Chapter 116 Michelson Nursery School
A faint glow emanated from her hand, and the wound began to heal slightly. After a few moments, Ted slowly lifted his eyelids and asked.
“I counted to 100.”
“Already? So what? I still have some healing to do.”
“Well, shall we count to 100 one more time?”
“Yeah. That’ll do it!”
“Okay.”
The child even smiled up at Veronia, as if the tension had been reduced, and then closed his eyes again. The way he kept smacking his little lips told her he was counting intently.
‘You’re much slower than the other children’s hands and feet. That’s weird, too.’
There was still a lot to find out about the needle marks, who had stuck them in the child’s body and for what reason, and whether there was a connection between them and Ted’s symptoms.
‘I need to get to know Ted a little better before I can do that,’ She said to herself, ‘because I’d like to get some clues from him.’
Finally, the treatment was over. Ted’s eyes widened in wonder at the cleanliness of his stomach.
“Thank you, healer.”
“That’s my job. But you’re not done yet.”
“What?… Why?”
Ted’s calm face tensed again, as did the face of his friend Thomas next to him.
“Thomas and the others started to get sick in their hands and feet, but Ted started to get sick in his stomach, so I worried.”
“Oh…”
She didn’t mean to, but he looked scared. But she couldn’t help it, she had to give him some context.
“So, I think Ted needs to stay here in the inpatient unit while I check on you, and of course I’ll tell your nursery teacher, but I’ll tell Ted first, do you understand?”
“… Yes”
The grim-faced child nodded.
Ted’s admission process was quick. Luckily, there were still rooms available.
When she explained the situation to the nursery school teacher, she agreed to stay with Ted as a chaperone, and his face lit up with relief.
The problem was that there were other children with similar symptoms to Ted.
There were five of them, including Ted, all with clean hands and feet but with rotting stomachs. In addition, all of them had needle marks on their bodies.
When she asked the children about the needle marks, they all clamped their mouths shut and rolled their eyes. The nursery school teacher was even more surprised than Veronia, and seemed to have no idea.
“Oh my God, were the children playing with something pointy? But we don’t have anything like that in the nursery… and if the needle marks are right, who could have done that? It must be one of the people who comes in and out of the nursery, I’ve never seen anything like this before, I don’t know, what can I do?”
“Well, I think the kids are pretty freaked out right now, so why don’t you let it go for now and ask them again tomorrow, or the day after, or whenever you get a chance?”
“Sure, I’ll do that.”
With a vigorous nod, Veronia left the nursery teacher’s room.
But even late at night, when she returned to the Count and went to bed, her mind lingered on that hospital room. An eerie premonition kept hovering near the nape of her neck.
‘This is so strange,’ she thought, ‘and I must find out who did such a terrible thing.’
The next morning, when she arrived at the clinic, Veronia received unexpected news.
“It was the director of the Michelson Nursery. He came in the middle of the night and went on a rampage.”
“What do you mean, the director went on a rampage? Why?”
“Apparently he was unhappy that we had admitted some of the children without his permission. They said it was necessary due to the condition of the children, but he didn’t listen, so they took them all away.”
“…”
The nursery was also strange. Rare symptoms in some of the children, needle marks, and a disturbed director. The pieces of the puzzle seemed to be coming together.
“It’s supposed to be the largest nursery in the South, and I think the director is up to something. I’ll have to investigate.
Veronia’s eyes narrowed.
***
Veronia did not return to Count Eidenbenz until well after midnight, her body tired but her mind clear. She opened her bedroom door, thinking of discussing the children in the nursery with Killion.
“You’re here?”
Killion greeted her. With a hot kiss.
Lips she’d met countless times, but she’d never gotten used to it, and each time it made her dizzy enough to shake her sanity. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end as goosebumps rose, and she shuddered at the sudden rise in temperature.
His full lips pressed against Veronia’s, insistent and insistent. He wanted to devour her, to consume her every breath.
Killion’s lips flicked across hers, over and over again, until Veronia, overwhelmed by the relentlessness of his touch, pushed against his chest and moaned.
“Haah… Killion… stop it…”
Soon, Killion’s lips fell wistfully. Veronia was disappointed, too, but she had to take a breath and see.
