Chapter 38
Noid began to pour out the entire story in a tormented voice.
No matter how many reputed doctors he called or how expensive the medicine he used, his sister showed no signs of recovery. Then one day, a mysterious man approached him, claiming he could cure her illness.
“I was completely deceived… like an idiot.”
Viscount Gavin narrowed his brow slightly, as if something had clicked into place.
“In truth, her illness probably was never cured. They must have said that the effects would only appear if she kept taking a special medicine long-term. And that if she didn’t receive regular examinations, her symptoms would worsen instead.”
“H-How did you…?”
“A despicable trick,” Viscount Gavin said coldly. “Your sister wasn’t sick. She was poisoned.”
“W-What? What do you mean by that?!”
Viscount Gavin didn’t even spare Noid a glance. Clicking his tongue briefly, he turned to Termion instead.
“Your Highness, I will take responsibility for uncovering the mastermind behind this. I was also considering dealing with this foolish, pitiful fellow myself. Would that be acceptable?”
“Do as you see fit,” Termion replied. “However, I am curious—what exactly is this method?”
“It’s simple. You administer a special poison to one member of the family and disguise it as an illness.”
After that, you continue feeding them medicine—supposedly a cure—mixed with other poisons. The original symptoms ease, but new ones appear, making it impossible to stop taking the medication.
After hearing this explanation, Termion cast a sidelong glance at the iron bars. Deliberately enunciating each word, he asked Viscount Gavin,
“Then the more medicine one takes, the more the body deteriorates, correct?”
“Exactly. Even if they stop the medicine and detoxify, they’ll be left half-crippled.”
“…Th-This can’t be…”
Noid leaned against the bars, his entire body shaking violently.
Believing he was saving his only sister, he had betrayed his lord with a hardened heart—yet in reality, he had been slowly killing her himself.
“You’re Sir Warren, correct?”
Ailesia, who had been listening silently until now, stepped up to the cell. She bent her knees slightly and met Noid’s gaze head-on.
“Is your sister’s life really that precious to you?”
“Is that even a question? She’s my only family!”
…Is he insane? What right does he have to raise his voice?
She had tried to speak gently, but that clearly wasn’t going to work.
I thought maybe I could at least spare an innocent sister—but this man is completely clueless.
Straightening up, Ailesia looked down at Noid with icy eyes.
“So your own sister’s life is precious, but the Grand Duchess’s life belongs to someone else, so you don’t care?”
“That’s absurd! What do you even know?!”
“And what do you know, to have let things come to this?”
“M-My sister just became an adult! In the prime of her youth, she could do nothing but lie there helplessly! How could she possibly be compared to the Grand Duchess, who has everything—!”
Yes. That was it.
No one with a normal way of thinking would commit such an act.
This man fundamentally did not understand what he had done wrong.
Reflection? Regret? He probably thought he was the most pitiful person in the world.
Ailesia unleashed the fury boiling up to the very tips of her hair.
“Our Ellie is only five years old! It hasn’t even been a year since she lost her parents in an accident!”
Bang!
She slammed her cane against the iron bars. The chilling expression on her face was so fierce that even Viscount Gavin and Kubera broke out in cold sweat.
‘…I didn’t think she’d get this angry.’
Termion, too, was taken aback by Ailesia’s reaction. He had long known how deeply she cared for Eleonora, but this time, he felt an odd sense of unease.
“Prime of youth? By that logic, Ellie hasn’t even bloomed yet. It hasn’t even been a month since that child was kidnapped and miraculously returned alive—what exactly are you trying to justify?”
“Th-That’s—!”
“Why? Because they said they wouldn’t kill Eleonora, so there was nothing to worry about?”
Struck right at the core, Noid flinched and shut his mouth. Seeing this, Ailesia curled one corner of her lips upward.
“If it were me, I’d have clung to Termion’s pant leg and begged. Please help me. Please save my family. No matter what poison it is, couldn’t the Lettis family handle it? The Lady could step in—or the temple could be contacted.”
