“...Is it really true?”
“If it were a lie, I wouldn’t have come all this way to meet you in person, Ducal Lady. It’s the undeniable truth.”
“......”
Violet stared at the vial on the table with a complicated expression. The liquid inside shimmered brightly in the light, clear and transparent.
“Pardon me, but may I ask how you identified this poison and why you have it in your possession?”
“Not at all, feel free to ask. As for your questions, I can tell you that this poison exists only in my homeland, and that’s how I knew.”
Vaughn answered Violet’s question cheerfully.
The vial he had brought out contained none other than the poison Aileen had ingested. The documents he handed over contained detailed information about the poison—its name, symptoms, and even how to counteract it.
It was extremely valuable information in the current situation, yet it was also quite strange.
Vaughn had brought a poison that even the most renowned imperial physicians couldn’t identify, claiming it only existed in his homeland.
“Judging by your reaction, you truly had no idea. This makes me confident you’re not the culprit behind this incident.”
“...How unpleasant.”
“Apologies, but it was necessary to confirm.”
Vaughn slipped the vial back into his coat. The fact that he was carrying around such a dangerous substance made Violet suspicious that Vaughn himself might be behind the incident.
“For the record, it’s not me. I have nothing to gain by targeting Aileen Everett in this situation.”
“...That’s true.”
“Do you remember when I told you to be wary of the temple?”
That was certainly reassuring, but it seemed odd that Roen wouldn’t already know about it. And it was even stranger that Vaughn had come in person.
“Then, why did you feel the need to come here yourself?”
“It seems you can’t trust others easily, though I can’t say I blame you.”
Vaughn smiled as he met her suspicious violet eyes.
“Would it suffice to say I couldn’t act until I was certain? Information has likely already reached both Duke Everett and the Young Duke by now. It will take a bit of time to verify, however.”
In the end, it was clear that Vaughn had come to observe Violet’s reaction in person. Her expression soured as she let out a soft sigh, frustrated that she couldn’t just throw him out.
In recent days, Violet had been emotionally drained and found it exhausting to deal with people. She didn’t have the energy to carefully craft her words.
What could she say that wouldn’t sound too sharp? Before she could figure it out, Vaughn spoke again.
“As I mentioned before, I was born with a rather unique eye. Part of the reason I wanted to meet you was to deliver information, but I was also genuinely curious about your artwork.”
He casually sipped his tea before continuing.
“People say that your paintings are the work of a witch who made a pact with the devil, that they should never be seen by the world. I couldn’t help but wonder—what does a painting by someone who has died and come back to life look like? What kind of world does someone whose soul has been shattered and mended create?”
Once again, the conversation turned to her paintings.
Recalling that Vaughn had little to no knowledge of art, Violet furrowed her brow slightly.
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( APV has been fully translated~! )