Samona, who was taking out the ingredients to make the antidote one by one, looked back at Judith and made a very bewildered expression.
“Why... are you like that? Your Highness the Crown Princess.”
King Jedecayer called her the Crown Princess, so Samona knew she was the Crown Princess, but when she actually saw her face up close, she couldn't believe that she was that kind of person at all.
The only nobles Samona knew were those who, the higher their rank and the more wealth they had, the more arrogant and narrow-minded they became.
Such men were sometimes sinister and mean, and yet at the same time expected unconditional reverence from those below them. Those who secretly requested the vicious poison that would slowly dry up their enemies, while believing without a doubt that their hands would always be clean, were the nobles Samona knew.
Samona was realistic and somewhat cynical, so she was not the type to open her heart to someone based on the impression she got at first sight. Nevertheless, when Judith grabbed her sleeve, she felt a sudden sinking in her heart. It was similar to the feeling when a strange child, with a face covered in tears and snot, grabbed her hand as if she had met God in the middle of a crowded festival.
“Samona, please.”
Judith's hands, which were holding Samona's, trembled. Her thin fingers were as cold as ice. They were as cold as Franz, who was lying there intoxicated.
“Please... save him. Save this person. Please. No one else but Samona... I have no one else I can trust but Samona.”
The voice that continued urgently was trembling with fear. Samona, with a look of bewilderment, tried to pull away Judith's hand, and grabbed her wrist, but was unable to shake it off, and sighed somewhat bewildered.
“Your Highness the Crown Princess, please calm down. Your Highness the Crown Prince will be fine.”
“Ugh...”
Before she could hold it back, Judith burst into tears. Samona was even more flustered as large teardrops fell onto the backs of her clasped hands.
She had been very weak to people who cried since the old days. She was always calm, but when someone cried in front of her, she didn't know what to do and panicked.
“Sister-in-law.”
The complicated flow of thoughts suddenly stopped. Judith turned her head toward the voice with an expression as if she had seen a ghost in broad daylight.
Krald was standing there. He had been locked up in the Serene Palace all this time, so why was he out today?
“Why... are you like that? Your Highness the Crown Princess.”
King Jedecayer called her the Crown Princess, so Samona knew she was the Crown Princess, but when she actually saw her face up close, she couldn't believe that she was that kind of person at all.
The only nobles Samona knew were those who, the higher their rank and the more wealth they had, the more arrogant and narrow-minded they became.
Such men were sometimes sinister and mean, and yet at the same time expected unconditional reverence from those below them. Those who secretly requested the vicious poison that would slowly dry up their enemies, while believing without a doubt that their hands would always be clean, were the nobles Samona knew.
Samona was realistic and somewhat cynical, so she was not the type to open her heart to someone based on the impression she got at first sight. Nevertheless, when Judith grabbed her sleeve, she felt a sudden sinking in her heart. It was similar to the feeling when a strange child, with a face covered in tears and snot, grabbed her hand as if she had met God in the middle of a crowded festival.
“Samona, please.”
Judith's hands, which were holding Samona's, trembled. Her thin fingers were as cold as ice. They were as cold as Franz, who was lying there intoxicated.
“Please... save him. Save this person. Please. No one else but Samona... I have no one else I can trust but Samona.”
The voice that continued urgently was trembling with fear. Samona, with a look of bewilderment, tried to pull away Judith's hand, and grabbed her wrist, but was unable to shake it off, and sighed somewhat bewildered.
“Your Highness the Crown Princess, please calm down. Your Highness the Crown Prince will be fine.”
“Ugh...”
Before she could hold it back, Judith burst into tears. Samona was even more flustered as large teardrops fell onto the backs of her clasped hands.
She had been very weak to people who cried since the old days. She was always calm, but when someone cried in front of her, she didn't know what to do and panicked.
Samona looked at Neos for help, but he was still busy grinding grass. She glanced at the mortar and it seemed like it was already finished grinding, but it seemed like it was going to turn the stone mortar itself into dust.
“Hey, wait! Wait! You can stop grinding now!”
