☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓 ☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓
Robert, a knight of the security unit, approached Sardin with a bowl of soup.
“You’re the knight of Her Highness the Princess, but you’ve been accused of murder, right?”
“……”
“Come on, don’t be too harsh. Everyone knows you’re the shadow of Her Highness the Princess. Are you hungry? Have a meal.”
As he handed the food through the serving slot under the iron bars, Sardin accepted it and lifted the bowl.
“Thank you.”
Seeing this, Robert smiled.
‘Good. Things are going well.’
He was a spy planted in the security unit by Reinhardt.
‘Now, if he just eats this, I’ll have to deal with Karon next…’
Before he could finish his thoughts, it happened.
Clang!
Sardin dropped the bowl, looking embarrassed as he smiled.
“I’m sorry. You went through the trouble of bringing this…”
Robert felt an urge to grab him and force the food down his throat right then and there.
However, there was an order to handle things discreetly.
Robert forced a smile and replied, “It’s fine. I can just bring more.”
His pronunciation was oddly tense, but Sardin seemed oblivious and innocently said, “Yes, I appreciate it.”
Returning to the kitchen, Robert grumbled as he took out the poison again.
“You damn slave, you can’t even do one thing right, making me suffer?”
But he was going to die soon anyway.
‘Yes, once he takes this poison, he’ll be dead.’
This poison, also known as the “bad dream,” was a banned substance in the empire that could induce a “suggestion (암시)” in the person who took it.
TL/N: The word ‘암시’ (amsi) means “suggestion” or “hint,” but in this context, it likely refers to a form of mental influence or hypnosis-like suggestion. The word is often used to imply someone being subtly influenced or given subconscious instructions.
The order Robert received was to administer the poison and then implant a suggestion into Sardin’s mind.
However, if he forced it down his throat, other security members might notice.
So he planned to handle it as quietly as possible.
‘This time, let’s mix it in the water.’
After dropping the poison into the food and water, Robert tried to put the vial back in his pocket.
At that moment, someone grabbed his wrist.
Startled, Robert looked up in shock.
“D-Duke Blant!”
What was Duke Blant doing here?
Of course, as the husband of the princess, it wouldn’t be strange for him to come to the security headquarters upon hearing that the princess’s slave was imprisoned.
However, this was the kitchen. It felt odd for an outsider to be wandering around so carelessly.
“Your Grace, what brings you here…”
He intended to question it, but he was flustered by the duke’s words.
“What is this? You were secretly putting this in the food.”
“Uh, it’s a spice!”
“Is that so? Then eat it.”
There was no way he could eat it.
The moment he ingested that poison, he would never return to his senses.
“I-I….”
Right, I might as well break the vial.
With that thought, Robert tried to drop the vial.
However, the duke seemed to anticipate this, snatching the vial away and coldly saying to Robert, “If you want to live, do as I say.”
☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓 ☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓
“A letter has arrived from Robert. He has successfully completed the mission assigned by you, Milord.”
Hearing this, Reinhardt smiled with satisfaction.
“Good, now that we’ve thrown out the bait, we just need to wait for the fish to bite.”
What could Cornelia be thinking right now?
He hoped she was struggling with feelings of powerlessness and trembling with anxiety.
That way, when he embraced her, she would lean on him even more.
Reinhardt opened his mouth with a face full of laughter.
“When Cornelia leaves the duke’s residence, inform me immediately.”
☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓 ☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓
The next day, I woke up feeling the warm sunlight.
‘When did I fall asleep?’
I remembered singing a lullaby to the child and drinking the warm tea Landon had handed me.
After that, drowsiness gradually took over, and I fell asleep without realizing it.
‘This isn’t the time for this.’
I sighed, and just as I was about to get ready, I felt my headache had subsided.
‘Why doesn’t my head hurt?’
At that moment, I heard a knock.
“Madam, I will help you prepare to go out.”
I felt something was off.
It was as if they had anticipated that I would get up and prepare to go out.
‘Did Erich say something in advance?’
The idea that someone was predicting my actions wasn’t particularly pleasant.
However, strangely, I didn’t feel that bad about it right now.
“Okay.”
With my permission, the maids came in to wash me and help me get ready.
Usually chatty, today they only asked me brief questions about my well-being.
“How are you feeling? If there’s anywhere you’re uncomfortable, please let us know.”
“I’m fine.”
I looked at my child, still sleeping in bed.
Janet would take good care of him, but I couldn’t help but worry.
“The child doesn’t want to eat breakfast, so when he wakes up, prepare a diet mainly of vegetables.”
At my words, the maids smiled and nodded.
“Yes, we will do that.”
