“...So, does that mean someone killed the victim, stole his ID, and sneaked into the prison?”
“It seems so, given the circumstances.”
Hiram tapped his fingers on the desk.
Byron was apparently fine inside the prison, so they didn't intend to harm him. That leaves only one answer.
Someone contacted Byron and spoke to him.
Who on earth was he talking to, and what was he talking about? Hiram unconsciously bit his lip with his fingernail in anxiety.
Je felt uneasy because he didn't know what Byron was doing in his own den.
"First, let's create a sketch of the suspect based on the guard's testimony. And just in case, for safety's sake, let's cancel dinner tonight... Oh, dear. It's already this late."
Hiram looked at his watch and ruffled his hair with an embarrassed expression.
By now, it would have been quite some time since they had left the Duke's residence, and it would have been a bit much to just send those who had already departed back.
"Then let's do this. It's impolite to invite you to dinner and then just send you away. So, I'll downsize the banquet and strengthen security. And I'll move the venue from the banquet hall to my residence."
“Yes, Your Majesty. I will do so.”
Everyone started moving busily at the sudden imperial decree.
Hiram's order was a bolt from the blue for Binka, who was wondering when it would be a good time to poison the food.
"The dinner venue has changed, so I think we should get things ready. Everyone, hurry up and move!"
"Yes? How could that be possible! We prepared diligently all day long..."
The employees of the banquet department cried in disbelief at the order given.
It was understandable that all the hard work they had put in for days had gone down the drain, but their disappointment was nothing compared to Binka's frustration.
'Damn it, I even threw my work away...! This is probably my last chance, what should I do?'
The location they had changed to was, of all places, the Emperor's quarters, the most heavily guarded quarters in the palace. Breaking through there alone would have been nearly impossible.
'But why did the location suddenly change?'
As this thought crossed her mind, Binka looked around anxiously. The employees of the nearby banquet department were also huddled together in groups, chatting, their expressions flustered, as if this was their first time experiencing something like this.
He wonders if the plan was exposed.
No, that couldn't be true. Her father was the only one who knew of her plans, so there was no way he'd reveal it.
Even so, this wasn't the time to be here. If they had detected any suspicious activity in the palace, she needed to leave as soon as possible.
It was because she moved, leaving too many traces behind, thinking that it was the end.
'... Even so, I can't just run away like this without doing anything. I have to try what I can.'
Binka slowly slipped out of the banquet hall, keeping an eye out for anyone. She was planning to head to the Crown Prince's Palace at any moment.
Even if we can't kill everyone, shouldn't we punish at least one person who coveted someone else's position?
And coincidentally, the person she could most easily approach was Crown Prince Winfred.
Her cousin, who is not much older than her, is innocent and grew up beautifully like a greenhouse flower, receiving lots of love from his parents.
It was he whom she resented and harbored the most resentment towards.
'Well, that's a good thing. Now that it's come to this, I'm going to kill at least one of those annoying bastards.'
When Binka arrived at the Crown Prince's palace, burning with animosity towards the Crown Prince, her superior, the head maid, scolded her for arriving late with a look of bewilderment.
"You haven't contacted me all day, and now you're finally coming to work? Are you even in your right mind? It's almost time to leave work, so why are you out? Why don't you just get some rest today?"
“I’m sorry. My mother suddenly became unwell this morning, so I... I should have called you, but I was out of my mind.”
Binka blurted out a lie with a pitiful expression. It was a repertoire she'd always used, but no excuse worked as well as this one.
And it was the same now, because the maid's expression had relaxed a little.
“... Is she okay now?”
"Yes. Fortunately, she's stable now, so I was able to come to work, albeit late. I'm truly sorry..."
When she apologized again with the most polite expression possible, the head maid closed her mouth with an uncomfortable expression.
It was because she felt that it was against human nature to keep nagging when they were sick.
"If you're alright, then I'm glad. Just be careful not to do anything like this again, okay? Even if it's urgent, you should at least contact me. Since you didn't come, someone else cleaned His Highness's bedroom... But since it's your responsibility, check it out."
