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Translated by Raizu Edited by Schwartz13
[Welcome!]
Crown Princess Cecilia greeted the guests with a big smile, but when she noticed that there was no one by Connie’s side, she tilted her head lovingly.
[…What about Randy? I thought you’ll be coming with him.]
When Connie apologized for His Excellency’s urgent work, Cecilia erased her expression for a moment. However, she immediately said, [It must be tough] with a gentle smile, and gracefully invited Connie into the room.
=====
[It’s been a long time since I’ve had a guest in this room!]
Connie sat down on a leather chair as advised. The interior, with its fine furnishings, was very strange. Hanging from the ceiling are dozens of lanterns with exotic and colorful geometric patterns, while the walls are adorned with tapestries with thousands of flowers and shady wood carvings. There were also other items that Connie had never seen before placed here and there――――she couldn’t help but roll her eyes until someone called out to her in a somewhat proud manner.
[It’s rare, isn’t it? I collected it from all over the continent. Well, it wasn’t me who worked hard, but the merchant.]
Saying that Cecilia smiled with a proud expression. Connie braced herself slightly at the word merchant.
[…that merchant, he must be an excellent person.]
[Yeah. He’s a minority youth from Soldita, though. He’s really good at talking, so I always end up buying unnecessary things.]
[Did he come by recently?]
Silence fell on the question. Cecilia slowly tilts her head and gently lifts the corners of her mouth.
[―――That’s right. He came here yesterday too. He came to show me a carpet from the Rafina region, carrying it on a large basket on his back. But what’s wrong with that?]
There is not even the slightest hint of turmoil in her innocent expression. Frightened by the return, Connie involuntarily shut herself up. After a while, Cecilia raised a particularly bright voice saying, “Oh no”.
[I’m sorry, the tea is getting cold.]
There are two steaming teapots on the glass-top table with beautiful decorations carved on the four corners. Cecilia brought one of them towards her.
[This is for me only.]
Saying that she smiles brightly.
[I think you know this already, but when I was young, my body was really weak. It was thanks to this medicine, herb, and tea that I was able to obtain a normal body. So I’m sorry. It’s like medicine, so Connie’s is just plain black tea. It’s from the far east, and it’s hard to come by, so I force Badd to order it regularly. Ah, Badd is the merchant I mentioned just now.]
While saying that, she poured the tea herself with familiar gestures. Connie opened her mouth quietly.
[―――I’m sorry, Your Highness. I misunderstood.]
[Misunderstood?]
Cecilia blinked her sweet rose-colored eyes.
[Yes. It’s a well-known story that Her Highness was once poisoned. That’s why I wonder if she’s always on guard. There were two pots, so I couldn’t help but think so.]
The bright red-coloured liquid that was poured into the pottery emits a faint, peculiar smell. It smells like freshly sprouted green leaves without any sweetness.
[―――Are you talking about Scarlet Castiel?]
Cecilia’s voice was extremely flat.
[I think you were still a child at the time, but you sound like you know a lot, don’t you?]
Without showing any disturbance on her face, she calmly told Connie. Thin eyes stare coldly at Connie.
[…No, it’s just a rumor. That the great sinner Scarlet Castiel tried to poison Her Highness.]
[————She had bribed a servant to poison the mansion’s water jars. A maid happened to change the water, so I was saved. Her earrings were found in the mansion, and a half-used poison bottle was found in her room. That’s all. I was just trying to save her life. What’s wrong? That ended up taking her life, but that person was the first to get involved.]
Then, Cecilia frowned painfully.
[But, it’s my fault that I fell in love with Enrique knowing that he had a fiancée. That’s why I’m surely receiving punishment now. It’s my fault that we have no children yet. Enrique is also a handful. You know, he’s so considerate of me that he even refuses to take a concubine. He said that his younger brother, Prince Joan, would take his place. After all, not only Princes but also Princesses have been born in Prince Joan’s family.――――Enrique, he’s planning to give up his right to inheritance for some reason someday. He decided that ten years ago. It’s been one of his favorite phrases for a long time. When he stops being royalty, he would be rewarded with a small territory. We will live quietly there.]
When she noticed Connie’s expression, she paused and blinked her eyes curiously.
[That’s a strange face. This is something I’ve been saying for a long time. Of course, there are people who don’t like it.]
『――――because you are so good at twisting the story as ever.』
Suddenly, a deeply bored voice came down.
