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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 44
Chapter Title: Attempted Poisoning (2)
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“Why do you think so?”
Joshua asked, as if testing her. Rosette replied, a little uncertain.
“I'm not entirely sure, to be honest. But think about it, Your Highness. These are people who used a poison with unidentified ingredients. Would they really leave behind something that could be traced?”
“Go on.”
“Especially since you've been keeping a close watch, Your Highness. I imagine you've already investigated, haven't you?”
“I have. But I couldn't find any clear culprit behind it.”
“That's the problem.”
Rosette sighed.
“I can identify the poison that harmed the Empress. But we can't rest easy until we find the real spy hiding in the Empress's Palace. Just look at the recent incident targeting my father. I thought there was only one spy, but there were actually two. I let my guard down and was caught by surprise.”
“You have a point.”
“Of course, we'll find the poison first.”
“You are…”
“Yes?”
Joshua shook his head.
“It's nothing. Let's start by checking the sleeping incense that was the issue.”
Rosette was curious about what he was going to say, but she didn't press him and followed quietly.
Joshua entered the apothecary. A maid was inside, but he dismissed her with a single command, “Leave.”
“This is the sleeping incense my mother uses.”
Rosette took the round, flat tin case he handed her, opened the lid, and sniffed. It had the sweet scent characteristic of herbs. Looking inside, she saw various medicinal herbs mixed for a good night's sleep.
“Is this the sleeping incense the Empress originally used?”
“No, she originally used one from the Iveline Kingdom. But I heard she switched before the incident because the old one wasn't working well. That's why everyone concluded the sleeping incense was the problem.”
“I see.”
Rosette counted the days.
“My memory is a bit hazy, but what was the exact date the Empress fell ill?”
“June 14th.”
It was late May. That meant the poisoning attempt was just around the corner. She had to uncover the real culprit quickly.
“Then we must first identify the poisonous substance.”
Rosette placed the tin case on the table and summoned Bbi-bbi.
“Bbi-bbi.”
[Bbi?]
“You know a lot about plants, right?”
[Bbit!]
*Of course! When it comes to plants, it's all about Bbi-bbi!* Bbi-bbi puffed out its chest as it sat on Rosette's shoulder.
“Right. See if you can find any Kish tree leaves in here.”
[Bbit!]
Bbi-bbi began to rummage through the herbs with its beak. But soon, it shook its head.
[Bbii.]
“None?”
[Bbi!]
Rosette stated firmly.
“Then there's nothing wrong with this sleeping incense. We need to check something else. Did the Empress have any tea that day?”
“Tea…”
Joshua scanned the inside of a glass display case. It had been a long time, but he had read the report so many times he had it memorized, so he was able to quickly pick out a few tin cases.
“My mother had three types of tea that day. She drank them in this order.”
He placed the tin cases in order. Rosette opened them one by one and asked Bbi-bbi.
“Bbi-bbi, can you check if any of these contain Kish tree leaves?”
[Bbit!]
After checking the first tin case with no luck, Bbi-bbi moved on to the second.
A moment later, it emerged tilting its head, then went into the last tin case and rummaged inside.
[Bbeek!]
Soon, Bbi-bbi came out with a dark green leaf in its beak and placed it on the table.
The leaf was exceptionally small compared to the other herbs, smaller than Rosette's little fingernail. Even so, Bbi-bbi had skillfully picked it out with its beak.
[Bbi-bbi-bbit!]
In an instant, a pile of leaves about the size of a fingertip had gathered on the table.
Rosette leaned down and smelled the leaves.
A sharp, cool scent like mint. She had never smelled Kish tree leaves herself, but it was exactly as described in the books.
“It's them. Kish tree leaves.”
“What is this?”
“It's a tree that grows in the Owen Kingdom, south of the Empire. I heard they use its fruit as a digestive aid in the Owen Kingdom. It doesn't grow in the Empire.”
“So they cut it up this small to hide it.”
Joshua carefully touched the dried leaf with his fingertip.
“At a glance, it probably looks like the leaf of an Evan flower. They're both good for sleep, and they have a similar shape.”
“Yes, the Evan flower. Come to think of it, the report did say the tea my mother drank before bed contained Evan flowers.”
Joshua murmured as he looked at Bbi-bbi. Bbi-bbi dove back into the pile of herbs and found something else.
[Bbit!]
“This is an Evan flower leaf.”
Bbi-bbi placed the Evan flower leaf on Joshua's palm, then put a Kish tree leaf next to it.
Joshua looked back and forth between the two.
“You're right, they're nearly indistinguishable. How can you even tell them apart?”
“By the scent.”
“Scent?”
“If you smell very closely, the Kish tree leaf has a mint-like fragrance.”
Joshua picked up a Kish tree leaf and sniffed it, then tilted his head.
“I can't really tell.”
“The scent isn't very strong. You'll be able to smell it when there's a larger amount like this.”
Joshua then sniffed the pile Bbi-bbi had gathered earlier.
“Ah, I can smell it a little now.”
