Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Monkshood.

A beautiful ornamental plant with purple flowers. However, in reality, it is a poisonous plant with deadly toxins in its roots. As a result, it has been used in the production of numerous poisons.

In ancient Athens, Greece, possession without permission was punishable by death. In Joseon, it was widely used as a medicinal herb. Its toxicity has even been utilized in modern times.

A representative example

The Monkshood Murder Case that occurred in Japan in 1986 comes to mind.

Anyway, the toxicity of Monkshood has been thoroughly proven throughout history in both the East and the West. There is a good reason why Gardin is now throwing a mad look in Raciels direction.

Your Majesty?

Yes?

May I check if you have a fever?

I have a slight fever, but its not severe.

But, Your Majesty.

Yes?

You must not let go of the rope of hope yet.

I havent.

Life is beautiful, Your Majesty.

I know that.

Life is precious.

I know.

So, Your Majesty, please never say that you will consume such a malicious poison again, okay?

I dont want to. I will eat it.

Your Maaajesty!

Ah, oh. You surprised me.

Raciel furrowed his brow.

Gardin, do I look that miserable?

Thats not the case, Your Majesty. However-

However?

I cannot stand by and watch as you give up on everything and destroy yourself. It is my duty and responsibility.

Im doing this to help you fulfill your duty and responsibility.

Thats sophistry, Your Majesty. Youre resorting to self-harm with a needle, and now even attempting poison suicide!

Sigh. Its not self-harm. Its not poison suicide. Its part of the treatment.

Your Majesty, please.

I will weaken and control the toxicity and turn it into medicine.

What?

Enough with the small talk. Bring it to me. I give you 5 minutes.

Your Majesty.

If youre late, I will really harm myself.

!

One, two

Sn, sniffle!

In the end, Gardin, who had been holding back, began to sob. Honestly, he couldnt understand. The crown prince he served had become strange.

To be precise, things started to get really strange after waking up from a faint last night. The way he spoke changed. His gaze and expression were somehow different.

He used to be grumpy, but at least he didnt do crazy things sniffle.

How did it come to this? They say peoples personalities change when theyre about to die; could it be that?

But this is too extreme.

Everything changed so suddenly. In the middle of the night, he demanded a large number of needles. He even went so far as to heat the needles in a candle flame and pierce his shoulders and arms.

The most striking part of it all was

He made a face like he was feeling something(?) while being pierced with the needles!

Yes.

Its certain.

Hes enjoying self-harm. He has succumbed to the pleasure that pain provides. He has crossed the river of no return.

Your Majesty!

Gardin swallowed his tears sincerely.

He didnt know that a long battle with illness could ruin a person so much. He felt inadequate. He should have taken better care of the crown prince. He knelt with a heart filled with endless lamentation.

Your Majesty? Please, could you change your mind just once?

No. I have no intention of changing my mind. Go away.

Your Majesty, please.

Sigh

Gardin, who was now on the verge of tears. Seeing him like that, a deep sigh escaped from Raciels mouth. It seemed that no matter how forcefully he tried to persuade him, he would not listen, even if a knife were held to his throat.

In the end, Raciel shared some knowledge with Gardin.

Gardin.

Yes, Your Majesty.

Listen carefully now. Ill tell you the reason why Im looking for the Monkshood.

Yes?

It was reasonable for them to be confused, given the enormity of the palace garden.

To put it in perspective, it was comparable in size to a South Korean administrative district or even The Garden of Morning Calm in Gapyeong, Gyeonggi-do, which Haneeun had visited with a former crush. Furthermore, the garden also served as a hunting ground for the royal familys amusement, making it potentially even larger.

Raciel looked around at the servants and said,

You each have a piece of paper, right? There should be a drawing on it. You just need to bring the plant that looks exactly like the drawing.

He divided the servants into two groups. He sent one group to the western part of the garden, a dry area created by magic.

You will bring the whole shrub that looks exactly like the drawing.

On the other hand, he sent the other group to the east. It was a forest connected to the mountainside, where spring was maintained all year round by magic.

You just need to bring the grass that looks like the drawing.

He didnt forget to give a special incentive to the two groups of servants as he sent them off.

Its fine if it takes a few days. However, I will give a lump of gold as a reward in the name of the Crown Prince to the one who brings me what I want first from each group. So, everyone do your best.

!

The servants eyes widened.

Thanks to such a bold investment, satisfactory results were obtained in just half a day.

That evening, Raciel looked at the medicinal herbs the servants had brought with satisfaction.

Ephedra, Adiantum

Ephedra () is a shrub that grows naturally in dry areas such as northern China and Inner Mongolia. Adiantum is a grass that spreads heart-shaped leaves in the damp shade of trees in mountainous areas.

I never thought these would actually be in the garden.

He had sent the servants just in case, thinking it would be great if they were there.

It was like trying his luck with a lottery ticket. And yet, such unexpected results were obtained.

It went well. Really well.

Ephedra and Adiantum.

Both were medicinal herbs that had been widely used in Korea.

From that moment on, Raciel worked even harder and ordered Gardin around.

Hmm, the ingredients have been thoroughly soaked in saltwater?

Yes, Your Highness.

So, what should we do now?

Im not sure, Your Highness.

What do you mean, not sure? Just do what I tell you.

What should I do?

Take out the ingredients and spread them by the window. In a sunny spot.

Yes, Your Highness.

Chak chak chak!

Gardin diligently spread the ingredients. After half a day passed and evening came

The ingredients have dried well in the sun. Now what?

Do I just do what Your Highness tells me?

Of course. Soak the ingredients again.

Excuse me?

Put them back in the saltwater. Plop.

Cham bang cham bang!

Gardin soaked the dried ingredients back in salt water. And when morning came

Gardin, take out the ingredients and spread them out.

Yes, Your Highness.

Chak chak chak!

When night came

Soak the ingredients.

Yes, Your Highness.

Cham bang cham bang!

When morning came

Spread them out.

Yes!

Chak chak!

When night came again

Soak them.

Yes!

Cham bang cham bang!

Raciels assiduous hand movements were mirrored by Gardins committed efforts as they worked together seamlessly like a finely tuned machine. After five days of meticulously soaking and drying the ingredients in salt water, a transformation was finally starting to become evident.

Good.

Raciel clenched his fist as he looked at the ingredients dried in the sun. Salt crystals had formed all over the surface of the ingredients, and they had become considerably harder than before.

He was finally convinced.

Its done.

The preparation was complete.

So, now

I can make the decoction.

He eliminated the harmful elements from the ingredients, extracting the medicinal properties of both Ephedra and Adiantum. He then started to concoct a decoction that would blend the ingredients in a harmonious manner. At this point, Raciel was unaware that the decoction he was creating, Mahuang Fuzi Xixin (), would lead to an unforeseen outcome. This unexpected effect would unveil the Hidden skill of the Magentano Royal Family, which he never anticipated or could have imagined.