her Highness to my room to rest.”
Although the corner of his mouth twitched slightly, Louise was still avoiding his gaze and didn’t see it.
“I have other business anyway; I didn’t plan to return to my room tonight.”
“Pardon? No, Your Excellency. How could we go to the male dormitory…”
“Then, do you intend for your mistress to sleep beside the Tower Lord? That, I cannot tolerate.”
Callisteon persuaded the maid and successfully sent them both to his room.
On the table in Louise’s room were two teacups, and again, only one was full.
Even from a brief sniff, the tea aroma was fragrant, making him curse himself for not revealing the suspicious circumstances to her earlier.
‘It was sheer luck Louise didn’t drink the drugged substance two days in a row.’
But that made handling the situation tricky.
Since Louise hadn’t drunk her share as if she knew, to others, it might look like she was the mastermind.
Yet, Callisteon’s position was also awkward if he revealed he had spied on the 2nd Princess and discovered the apothecary’s visits.
Moreover, that arrogant Tower Lord wouldn’t likely testify that he had been victimized by a magical drug.
But he couldn’t just stand by.
Callisteon quietly but sternly protested to the Academy authorities and uncovered several servants bribed by the 2nd Princess.
In exchange for their immediate dismissal, he secured a pledge for them to testify everything they knew in court if necessary.
Of course, the Academy also severely punished them separately, such as with salary deductions.
Meanwhile, time passed.
Ultimately, he and Louise parted without any progress, pretending nothing was wrong.
‘If only I had known then that her avoiding the wine and tea was because of pregnancy.’
Thinking back now, it was clear Louise already knew she was pregnant at that time.
That’s why she avoided alcohol and was cautious with food.
It was utterly natural for Louise to be angry, avoid him, and pretend not to know.
From her perspective, she had gotten pregnant because of a night she couldn’t even remember.
It wouldn’t have been enough for her to slap him and demand compensation; even her running away from him in confusion was very much like her.
Afterwards, the Crown Prince and the Tower Lord, suffering from the side effects of ‘Illusia’, began claiming to be the father.
Callisteon tried to dismiss it lightly, thinking they would come to their senses once the drug’s effects fully wore off, but he couldn’t help feeling hurt that Louise was even humoring them.
‘Perhaps she did it because she resented and was angry with me.’
But if she thought such a shallow test could make him let go of his feelings, Louise was mistaken.
Ernst’s words about not caring even if the child wasn’t his were probably sincere.
But Callisteon was no different.
Anyway, he waited and waited for Louise’s permission.
Permission to proudly reveal their night together before everyone and to go with her to the Imperial Capital to propose.
But the side effects of ‘Illusia’ lasted much longer than expected.
It had already been going on for a year.
If he was the only one who would ultimately act, he should have revealed all the circumstances back then and punished the 2nd Princess.
Now, it had become awkward to bring up the matter anew.
Despite their constant squabbling, Callisteon considered the Crown Prince and the Tower Lord friends in his heart.
Of course, now he had to set those two aside and first seek the Emperor’s forgiveness.
“Your Highness, actually…”
Pheobe came to my bedside, knelt, and apologized.
“I took the liberty of showing the baby to His Majesty. I thought it might help seek forgiveness… I was wrong.”
Pheobe had only done what I should have done myself.
‘Rurick clearly likes children.’
Moreover, since Frilly resembles me so much, it’s certain he’ll adore her.
With Ernst’s visit having likely cooled Rurick’s anger a bit, I was thinking of slowly showing him the baby myself.
“It’s fine, get up, Pheobe.”
Pheobe rose hesitantly.
“So… what did your brother say?”