“On the other hand, the Evan flower leaf just smells like ordinary grass. That's probably why the physician couldn't tell the difference. It's not well-known, and distinguishing them isn't easy.”
“But how did you know?”
“I've read a great many books.”
Rosette, who had spoken excitedly, suddenly looked downcast. The past had come flooding back.
At the Marquisate of Dallas, there was nothing Rosette was allowed to do. The only thing Marquis Dallas permitted her was to study.
He couldn't stand to see her idle, and if she showed even the slightest sign of laziness by his standards, he would immediately whip her.
To avoid him, Rosette spent all her time in the library, except when she was in lessons. Marquis Dallas never scolded her when she was there.
Elisha, who had tormented Rosette in various ways, also never came near the library, so she could avoid her as well.
*Besides, reading books always calmed my heart.*
For Rosette, who was practically confined to the mansion, books were her only window to the outside world.
She was particularly interested in plants, thanks to Bbi-bbi.
She studied the flora not only of the Ehrnhardt Empire but also of the neighboring Iveline and Owen Kingdoms.
“Besides, I became even more interested after seeing the Kish tree mentioned in Marquis Dallas's documents. Anyway, that's not what's important right now.”
“Right. The fact that this was found means the spy was already making their move. The problem is who put it in.”
“Who provided this? I think we should start by suspecting the person who gave it.”
“I don't know. The report said they didn't investigate who provided it because they concluded the tea wasn't the problem.”
He smiled self-deprecatingly.
“Can you see how carelessly things were handled?”
“Then we must figure that out first.”
Joshua, who had been thinking with a blank expression, changed the subject.
“So, what about these Kish tree leaves?”
“Ah, about that.”
Rosette continued her explanation.
“They say you shouldn't consume Kish tree leaves with honey. The leaves are rarely even used for tea, so there's almost no occasion to have them with honey.”
“What happens if you consume them together?”
“The heart slowly stops. For a healthy person, it might just cause some discomfort, but for someone with a weak heart like the Empress, it's a poison.”
“…”
“On the day of the incident, she probably had it with honey. It's not a poison with immediate effects, which is why she collapsed around the time she went to sleep.”
“Wait. What did you just say?”
“Pardon?”
“What shouldn't be mixed with Kish tree leaves?”
“Honey. The… in honey…”
Rosette, who was about to explain in detail, fell silent when she saw Joshua's expression harden with a murderous intensity.
The killing intent he emitted made her skin tingle. Fortunately, it wasn't directed at her, so it wasn't suffocating.
“Wh-what's wrong?”
“Can you prove that?”
“Yes. I know there are research papers on it in the Owen Kingdom. It's strictly forbidden for people with heart conditions.”
“I see.”
He glared at the Kish tree leaves that Bbi-bbi was still collecting.
[Bbii?]
Sensing the fierce gaze, Bbi-bbi fluttered away and hid in Rosette's hair.
“Um, so why exactly…”
“Hah, it wasn't that they didn't know.”
“…Pardon?”
Joshua's eyes flashed.
“They knew and pretended not to.”
“They pretended not to know?”
“Yes.”
“Could you explain in a little more detail?”
“We'll talk after this is resolved. You there.”
[Bbit?]
Bbi-bbi tilted its head as Joshua addressed it.
“Pick out all of those Kishi or Kish or whatever they're called from in there.”
[Bbiit!]
*Why should I! Who are you to order me around!*
An angry Bbi-bbi flapped its wings menacingly. But with its small body and cute face, it didn't look threatening at all.
[Bbii….]
When Joshua didn't even flinch, Bbi-bbi chirped sorrowfully. Rosette soothed it and then spoke.
“You can't order him like that, Your Highness. Bbi-bbi is my friend. You have to ask.”
“Ask, command, whatever. Just get it to do it.”
Rosette was about to argue, but seeing Joshua's grave expression, she whispered quietly to Bbi-bbi.
“Bbi-bbi, I'll give you lots of biscuit crumbs when we get back to the mansion. Can you pick out the Kish tree leaves for us?”
[Bbit!]
While Bbi-bbi, excited, went back into the tin case, Joshua spoke to Rosette.
“If we just throw this out, the spy will get suspicious. So we'll just remove the problematic leaves and put it back. That should be fine, right?”
“It should be.”
“And when you go back, tell my mother you'd like some tea.”
“What? Me?”
“Yes.”
“M-me? How could I dare say such a thing to the Empress?”
“Just do it. Didn't you agree to cooperate?”
Rosette bit her lip before answering.
“I understand. And then?”
“Say you want to choose the tea yourself. I'll take care of the rest.”
“That… yes.”
She had many questions she wanted to ask, but she couldn't bring herself to say anything. Instead, Rosette asked something else.
“Um, was I helpful?”
“Yes. We'll have to investigate further, but thanks to you, we have a lead.”
“Then I…”
“We'll talk about that after everything is resolved.”
“Yes.”
Rosette's shoulders slumped in disappointment.
