"Keep quiet and keep your mouth shut."
The blade glowed coolly. It was a dagger with the seal of Shartus engraved on its handle.
Rosentine gagged the man, held the knife to his throat, and gave him a brief warning. The man seemed confused.
Rosentine poked him in the neck.
A stream of blood flowed from the man's neck, drawing a red line. The man nodded hastily, his expression betraying a lack of understanding.
"Bless you, Aventua."
"Blessings, Aventua."
The man was in a corner of the party hall, where the magical light was least. Hidden in the darkness, he watched the ceremony unfolding in the center.
To his dismay, Shartus went through the rest of the ceremony perfectly.
The Emperor smiled solemnly. Aventua, as if embarrassed, was holding the hem of her skirt and bowing.
It's peaceful. It couldn't be. His master said that the moment he drank the wine, the intestines of the Second Prince would melt as they were. Blood flows in the palace, and while there is a great commotion, he leaves the palace. That was the plan.
"You're dying of curiosity, aren't you? I was also really curious about your face. I think I couldn't sleep for about three days because of you."
Rosentine whispered softly. The man looked around frantically, his mouth gagging. A shadow loomed over him.
The ceremony was over, and the lights were slowly going out. Rosentine pressed the tip of her dagger against the man's neck. Blood was flowing, and the pasture was damp. The man gritted his teeth.
The plot was perfect. He discovered that the chef he had hired was mixing an unknown liquid into the wine.
The chef probably had no idea that what he was doing was poisoning the royal family.
All he touched was just ordinary wine. However, the wine was a ceremonial wine that had been relabeled by another maid, and after a short time, it was returned to its original position.
The reason why he ordered the maid to change the glass was that she had a bond with Count Almert.
The device was double. It was a device designed so that the Second Prince could fulfill his fate even if he raised another glass.
"Follow me."
Rosentine ordered low. Her hand squeezed the man's collar and led him to the garden, which was connected to the balcony. Since everyone participated in the ceremony, there was no one there.
The wind smelled like grass. It was a scent that could be felt as the smell of death now.
Rosentine tightened her grip on the dagger.
The man muttered the question harshly in a choked voice.
"Who is it? How did you do it?"
"Who is it? I'm a handmaid."
Rosentine smiled shamelessly. She was extremely nervous and covered the man's mouth with her strong hand.
The man's eyes turned to Rosentine's clothes. She was wearing a maid's robe. He couldn't believe it, even when he saw it with his own eyes.
Obviously, it is impossible to change the glass that he would have checked until the end without a handmaid. But how? How did the maid know all this?
He measured the blood flowing in his throat. It wasn't dizzy, so there was no hindrance to moving.
Woman. At that thought, the man's eyes turned to Rosentine's hand, which was blocking his mouth.
The hand was soft.
She must have been someone who didn't know how to wield a sword.
The man began to resist. He reached out and twisted Rosentine's wrist, which held the dagger. The overwhelming force caused Rosentine to stagger.
"Ugh, it's done!"
The man shouted as if spitting out a message. Rosentine bit her lip in anticipation of the crisis
'Do you think you're going to die?'
Lucen's words rang in her ears.
It was taken away. The man dropped the dagger that Rosentine was holding with a fierce grip.
Just as Rosentine was about to leap towards the dagger, the man rolled over and grabbed it first.
'...Be careful not to let that happen.'
It was Lucien's words that worried her. Rosentine didn't say anything about herself. She couldn't utter even a single word like that.
She simply suggested this as the most efficient method, and she implemented it. She was the one who suggested it.
Rosentine said she would switch the poisoned cups herself, a task she couldn't accomplish alone.
***
Banquets in the Imperial Palace are huge events. No one could tell who was messing around with what wine in the kitchen, where the dinner was being prepared. If it weren't for Rosentine.
On the day of the banquet, in the kitchen where all the maids and cooks were busy preparing food, there were five ghosts. That number included Ranon.
When she asked for help, the ghosts followed her for various reasons.
Among them. Ranon was the only one who saw the handmaid's face, and he was obliged to float in the air with a smile on his face all the time.
A few hours before the banquet, he beckoned Rosentine and then led her to the wine bottle. It was a poisoned cup.
Rosentine changed the wine bottle, so the golden cup had never been poisoned in the first place.
The problem was the middle manager who was watching him. The Prince was holding a ceremony, and Hostang and Lucen, or lieutenants, had to attend the ceremony and deal with the nobles around him.
If the prince's aide were absent during the ceremony, suspicion would arise. Therefore, Rosentine had to capture the spy who would clearly witness Shartus's death during the ceremony and report the results to his master.
***
Shartus's dagger shone. The man had a face that was open with anger, even though he was bleeding.
