"Bring the Young Lady de Mare!”
Ariadne entered the Queen’s banquet hall with the long call of the palace servant and exchanged greetings with the Marchioness Chibo, who had arrived first and was guarding her seat.
Queen Marguerite, the host of the luncheon and the highest-ranking person, had not yet entered, and the guests were coming in one after another by social status.
“Bring the Countess Marquez!”
Countess Marquez, dressed in a splendid red dress, entered the banquet hall and sat down next to Ariadne.
Today, Ariadne’s seat was the seat immediately to Queen Marguerite’s left, a seat only her close associates were allowed to sit in. It was the seat that Countess Marquez usually sat in, so she was pushed one step further.
Countess Marquez looked at Ariadne with a displeased expression.
“It seems that you have won the favor of Her Majesty the Queen, Lady de Mare,”
Ariadne replied, trying her best to be humble. She had no energy to respond to such a frivolous quibble.
“How could I know her sincerity?”
The time for luncheon was approaching. As soon as the clock struck noon, a horn blew.
Pooh!
Everyone seated in the banquet hall stood up at once. There were about thirty of them, all of them high and low-ranking ladies of the San Carlo society.
The bell rang through the banquet hall.
“Bring Her Majesty Queen Marguerite!”
The invited guests all knelt down in unison, paying their respects to the royal family.
“I greet the full moon of San Carlo!”
Queen Marguerite looked around the room with dignity as she received the greetings of the splendid ladies who filled the room. The Queen had no taste for keeping her audience standing for too long.
“Everyone, sit down.”
“Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty the Queen!”
All the ladies were about to sit down at once.
“Oh my, are you going to sit down already?”
A red-haired, sultry beauty who had arrived late to the banquet hall muttered. She was even holding a pet dog in her arms. The palace attendant called out the latecomer.
“Countess Rubina, please enter!”
It was a great rudeness for a guest to enter after the royal family had entered. During an official entrance, it was the rule that all guests of lower rank than the new guest should stand up and greet the new guest because it was rude to the royal family who had already entered.
Pets were also out of place. It was common for pets to wander around during mealtimes, but it was not customary for a guest to bring their own dog into someone else’s restaurant, not the owner’s dog.
Despite Countess Rubina’s rude entrance, Queen Marguerite’s expression did not waver at all, but the other royal ladies could not control their expressions.
The Marchioness Chibo, who had a higher rank than Countess Rubina and therefore was not required to stand when she entered, reflexively stood up from her seat to greet Countess Rubina because she was weak-willed.
Countess Marquez, who had the same rank as Countess Rubina and for whom standing up would normally be a sign of goodwill, sat motionless in her seat with an irritated expression on her face.
Ariadne, who had no other choice, stood up and joined the procession to greet Countess Rubina.
“Meet the Countess!”
“You have become even more beautiful, Countess Rubina.”
“Oh my, the puppy is so cute. Was his name ‘Rocco’?”
The ladies close to the Queen remained in their seats with discontented expressions or omitted greetings, but the neutral ladies stood up, and the ladies closer to Countess Rubina greeted each other one by one.
Ariadne was far away and could not hear the conversation, so she just stood up and quietly sat back down.
'This will be the last time you show off.'
After lunch today, Countess Rubina will be locked up in the dungeon. Ariadne felt a little uncomfortable.
'Why would someone who planned to assassinate the Queen act so conspicuously?'
If it were her, she would act like a mouse right before committing such a thing.
Ariadne shook her head to shake off the thought. In any case, the assassination attempt would take place today. It would be enough to consider the criminal's state of mind and motive after determining it.
Ariadne let out a sigh of relief on her own. She felt like her life was shrinking.
Ariadne entered the Queen’s banquet hall with the long call of the palace servant and exchanged greetings with the Marchioness Chibo, who had arrived first and was guarding her seat.
Queen Marguerite, the host of the luncheon and the highest-ranking person, had not yet entered, and the guests were coming in one after another by social status.
“Bring the Countess Marquez!”
Countess Marquez, dressed in a splendid red dress, entered the banquet hall and sat down next to Ariadne.
Today, Ariadne’s seat was the seat immediately to Queen Marguerite’s left, a seat only her close associates were allowed to sit in. It was the seat that Countess Marquez usually sat in, so she was pushed one step further.
Countess Marquez looked at Ariadne with a displeased expression.
“It seems that you have won the favor of Her Majesty the Queen, Lady de Mare,”
Ariadne replied, trying her best to be humble. She had no energy to respond to such a frivolous quibble.
