Cornered Rat (15)
While I was sharing the chocolate and fruit that Baba had brought with me and Nadia, no one came back.
I knew it.
It's probably going to be hard to shake off the people who are grabbing you while you're drunk and trying to escape.
"I'm starting to feel sleepy..."
"Are you very tired?"
"Little."
"When does the banquet usually end?"
"Maybe it won't last until dawn? I don't know since it's my first banquet."
"Then let's just wait until midnight. If there's still no sign of it ending, I'll tell the eldest lord. The young lady will go back first."
"Okay then."
As I was looking at the crowd of drunk attendees, an attendant approached me pushing a tray.
"Young lady, I will prepare some tea for you."
It seems that the tea that Kjer ordered has finally arrived.
"Thank you. Nadia, what would you like to drink?"
"I want something cold. The chocolate was too sweet."
"Please give me a cold drink too."
"Yes."
The servant placed a luxurious teacup on the table.
As the wind blew up the sleeve, the large dot on the inside of the wrist was clearly visible.
There was a single hair sticking out in the center of the black dot.
"..."
Nadia and I both dropped our gazes at the same time.
Only after the attendant left did we let out our holding breath.
"Oh, I thought I was going to die laughing."
"It's rude to laugh in front of others."
"That's why I gritted my teeth and endured it. Drink it before the tea gets cold."
A strong floral scent wafted from the steaming car.
I tilted the teacup and took a sip of the yellowish tea.
"What kind of tea is it? It smells so strong."
When I was halfway through my teacup. Nadia fanned my face with her hand.
"What are you doing?"
"Miss, your face is slightly red. Are you hot?"
"Ah... Now that I think about it, it's hot. I guess it's because I drank warm tea."
"Would you like some cold water?"
"Yes."
I waited for the heat to go away while drinking water, but the heat only grew stronger.
"Phew..."
Nadia grabbed my shoulder, wondering if something was wrong with me.
"Miss?"
"Ugh!"
A strange thing happened. Flames burst out from the shoulder where her hand had touched.
I bit my lip instinctively. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to hold back my moans.
'It tickles.'
My whole skin was itchy, but it wasn't the kind of itch that made me want to scratch.
It felt like something was sizzling and like firecrackers were going off.
This was my first time feeling this way. I didn't know what to do or how to do it.
Soon, heat rushed into my lower body. Before I knew it, I had stopped crossing my legs and bit the tip of my tongue hard.
My mind, which had been hazy due to pain, became clearer.
'My body feels strange.'
As soon as I made the decision, I grabbed the pendant. With trembling hands, I opened the pendant and a white pill came out.
Nadia opened her eyes wide as I swallowed it without water.
"What is that?"
By the way, coincidentally, Nadia was out when I received the antidote from Baba.
"Headache medicine."
"Huh? Do you have a headache? Does our young lady have a cold?"
I looked around while waiting for the medicine to take effect.
Unfortunately, there was no one to ask for help.
Kalit and Rahon looked completely drunk, and Ian and Kjer were nowhere to be seen with the Emperor.
I closed my eyes tightly. Sweat dripped down my forehead.
'I took the antidote. I'll be fine soon."
As if mocking my desire, my lower abdomen tightened strangely. My shoulders were hunched without me meaning to.
'Could it be that what I ate was poison?'
I bit the tip of my tongue again to hold back a moan. Ian's request rang in my ears.
"If anything happens, scream loudly."
That shouldn't be happening. I had a feeling that my condition shouldn't be discovered right now.
Let's go to a place where we can be alone, calmly and naturally.
I took a deep breath and stood up slowly. My legs were shaking, but I held on tight.
"Nadia, let's go out."
"Yes?"
"Where there's no one, quickly."
"Oh, my, I think you have a bad headache. I heard there's a break room in the central garden. Should we go there?"
"That would be good."
I left the banquet hall with Nadia's support.
To make matters worse, my vision started to shake.
The whole world was spinning. I felt like I wanted to grab someone and beg them as if needles were spinning in my mouth.
Please hug me.
"...!"
It was only then that I realized what I had eaten.
It was 'Sirok'.
'Sirok' is a medicinal herb that has been designated as a prohibited item along with Montpain because It causes strong excitement when consumed.
There was no antidote, so all you had to do was wait for the effects to wear off.
'That's why Baba's antidote didn't work.'
Was there any citric acid in the tea? What did the servant who brought me the tea look like?
Anyway, the intention behind feeding me the sirok was clear.
To embarrass me.
They want to socially bury me by making me do vulgar things in front of people while I am drunk.
My thoughts became dull. My head was filled only with instinctive impulses.
I felt like I would lose my mind and do something strange at any moment.
Nadia, who didn't know it, looked at me worriedly.
"Look at all this sweat... Do you just want to go home?"
Even now, I was on the verge of losing my senses. I didn't have the confidence that I could hold out until I got home.
If my family finds me doing something shameful and out of my mind, in the carriage...
I shook my head because it was so horrible to even imagine.
"No."
"Would you rather rest here? Then. Oh, wait a minute, I think we're all there."
There were lounges set up at regular intervals in the garden. These were places for attendees who wanted to take a break from enjoying the banquet.
Fortunately, there were no break rooms with curtains covering the windows. It was not too late and there were no users yet.
Nadia opened one of the doors. I pushed her away and quickly went inside, closing the door behind me.
"Miss? Why are you doing that?"
"Nadia, go back to the banquet hall and tell my big brother that I think I ate the sirok."
"Huh? Si, Shirok? The 'Sirok' I know?"
"Yeah... that."
"How can I leave you alone, young lady! I know what that is!"
"I can still hold out. So Nadia please, hurry up."
"Oh, I understand, Miss. I'll go and get the grand master right away, so please lock the door tight. Just wait a little longer, just a little longer."
I could hear Nadia running from beyond the door.
I hung the latch and drew the curtains to cover the window.
It's a sign that there's a user, so no one will approach.
There was nothing in sight luxurious bed, a comfortable sofa, or an elegant painting.
"Ugh!"
I collapsed to the floor, wrapping my arms around my shoulders and lying face down on the floor.
My whole body ached. No, it was hot and tingly.
I wish someone would touch me.
Thud!
I hit my head on the floor. My hazy consciousness came back halfway and then faded away again.
I heard a sobbing sound coming from somewhere. It was coming from my own mouth. Before I knew it, I was groaning and panting.
"Ugh Stop, ah, what should I do..."
Now even my vision is blurry.
No matter how much I rubbed my eyes or shook my head, things still looked distorted as if I was drunk.
I would rather close my eyes and rest my forehead on the floor. My spine would twitch with every breath I took.
The stimulation from the brushing of the hem of my clothes made my hair stand on end. Unable to bear it any longer, I scratched my arms with my fingernails.
Even though I scratched hard, I felt nothing. In fact, it only made me ticklish more.
I looked down at my forearm, which was a mess from fingernail marks, and muttered absentmindedly.
"I want to take it off..."
Without even realizing it, my hands moved on their own. In an instant, the shawl was bunched up in a corner, and the dress was half-off.
My heart sank. I mustered up the last of
my sanity and straightened my clothes.
"Brother... Come quickly. Come quickly, please..."
Even as I spoke, lightning flashed through my head, and lights flashed in and out.
I curled up and lay on my side. Tears fell down the bridge of my nose.
It seems like I can hear footsteps beyond my fading consciousness.
Someone is coming.
That was the last memory.
Support Novellate!
Comments
Post a Comment