"Yes, yes!"
Binka made a face that seemed as deeply reflective as possible, and only after the maid disappeared from her sight did she let out a sigh of relief.
Time was pressing. She had to finish her work as quickly as possible and escape this enemy-filled place, so she hurried to the Crown Prince's private quarters.
'Oh, it's over there.'
Binka headed straight to where the water jug was always kept. She was planning to poison the water the Crown Prince was drinking.
But then.
'Wait a minute, the water here is fresh every hour.'
The water in the Crown Prince's chambers was replaced several times a day with clean, fresh water to guard against the potential threat of poisoning. And this was done by none other than Joseph, the Crown Prince's chief chamberlain.
‘...What should I do?’
Binka closed her eyes tightly and thought. There had to be another way.
She knew Winfred's every move. She had observed him for a long time, trying to get closer to him.
There must be a way to poison him through his little habits or frequent actions...
'Oh, right.'
As Binka pondered for a moment, a solution suddenly popped into his head.
What if we had pre-applied poison to places Winfred could reach? With any luck, he could even pick up the candy with his poisoned hand.
Even if that weren't the case, he had a habit of rubbing the rim of his teacup with his hand when deep in thought. That would mean ingesting even a little bit of poison.
Of course, she wasn't sure if it would be as effective as drinking directly poisoned water, but it was a deadly poison that could cause death even in very small amounts, so it seemed like it might be possible.
Binka began to meticulously apply the poison with a handkerchief. The armrest of the chair Winfred often sat in, the pens and ink on his desk, the drawer handles—everything he used frequently.
If anyone saw her like this, they would think she was wiping the dust from every corner.
'Yes, this will do.'
Binka looked around the Crown Prince's room with a proud expression.
Now it was truly time to leave the palace.
She hopes to return here someday. Then, not as a lowly maid, but as a noble Princess of this country.
She left the Crown Prince's Palace with quick steps.
"I'm sorry for inviting you so long ago, but the place is so small. Something had to happen, so we had to change the venue in a hurry..."
"No, Your Majesty. I rather enjoyed the old days. Before Your Majesty ascended to the throne, we often gathered together in such a cozy atmosphere."
When Hiram apologized with a very embarrassed expression, Ophelia answered with a leisurely smile.
It wasn't a formal banquet. She truly felt more comfortable in this intimate setting than in a fancy banquet hall.
It was true that a long time ago, before Aila was lost, the two families would often gather together and share meals like this.
"Thank you for saying so. It's been a while since we've seen each other like this. How about we have a nice chat, Duchess? I'd love to see more of Noah's antics."
Empress Selene smiled broadly and opened her mouth. Her face had become unrecognizably gaunt from her frequent illnesses, but she was in better condition than usual today, allowing her to attend the banquet.
“Are you alright, Your Majesty? You must be tired. I hope I’m not causing you any trouble...”
"No, that's not true. It's been a while since I've heard a child's bright laughter, and it actually seems to lift my spirits."
Selene smiled kindly at Ophelia's concerns, as if telling her not to worry unnecessarily.
“Then, while the two nobles talk, how about you have a drink with me, Roderick?”
Hiram coughed and gave Roderick a look, signaling that they had something to discuss alone.
“Oh, yes. That is correct, Your Majesty.”
As the atmosphere naturally developed where fathers talked to each other and mothers talked to each other, Winfred swallowed nervously and watched Aila's expression.
She had promised to tell him the secret the next time they met, and given the current mood, it seemed like the two of them would probably end up having a conversation alone.
“Well, then, Aila, would you like to have a cup of tea with me?”
“Yes, Your Highness, the Crown Prince. It is an honor.”
She readily accepted Winfred's offer. She didn't show it, but the truth was, she'd been waiting for a moment alone with him.
Honestly, she was a little scared. She wondered how he would react if she revealed her secret.
What if you don't believe it, calling it a tall tale? Even if you do, what if you despise me for my immorality?
But Aila tried hard to shake off that anxiety.
She wanted to trust Winfred. No, she firmly believed him. He had said he would stand by her, no matter what she had done in the past.