“How could I know her sincerity?”
The time for luncheon was approaching. As soon as the clock struck noon, a horn blew.
Pooh!
Everyone seated in the banquet hall stood up at once. There were about thirty of them, all of them high and low-ranking ladies of the San Carlo society.
The bell rang through the banquet hall.
“Bring Her Majesty Queen Marguerite!”
The invited guests all knelt down in unison, paying their respects to the royal family.
“I greet the full moon of San Carlo!”
Queen Marguerite looked around the room with dignity as she received the greetings of the splendid ladies who filled the room. The Queen had no taste for keeping her audience standing for too long.
“Everyone, sit down.”
“Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty the Queen!”
All the ladies were about to sit down at once.
“Oh my, are you going to sit down already?”
A red-haired, sultry beauty who had arrived late to the banquet hall muttered. She was even holding a pet dog in her arms. The palace attendant called out the latecomer.
“Countess Rubina, please enter!”
It was a great rudeness for a guest to enter after the royal family had entered. During an official entrance, it was the rule that all guests of lower rank than the new guest should stand up and greet the new guest because it was rude to the royal family who had already entered.
Pets were also out of place. It was common for pets to wander around during mealtimes, but it was not customary for a guest to bring their own dog into someone else’s restaurant, not the owner’s dog.
Despite Countess Rubina’s rude entrance, Queen Marguerite’s expression did not waver at all, but the other royal ladies could not control their expressions.
The Marchioness Chibo, who had a higher rank than Countess Rubina and therefore was not required to stand when she entered, reflexively stood up from her seat to greet Countess Rubina because she was weak-willed.
Countess Marquez, who had the same rank as Countess Rubina and for whom standing up would normally be a sign of goodwill, sat motionless in her seat with an irritated expression on her face.
Ariadne, who had no other choice, stood up and joined the procession to greet Countess Rubina.
“Meet the Countess!”
“You have become even more beautiful, Countess Rubina.”
“Oh my, the puppy is so cute. Was his name ‘Rocco’?”
The ladies close to the Queen remained in their seats with discontented expressions or omitted greetings, but the neutral ladies stood up, and the ladies closer to Countess Rubina greeted each other one by one.
Ariadne was far away and could not hear the conversation, so she just stood up and quietly sat back down.
'This will be the last time you show off.'
After lunch today, Countess Rubina will be locked up in the dungeon. Ariadne felt a little uncomfortable.
'Why would someone who planned to assassinate the Queen act so conspicuously?'
If it were her, she would act like a mouse right before committing such a thing.
Ariadne shook her head to shake off the thought. In any case, the assassination attempt would take place today. It would be enough to consider the criminal's state of mind and motive after determining it.
When the noisy atmosphere in the room calmed down, Queen Marguerite gave a greeting.
"It's nice to see you, Etruscan loyalists who have come a long way today. I should make this kind of event more often, but I haven't seen you in a while because of my poor health."
She coughed slightly, perhaps because her throat was dry, and continued her story.
"I understand that the atmosphere has been chaotic lately due to various events. Please do not be agitated, and as always, protect San Carlo, the Etruscan kingdom.”
When Queen Marguerite finished her simple first greeting, the thirty or so invited guests gave her thunderous applause. A few noble ladies, including Countess Rubina, looked displeased, but they couldn’t help but applaud.
The Queen looked for water as if she was thirsty, and Ariadne quickly handed her the cup of water that was on her seat. It was the water that she had already checked for its smell and color and had taken a sip herself, confirming that there was no problem.
"It's nice to see you, Etruscan loyalists who have come a long way today. I should make this kind of event more often, but I haven't seen you in a while because of my poor health."
She coughed slightly, perhaps because her throat was dry, and continued her story.
"I understand that the atmosphere has been chaotic lately due to various events. Please do not be agitated, and as always, protect San Carlo, the Etruscan kingdom.”
When Queen Marguerite finished her simple first greeting, the thirty or so invited guests gave her thunderous applause. A few noble ladies, including Countess Rubina, looked displeased, but they couldn’t help but applaud.
The Queen looked for water as if she was thirsty, and Ariadne quickly handed her the cup of water that was on her seat. It was the water that she had already checked for its smell and color and had taken a sip herself, confirming that there was no problem.
When she handed over the water she had been drinking, Madame Carla, who was standing behind Queen Marguerite, opened her eyes and glared at Ariadne, but Ariadne pretended not to notice and pretended not to notice.