Relieved by their response, I was about to tell them to continue getting me ready when—
“You’ll probably be hungry before you go out, so please have a snack.”
The maid’s words felt strange.
In the palace, the maids wouldn’t even know if I had any discomfort unless I showed it, and the maids of the duke’s house I was with before were indifferent to me.
So I had always masked my pain and endured it alone.
But when someone offered me a small consideration during difficult times, it only made me feel weak.
“I’m fine. It’s just that my throat feels a bit scratchy, so I’d like to have some tea.”
At my response, one of the maids, Sena, immediately handed me a warm cup of tea.
As I smelled it, I realized it was the tea Landon had given me yesterday.
“What kind of tea is this?”
“It’s tea that’s good for headaches. The master asked me to give it to you.”
Only then did I understand why my headache had gone away.
‘How did he know I had a headache?’
At that moment, the maids spoke.
“Madam, we’ve finished your preparations. We will let you know as soon as everything is ready for you to go out.”
With those words, the maids bowed and left, and I let out a sigh.
‘What on earth is going on…’
Even as I thought that, my head didn’t hurt like it did yesterday.
And the reason was…
<Sardin will be safe.>
<It’s getting late. Don’t worry and get some sleep.>
Yes, amusingly, it was because of what Erich said to reassure me.
‘Relying on those words for comfort… how pathetic.’
It seemed I had indeed become weak.
To unconsciously depend on him for such a meager kindness.
‘Right, in the end, my only ally is myself. I need to pull myself together.’
Erich must have taken care of things yesterday.
‘That’s why he told me to sleep soundly.’
But I couldn’t shake off what he had said.
<He’s a spy.>
<Yes, he is in the security headquarters by his own will. He’s there voluntarily to draw out the culprit behind this incident.>
At first, I couldn’t believe those words at all.
But the more I thought about it, the more it made sense.
Yes, the actions of my enemies, who seemed to know my surroundings as if they were woven together in the Herde territory.
I slapped my own cheek with my palm to gather my weakening resolve.
‘So, let’s confirm directly with Sardin.’
At that moment, I heard a maid’s voice from outside the door.
“Madam, everything is ready.”
I boldly stepped out, only to freeze at the sight of the person standing in front of me.
Erich was standing there in full uniform.
Even in just a shirt, he looked noble, but now, fully adorned with epaulets, medals, and all his regalia, he radiated authority.
“Are you going to the security headquarters?”
“Uh, yes.”
I nodded for a moment, then asked him.
“What did you mean by what you said to me yesterday? About Sardin being a spy and that he’s there to draw out the culprit?”
I asked quickly, fearing he might not answer.
Then he spoke.
“It would be better for you to hear that directly from Sardin.”
After finishing his words, he reached out his hand to me.
“Shall we go together?”
I hesitated for a moment at his gesture.
The thought of going to Sardin to confirm the truth made me fearful and hesitant.
At that moment, he gently took my hand.
“It’s okay. You don’t have to go.”
His words seemed meant to reassure me.
However, the moment I heard that, I became fully alert.
‘Yes, I must not avoid this. Otherwise, I will never know the truth.’
I tightened my grip on his hand and said, “Guide me to my confidant.”
At my words, Erich smiled as if he expected this.
“Yes, understood.”
I felt strange.
But I didn’t have time to think about that right now.
I was already overwhelmed with Sardin’s situation.
☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓 ☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓
Upon arriving at the security HQ, the knights bowed their heads to me.
“Welcome, Your Highness.”
“Where is the criminal?”
In response to my question, they guided me to Sardin.
Sardin, curled up in his cell, looked surprised when he saw me.
“Master.”
Up until now, Erich hadn’t provided any explanation regarding his claim that Sardin was a spy.
However, seeing Sardin like this, I could finally understand Erich’s words.
‘Yes, it’s right to hear it directly from Sardin, just as he said.’
Everything you hear is bound to have the personal opinion of the person telling it.
That’s why I wanted to hear the answer to my questions from Sardin’s own mouth.
“Could you step aside for a moment?”
At my words, Erich nodded.
“Yes.”
With that, only Sardin and I were left in the cell.
Finally, I looked at Sardin and voiced the question I had been wondering about all along.
“Sardin, are you really a spy?”
☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓 ☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓
At Cornelia’s question, Sardin gazed at her with a sense of despair.
‘In the end, this day has finally come.’
When he was first caught by the Duke, he thought he was as good as dead and had resigned himself to that fate.
But instead of killing him, the Duke coldly said,
<How cowardly. To have deceived her for so long and then try to escape through death.>
The Duke grabbed him by the collar and spoke menacingly.
<You must take responsibility for the acts you have committed. And seek her forgiveness.>
