CH 85

Several hours after Carbella left Coral Beach, the news of the imperial palace was delivered to Valery.

Obviously, when they entered the beach, they were happy, so Joanne couldn’t understand Valery’s appearance now. What on earth happened?

Regardless of that fact, Joanne had to deliver the urgent news to him. However, his mouth was tightly closed as if a heavy weight had been placed on his mouth. It was because the information he had received was related to the woman who had left Coral Beach a few hours ago.

Joanne never considered his lord foolish. There was always a reason for what he said and did, which was always valid. So the injustice he received from Blake Ariandel, or actually a woman named Carbella Rudbihi, must be true.

While the first prince was away for a few days due to work, they hurriedly attacked at the same time when the crown prince was on the date. In addition, it was a little difficult to say that it was all a coincidence that Lucellai Rudbihi attempted poisoning. Even if it was a coincidence, it couldn’t be avoided.

A few years ago, the lady was Lucellai Rudbihi’s daughter and had a history of moving as Lucellai’s hand.  Even if he believed his lord’s words, would others also believe them? Rather, it would be right to say that this was all planned, and the crown prince, blinded by love, paid the price.

Joanne was also troubled because of the news he had just heard.

“Your Highness.”

In the end, Joanne couldn’t hold out any longer and delivered the news to Valery. It was an urgent situation. Fortunately, Valery, who had been sitting in bed for hours without even moving, responded.

“The emperor and empress are both alive thanks to the quick treatment. However, both of them are unconscious and don’t show any improvement, so we need to see the progress for a few days. You must return to the Imperial Palace right now.”

“Do you know where the culprit is located?”

A short question came over, overshadowing what he was worried about that Valery won’t answer.

“They say they put a trace on it. Currently, all exit routes of the capital are blocked, and we have been informed that the first prince is also returning from his work.”

“…Okay. I got it.”

With an emotionless face, he stood up and was ready to leave. Joanne hurriedly followed Valery, who strode out of his seat after completing his preparations. And Valery, who arrived and got into the carriage waiting for him, ordered Joanne.

He stood up and prepared to start with a face that felt no emotion, wondering if he was the one who had not even moved into the bedroom until just now.

“Tell them to arrest all those involved. I will interrogate them myself.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Joanne asked him before the carriage door closed. “Your Highness, but what about her…” It was a careful and small voice that only Valery could hear. Even at that moment, he agonized over whether to bring this up or not.

Valery’s darkened eyes turned to Joanne. “Of course, you should arrest her too.”

“…”

Joanne put on a surprised face. He thought Valery wasn’t showing it on purpose. Valery would definitely react if he brought it up. All he could do was buy some time. He wished that his lord wouldn’t get hurt more. But he couldn’t believe Valery had brought it up without a second thought.

Is it because he was suspicious of her? Or a sense of betrayal…? Either way, Valery’s expression now was so fierce that it wouldn’t be strange for him to kill a person, so Joanne stopped thinking about it.

“Be sure to bring them to me.”

“Yes, my lord. I will do as you command.”

The carriage door closed.

“…”

Valery leaned his head against the carriage wall and closed his eyes.

“I can’t do it.”

“…What?”

“I’m saying that I can’t play this kind of love game.”

It was still as vivid as the words he had just heard.

Everything was fine, but why? He thought he could finally take her out of the shadows and protect her, but why? Even before coming here, Bella had an uneasy face from time to time since she got on the carriage. She suddenly became aloof, gloomy for a while, and brightened again.

Even though it was strange how she changed so often and pretended not to notice her fingertips trembling, as if responding to an inaudible stopwatch, Valery assumed that everything would be fine since he would be by her side. He was sure that at least he could keep her safest when he was by her side.

But what? Stop it? You can’t do it? You’re leaving me? You willingly accepted me to be yours, but then abandoned me…? With that expression too?

She didn’t show an expression of sick of him but a sad face as if she was reluctant to let him go. Bella thought she was a good liar, but it was obvious. And it happened as if it had been foreseen. Valery’s mind became clear as if ice water had hit him. With that fragile body of her, she would eventually carry all the responsibility alone.

“I shouldn’t have saved you… back then.”

“…Bella.”

“I just had to pretend I didn’t know.”

“Bella.”

“Then it would have been enough for each of us to receive our punishment. How long are you going to pretend you don’t know? Everything I know, everything you know, Valery, was irreversible.”

From the moment he first saw her, he had already fallen for her, which didn’t make sense to her. He couldn’t let go of her, who wanted to abandon him. How could she let go of him? He needed her just as much as she needed him. Even if he died soon, he belonged to her.

“Let’s end it here. In the first place, it was just a game. If you let me go and I let you, everything is fine. If I leave with my mother, everything will be fine.”

“…”

“You said you would do anything for me. Let’s end it here before it gets worse than now. Before it’s become irreversible.”

Is running away the only choice? If not, why not give up and try to adapt?

“For the sake of me, whom you love. That way, I will be happy.”

No, I’m going to save you. The only one who could save her now was him. He would take her back, lock her in his arms, and give her the peace she likes. And he would surely punish those who drove the people he loved to death in an instant. He would make sure they wouldn’t approach her again.

The carriage began to run fast toward the Imperial Palace.

* * *

“…”

I succeeded in finding a place I remember with Ian. I had a hard time because I didn’t remember the exact location, but I finally found it.

Even at a distance, I could see familiar faces standing guard. It was obvious that mother and Sir Shubart were holding their breath there.

In the end, I’m going to destroy them one by one, facing the ugly end. I still struggled to understand if this was what my mother really wanted.

The poisoning attempt of the emperor and empress. The detailed information wasn’t properly delivered, and I moved my body first. Still, I was able to infer what I had heard.

It was said that the emperor and empress had lunch in the empress’s garden for the first time in a very long time. Still, it was unknown whether someone was bribed to poison them or with other methods. Since my mother was driven away from the capital, which made her couldn’t even walk around during the day, let alone the imperial palace, it must have been through someone else.

I took a small glass bottle out of the inner pocket of the dress. The bottle was as thin and small as a little finger, so even holding two, there was plenty of space left in one hand. Inside it, there was opaque black water.

This was the poison my mother carried around. At the very end, she intended to kill the emperor and empress; if that failed, she intended to use it herself. It was a tasteless and odorless poison that was black in color but wasn’t noticeable when mixed with food. It was a poison that didn’t have an antidote. If you drink all this bottle, you will die soon.

Even though the emperor and empress were still alive, they weren’t safe though. If they ate half, the time they approached death would be slower, but death couldn’t be avoided. After losing consciousness and constantly struggling with pain in the unconscious for several days, eventually, they would lose their lives in the same way.

At first, I thought it was a terrible poison. Maybe that’s why my mother didn’t give me this, even though she gave me everything else. But the reason I have it…