“Oh, today’s meal looks really pretty.”
The Marchioness Chibo, who was sitting on the Queen’s right, exclaimed as she watched the antipasti being carried out. Ariadne let out a sigh of relief in a different sense.
Fortunately, today’s antipasti wasn’t soup, but a salad of young sprouts mixed with vinegar and olive oil, garnished with red-dyed turnips, and topped with chopped seafood.
It wasn’t liquid. But even though she thought it wasn’t, she couldn’t help but feel nervous.
At formal dinners, it was table manners for the most senior person to take a fork first.
Queen Marguerite picked up a silver fork, scooped up a bite of salad, and put it in her mouth. Arsenic didn’t react to silver, but Ariadne stared at the silver fork wide open, just in case it would discolor.
Despite the stares, Queen Marguerite kept her mouth shut and chewed on the vegetables, and the others picked up their forks and began eating the salad at the same time.
“Oh, today’s meal looks really pretty.”
The Marchioness Chibo, who was sitting on the Queen’s right, exclaimed as she watched the antipasti being carried out. Ariadne let out a sigh of relief in a different sense.
Fortunately, today’s antipasti wasn’t soup, but a salad of young sprouts mixed with vinegar and olive oil, garnished with red-dyed turnips, and topped with chopped seafood.
It wasn’t liquid. But even though she thought it wasn’t, she couldn’t help but feel nervous.
At formal dinners, it was table manners for the most senior person to take a fork first.
Queen Marguerite picked up a silver fork, scooped up a bite of salad, and put it in her mouth. Arsenic didn’t react to silver, but Ariadne stared at the silver fork wide open, just in case it would discolor.
Despite the stares, Queen Marguerite kept her mouth shut and chewed on the vegetables, and the others picked up their forks and began eating the salad at the same time.
‘...!’
Even after everyone chewed and swallowed a bite, no one fell over foaming at the mouth.
Even after everyone chewed and swallowed a bite, no one fell over foaming at the mouth.
‘Whew!’
Ariadne let out a sigh of relief on her own. She felt like her life was shrinking.
“Lady de Mare.”
Ariadne, who had not even opened her mouth because she was nervous, suddenly turned around when she heard a voice calling her. It was Countess Marquez.
“Why aren’t you opening your mouth?”
At first glance, it seemed like she was worried, but her tone was cold.
“It’s not polite to be the only one eating when everyone else is.”
...As expected, she wasn’t being friendly.
Ariadne tried to smile and answered,
“I’m nervous because I’m sitting in such a privileged position today, so I can’t eat well.”
When she pleaded with a pitiful expression, Countess Marquez’s face softened slightly. It was an expression that said, “I know it’s so privileged.”
Ariadne, who had not even opened her mouth because she was nervous, suddenly turned around when she heard a voice calling her. It was Countess Marquez.
“Why aren’t you opening your mouth?”
At first glance, it seemed like she was worried, but her tone was cold.
“It’s not polite to be the only one eating when everyone else is.”
...As expected, she wasn’t being friendly.
Ariadne tried to smile and answered,
“I’m nervous because I’m sitting in such a privileged position today, so I can’t eat well.”
When she pleaded with a pitiful expression, Countess Marquez’s face softened slightly. It was an expression that said, “I know it’s so privileged.”
“You’re all great people, and it’s a difficult position, so I’m being careful.”
Countess Marquez turned her upper body toward Ariadne.
“But you have to keep up with everyone else.”
Her tone was much softer. Ariadne was surprised by Countess Marquez’s softened attitude. It wasn’t that she was the Queen’s confidant and treated her well. He felt sorry for her because she had bowed down first and entered.
In her previous life, she had been a noblewoman who had stubbornly fought against her until the very end, but Countess Marquez’s strategy was to pretend to be weak.
‘What the... You were really crazy in your previous life.’
Regardless of Ariadne’s belated realization, Countess Marquez advised her like a middle-aged woman.
“In times like that, it would be good to drink lukewarm water.”
Ariadne, who was thinking to herself, ‘Lukewarm water? It’s the lukewarm water that’s making me feel this way, madam!’, bowed her head cautiously on the outside.
“I will do that.”
However, there was no water cup in Ariadne’s seat. It was because she had just given it to Queen Marguerite. Countess Marquez realized that one cup was missing from Ariadne’s seat and blushed.
“Huh? Where did my water cup go? Which servant set this table...!”