It was a pity for Judith, but Samona pulled her hand away and desperately ran to Neos, snatching the mortar away from him. The contents inside were almost in a mess.
“Okay... Well, then I’ll make an antidote first. Uh... This, I can see it. It’s definitely snake venom... but it seems like they mixed something else in it, or they used a type of snake venom that’s hard to find in Rotair. Otherwise, there’s no way the first antidote wouldn’t work.”
Judith's face turned pale as she listened to her. As the tears that had just stopped welling up again, Samona shook her head violently while holding the mortar.
“Don’t worry! Surprisingly, there are many known ways to detoxify snake venom!”
“Really... Really? Really...”
“Of course! First of all... First of all, the first antidote had some effect. I think it stopped the poison from spreading further.”
Franz's face was still pale, but his condition did not seem to have worsened, so Judith had no choice but to believe Samona's words. However, the breath flowing between his purple lips was still like a fragile thread. It seemed dangerous as if it would snap and never be reconnected if touched even slightly.
Judith also knew in her head that nothing would be solved if she just cried here. She knew that she had to at least try to trace the assassin who had tried to kill Franz, but she had a hard time leaving his side. She was afraid that if she took her eyes off him if she left him, Franz would go somewhere far away, out of reach. She was afraid that he would disappear.
“Your Highness the Crown Princess.”
Samona's hand gently rested on Judith's trembling shoulder.
“I will definitely save the Crown Prince, so Your Highness the Crown Princess should rest somewhere else. You can stay here, but I think it would be better for you to go and have a cup of tea and calm your mind.”
“I know that too. But...”
“Your Highness, His Highness will be fine. Judging from the fact that the wound is not very deep, the amount of poison that actually attacked His Highness must not have been much. Once his condition improves a little, I will send that person over there to let you know, so please go.”
Judith took a step back and looked at Samona, then at Franz, who lay there as if dead. The paleness of his unconscious cheek bothered her. However, after thinking about it for a while, she nodded.
“Yes, I will do that. Please... please take good care of him, Samona. Please, whatever you do...”
“Oh, please, don’t worry! Really! I’ll do everything in my power to make an antidote. I promise.”
Samona hurriedly sent Judith out of the room, fearing that she might burst into tears again. She could hear Neos and Moore arguing inside, but it soon became quiet.
Judith leaned against the closed door and took a long time to catch her breath before she could calm down. Rubbing her red, swollen, wet eyes, Judith went out into the hall with a more determined expression. The body of the man who had tried to kill Franz had probably been brought to the palace a long time ago. She had to see his face. He was already dead and could not open his mouth, but she still needed some kind of clue.
Judith went outside and went to the basement of the Magnus Palace where the body was being transported. It was the very same prison where the human traffickers who had received money from Count Bloset had been caught and taken.
The dampness rising from the damp stone walls gave off an ominous and horrible stench. At the end of the corridor, in a round opening, were two courtiers and soldiers. The feet of the corpse were visible lying on a long wooden table.
“Your Highness the Crown Princess! What is happening here?”
One of the soldiers recognized Judith's face and ran out with a terrified expression, dropping to one knee on the damp floor. Judith helped him up and looked at the doctors, who were lowering their heads in bewilderment.
“Why are the palace doctors here?”
“Ah, that’s... Several kinds of poison were found in the interest’s belongings. I called in the palace doctors to find out what kind of poison it was...”
The soldier's words trailed off. Judith frowned.
“But?”
“I’m sorry, Your Highness. Most of the poisons I’ve seen on Rotair are not poisons.”
“The Prince said that this person was not originally from Rotair. He said that he was a mercenary who came from the continent next to the Delaka Empire.”
The doctors whispered among themselves after hearing Judith's words.
“Then the poison that this interest possesses... maybe it is the poison of the southern part of the continent.”
“South?”
The slightly older court lady nodded and said, “Yes.”
“There is a vast desert area in the southern part of the continent. In that land made of sand and rock, there are many poisonous insects, snakes, and other things. In fact, some countries in the south use the venom of poisonous insects to make weapons.”