Veronia was breathing hard, but Killion held her close. Like he didn’t want to be separated.
“I missed you.”
A small smile tugged at the corners of Veronia’s mouth at the weak voice.
Guilt briefly reared its ugly head, wondering if she should feel such sweet love, if she should be this happy, when she was here to help a region suffering a terrible disaster.
“Me too.”
“Me too, and you’re five seconds late.”
“What?”
Was there really five seconds between his “I missed you” and her “Me too”? Was five seconds too long to be a slap in the face? Veronia’s mind raced with the questions that came to her at once.
Unbeknownst to her, Killion’s lips were on hers again. The kiss lasted for a moment, softer, deeper, and more greedy than the one before.
“What is this?”
Only after the heat had subsided somewhat did the box on the table come into Veronia’s view, and Killion answered her question quickly, as if he had just remembered something he had forgotten.
“Ah, it’s from Onyx.”
“Onyx?”
Inside the box was a communicator the size of an adult’s fist, with a note that read, “Keep in touch.
“It must be urgent, Killion, if they’re sending it through a comm, come on.”
At Veronia’s gesture, Killion sat down beside her. Veronia pressed a button on the commlink and the lights flickered a few times, then the entire commlink lit up.
– Hello!
“Onyx!”
“Long time no see.”
A welcoming face beamed into the comms. Onyx’s face looked tired and haggard from all the work she’d been doing.
– How’s everyone doing?
“I’m fine, I’m busy with a lot of work to do, but you look pretty tired, don’t you?”
– Yes, I am tired. Running the most competent information guild in the capital is hard work, and the requests are never ending.
“I always appreciate your hard work.”
“But you know your health is more important than your work, so take it easy.”
Onyx, flattered by the words of gratitude and concern, chuckled briefly, then cut to the chase.
– I’ve discovered the source of the magic circle we found in Oaks Manor.
Oaks Manor was the place where the Good Emperor died in a fire. It’s only been a few days since they was last there, but Onyx and his guild are very competent.
– It’s a very small workshop on the fringes, family-run, but there’s money being invested in it, so I followed the flow, and Club Ares is at the end of it.
“I think I’ve heard of Club Ares… before.”
Killion’s head tilted as if he remembered.
– Club Ares is a club for middle-aged noblewomen who are very interested in children’s welfare issues.
“Yes, that’s right, my mother was a member sometimes.”
“Your godmother?”
“Yes. I think they do some volunteer work and organize bazaars and exhibitions.”
– The club seemed to have quite a few noblewomen in it and a wide range of activities. But then I looked into the club’s finances, and I found this!
Onyx said triumphantly, crossing his arms. His smiling face reflected a never-ending surge of confidence.
“What’s that?”
“Just stop rambling and tell us.”
At Veronia’s and Killion’s urging, Onyx smirked for a moment before finally opening his mouth.
– The big money behind Club Ares is the Imperial Family.
“The Imperial Family?”
– Yes. The documents say that the Emperor has been a steady, large supporter since he was a crown prince.
“So… are you saying that Jonathan patronized the workshop in the name of Club Ares, and that the workshop provided him with the tools? Are you saying that Jonathan was in some way involved in the death of the Good Emperor?”
– There’s no confirmation yet, so let’s just say it’s a possibility.
“…”
“The Emperor who killed the Good Emperor and took his place! The son who killed his father!” For a moment, silence fell between the three of them.
Onyx was the first to break the silence.
– I have another interesting piece of information. This one is a bit pricey. What do you think? Are you willing to buy it?
Onyx’s voice sounded very condescending, but at the same time, he was very curious about the information he had. Killion shot back with a haughty look and voice.
“How much? Just tell me. No, you don’t have to tell me, just send me an invoice.”
– Oh, our Lord Chancellor! I get it!
“Now, come on, tell me.”
Onyx said to Veronia’s tug, her voice low as if she were telling a secret.
– “A few days ago, Prince Tate came to visit our guild, and he asked us to investigate the Michelson Nursery in the south.
“The Michelson Nursery is…!”
Veronia’s eyes widened at the familiarity of the name as it flowed from Onyx’s mouth.
