Chapter 64
Chapter 64
====
With a languid tone, Benia sensed the murderous intent directed at her.
She grew anxious.
“You’re not really going to kill me, are you? Who knows who the next Pero will be? You don’t actually believe you can predict the next Pero with a document like that, do you?”
No matter how hard you try to figure out the rules, it’s over if you’re wrong.
What if a Pero appears somewhere else?
If one appears in a place like Kartiel, would the current head of the family, Siete Cartiel, just stand by?
He might lock that Pero away forever, where no one can ever see them.
If they’re locked away alive, Dielo Argenta will never awaken.
“Of course, I’m not certain,”
Dielo replied leisurely.
His sword tip remained unwavering, pointed at Benia.
“But whoever the next Pero is, it’ll be less repulsive than marrying you.”
He said in a low voice, then curled his lip in a sneer.
Regardless of what his parents were like, Benia was the one who killed them, threatened Argenta, insulted Krua, and tried to use him.
“And I always get what I want.”
The one Pero he desperately desired.
Benia, after being subjected to numerous questions here, posed a ridiculous question that had become increasingly concrete in her mind.
“Don’t tell me… you actually love Krua Alloze?”
Surprisingly, Dielo’s sword tip wavered at those words.
No way.
It was the moment Benia’s eyes widened.
A radiant smile bloomed on Dielo’s face.
It was an unbelievably rapid change, like a frozen river in the dead of winter suddenly flowing into spring.
His eyes, filled with a gentle smile, looked past Benia.
More precisely, it wasn’t that he was looking at something, but rather that he seemed to be thinking of someone.
Dielo replied.
“How could I not be drawn to someone so lovely?”
“You’re really crazy.”
Benia was dumbfounded.
He’s really so infatuated with a woman that he’s willing to kick away the Pero, kick away his awakening, and kick away Argenta?
As she exhaled in disbelief, Dielo’s gaze fixed directly on her.
His gaze, which had been so gently melting just moments ago, turned cold and icy once more as he looked at her.
“If marrying you is what it takes to be considered sane, then I’d rather remain insane.”
With those words, Dielo slowly closed and opened his eyes.
“Yes, that’s right.”
He lamented his inability to say these words in front of the person he truly wanted to hear them, the person he wanted to accept them.
Not yet, it would still be too sudden.
So he opened his mouth as if practicing.
The excuse he had repeated countless times while kissing her, burrowing into her, and spreading his heat to her.
Practice.
Yes, he was practicing.
He spoke while thinking of Krua.
“I love her.”
So much that he was going insane from her lack of recognition, from her not even giving him a glance.
* * *
“This is a poison that causes stomachaches and headaches. It’s not life-threatening, but it will make daily life difficult for a week.”
It was Nias who analyzed the poison.
I had thought before, but he seemed more like a poison expert than a doctor.
“Is there any possibility it was mixed in by accident?”
“None. This combination is only possible artificially.”
Nias said definitively.
Hearing that, I asked the people.
“The Shadow Supply wagons?”
“We’ve stopped almost all of them. But…”
A knight with a troubled expression said.
“Supply goods have already arrived at some homes.”
I paused at those words.
“Don’t tell me, someone’s eaten it?”
“…We’re still confirming, but there’s a child in that house who particularly likes the supplies, so it seems they might have eaten it.”
I bit my lip at those words.
“The antidote?”
I turned to look at Nias, who said with a troubled expression.
“There is one, but the medicinal herbs used in the antidote have an even more toxic effect. So generally, it’s a poison where it’s better to rest in bed and wait for it to pass.”
“If a patient appears in a house that received the Shadow Supply…”
That would also cause problems with the morale of the entire Argenta.
A poison with no antidote.
…Wait, poison?
I raised my head. The sensation of moving water remained in my hands from just a moment ago.
Could I expel that poison?
No, I could. Perhaps it was because I had just touched water, but I felt a clear conviction.
I had unconsciously expelled poison from my body before, so I could do even better now that I was fully conscious.
“Can we go to that house, right now?”
“Excuse me?”
The knights were surprised at those words.
“Explain the situation to Dielo. Quickly.”
রেডিয়াস hesitated, then bowed his head.
“…Madam.”
I thought he would try to stop me.
So I was thinking of plenty of reasons to add on.
But.
“I will personally escort you.”
রেডিয়াস made an unexpected proposal.
“I also have the authority to draw out escort troops in emergencies, so you can reduce a lot of troublesome procedures.”
My expression brightened at those words.
“Thank you. Please move quickly.”
* * *
A village somewhat far northwest from the Argenta mansion.
It was a village where nothing noisy happened unless monsters appeared.
Even so, exchanges between neighbors never ceased. It was because everyone had worked at the Argenta mansion, so they had a special bond.
A sudden incident occurred in such a village.
“Troops are coming from the mansion?”
“What?”
Could it be that monsters have invaded?
The villagers, who had grabbed their weapons in a hurry, received the next news.
“The Madam is coming herself!”
“What!”
Does that mean it’s that important! The villagers began to rush outside.
Reaching the entrance of the village, they saw a group of people.
Standing in formation, it looked like nothing but an army.
“…It seems like they’re nervous because we came so suddenly. I need to explain a bit first.”
I turned to look at রেডিয়াস.
‘It can be fatal to children. Especially in the case of children whose throats often swell, they may have difficulty breathing in response to the poison.’
Nias’s words came to mind.
And as far as I knew, one of the children living in that northwest village had asthma.
At my words, রেডিয়াস briefly bowed his head and stepped forward.
“Has everyone been well?”
The villagers paused at his greeting with a bright face.
“We’re not here to fight, so put your weapons away. Oh, you too. You’re not thinking of holding a weapon in front of the Madam, are you?”
At his gentle words, people lowered their weapons one by one, then hurriedly hid them.
Then, they looked at me and widened their eyes.
I could see a sense of bewilderment spreading among the people who were hurriedly greeting me.
“What brings such a distinguished guest to this place…”
“Could it be that there’s a traitor in our village?”
It seemed they had heard the news that traitors had been weeded out from the mansion this time.
I waved my hand before they could become more anxious.
“It’s not that, there’s a problem with the supply goods, so I came.”
As I got off the horse and spoke, people widened their eyes.
“Are you talking about the goods that came this morning?”
“That’s right. Did anyone eat it?”
The people looked at each other.
“We’ve only organized it…”
“Ah, Riel must have eaten it!”
At that moment, a voice rose from inside.
As expected.
“Quickly guide me to that child. And you knights, tell the villagers about the supply goods.”
I gestured to the knights and quickly entered the village with রেডিয়াস.
* * *
The house of a child named Riel was in a corner of the village.
“Riel? Is Riel there?”
I knocked on the door, and a cough-filled groan came from inside.
“Cough, who… who is it?”
The voice had no strength. I turned to look at রেডিয়াস.
“She’ll be surprised if I say I’m here.”
There was no need to surprise a child who already looked like she was having a hard time.
I took off my ornate hair accessories and borrowed a black robe from a knight.
“It’s Uncle রেডিয়াস. I came because of the supply goods, may I come in?”
Are they acquaintances? I widened my eyes.
It was then.
—Creak.
The door opened on its own.
Does this world also have automatic doors?
My surprise was only momentary, as I discovered a delicately connected wire on the door.
It seemed they had set up a device so that it could be opened from the inside as well.
It was a sophisticated device that assassins would use.
“I’ll lead you this way.”
রেডিয়াস led me.
Following him inside, I saw the child.
The child was lying on the floor.
