IMIS 74

Chapter 74 …

The moment I saw the red flower, I immediately recognized it as an Abenrise.

Abenrise was a precious memory cherished by Wilhelm, a rare species hardly ever seen, and the flower I had brought to him when I first arrived at the Grimroar Duchy, just before Wilhelm was about to fall into lovesickness.

“So, you didn’t come empty-handed to visit the patient,” I thought.

At this point, anyone could understand what it meant that Abenrise had been brought out. Kaulen was daringly challenging me, even by touching Wilhelm’s cherished memories.

“Look at what that reckless girl has done,” Kaulen said, gesturing sharply.

“…Well. All I see is a beautiful flower,” Wilhelm replied.

“Do not be deceived by its beauty. This flower is poisonous!”

“Poisonous?”

Wilhelm’s tone carried a hint of disbelief. Kaulen faltered at the nonchalant reaction, but quickly regained his composure and pressed the attack.

“There was a similar incident in the past. Levieta was once suspected of carrying a contagious disease by one of the maids. Back then, it was concluded that the maid was spreading false rumors, so she was dismissed. But in reality, it could have been the other way around.”

“That matter has already been fully resolved. What exactly are you trying to say?”

“That treacherous girl deceived Grimroar!”

Kaulen’s finger jutted toward me like an arrow, fueled by Wilhelm’s question.

‘She’s really enjoying this,’ I thought.

Kaulen looked utterly confident in her victory. The sheer pleasure of cornering me was evident in the slight upturn of her lips—hardly fitting the pretext of concern for Wilhelm’s health.

‘But no matter how much you try to corner me, the fact remains: Abenrise is not poisonous.’

A sidelong glance showed Wilhelm looking displeased.

Wilhelm clearly expressed his displeasure toward Kaulen, but the audacious Kaulen didn’t seem to know when to stop.

“Think about it. How could someone like me have possibly found a rare Abenrise whose seeds have long vanished across the Empire? That woman deliberately approached Gilbert, then cunningly replicated the real flower to trick your father into believing it.”

“At this point, I almost want to look inside your head. So according to you, Levieta is a scheming child, and Gilbert and I are foolish enough to be fooled by a child’s lies,” Wilhelm said, frowning deeply.

Kaulen, realizing Wilhelm’s trust in me was stronger than expected, stepped back with a look that said, this isn’t working.

Her momentum weakened slightly, but she hadn’t given up entirely.

“Trusting a magician is one of the most foolish things you could do. Wake up, Father.”

“The one who needs to wake up is you. I came here not knowing what nonsense you’d spout, only for you to bring this pathetic story…”

Coughing suddenly interrupted Wilhelm mid-sentence.

“My lord!”

“Your Highness!”

Sevek rushed to support Wilhelm as soon as he saw blood mixed in the cough. His practiced stance, repeated many times before, made my heart sink.

‘He’s been unwell for quite some time…’

If only I had realized earlier. No, I had anticipated this from the start, but there was nothing I could have done.

‘I searched all the prominent doctors in the Empire, but it would have been useless.’

As emphasized repeatedly in the original account, Wilhelm’s symptoms had no definitive diagnosis. It could only be classified as simple health deterioration, so no clear cure existed.

I almost wished Kaulen had been right—that I had approached Wilhelm with some malicious intent. If he’d been poisoned, at least an antidote could have worked.

But Abenrise was harmless to humans, merely a beautiful flower. Its proximity could not have caused Wilhelm any harm…

‘…Huh?’

Suddenly, a realization flashed through my mind.

If it had no effect on humans, then perhaps it could affect non-human beings.

A flower of miraculous power, long sought by the Erindor Divine Nation to restore the last dragon.

To humans, it was just a beautiful red flower. To dragons, it held the key to eternal life.

All indicators pointed to one thing:

‘Abenrise is the key to negotiation!’

Patient treatment. And ultimately, ending the war.

In a few seconds, seeing far into the future, I snatched the flower from Kaulen’s hand, my eyes ablaze.

“What—what are you doing!”

“This is necessary.”

“Hah! Do you think destroying evidence erases the crime? You prattled on earlier, but now that things get urgent, you show your true colors.”

“No. Not me…”

This was something the Erindor Divine Nation could never refuse.

Those who worship dragons as gods had no reason to deny the dragon’s recovery. The future of relations between the Empire and the Divine Nation rested in my hands.

Or rather, in the hands holding this flower.

“Immediately request negotiations with the Divine Nation.”

“What? Since when are you giving orders? Do you think I’m your subordinate?!”

“Come on. I’m asking as a request, since you are a diplomat. Yes or no?”

“Get lost!”

Kaulen swatted the back of my hand sharply. It didn’t hurt, but the message was clear: I couldn’t continue the discussion.

‘Still, I can’t return to the palace.’

Leading an unofficial negotiation meant there was no need. Fortunately—or unfortunately—the Grimroar Duchy itself had enough channels to reach the Divine Nation’s agents.

‘This one is a spy, that one is a spy… why was my husband the only one who wasn’t?’

Thinking back over all the blunders made my stomach churn.

To avoid returning to the palace, I had to secure my position at the duchy. Eve-Maria and Diego’s divorce was scheduled, so I had to finish the matter before she arrived.

‘So, this is for me.’

I tried to reason with myself, but the moment I held Wilhelm’s hand, my resolve crumbled.

“My lord…”

“I’m fine. I’m sorry for worrying you.”

“Don’t say that. You told me yourself—the great Grimroar must not lose his pride.”

“Yes, that’s right. But in the face of time, all humans are equal.”

I had already told him not to speak like that, so I couldn’t repeat it. I had to endure it, even if I wanted to say it.

“My time is nearly up.”

I should have said something. Instead, tears poured out and blurred my vision.

Kaulen’s secretary, Bones James.

Clumsy and often scolded, usually unsuspecting, but my eyes couldn’t be fooled. Even the name alone was suspicious; no possessed person could overlook it.

“Thank you for coming on such short notice, Mr. Bones.”

“Ah, n-no, my lady, uh—Excellency! Eek! I’m sorry for my mistake…! I’m scatterbrained, I’m so sorry! I’m sorry!”

Every time Bones bowed, his dark hair flopped wildly. His oversized glasses, barely hanging on, fell to the floor.

As he reached to pick them up, my voice echoed in the empty room.

“I hate wasting time. Stop the cheap act; Kaulen isn’t here. Didn’t you have enough time for Shadow’s intel to reach your ears?”

In an instant, the bewildered demeanor vanished. Bones approached like the wind, a dagger pressing against my throat with a deadly glare.

Had I not placed my hand over his heart, ready to strike magically at any moment, I couldn’t have guaranteed what would happen.

‘Phew. That was truly nerve-wracking.’

The brush with death never became easy to bear. Once Eve-Maria’s fall and Rosinante’s succession were secured, I’d just retreat to an obscure mountain valley and live quietly.

“This is not the response I expected.”

“Tell me. How much do you know?”

Even though it was acting, the man who had been apologetic moments ago now exuded enough murderous intent to kill a person without hesitation.