“What could someone like me, an ordinary knight, possibly—”
“Did you even ask?” Ailesia cut in sharply. “Does a knight have so little faith in his lord? Is that why the best you could do was try to sell a child?”
Her voice pierced Noid’s ears like an icy dagger. Yet the one who felt the bitterness of her words most keenly was Termion himself.
‘…Is this truly the current state of the Grand Duchy of Lettis?’
Had he truly earned the loyalty of his knights, this would never have happened.
Viscount Gavin and Kubera’s loyalty, to be honest, was closer to familial affection—like that of a grandfather or an uncle. They were not vassals who followed their lord out of trust, but guardians who felt compelled to protect him.
Though he held the title of Grand Duke, he had yet to be acknowledged as the true head of the immense Lettis family. That realization stabbed painfully at Termion’s chest.
“Termion,” Ailesia said suddenly. “May I treat this man’s sister?”
“…What?”
The unexpected question wiped away the thoughts crowding his mind.
Coming back to his senses, Termion looked straight at Ailesia’s face. Somehow, he felt he understood her intent.
“…Very well. Treat her, then bring her to the Grand Ducal Castle. I’ll make sure he experiences firsthand what it truly means to have one’s family taken hostage.”
“That’s exactly what I meant.”
Ailesia winked with a satisfied expression. Watching her, Viscount Gavin seemed to realize something and hurriedly asked,
“Are you serious, Your Highness?”
“I am. This man is no longer a knight. Give him a taste of hell—enough to make him wish for death.”
“…Then there’s no need to ask further. Sir Dayfold, you know what must be done, don’t you?”
“Of course. I’ll make sure the others straighten themselves out as well.”
Ordinarily, this would have been something to hush up—but Termion intended to turn the situation to his advantage.
What if Kubera, while ordering silence, let it slip that even a traitor had been shown mercy and given a chance at redemption?
The knights would learn just how firm and broad-minded their lord was—and from then on, they would not be easily swayed by outside temptation or coercion.
It was a perfect opportunity not only to prevent future betrayal, but also to draw out loyalty to the family itself.
‘…You calculated all of that in such a short moment?’
Ailesia stepped back quietly, a faint smile on her lips. Viscount Gavin bowed his head toward her in silent respect.
* * *
“So in the end, we learned nothing about the assassin.”
“They don’t seem to be ordinary men, Your Highness.”
Having returned to their lodgings, the three gathered in Termion’s room. Unease lingered heavily on the faces of both Termion and Kubera as they spoke.
The assassin bound by Ailesia’s magic knew almost nothing. Unlike the man named Ruben who had died in the pendant explosion, he did not use black magic.
There was no strange smell.
Every assassin she had faced so far had emitted a sharp, acrid stench whenever they used black magic. Judging by the others’ reactions, it seemed only she could sense it.
In the original story, the dark crimson energy unique to black magic was called maggi. Regardless, it was still a form of magical power.
Magic that carried a scent was something even she had never heard of.
“That assassin is probably unrelated to black magic.”
“Do you have evidence for that?” Termion asked.
Both Termion and Kubera had already heard the general idea. Kubera, in particular, looked restless, eager to search through records immediately.
“You know that dark crimson aura that appears when black magic is used? I’ve decided to call it maggi for now.”
“It was certainly a strange energy compared to ordinary mana,” Termion agreed.
“Those who use maggi give off a distinctive smell. If I had to compare it to something… it’s like burning rotten leather.”
“I didn’t sense anything like that,” Termion said. “What about you, Sir Dayfold?”
“The same, Your Highness. I didn’t smell anything at all.”
“How peculiar.”
Termion didn’t doubt Ailesia’s words in the slightest. He was only puzzled by the fact that the scent was something only she could perceive.
“I don’t understand the principle, but the fact that you can distinguish warlocks is extremely reassuring. At least we won’t be caught off guard.”
“At the very least,” Ailesia said calmly, “Ellie’s safety is guaranteed.”
