Chapter 24
Considering the original story, this was supposed to be a long way off.
The Duke of Joubert was looking for a way to secretly raise political funds when he came across the plant in question, the pochi.
At first, of course, the Duke of Joubert didn’t quite understand the plant’s effects. However, it doesn’t take long for him to realize that in the right doses, it can improve his physical strength for a period of time, so he decides to use his wits and sell it as a medicinal herb.
Fortunately, a series of events reveal that it’s a poisonous herb that shouldn’t be in circulation.
It all started when a lowly nobleman was found dead in his home after taking pochi. Everyone was puzzled by his death because he was so healthy.
But only one person, a fellow nobleman who had purchased the pochi with him, thought the death was untoward.
This was because he remembered how his colleague, who had been buying Pochi from him, began to have frequent headaches after taking it, and how he became angry and violent. He couldn’t help but suspect the composition of the pochi.
So the nobleman sets out to find out what caused the death, but before he can do anything, he’s caught by the Duke of Joubert, who’s been watching the buyers.
In the end, the fellow nobleman meets a tragic end at the hands of the Duke of Joubert, whose death is disguised as a sudden carriage accident and buried in society…
However, the Duke of Joubert realizes that even if the problem is solved now, if it is later discovered that the poisonous herb is poisonous, he will not be able to deal with it in time, so he decides to collect and dispose of the entire batch before it gets out of hand.
However, the episode ends with Thierry finding out about the poisonous plant when a maid, who had saved some of it just in case, uses it to poison the female lead.
‘Regardless of the actual relationship, I’m the only one who’s by Thierry’s side, so what’s going to happen to me that the female lead has to go through?’
I realized that there were some similarities between the original Handmaiden episode and what’s happening now, and it made me feel a little nervous.
‘Wow… That’s so horrible.’
If it’s real, it’s too serious.
How can I be sure that it won’t happen again in the future when my life was threatened just today?
‘Ariadne and Thierry should be together sooner rather than later… It’s great if the Debutante is the catalyst, but if not…’
That’s something I’ll have to think about after the Debutante, and I need to find a way to keep myself here.
‘I need money to do research, and I need money to buy weapons and tools for self-defense, and I need money for that too…’
… In other words, money is the future.
Huh, let’s remember. I’m possessed, I know the future because I’ve read the original, and I can use it!
Okay, so apparently Ariadne made some money in the original, but how did she get it? Mines?
… Anyway, money again?
Well, you have to have money to recognize mine, but this one, the more I thought about it, the more I was like, “No way.”
“No way. Let’s go.”
I didn’t think I could come up with anything useful right now, so I decided to rest and think about it tomorrow.
I collapsed exhausted onto my bed and closed my eyes. My body and mind were exhausted, and I felt like I had been waiting for it.
After some time passed, I opened my eyes in the middle of the night, buried in deep silence.
“… I’m awake.”
My mind was clear, having just woken up. I slowly got out of bed, thinking it was a bad idea to go back to sleep.
As I slipped on my slippers to get a drink of water, I heard a soft knock on the door.
“Princess, did you wake?”
Marie? Why is she here at this time of night?
“Come in.”
I quietly opened the door and Marie, who had grown more gaunt overnight, stepped in. She first studied my complexion, then folded her arms and bowed.
“Excuse me, Princess. I heard you were injured, and I thought you’d skipped dinner and stayed up, so I was just waiting to see if you needed anything.”
“Ah… I’m fine, thanks to your Majesty, I was taken care of right away. Are you okay? You still look pretty bad.”
“It’s… fine.”
“Well then, enough with the food, can we talk?”
I motioned for her to come over to a table set up on one side of the room. I motioned for Marie, who was standing next to me, to sit in the chair across from me and sipped my water slowly.
‘I’m glad I didn’t have to go to the trouble of calling Marie.’
Marie waited nervously, her eyes showing her depression and fear.
The sound of a glass of water being set down sent a shiver down her spine.
“You were supposed to tell me when I got back, who ordered this.”
“… Maid of Honor Chloe and Senior Handmaid Sera Walt.”
Marie whispered, her eyes tightly shut. Her voice was small, but high-pitched.