“It seems so, given the circumstances.”
Hiram tapped his fingers on the desk.
Byron was apparently fine inside the prison, so they didn't intend to harm him. That leaves only one answer.
Someone contacted Byron and spoke to him.
Who on earth was he talking to, and what was he talking about? Hiram unconsciously bit his lip with his fingernail in anxiety.
Je felt uneasy because he didn't know what Byron was doing in his own den.
"First, let's create a sketch of the suspect based on the guard's testimony. And just in case, for safety's sake, let's cancel dinner tonight... Oh, dear. It's already this late."
Hiram looked at his watch and ruffled his hair with an embarrassed expression.
By now, it would have been quite some time since they had left the Duke's residence, and it would have been a bit much to just send those who had already departed back.
"Then let's do this. It's impolite to invite you to dinner and then just send you away. So, I'll downsize the banquet and strengthen security. And I'll move the venue from the banquet hall to my residence."
“Yes, Your Majesty. I will do so.”
Everyone started moving busily at the sudden imperial decree.
***
Hiram's order was a bolt from the blue for Binka, who was wondering when it would be a good time to poison the food.
"The dinner venue has changed, so I think we should get things ready. Everyone, hurry up and move!"
"Yes? How could that be possible! We prepared diligently all day long..."
The employees of the banquet department cried in disbelief at the order given.
It was understandable that all the hard work they had put in for days had gone down the drain, but their disappointment was nothing compared to Binka's frustration.
'Damn it, I even threw my work away...! This is probably my last chance, what should I do?'
The location they had changed to was, of all places, the Emperor's quarters, the most heavily guarded quarters in the palace. Breaking through there alone would have been nearly impossible.
'But why did the location suddenly change?'
As this thought crossed her mind, Binka looked around anxiously. The employees of the nearby banquet department were also huddled together in groups, chatting, their expressions flustered, as if this was their first time experiencing something like this.
He wonders if the plan was exposed.
No, that couldn't be true. Her father was the only one who knew of her plans, so there was no way he'd reveal it.
Even so, this wasn't the time to be here. If they had detected any suspicious activity in the palace, she needed to leave as soon as possible.
It was because she moved, leaving too many traces behind, thinking that it was the end.
'... Even so, I can't just run away like this without doing anything. I have to try what I can.'
Binka slowly slipped out of the banquet hall, keeping an eye out for anyone. She was planning to head to the Crown Prince's Palace at any moment.
Even if we can't kill everyone, shouldn't we punish at least one person who coveted someone else's position?
And coincidentally, the person she could most easily approach was Crown Prince Winfred.
Her cousin, who is not much older than her, is innocent and grew up beautifully like a greenhouse flower, receiving lots of love from his parents.
It was he whom she resented and harbored the most resentment towards.
'Well, that's a good thing. Now that it's come to this, I'm going to kill at least one of those annoying bastards.'
When Binka arrived at the Crown Prince's palace, burning with animosity towards the Crown Prince, her superior, the head maid, scolded her for arriving late with a look of bewilderment.
"You haven't contacted me all day, and now you're finally coming to work? Are you even in your right mind? It's almost time to leave work, so why are you out? Why don't you just get some rest today?"
“I’m sorry. My mother suddenly became unwell this morning, so I... I should have called you, but I was out of my mind.”
Binka blurted out a lie with a pitiful expression. It was a repertoire she'd always used, but no excuse worked as well as this one.
And it was the same now, because the maid's expression had relaxed a little.
“... Is she okay now?”
"Yes. Fortunately, she's stable now, so I was able to come to work, albeit late. I'm truly sorry..."
When she apologized again with the most polite expression possible, the head maid closed her mouth with an uncomfortable expression.
It was because she felt that it was against human nature to keep nagging when they were sick.
"If you're alright, then I'm glad. Just be careful not to do anything like this again, okay? Even if it's urgent, you should at least contact me. Since you didn't come, someone else cleaned His Highness's bedroom... But since it's your responsibility, check it out."
"Yes, yes!"
