Click-
The sound of the box opening echoed loudly in the dark garden.
“Ugh.”
What is that smell?
When I opened the box, a musty smell hit my nose.
I covered my nose with a frown.
Inside the box was something wrapped in paper.
I think that's where the smell is coming from.
I didn't want to touch it, but I had to check its identity, so I gently picked up the paper with the tips of my index finger and thumb and lifted it.
Inside the paper were dried flowers of unknown origin. There were quite a lot of them.
It looks like a medicinal herb, but why is it like this...
...No way?
A sudden thought crossed my mind, so I picked up the box and headed to my doctor's lab.
The lights in the lab were brightly lit.
“It was definitely there, but where did it go?”
The attending physician didn't even know I was there and was busy searching through the medicine drawer.
Judging from his anxious appearance, he seems to be desperately searching for something.
“What are you looking for, Doctor?”
“Oh, Miss.”
Only then did the attending physician notice that I had come and looked back at me.
“I was looking for ingredients to make an antidote for Lord Perdes.”
“I will help you.”
In that case, it would have been right to help even if it meant putting aside what I was doing.
As I was about to walk with my arms crossed, the attending physician shook his head.
“It’s okay. I can do it by myself.”
"But..."
“If you really need help, you can call your assistants. You don’t have to help me, Miss.”
The attending physician had three assistants who learned medical techniques and helped him with his work.
What was the name? I think I've heard it before.
I couldn't remember. I've hardly seen him, so I can't even remember his face, so how could I remember his name?
Anyway, I didn't see a single assistant whose name or face I couldn't remember.
“Where did the assistants go?”
“They all went up to the mountains to pick medicinal herbs.”
“They went to the mountain this late? Isn’t it dangerous?”
“I had no choice but to send them because there was a herb that only came out at night.”
The attending physician added that he had made sure to get it as safely as possible, so there was no need to worry.
“What brings you here, young lady? Has Master Perdes’ condition gotten any worse?”
“No, I came to ask when you will be able to make the antidote. And...”
I handed the box I had dug out of the ground to the attending physician.
The attending physician, who had brought the box covered in dirt, tilted his head.
“What is this, miss?”
“Open it.”
The doctor's eyes grew as big as lanterns when he opened the box.
It looks like what I thought was right.
“That medicine is used to make Lord Perdes’ antidote, right?”
The attending physician nodded so vigorously that his head fell off.
“That’s right! I was desperately looking for this because it had disappeared in its entirety.”
That's why he was rummaging through the medicine drawer before I got here.
“But why are you holding this, young lady?”
“I saw someone burying it in my private garden and brought it here.”
“Yes?”
The attending physician asked back in surprise.
“Who the hell would do such a crazy thing!”
"Well."
Until just now, no one had any idea who the culprit was, but after talking to the attending physician, I think I know who it is.
Physician's assistants.
It was clear that among them was the culprit who had buried that box in my personal garden.
“Oh, is there a culprit among my assistants...?”
The attending physician also noticed this fact and asked cautiously.
I answered the question with a smile and asked,
“Did all the disciples climb the same mountain?”
“No. They all went to different mountains.”
Then, all three of them have no alibis.
It's unlikely that you'll meet another person on the mountain at this hour.
Finding the culprit was easy even without an alibi.
Because I saw the culprit with my own two eyes.
However, since there was a high possibility that he would be accused of being the culprit with that alone, solid evidence was needed.
“When will the assistants return?”
“It’s been about three hours since they left, so they’ll probably be back in about two hours.”
“Then, when the assistants come back, pretend not to have found the medicine and question them. And...”
To find that evidence, I gave my doctor several instructions.
***
"I'm home."
“I’ve been there too.”
About two hours later, the assistants who had gone out to gather herbs returned one by one.
"...Good work."
The attending physician, Jis, greeted them, pretending to be angry as Adele had told him to.
Jis' expression looked like an angry person to anyone who saw it, as he was actually angry that one of his assistants had betrayed him.
The assistants, who did not know it, looked at Jis in confusion.
Among them, Usher, who had the longest experience as an assistant, asked cautiously.
“What’s the matter, Master?”
Jis sighed deeply and put his hand on his head.
“Everything that had been holding back Ethos has disappeared.”
"Yes?"
“Is that true, Master?”
When Jis nodded, his assistants murmured in surprise.
“Oh my, without that we can’t in the antidote.”