The man, with his posture lowered, took a step toward Rosentine and swung his dagger.
Rosentine quickly dodged to the side, scratching the back of her hand on the floor. Blood splattered long on the side of the flower bed.
Rosentine, who was taking a step backwards, was blocked by a rose bush. When it seemed that there was no more escape, the man smiled widely.
If you kill this woman, you can live. That's what he thought.
'Please let me go.'
'Roan! Prince, that's nonsense.'
'Is there anyone who can do it if not me?'
'It's dangerous.'
'I'll teach you how to use a dagger.'
'Your Highness!'
The only person who could pinpoint exactly who the man was was Rosentine, who could talk to Ranon. So this is right. Rosentine thought so in anxiety
A dagger passed in front of her, making the sound of the wind.
It seemed that a few strands of her bangs were cut off. Instead of closing her eyes tightly, Rosentine looked around and picked up a thick branch.
Even if it is not sharp, at least it can be used as a blunt weapon.
'Don't think about anything else. Stabbing, swinging. There are only two things.'
When teaching Rosentine the dagger stance, Shartus gave a perfect demonstration. Of course, it was a posture she couldn't imitate.
Even though it was just a simple stabbing and swinging, he exuded an explosive life. It felt like prey thrown in front of the beast.
Compared to Shartus, the man who was bleeding now was not scary.
Rosentine bit her teeth tightly.
After another demonstration, Shartus corrected her posture.
Only once.
The space is narrow, so she can't swing the branches. She was stuck in a dead end.
All that's left is to stab, and even the thickest branches will be able to make a small gap.
Rosentine gritted her teeth. She couldn't involve anyone else. She might miss out on the interest.
Rosentine took a thin breath. She tried to find her composure and recalled the posture she had learned in her memory.
"This plan is unfortunate, but if I kill you, there will be no more obstacles."
The man said with a mix of anger.
She spread her legs slightly to create some space, a position that would allow her to withstand the recoil of the branch thrust.
The man approached cautiously, taking advantage of the gap. The woman was in a corner, and no matter where he poked, she would be dealt with quickly.
On the contrary, it could be said that he was overly lucky to have a good sword in his hand.
A man rushed in. Rosentine saw him and dodged the attack for a moment.
And she stabbed him all at once.
"Ugh!"
The man stumbled with a thud. But so was Rosentine, who staggered.
The thin wrist, unable to withstand the strength, missed the branch.
Rosentine closed her eyes tightly. She thought, "That's wrong."
Just before she fell over the thornbush, someone gently hugged Rosentine.
"You have a good posture."
It was Shartus.
A low, soft voice came to Rosentine's ear. Rosentine saw Shartus's face appear right above her face, and her eyes widened. It was a face that she couldn't expect.
"I... Huh?"
"You seem to have talent."
"Why are you here for the ceremony?"
"The ceremony is over. I'll leave the rest to Lucen."
He replied quickly, scrutinizing Rosentine. His gaze rested on the ends of her torn clothes and the backs of her brushed hands.
Rosentine thought that his face had hardened for a moment. But before she could check his expression again, Shartus carefully lowered Rosentine.
It was a moment to subdue the frightened man. Shartus was exuding murderous aura than usual.
Rosentine looked at him with a tired body and looked blank.
Shartus strangled the man and muttered in a low voice.
"Remember that if you swung your sword just one more time, your limbs would have been torn off."
It was a surprisingly cold voice. The strangled man made a painful sound with a white face.
Shartus slowly applied strength to his hands, and in a calm voice, he recited what a man should do.
"You will probably be abandoned. Because you couldn't carry out your master's orders. So go and pray and fall down. Ask for one more chance, and promise that the remaining two secret agreements will succeed."
"Ugh... ugh..."
"And bring me that information."
This was the reason why Rosentine insisted that the man must be caught. She planned to use this middle manager to uncover the rest of the plan and the identity behind it.
"Anytime, anywhere. The reason you don't pay for today's sins right away is that you can save your life until that day. Remember who I am."
Shartus said into the man's ear. It was so sincere that even Rosentine was chilled.
Even though he wasn't fighting the enemy, Rosentine instantly realized how much power the Second Prince in front of her had, and her shoulders trembled slightly.
"It's not a sword for you to hold."
As he said that, he stunned the man.
In Shartus's hand was a dagger that glowed sharply.
He blew the dust off the knife and approached Rosentine.
"Was the dagger worth using?"
"It's very light and sharp."
She replied, trying not to tremble.
Shartus, who was staring at Rosentine, threw the dagger on the ground.
"Thanks to that. I was able to use it too... Oops!"
It was the moment when Rosentine continued to speak. In an Instant, her hand was grabbed and pulled away, and she was in Shartus's arms.
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