Ariadne looked back at Queen Marguerite’s seat to check if her cup was okay.
‘Huh!’
Queen Marguerite had already emptied Ariadne’s cup. She must have been thirsty because she had ordered Madame Carla to bring her some lukewarm water with a piece of citron in it.
Madame Carla was just placing the cup on Queen Marguerite’s seat when the Queen’s hand touched the cup.
‘No!’
Ariadne unconsciously hit Queen Marguerite’s cup with her fist like a volleyball player hitting a ball.
The glass full of water flew into the air.
“Oh my!”
The Queen’s final words echoed throughout the banquet hall. Ariadne’s eyes saw the cup flying across the black-silver table of the banquet hall in slow motion.
The liquid splashed, sloshed, splashed to one side, the startled Queen Marguerite stared at the glass, and the glass shattered loudly on the marble floor, all of this came into Ariadne's range of perception with excruciating slowness.
Crunch!
With a truly horrible sound, the glass shattered into dozens of pieces, scattering on the marble floor. Everyone in the banquet hall stared at Ariadne.
“What the hell!”
Countess Marquez stood up in shock.
“Are you crazy, Lady de Mare?”
She poured out rapid-fire accusations at Ariadne over the frozen silence.
“What the hell are you doing in front of Her Majesty the Queen!”
She hadn’t intended to say that... Ariadne bit her lip.
Originally, before Queen Marguerite drank the lukewarm citron water, she had planned to ask the Queen to pour half the water and mix it with the sulfur spring concentrate. The recent incident with the Grand Duchess of Lariesa had built up enough trust to make that request. However, it wasn’t enough trust to be forgiven for hitting Queen Marguerite’s drink with her fist in front of everyone.
‘Would the water on the marble react if I mixed the sulfur spring concentrate with it?’
The amount seemed too small. In the room, the experiment showed that the cup had to be 1/5 full to produce a significant reaction.
Countess Marquez turned her upper body toward Ariadne.
“But you have to keep up with everyone else.”
Her tone was much softer. Ariadne was surprised by Countess Marquez’s softened attitude. It wasn’t that she was the Queen’s confidant and treated her well. He felt sorry for her because she had bowed down first and entered.
In her previous life, she had been a noblewoman who had stubbornly fought against her until the very end, but Countess Marquez’s strategy was to pretend to be weak.
‘What the... You were really crazy in your previous life.’
Regardless of Ariadne’s belated realization, Countess Marquez advised her like a middle-aged woman.
“In times like that, it would be good to drink lukewarm water.”
Ariadne, who was thinking to herself, ‘Lukewarm water? It’s the lukewarm water that’s making me feel this way, madam!’, bowed her head cautiously on the outside.
“I will do that.”
However, there was no water cup in Ariadne’s seat. It was because she had just given it to Queen Marguerite. Countess Marquez realized that one cup was missing from Ariadne’s seat and blushed.
“Huh? Where did my water cup go? Which servant set this table...!”
Ariadne looked back at Queen Marguerite’s seat to check if her cup was okay.
‘Huh!’
Queen Marguerite had already emptied Ariadne’s cup. She must have been thirsty because she had ordered Madame Carla to bring her some lukewarm water with a piece of citron in it.
Madame Carla was just placing the cup on Queen Marguerite’s seat when the Queen’s hand touched the cup.
‘No!’
Ariadne unconsciously hit Queen Marguerite’s cup with her fist like a volleyball player hitting a ball.
The glass full of water flew into the air.
“Oh my!”
The Queen’s final words echoed throughout the banquet hall. Ariadne’s eyes saw the cup flying across the black-silver table of the banquet hall in slow motion.
The liquid splashed, sloshed, splashed to one side, the startled Queen Marguerite stared at the glass, and the glass shattered loudly on the marble floor, all of this came into Ariadne's range of perception with excruciating slowness.
Crunch!
With a truly horrible sound, the glass shattered into dozens of pieces, scattering on the marble floor. Everyone in the banquet hall stared at Ariadne.
“What the hell!”
Countess Marquez stood up in shock.
“Are you crazy, Lady de Mare?”
She poured out rapid-fire accusations at Ariadne over the frozen silence.
“What the hell are you doing in front of Her Majesty the Queen!”
She hadn’t intended to say that... Ariadne bit her lip.
