~Chapter 129~
The imperial physician held up the test paper for everyone to see.
After the wine in which Elysia had already been “poisoned,” the test now revealed poison again. The paper had turned dark blue, visible to all.
The empress’s maids, standing at a distance, immediately rushed forward.
“Lady Mariana!”
“Your Majesty, are you alright?!”
Mariana stared blankly at the floor.
She knew she was not fit to be the empress. She had been pushed into this role by her sister’s early death and political necessity.
She wasn’t as clever as Elysia, nor as respected by the people as Isabella.
But at least she wasn’t a foolish child.
’So this is why…’
Elysia had caused the commotion earlier than planned.
It happened just as Mariana raised her wine glass.
Everything made sense—the physician, returning from Elysia, suddenly changing plans.
’Rosalind’s target was not Elysia—it was me.’
The realization struck like lightning, sending chills down her spine.
A knight wearing the Lombard crest stormed into the banquet hall. He threw a pale, trembling man to the floor.
“We have found the culprit.”
All eyes turned to him.
Mariana steadied her trembling voice and asked,
“Who is this person?”
“He is a servant of the cathedral. His name is Nazim. He has confessed everything. Tell us who ordered you to poison the wine.”
“R-R-Rosalind, Your Highness!”
Without a chance for Nigel to intervene, Gareth made sure the real culprit was revealed.
The shocked crowd’s eyes turned to Rosalind.
Edwin carried Elysia to the rest area.
Her fragile form, weak from “vomiting blood,” made people in the hallway step aside silently.
The crimson stains on her pure white dress were visually striking.
But more deeply engraved in their minds was the fear reflected in Edwin’s pale, panicked face.
’This is just acting. She’s safe.’
He knew that. But his past memories kept overlapping with what he saw.
The squishy liquid soaking his feet.
The harsh metallic smell in the air.
And the lonely form left in a pool of blood.
’No… open your eyes. Please, please look at me. It’s my fault. I was too late… no… aaah!!’
The cold stillness of the past merged with the current, bloody Elysia.
Like waking from a nightmare—worse than ever.
His panic continued even after laying her down in the rest area.
People were around; he couldn’t act openly. He also shouldn’t wake her.
Still, he felt a strong urge to shake her shoulders, demanding she wake up. His breath caught, his vision flickered black.
Even after the empress’s physician had checked her, Edwin’s state didn’t improve.
The senior priests guiding him didn’t know what to do and lingered outside the door.
“Sir, are you alright?”
“Everyone, step back.”
Although the Duchess was stable for now, Edwin’s trembling hands and anxious state made the priests leave.
“Elysia.”
Once they were gone, Edwin quickly turned to her.
Her slowly rising chest told him she had fallen asleep briefly.
She must have been exhausted from planning all night and attending the festival early in the morning.
Normally, he wouldn’t wake her. But he had no choice—he had to confirm she was safe.
Only the living, breathing Elysia could erase the haunting images from his mind.
“Wake up. Everyone’s gone, alright?”
“…Hmm.”
She blinked drowsily, still half-asleep.
Edwin gently brushed her cheek to wake her.
“Ed?”
Elysia, blinking blankly, grabbed his hand and opened her eyes wide.
“You… are shaking?”
Only then did Edwin realize how badly his hands were trembling.
“Ah, it’s nothing.”
“Nothing? Ugh… wait. There’s too much blood.”
Elysia jumped up and rinsed her blood-stained mouth with the water jug by her bed. She wiped her chest roughly, but her soaked dress couldn’t be cleaned.
She tidied herself quickly and approached him.
“What happened? Only tell me.”
“…”
“Ed.”
“You—”
His throat tightened. Seeing her safe filled him with overwhelming relief.
“You… really looked like you were dead.”
“…”
“So I panicked.”
Elysia, perceptive as ever, seemed to understand how shocked he had been by the sight of her “blood.”
She didn’t smile; she seriously stroked his eyes as if wiping away tears.
“I won’t die.”
“…”
“There are too many precious things in my life. Even if I wanted to die, I can’t anymore.”
“Elysia is the hope of the people.”
From the tournament accident to the orphanage investigation, she had earned a reputation across Lombard and beyond.
Young intellectuals supported her, and the people naturally loved her.
If news of the poisoning reached the public, Rosalind’s standing would collapse.
But Elysia shook her head.
“At first, yes. But now I have someone even more precious.”
Her eyes sparkled like stars as she looked at Edwin.
“You.”
“….”
“My cowardly husband, who panicked just because I pretended to be dying for a moment.”
Edwin froze, stunned that he mattered more to her than anyone else.
He decided not to doubt her. Elysia never lied, even if honesty sometimes hurt.
Once he calmed down, Elysia finally laughed.
“See? I always win with you! How can I compete with someone who cries and laughs at my every word?”
“Elysia…”
“Don’t worry. If I die, you’ll be the one suffering most. So I can’t die anymore.”
Each confident word helped erase the nightmare memories.
Only her face remained in his sight.
“Are you calm now?”
Instead of answering, Edwin pulled her into a tight embrace.
She tried to push away, worried about her dress, but the tighter she tried, the more he held her.
“I want to hear your heartbeat. I want proof that Elysia is alive.”
Only then did she stop resisting. Normally, she’d ask questions once he calmed down, but now she quietly smoothed his hair, saying nothing.
’Thump… thump…’
Her heartbeat was fast, clear, and full of emotion.
Edwin closed his eyes, listening.
Even after his panic faded, they stayed like that for a long time, together.