“Should I contact the herbalist right away?”
“You idiot. There’s no way the herbalist would be open at this hour.”
“Oh, I see.”
Jis listened to his assistants' chatter in silence and then asked.
“I think one of you is hiding Ethos, what do you think?”
The lab suddenly became quiet, as if cold water had been poured over it.
The assistants who had become the group without saying who should go first blinked their eyes wide and looked at Jis.
Jis looked at the expressions of each of his assistants.
Everyone had a surprised and bewildered expression. It was impossible to tell who the culprit was just by looking at their expressions.
“That’s... that’s impossible.”
This time again, it was Usher who broke the heavy silence.
“There’s no way we would do something like that.”
"You're right."
As if he had been waiting, the second assistant, Brody, chimed in.
“Why would we do something so crazy?”
The last assistant, Kobe, nodded vigorously and agreed with his seniors.
“Are you really saying that it wasn’t you who did it?”
"Of course."
“We are innocent.”
“I didn’t do that.”
“Really? Then let me see your hand.”
The assistants reached out their hands, bewildered at Jis' request.
When picking herbs, they rarely used equipment like hoes. This is because if the herbs are damaged by sharp equipment, their effectiveness will be reduced.
So, they dug it up with their own hands, and after digging up the herbs, their hands got covered in dirt.
The dirt on their hands was easily washed off with water, but traces remained on their fingernails.
Even if they washed their hands thoroughly, it wasn't easy to erase the traces stuck between their fingernails.
It took several washings over several days for it to finally go away.
As evidence, there were traces of dirt dug into Usher and Brody's fingernails.
However, there was no trace of dirt left on Kobe's fingernails.
“Take off your shoes and show me the soles.”
Jis, who confirmed that, ordered something else.
When climbing a mountain, they wore special shoes with tight grooves in the soles to prevent slipping.
That's why when you ride on a mountain, foreign substances tend to get stuck in the gaps, but this time too, Kobe's sole was clean.
Jis's expression darkened as he confirmed all of that. After washing his face thoroughly, he looked at Kobe.
Kobe was still looking at Jis with an innocent expression as if he knew nothing.
Although he was the youngest of the assistants who joined the team the latest, he was a good assistant and disciple who Jis cherished because he was skilled.
But he never thought he would betray him. The more he trusted and cared for him, the greater the sense of betrayal.
Jis wanted to ask why he did such a thing, but that was Adele's role, not his.
“...Kobe, the lady is looking for you, so go and see.”
Kobe looked momentarily embarrassed, but Jis ignored him and turned around.
***
While Jis was dealing with his assistants, I read the documents containing their information.
I didn't meet anyone, I just read the documents, and I knew right away who the culprit was.
The doctor's last disciple, Kobe Alstein.
His father, Count Alstein, was a vassal of the Empress's paternal family, the Margrave Frasis, and was in charge of branches of the Max upper house.
“...I see.”
Even without having to question Kobe, I think I know why he did this, but it's better to be sure.
That way, I can show an example to those who dare to touch me.
Suddenly, I remembered Perdes lying on the bed with a pale face and my stomach turned.
I wanted to run to the attending physician's lab right away and grab Kobe by the collar, but I held back.
How long have I waited like that?
Knock knock.
Just when my patience was almost at its limit, there was a knock at the door.
Plain brown hair and a dim face.
“I heard you were looking for me, miss.”
It was clear who had entered my private garden without permission and buried the box.
"The name?"
“My name is Kobe Alstein.”
Anyone who wasn't an idiot would know why he was here among the assistants, but Kobe was just standing there shamelessly like he didn't know anything.
Yeah, you have to have that much guts to do something this outrageous.
"Sit down."
“Yes, Miss.”
Kobe sat up straight with his back straight on the sofa I pointed to.
“Do you know why I called you at this late hour?”
“No, I don’t know.”
"Then..."
I took the red vial out of the box and showed it to Kobe.
It was the vial of poison that the Emperor had given to Perdes.
Kobe's eyes trembled slightly as he recognized the bottle at once.
“Do you know what this is?”
“...No, I don’t know.”
But as if nothing had happened, Kobe's expression didn't change and he shamelessly continued to feign ignorance.
"Yes?"
He's good at acting too. He would have been successful as an actor instead of a member of the National Assembly.
I pursed my lips and held out the vial to Kobe.
“Then drink it all.”
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