“Then... is there a possibility that the poison he used against His Highness the Crown Prince is poison in the southern part of the continent?”
“That might be the case.”
Judith's pale cheeks tightened. She knew that if she told Samona about this, it would help her find a way to cure it. She still had not figured out exactly what kind of poison it was, but Samona had a great knowledge of various kinds of poisons, so she thought she would be able to find something that would be the key to the solution.
“Was there anything else different?”
“Other than that, there was nothing special.”
“Understood. His body will be disposed of according to the laws of Rotair, so leave it unburied until His Majesty gives his order.”
"Well..."
“Also, if anyone shows any interest in his body, please record it all without fail. Any interest.”
The soldier nodded. Judith exited the basement, her feet making a loud thud on the damp stone floor. Even though she had only been there for a short while, the sunlight streaming down on her eyelids felt even more intense.
'Southern...'
The situation in southern Rotair was getting worse. With war raging every day, it was no wonder that dangerous mercenaries were flocking from all over.
From ignorant newbies to seasoned veterans of mercenary activities. In her past life, she had not had the time to care about such things, but now Judith was very interested in the external situation of Rotair.
Of the two principalities that had occupied all the rich lands in the south, the Duchy of Catania was already on the verge of collapse. During this time, several small states were forming temporary alliances to gain hegemony in the South, and the reason Judith was concerned about this was that her brother Iland was likely to get involved in the conflict in the South.
The southern part of the continent was currently a place where people who did not hesitate to kill each other and committed even more brutal atrocities without any sense of guilt were gradually increasing. If the assassin lying dead had entered Rotair through such a place, it would be much more difficult to trace the path he had taken. Then it would also be difficult to find out who was behind him.
'I have a suspicion. I have a suspicion, but... without solid evidence, I can't arrest him.'
Judith let out a complicated breath as she recalled the assassin's last appearance, bloated and sallow. The person who had summoned him to kill Franz, that person was probably...
“Hey, wait! Wait! You can stop grinding now!”
It was a pity for Judith, but Samona pulled her hand away and desperately ran to Neos, snatching the mortar away from him. The contents inside were almost in a mess.
“Okay... Well, then I’ll make an antidote first. Uh... This, I can see it. It’s definitely snake venom... but it seems like they mixed something else in it, or they used a type of snake venom that’s hard to find in Rotair. Otherwise, there’s no way the first antidote wouldn’t work.”
Judith's face turned pale as she listened to her. As the tears that had just stopped welling up again, Samona shook her head violently while holding the mortar.
“Don’t worry! Surprisingly, there are many known ways to detoxify snake venom!”
“Really... Really? Really...”
“Of course! First of all... First of all, the first antidote had some effect. I think it stopped the poison from spreading further.”
Franz's face was still pale, but his condition did not seem to have worsened, so Judith had no choice but to believe Samona's words. However, the breath flowing between his purple lips was still like a fragile thread. It seemed dangerous as if it would snap and never be reconnected if touched even slightly.
Judith also knew in her head that nothing would be solved if she just cried here. She knew that she had to at least try to trace the assassin who had tried to kill Franz, but she had a hard time leaving his side. She was afraid that if she took her eyes off him if she left him, Franz would go somewhere far away, out of reach. She was afraid that he would disappear.
“Your Highness the Crown Princess.”
Samona's hand gently rested on Judith's trembling shoulder.
“I will definitely save the Crown Prince, so Your Highness the Crown Princess should rest somewhere else. You can stay here, but I think it would be better for you to go and have a cup of tea and calm your mind.”
“I know that too. But...”
“Your Highness, His Highness will be fine. Judging from the fact that the wound is not very deep, the amount of poison that actually attacked His Highness must not have been much. Once his condition improves a little, I will send that person over there to let you know, so please go.”
Judith took a step back and looked at Samona, then at Franz, who lay there as if dead. The paleness of his unconscious cheek bothered her. However, after thinking about it for a while, she nodded.
“Yes, I will do that. Please... please take good care of him, Samona. Please, whatever you do...”
“Oh, please, don’t worry! Really! I’ll do everything in my power to make an antidote. I promise.”
