Chapter 36 - Can I Change My Hair Color?

Perhaps it was because she was getting used to Abel that she could relax around him for a bit. Aries stayed up with him almost all night. But she still fell asleep before dawn. Still, the lack of sleep and sudden change of her routine caused her to have a slight headache and feel sleepy. Hence, she was a bit distracted during her lesson with Dexter.

"We'll take a recess." Aries raised her head at the man across from her. "I called for tea. You didn't notice since it seems your mind is drifting elsewhere."

Her eyes lowered, seeing a cup of tea on the side of her open book. She blinked countless times before lifting her head once again.

"I'm sorry, Marquess Vandran." She smiled awkwardly. 

"It's alright. I heard you were poisoned yesterday." 

"You... huh?"

"Sir Conan told me what His Majesty did and asked me to be... sensitive," he explained in a knowing tone, tilting his head to the side. "I can't force my only student if she is still a little groggy from the poison."

Aries pressed her lips into a thin line. That was not why she was distracted. After she had taken an antidote and eaten a lot, she was alright as if nothing happened. She was simply sleepy now.

"Thank you." She expressed closed lip. "I will focus after a moment of recess."

"You don't have to force yourself if you can't."

Aries gazed at Dexter and heaved a sigh of relief. Although he was cold and distant, this Marquess was probably the only normal person in the palace. She didn't consider Conan a normal one, nor did she think she was part of the normal in this place. 

KNOCK KNOCK!

"Lady Aries, His Majesty sent you a tea."

Aries and Dexter turned their attention to the door, watching a maid entered with a tray in her hands. She carefully approached the table, bowing to the Marquess and then to Aries. The latter stretched her neck, seeing that the cup was almost empty again. 

'Is this another poisoned tea served to him?' she wondered, recalling that she agreed to ingest poison until she grew immunity. While the maid carefully serve the tea to Aries, Dexter quirked a brow. 

"That's poisoned." He pointed out without a second hesitation, watching her hold the cup and look at him without the trace of surprise. "You will drink poison just because he gave it to you?"

"This won't kill me."

"How are you sure?" Dexter shifted his attention to the maid, waving to dismiss her. The servant bowed and left without a word, closing the door carefully. Once the click of the door caressed his ears, Dexter shifted his eyes back to her. 

"It didn't kill me yesterday," she affirmed.

"What if it kills you today?" his reply was quicker than a bolt of lightning, narrowing his eyes at her unaffected countenance.

"Then... shall I refuse it?" she asked, blinking almost innocently. "If His Majesty asked why I refused his benevolence, shall I say, because Marquess Vandran told me to?"

His mouth fell open, but no words came out. Dexter rocked his head, eyes still studying her unfazed expression. How smart, he thought. Aries's tone was friendly, but her way of words would leave others speechless. 

"Thank you, Marquess Vandran. Though I appreciate your concern." She smiled subtly before gazing at the inconsiderable amount of tea left in the cup. This was lesser than yesterday. So, she thought she would be fine.

"His Majesty is not forcing me. This is a mutual agreement." Her eyes raised once again and held his gaze. "Anything can happen here. At the very least, consuming poison is not what will kill me in the future." 

"In the future..."

Dexter just stared at her with complex emotions in his eyes, watching her huffed and unhesitatingly guide the cup to her lips. She winced because of the strong bitter taste of it, covering her lips with the back of her fist.

He leaned back, eyes fluttering ever so tenderly. "Even if you're saying this is to gain immunity to poison, drinking poison is still detrimental to one's health. Also, do you have an idea what type of poison you just consumed? Even that insignificant amount can kill you."

"Huh... but I'm still alive," came out a weak yet proud response, flinching when Dexter tossed something over the table. "Huh?" the corner of her lips curled down at the small ball wrapped in thin special material. 

"That is to fight the bitter taste. His Majesty prefers strong flavor, but it looks like you're more affected by it than what's in it." Dexter explained in the same distant tone, watching her pick up the candy.

"You like sweets?" she inquired while unwrapping it, smiling. Who would have thought that this man who always carried himself as noble was carrying candies?

"I don't like sweets." He looked away when she glanced up. "I just carry one with me all the time."

"Thank you," she expressed before throwing the ball of candy in her mouth. A sigh of relief slipped past her lips as the sweet melted into her mouth, devouring all the bitterness of the poisoned tea.

Meanwhile, Dexter remained silent with his jaw propped against his knuckles. He wasn't lying when he said even that negligible amount could kill her; it was a poison meant to kill the emperor, after all. It was potent. 

But he wasn't also surprised that she hadn't collapsed yet. He got a whiff of the faint scent of Abel's blood diluted in it. Not many knew what that tyrant could do since only a few were allowed to exist whilst knowing what he was. 

'What is surprising, though, is that he seemed to not want her dead.' He narrowed his eyes, humming in his head. For a moment, the side of his lips curled up into a smirk. 

"Lady Aries, shall we continue our lesson?" he asked as the glint in his eyes faded without a trace. 

"Yes. Thank you for your patience."

******

Meanwhile, in the emperor's office, Conan stood in front of the desk with a dead expression. Abel just asked him a ridiculous question while pointing at his head.

"Did you hear me? I want to change my hair color to green. Maybe, if I have the same soothing hair color, people will not fear me anymore," Abel repeated with an air of nonchalance. "Just think like this, Conan. If you're dying, it is better to see the face of nature than a monster, right? I'll be sending them all off in peace."

Conan patted his chest, trying to lower his blood pressure. "Your Majesty, just say you want to see Lady Aries. I will go and fetch her after her lecture."

"How nice of you, my dearest advisor.. This is why you're my advisor!" The side of Abel's lips stretched into a bright grin, causing Conan to shake his head lightly.