Originally, before Queen Marguerite drank the lukewarm citron water, she had planned to ask the Queen to pour half the water and mix it with the sulfur spring concentrate. The recent incident with the Grand Duchess of Lariesa had built up enough trust to make that request. However, it wasn’t enough trust to be forgiven for hitting Queen Marguerite’s drink with her fist in front of everyone.
‘Would the water on the marble react if I mixed the sulfur spring concentrate with it?’
The amount seemed too small. In the room, the experiment showed that the cup had to be 1/5 full to produce a significant reaction.
'I can't do nothing like this,'
Ariadne decided and answered resolutely to Countess Marquez.
"Countess Marquez. Your Majesty Queen Marguerite. Please forgive my rudeness. I can explain everything."
Countess Marquez didn't seem at all convinced.
"What's this fuss? Are you planning to say that you were momentarily crazy?"
Ariadne decided and answered resolutely to Countess Marquez.
"Countess Marquez. Your Majesty Queen Marguerite. Please forgive my rudeness. I can explain everything."
Countess Marquez didn't seem at all convinced.
"What's this fuss? Are you planning to say that you were momentarily crazy?"
Seeing is believing. Ariadne took a step forward and was about to take out the vial she had been holding in her bosom.
That's when...
'I know!'
The pet dog that Countess Rubina had brought into the dining room without permission ran off on its own and licked the citron water that had spilled on the floor.
Alright!
"Ah, you filthy...! Now even the dog is causing trouble!"
As the angry Countess Marquez’s voice reverberated throughout the dining room, Countess Rubina’s dog suddenly began to convulse.
Brrrrrr.
“Rocco?!”
Countess Rubina’s high-pitched, nervous voice pierced the dining room. It was obvious at first glance that the dog was not in a normal state.
The pet dog trembled and vomited the water it had drunk, foaming at the mouth.
“Rocco!”
Countess Rubina jumped up from her seat and ran over to her pet dog, hugging it tightly.
“Are you okay, my Rocco?”
However, the pet dog’s condition was rapidly worsening. The dog, whose entire body was shaking violently, not only vomited up everything he had eaten but also began to excrete feces.
“Oh my, oh my!”
“What is happening!”
While the noble ladies who saw the excrement covered their mouths with napkins in disgust, those who had an intuition about what had just happened looked at the situation with serious expressions.
Ariadne sorted out the situation.
“Your Majesty the Queen. I think it would be best to call the palace physician.”
Queen Marguerite looked at her with a heavy face. The Marchioness Chibo, not understanding what she was saying, asked in bewilderment,
“Are you calling the palace physician to treat the dog?”
Ariadne shook her head.
“No. We need an expert who can detect poison in the water that flowed on the floor and in the dog’s body.”
Everyone was shocked by the word ‘poison’ that came out of her mouth. However, Ariadne finally finished speaking.
“It seems that there was poison in the water that Your Majesty the Queen was going to drink.”
That's when...
'I know!'
The pet dog that Countess Rubina had brought into the dining room without permission ran off on its own and licked the citron water that had spilled on the floor.
Alright!
"Ah, you filthy...! Now even the dog is causing trouble!"
As the angry Countess Marquez’s voice reverberated throughout the dining room, Countess Rubina’s dog suddenly began to convulse.
Brrrrrr.
“Rocco?!”
Countess Rubina’s high-pitched, nervous voice pierced the dining room. It was obvious at first glance that the dog was not in a normal state.
The pet dog trembled and vomited the water it had drunk, foaming at the mouth.
“Rocco!”
Countess Rubina jumped up from her seat and ran over to her pet dog, hugging it tightly.
“Are you okay, my Rocco?”
However, the pet dog’s condition was rapidly worsening. The dog, whose entire body was shaking violently, not only vomited up everything he had eaten but also began to excrete feces.
“Oh my, oh my!”
“What is happening!”
While the noble ladies who saw the excrement covered their mouths with napkins in disgust, those who had an intuition about what had just happened looked at the situation with serious expressions.
Ariadne sorted out the situation.
“Your Majesty the Queen. I think it would be best to call the palace physician.”
Queen Marguerite looked at her with a heavy face. The Marchioness Chibo, not understanding what she was saying, asked in bewilderment,
“Are you calling the palace physician to treat the dog?”
Ariadne shook her head.
“No. We need an expert who can detect poison in the water that flowed on the floor and in the dog’s body.”
Everyone was shocked by the word ‘poison’ that came out of her mouth. However, Ariadne finally finished speaking.
“It seems that there was poison in the water that Your Majesty the Queen was going to drink.”
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