CH 6.01

6. Moonlit Masquerade Ball

After the engagement ceremony kiss, I sneakily avoided Lacius. That’s because I thought seeing his face would remind me of that day again.

How long has it been since I started having separate meals with Lacius?

Something fell from Theobalt’s cart as he was going out after taking care of my meal.

“Theo!”

I was about to put the bread in my mouth, but I jumped up from my seat. A thin sheet of paper seemed to have slipped out of the folder.

It didn’t fall in my room, but close to the doorway, so it was clear that Theobalt would have a hard time finding it later.

“Theo, what is this?”

I hurriedly called Theobalt and picked up the paper before I stood straight, flinching. It’s a report about Lacius, so I shouldn’t look at it, but my quick eyes have already skimmed through it.

“Ah, that…”

“Sorry, I read it.”

Having already skimmed through everything, I apologized obediently. The expression of Theobalt looking at me seemed very troubled.

But I couldn’t resist asking what the document was about.

Theobalt took the document and explained it as if he was left with no other choice but to do it.

“This is a report on His Highness’ abnormal symptoms on the day of the engagement ceremony.”

“What do you mean by abnormal symptoms?”

He looked fine that day— No, he’s not.

He was definitely different from usual.

I thought it might be because he drank too much wine, but thinking about it, Lacius’ eyes were too dilated that day. He was even breathing strangely hard.

“His Highness is resistant to most poisons and love potions.”

“Yeah, what about it?”

“But that day, the wine may have been the catalyst. We’re still not sure what it was yet, but something definitely happened to his body.”

Theobalt chose his words carefully. But I had already read the words written on the document.

‘Suspected to have an aphrodisiac effect?’

These words overlapped with Theobalt’s.

‘Then he wanted to hold me because of a drug?’  

That’s a relief. I felt a bit disappointed, but I quickly brushed it off.

“So who do you think did it? What was their intention?”

“Perhaps the perpetrator’s original intention was not to cause an aphrodisiac effect. An aphrodisiac is similar in composition to a love potion, which does not work to His Highness.”

“Right.”

“So it’s probably a poison that has an aphrodisiac effect as a side effect. Of course, His Highness is not an ordinary human being, so he must have controlled himself sufficiently.”

He said he wanted to hold me, but that was all. I stared at the paper with a serious face. Then Theobalt pushed the paper back into the folder he had placed under the cart.

“He took another physical examination again. The aphrodisiac effect is gone now and there are no symptoms of poison, so you don’t have to worry.”

“Hmm.”

I’m not sure if he’s really fine. Lacius doesn’t say he’s in pain even if he’s seriously ill. Theobalt spoke to me softly, who had a serious face.

“Oh, and the new hires are gonna be here in a few days.”

“Oh? Did you hire new people?”

“Yes. His Highness directly instructed it.”

It’s Lacius’ house, so Lacius can do as he pleases, but is he really fine about it?

The first thing I worried about was Lacius.

Of course, if anyone tries to take his hair and sell it this time, I won’t show them mercy.

“This decision was made because the lady is in poor health, but the assassins keep on coming.”

Theobalt kindly explained the reason. I’m not the healthiest, I admit that.

But I’m eagerly beating those who came.

Well, I’m technically not the one beating them.

“My lady has inner strength, but physically you’re very feeble.”

Well, that’s irrefutable.

Theobalt immediately continued as if he knew what I was about to say.

“And not only that. Now that you’re engaged, His Highness intends to return to an environment befitting an Archduke.”

“I see.”

“As the number of employees increases, we will be able to serve the lady more delicately. Your Highness, the future archduchess.”

Theobalt bowed deeply.

‘This is burdensome.’

I heaved a deep sigh as I watched Theobalt’s back as he pushed the cart away.

‘Because I certainly played a big part in the sudden increase in the number of employees.’

I should give him something nice. I wanted to give him an engagement gift.

When I got back to the table where I was eating, I chewed the bread and started thinking about all the gifts I could think of.

* * *

“Did it go well?”

Inside the hall where many candles are lit. Originally, it was a spacious space that would have been a place of celebration, but today, Lacius was seated alone in it.

Taking off his top, he sat upright, a soft light was emanating from his body.

Theobalt, who left the cart outside and brought only the file in question, bowed toward his lord.

“Yes, I thought it would be discovered that I intentionally spilled the paper, but… surprisingly, she did not suspect anything.”

“I’m glad.”

Lacius said calmly and began to release the heat once more.

There was a thick bruise that looked like a flower on his chest.

What had been black and large the day after the engagement ceremony had now shrunk to the size of a fist and turned purple. This is because he continued to drain the residual heat from his body using his power.

“The heat in your body is still higher than usual.”

“Yes, but the size of the bruise has decreased significantly.”

“In the opinion of the Ministry of Magic and Medical Department of the Imperial Palace, it was a poison made with a high degree of skill.”

“So it’s not a single poison, but something like a mixture of two substances?”

“That is right.”

Of course, only a few people can do this trick. If you look at the people who have the intentions to do so, the range narrows even more.

“It’s getting harder and harder to put up with Crisiona.”

“His Majesty said that he did not want the aristocratic power structure to change until Her Highness ascended the throne.”

“I know.”

Two ducal families of Terran. They were used especially during the reign of the present emperor, and one of them was the Crisiona family that still enjoys prosperity.

Therefore, from His Majesty’s point of view, he intends to protect Crisiona in his own way.

The Crisiona family must have been aware of that, and thus did this casually.

Lacius narrowed his brows in displeasure.

“What would you like to do?”