“At first, we were told to report on the Princess’s affairs. But day by day, they wanted to get more and more involved…”
She tried to explain what they were doing to me in a mild way, but it boiled down to this: as I spent more and more time with Thierry, a mere prisoner of war in their eyes, they became disgusted with me and were thinking of getting rid of me all together.
“I am guilty of death. I should have told you beforehand, but my ignorance put Princess in danger, and I apologize. I will accept any punishment.”
Marie swallowed dryly, pursed her lips several times, and then broke down in silent tears, wetting both cheeks.
‘From her point of view, it was her life that was at stake, so it’s not like I don’t understand.’
There was silence for a moment. I stared at Marie in silence, then tilted my head slightly and spoke.
“How long have they been hitting you?”
“What?”
“This isn’t the first time, is it?”
“Oh… Whenever I make a mistake, it’s not uncommon for me to get corporal punishment… Most of the time, corporal punishment is done by Sera Walt.”
“Corporal punishment, that’s a neat way of putting it. Is the military captain or something… And he and his handmaiden are very close?”
“Yes, I understand Viscount Walt is first cousins with the Handmaiden.”
If that’s the case, then they know each other’s plots. I’d better set a trap before they destroy the evidence…
“Have all the nobles who attended the hunting festival returned?”
“No. His Majesty has ordered them to remain in the palace until the case is resolved. All entry is forbidden.”
So that’s it? It was as good as it gets. The only problem is that the culprits are probably hunkering down as much as possible to keep an eye on things…
Maybe we should set the stage so they can move.
“Marie.”
“Yes.”
I stare at her for a few seconds, then ask calmly.
“Instead of being punished, would you be willing to be used by me?”
Marie’s eyes fluttered wildly as she looked at me as if she were humbly taking it all in.
“Used, is that it?”
“What do you think I’m going to do to you, and that’s all you’re asking?”
“I was prepared to die for it.”
“…”
“But you’re using me, and if I can be of any use to you, Princess, I’ll do whatever it takes, even if it means giving my life.”
What the hell.
I frowned slightly, as if overwhelmed.
“It’s not something you’d have to give your life for, but it’s a risky one, since you’re the one who’s supposed to find her.”
“I will.”
There was no hesitation. Marie’s eyes sparkled, not like the one that had looked at me a moment ago with a dying look on her face. As if she was just happy to be able to help me.
I nodded once, guessing the guilt must have been overwhelming.
“Okay. So, can you pass along some information to Sera?”
I smiled. Like the harmless Princess I always was.
“Looks like the Princess brought an arrow.”
***
The midday sun shone through the window into the room. She was sitting in her chair, enjoying the sun as usual, when there was a soft knock on the door and an unfamiliar voice.
“Princess, I’m coming in.”
It was a one-sided announcement that could have been called cheeky, but I simply turned to see who was entering with a gentle smile.
“I’m Sera Walt, and I’m here to serve you, Princess.”
“What? And Marie?”
I asked, feigning innocent surprise, and then a hint of arsenic flashed across Sera’s face.
“Marie was relegated to menial labor for failing to properly serve her master. I’m afraid she’ll be assigned to the most arduous laundry or stables.”
“Demoted, but I had no complaints!”
“Oh, you were fine? I’m glad to hear that, because I’ve heard that not only did you venture into the forbidden Labyrinth Forest, but you rode back with the Emperor on horseback.”
“That’s…”
“It’s our job to protect the dignity of our honored guest, and I’m afraid that the gravity of the incident has been inflated by that, and I don’t think it’s something to be taken lightly.”
“Is it possible that Marie was harmed by what happened because I went to the Labyrinth Forest? I was so freaked out at the time, and if the horse hadn’t suddenly gone on a rampage, none of that would have happened… Is there anything I can do to help Marie?”
“… You want to help Marie?”
“Yes, if there’s a way.”
Now I was the good Princess who didn’t care about anything in the world.
‘I think it’s safe to say I just turned the stage upside down. Look at that.’
A mysterious smile crossed Sera’s face, as if she’d been watching me the whole time.
“It’s not like there isn’t a way…”
“Really, what is it?”
“I heard that your horse was hit by an arrow, and it would be an extenuating circumstance if Marie could find the culprit.”
“Uh, I suppose so.”
