~Chapter 126~
Edwin continued his explanation.
“After we came to the capital, I placed rewards in every apothecary here. I told them that if anyone tried to buy ingredients for a compound drug—even just part of it—they must inform me.”
“……”
“Just now, several apothecaries contacted me at the same time. So I had your physician confirm it.”
Edwin paused.
As if the thought alone made him furious, he took a slow, low breath.
“After putting everything together, it is indeed the Hemocaran compound. And this time, the dosage seems even stronger than before. If those ingredients are combined, one dose alone can cause infertility.”
“Just one dose? Before, they said I had to take it for months.”
“Last time, the goal was to leave no trace. This time, they seem determined to finish it completely. This prescription will destroy your other organs as well.”
“……”
“To try such a terrible thing on you again….”
Edwin’s eyes burned dangerously once more.
Then, as if he could not endure it any longer, he pulled me into a desperate embrace.
He held me so tightly it was hard to breathe, but I said nothing and simply rested my head on his shoulder.
“Ah, damn it.”
His breath against my ear was rough.
Edwin looked as if he was afraid of losing me.
What is making him this anxious?
The strongest knight, who had never stepped back even before a great demon beast, was shaken by something like this.
I had not even taken the poison, and the enemy’s plan had already been exposed.
Seeing him so uneasy made him seem pitiful.
I quietly placed my hand on his chest. His heart was pounding wildly.
“But are we sure I’m the target? We kept the infertility drug completely secret. We even dismissed Lady Olden for embezzlement.”
“The one who bought the ingredients is Rosalind’s maid.”
He explained the details.
According to the apothecaries, the culprit tried to hide her speech, but they could still sense the refined tone of someone from the royal court.
Also, a spy planted in the palace reported that Rosalind’s maid secretly left the palace.
Rosalind….
She disliked me.
Especially after the incident at the tournament, our already fragile relationship had completely broken.
So it was not strange that she held a grudge against me.
Edwin seemed to think the same.
“I will kill that damned woman myself. Even if I must use something more poisonous than Hemocaran…!”
“Shh, I’m fine.”
I gently stroked Edwin’s chin.
Me stirring up the orphanages and Edwin directly taking action against Rosalind were two completely different matters.
Edwin said he was not afraid of war, but I was.
Many innocent people would be hurt, killed, and suffer. War had to be the last option.
Besides, I knew very well how to break someone like Rosalind, whose pride reached the sky.
It was shame.
“Leave this matter to me.”
“What do you plan to do?”
“I’ll make sure Rosalind can never lift her face in the capital again. I’m more ruthless than I look.”
“I cannot be satisfied with only that.”
“Even if that’s what I want?”
I lifted my head and drew Edwin’s gaze to me.
Though he was praised as the most beautiful man in the capital, he loved my eyes the most.
Especially when the moonlight shone on my blue eyes, he would always lose control and kiss me.
As expected, the tension in his jaw slowly softened.
“You will let me do it my way, won’t you?”
“……Will it be certain revenge?”
“Maybe not by your standards, but by mine.”
“Then you must tell me the entire plan. And you must never put yourself in danger.”
“I value my life too. And if something happens to me, you would collapse as well.”
After staring into my eyes for a long moment, Edwin finally could not hold back and kissed me.
As he clung to me desperately, I closed my eyes.
The lights in the Lombard residence did not go out all night.
I explained the plan I had prepared, and Gilbert and Gareth agreed it was a good idea.
But Edwin’s reaction was lukewarm.
When I asked why, his answer was absurd.
“That woman will still be able to walk around safely….”
“Ed, what exactly were you expecting? Are we supposed to start a war in times like this?”
“……”
“Why aren’t you answering?!”
Edwin pouted as if clearly dissatisfied.
Look at him. He was still uneasy.
I was about to firmly warn him that if he interfered in my plan, we would sleep in separate rooms—but he spoke first.
“I dislike that woman.”
“So do I.”
“But if you call me like you did earlier, I will endure this revenge just this once.”
“Like earlier?”
“In front of the study.”
“……!”
Even in the middle of his anger, he had clearly heard me call him “dear.”
I slapped his shoulder lightly.
Of course, I did not say it again.
Gilbert looked at us with tired eyes.
“To be honest, I was uneasy leaving the one who fed Milady Hemocaran untouched. This is a good opportunity to ensure such a thing never happens again.”
“I agree.”
An infertility drug.
There were no collateral children to bring into the Lombard family. If I, the lady of the house, became infertile, it would threaten the very survival of the family.
And Edwin would never cast me aside to take another wife.
That was why the persistent malice of trying to make me infertile sent chills down my spine.
“Just in case, I have already prepared an antidote. Recently, through exchanges with the monks of St. Pamelo Monastery, I studied the latest pharmaceutical knowledge in the capital.”
“As expected of my physician. I can always rely on you.”
“But even the antidote is not perfect. The dosage of Hemocaran they prepared is too high. So please be careful not to ingest it even by mistake.”
Gilbert handed me a detection paper that reacts to Hemocaran and the antidote.
I saw Edwin’s jaw tighten as he looked at them.
Holding them tightly, I nodded silently.
At last, the destined time arrived.
On Saint Vincent’s Day, one of the three great holy festivals, countless people—from the imperial family to nobles and commoners—gathered at the grand cathedral.
Edwin moved quickly. He found the servant who had been persuaded by Rosalind and successfully placed our own people inside as well.
When I arrived at the cathedral, I separated from the anxious Edwin and headed to the Empress’s waiting room.
“Elysia!”
“Elze, you said you had something urgent to tell us?”
Mariana and Isabella stood up when they saw me.
As I had requested beforehand, all the maids had been dismissed.
For this matter, I need supporters.
Tonight, members of the imperial family, high-ranking clergy, and famous nobles would gather for a grand banquet.
The number of attendees was almost equal to a palace feast.
The moment the incident happened, public opinion would fall into chaos. I needed allies who could guide it in the right direction.
So I decided to inform only Mariana and Isabella in advance.
I could trust them.
After hearing everything, both of them widened their eyes in shock.
“Lady Olden was His Majesty’s person? She has been your head maid since before I married into Baldin. What in the world…?”
“That wicked woman poisoned you? Are you alright now?”
“Fortunately, through several coincidences, I was safe. But we must make sure this never happens again. Will you help me?”
“Of course we will!”
Before I even finished speaking, they tightly grabbed my hands.
“Poor child… You must have suffered so much. Do not worry anymore.”
“I feel the same. Elze is already a dear friend to me.”
The two of them were even angrier than I was at Rosalind’s actions.
Although life in the capital had been difficult at times, meeting such good people made me feel that coming here had been the right choice.
I held their hands firmly.