『I wish I could talk to you all the time, but well, you really have a thick skin. ……that’s probably why you are quite hated.』
When Scarlett said that, she smiled happily. Not understanding the meaning, Connie urged her to continue with her gaze.
『She said it was a medicinal herbal tea since a while ago, yet it smells like something I know. This one is probably poison to prevent her from bearing any baby.』
―――Poison?
『There is no doubt about it. It smells just like what the wicked ladies used to drink before they played with fire. It seems to come from the roots of something. Regardless of the degree of casualty, if you use it regularly, your internal organs will crumble and blood clots will easily form in your lower body. The body becomes as cold as ice and edema appears, and in the end, there were people whose hearts stopped due to the blood flow stagnation――』
When Connie was at a loss for words, Cecilia put her mouth to the rim of a white porcelain cup with blue petals painted on it. Involuntarily, Connie shouted, “Ah!”, making Cecilia’s hand stop.
[…what’s wrong?]
Connie pressed her lips carelessly, but of course, the person in front of her wasn’t naive enough to be deceived by that.
[Is there something that bothers you? Something wrong with this herbal tea?]
[…Uhm.]
Her eyes were swimming. Scarlett sighed. It can’t be helped anymore, Connie thought.
[…Medicinal herb tea, which means it contains a lot of herbal medicines, right?]
[Well, I guess so.]
[Well, this is just a story I heard, but it seems that depending on the ingredients in it, it may cause blood flow to get worse… Her Highness said that when I met her the other day, too. Your hands were really cold, so I was worried that maybe your constitution reacted strongly to something―――]
[No, Connie.]
Cecilia called out to Connie in a friendly tone.
[Speak honestly? You’re not talking about possibilities, you’re pretty sure what’s actually in there, right? You’re the kind of thing that’s easy to understand. Well… you probably didn’t notice it just by looking at it, were you? Then, first. You should have been showing your attitude since that time. However, there is no way you can taste it even if you haven’t drunk it. Then―――no way, is it from the smell? ]
She suddenly realized it.
[Aaaaaaa, I mean, it’s something I’ve been taught before. And, the smell is also included! Um, I have an acquaintance who knows about this stuff in more detail…!]
[You have a very knowledgeable friend. Is it someone you can trust?]
There was a momentary pause. Connie turned to Cecilia and told her firmly.
[―――yes.]
[So, you think there is something wrong with this herbal tea?]
Connie nodded.
[Yes. If it’s false, I’ll make you pay the appropriate compensation. ……Well, but as you said, I didn’t really look into it.]
Cecilia muttered with interest and slowly looked back. After that, I quietly ordered several waiting maids.
[Didn’t you guys hear that too?―――Please call someone familiar with medicinal herbs right away.]
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Connie left the Palace after being told by an expert that it will take several days to identify the ingredients.
『You stupid』
Scarlett opened her mouth in amazement as they walked.
『You should have let her be. With this, you’ll certainly enter her list of people to watch』
[…But, we can’t just leave people who are unknowingly drinking poison.]
『Oh, I may have said something nonsense, you know?』
[Scarlet can certainly lie pretty well, but―――]
Connie lowered her eyebrows in embarrassment.
[Even so, I can at least tell if you’re lying.]
『…You’ve become so impertinent as of late.』
Scarlet puffed her cheeks as if she was offended.
『That black-hearted person might be my revenge target! Don’t go out of your way to send salt to the enemy!』
[But it might be different, right? There’s no definite proof. If Her Highness died, you wouldn’t know that either.]
“Hmmm”, Scarlett swallowed her words in an unusual way. After that, she sighed like she gave up and changed the topic.
『――――She said that the merchant was carrying a leather basket on his back. A small child can fit in it. If the kid was rendered unconscious in advance, you won’t have to worry about him rampaging.』
When she said that, she snorted.
『Well, it’s true that with only this, I don’t know if that wicked woman is involved. It’s almost like she’s indeed drinking the poison without noticing it. She might have just been taken advantage of. Let’s find out a little more.』
Connie really wanted to do that, but couldn’t think of a way to do it. Looking at Connie who frowned in trouble, Scarlet continued her words as if nothing happened.
『Hmm, there is a saying. For seamstresses, ask the tailor, and for divas, ask the manager of the theater. According to that theory, it’s best to ask a business rival when it comes to merchants, right? 』
What are you talking about? When Connie looked up at Scarlet with a question in mind, she said bluntly.
『Don’t you understand yet?―――we can go ask Neil Bronson.』
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