Samona hurriedly sent Judith out of the room, fearing that she might burst into tears again. She could hear Neos and Moore arguing inside, but it soon became quiet.
Judith leaned against the closed door and took a long time to catch her breath before she could calm down. Rubbing her red, swollen, wet eyes, Judith went out into the hall with a more determined expression. The body of the man who had tried to kill Franz had probably been brought to the palace a long time ago. She had to see his face. He was already dead and could not open his mouth, but she still needed some kind of clue.
Judith went outside and went to the basement of the Magnus Palace where the body was being transported. It was the very same prison where the human traffickers who had received money from Count Bloset had been caught and taken.
The dampness rising from the damp stone walls gave off an ominous and horrible stench. At the end of the corridor, in a round opening, were two courtiers and soldiers. The feet of the corpse were visible lying on a long wooden table.
“Your Highness the Crown Princess! What is happening here?”
One of the soldiers recognized Judith's face and ran out with a terrified expression, dropping to one knee on the damp floor. Judith helped him up and looked at the doctors, who were lowering their heads in bewilderment.
“Why are the palace doctors here?”
“Ah, that’s... Several kinds of poison were found in the interest’s belongings. I called in the palace doctors to find out what kind of poison it was...”
The soldier's words trailed off. Judith frowned.
“But?”
“I’m sorry, Your Highness. Most of the poisons I’ve seen on Rotair are not poisons.”
“The Prince said that this person was not originally from Rotair. He said that he was a mercenary who came from the continent next to the Delaka Empire.”
The doctors whispered among themselves after hearing Judith's words.
“Then the poison that this interest possesses... maybe it is the poison of the southern part of the continent.”
“South?”
The slightly older court lady nodded and said, “Yes.”
“There is a vast desert area in the southern part of the continent. In that land made of sand and rock, there are many poisonous insects, snakes, and other things. In fact, some countries in the south use the venom of poisonous insects to make weapons.”
“Then... is there a possibility that the poison he used against His Highness the Crown Prince is poison in the southern part of the continent?”
“That might be the case.”
Judith's pale cheeks tightened. She knew that if she told Samona about this, it would help her find a way to cure it. She still had not figured out exactly what kind of poison it was, but Samona had a great knowledge of various kinds of poisons, so she thought she would be able to find something that would be the key to the solution.
“Was there anything else different?”
“Other than that, there was nothing special.”
“Understood. His body will be disposed of according to the laws of Rotair, so leave it unburied until His Majesty gives his order.”
"Well..."
“Also, if anyone shows any interest in his body, please record it all without fail. Any interest.”
The soldier nodded. Judith exited the basement, her feet making a loud thud on the damp stone floor. Even though she had only been there for a short while, the sunlight streaming down on her eyelids felt even more intense.
'Southern...'
The situation in southern Rotair was getting worse. With war raging every day, it was no wonder that dangerous mercenaries were flocking from all over.
From ignorant newbies to seasoned veterans of mercenary activities. In her past life, she had not had the time to care about such things, but now Judith was very interested in the external situation of Rotair.
Of the two principalities that had occupied all the rich lands in the south, the Duchy of Catania was already on the verge of collapse. During this time, several small states were forming temporary alliances to gain hegemony in the South, and the reason Judith was concerned about this was that her brother Iland was likely to get involved in the conflict in the South.
The southern part of the continent was currently a place where people who did not hesitate to kill each other and committed even more brutal atrocities without any sense of guilt were gradually increasing. If the assassin lying dead had entered Rotair through such a place, it would be much more difficult to trace the path he had taken. Then it would also be difficult to find out who was behind him.
'I have a suspicion. I have a suspicion, but... without solid evidence, I can't arrest him.'
Judith let out a complicated breath as she recalled the assassin's last appearance, bloated and sallow. The person who had summoned him to kill Franz, that person was probably...
“Sister-in-law.”
The complicated flow of thoughts suddenly stopped. Judith turned her head toward the voice with an expression as if she had seen a ghost in broad daylight.
Krald was standing there. He had been locked up in the Serene Palace all this time, so why was he out today?
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