Binka made a face that seemed as deeply reflective as possible, and only after the maid disappeared from her sight did she let out a sigh of relief.
Time was pressing. She had to finish her work as quickly as possible and escape this enemy-filled place, so she hurried to the Crown Prince's private quarters.
'Oh, it's over there.'
Binka headed straight to where the water jug was always kept. She was planning to poison the water the Crown Prince was drinking.
But then.
'Wait a minute, the water here is fresh every hour.'
The water in the Crown Prince's chambers was replaced several times a day with clean, fresh water to guard against the potential threat of poisoning. And this was done by none other than Joseph, the Crown Prince's chief chamberlain.
‘...What should I do?’
Binka closed her eyes tightly and thought. There had to be another way.
She knew Winfred's every move. She had observed him for a long time, trying to get closer to him.
There must be a way to poison him through his little habits or frequent actions...
'Oh, right.'
As Binka pondered for a moment, a solution suddenly popped into his head.
What if we had pre-applied poison to places Winfred could reach? With any luck, he could even pick up the candy with his poisoned hand.
Even if that weren't the case, he had a habit of rubbing the rim of his teacup with his hand when deep in thought. That would mean ingesting even a little bit of poison.
Of course, she wasn't sure if it would be as effective as drinking directly poisoned water, but it was a deadly poison that could cause death even in very small amounts, so it seemed like it might be possible.
Binka began to meticulously apply the poison with a handkerchief. The armrest of the chair Winfred often sat in, the pens and ink on his desk, the drawer handles—everything he used frequently.
If anyone saw her like this, they would think she was wiping the dust from every corner.
'Yes, this will do.'
Binka looked around the Crown Prince's room with a proud expression.
Now it was truly time to leave the palace.
She hopes to return here someday. Then, not as a lowly maid, but as a noble Princess of this country.
She left the Crown Prince's Palace with quick steps.
***
"I'm sorry for inviting you so long ago, but the place is so small. Something had to happen, so we had to change the venue in a hurry..."
"No, Your Majesty. I rather enjoyed the old days. Before Your Majesty ascended to the throne, we often gathered together in such a cozy atmosphere."
When Hiram apologized with a very embarrassed expression, Ophelia answered with a leisurely smile.
It wasn't a formal banquet. She truly felt more comfortable in this intimate setting than in a fancy banquet hall.
It was true that a long time ago, before Aila was lost, the two families would often gather together and share meals like this.
"Thank you for saying so. It's been a while since we've seen each other like this. How about we have a nice chat, Duchess? I'd love to see more of Noah's antics."
Empress Selene smiled broadly and opened her mouth. Her face had become unrecognizably gaunt from her frequent illnesses, but she was in better condition than usual today, allowing her to attend the banquet.
“Are you alright, Your Majesty? You must be tired. I hope I’m not causing you any trouble...”
"No, that's not true. It's been a while since I've heard a child's bright laughter, and it actually seems to lift my spirits."
Selene smiled kindly at Ophelia's concerns, as if telling her not to worry unnecessarily.
“Then, while the two nobles talk, how about you have a drink with me, Roderick?”
Hiram coughed and gave Roderick a look, signaling that they had something to discuss alone.
“Oh, yes. That is correct, Your Majesty.”
As the atmosphere naturally developed where fathers talked to each other and mothers talked to each other, Winfred swallowed nervously and watched Aila's expression.
She had promised to tell him the secret the next time they met, and given the current mood, it seemed like the two of them would probably end up having a conversation alone.
“Well, then, Aila, would you like to have a cup of tea with me?”
“Yes, Your Highness, the Crown Prince. It is an honor.”
She readily accepted Winfred's offer. She didn't show it, but the truth was, she'd been waiting for a moment alone with him.
Honestly, she was a little scared. She wondered how he would react if she revealed her secret.
What if you don't believe it, calling it a tall tale? Even if you do, what if you despise me for my immorality?
But Aila tried hard to shake off that anxiety.
She wanted to trust Winfred. No, she firmly believed him. He had said he would stand by her, no matter what she had done in the past.
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