“Serdis, you as well…….”

At the Empress’s resentful voice, he laughed pleasantly.

“I left the palace a long time ago, so naturally, this place would feel uncomfortable. Don’t fuss too much.”

“But look at that one’s habit of speaking to me.”

“Didn’t you start by insinuating that our mother was poisoned? If not, Hertian would not have reason to oppose you. Right?”

At that, Serdis even winked at Hertian. As if yesterday’s enemy had become today’s ally. It was unlikely that Serdis suddenly thought of Hertian as a brother. It seemed there was some scheme.

“Serdis is right. How long are you going to ignore that fellow? The Empress should know there’s a limit to my pretending not to know.”

“Your Majesty……!”

Everyone’s criticism made the Empress’s position difficult. Even her own child, Serdis, urged the Empress to apologize. The Empress pursed her lips, her face flushed. She did not seem to intend to apologize.

“I decline the apology.”

Eventually, Hertian, unable to watch any longer, stopped him.

“I’m grateful for your understanding, being so magnanimous. But if we continue like this, we’ll only be left with awkward feelings. Let’s have one more cup of tea and go.”

In response to Serdis’s question, Hertian didn’t answer. Instead, he turned his head and asked me.

“Anette, will you do it?”

I couldn’t just leave in this atmosphere. I eventually sat back down.

“Hertian, let’s have one more cup of tea and leave.”

“……Understood.”

Fortunately, the truly magnanimous Hertian understood.

“I have a special tea that I received last time. Let’s drink that. Now, go bring fresh tea.”

Soon, the maids moved busily and brought fresh boiling tea.

As people moved bustlingly, the atmosphere, which had been frozen like ice, slightly softened.

The fresh tea was steaming in the newly prepared teacups.

It was a tea that radiated a faint green light.

“It’s a tea called peppermint. When you sip it, it refreshes and cools your mouth. Try it quickly.”

When I just stared at the tea, Serdis added an explanation.

“The scent is unique.”

But I couldn’t just drink the tea.

I felt a distinctive scent from the strong mint aroma.

It was a scent I recognized.

‘You mixed something here.’

“The taste will be different from the original tea. Try one sip.”

Seeing Serdis’s subtle rush, I was sure.

“Your Highness Anette, it’s a very rare tea. Just take a sip.”

The Empress joined in. She didn’t know what was mixed in here.

With a face that couldn’t hide my expression, I looked at the tea, and soon picked up the teacup.

“I will drink gratefully.”

When I put the cup to my lips, I saw Serdis’s expectant look.

I took a big sip of the tea to meet his expectations.

“The Prince’s Highness is right, the scent is good.”

He scrutinized my reaction. As if hoping for some event to happen, but there was no abnormal reaction from my body.

“So, is that so? Then drink a lot, Anette.”

“I’ll drink gratefully.”

I drained the cup defiantly.

“I drank well.”

Seeing my fine state, Serdis’s eyes became complicated. Soon, a sharp gaze was directed at one servant.

“Your Highness, have a cup too.”

I casually offered tea to Serdis.

He could check whatever reaction he wanted.

“Seeing Your Highness drink so deliciously, I want to drink too. Give me a cup.”

The Empress first asked for tea.

This side wasn’t bad either.

Serdis must have thought the tea was served wrongly, so he didn’t stop it.

“It’s a scent that never gets familiar.”

The Empress tilted her teacup as is.

She drank quite a lot of tea, perhaps because she was upset earlier.

‘What will come out.’

I stared at her intently.

It wasn’t just one or two herbs mixed from the scent alone, so it was hard to guess what reaction would come out.

At least, he didn’t try to kill me.

And about ten seconds had passed.

“Huh?”

The Empress let out a groan.

“My body…….”
She doubled over in pain, then fell to the floor.

“Call the doctor! Fetch a physician!”

In a matter of moments, the Empress had lost her composure and was now lying on the ground, her body covered in cold sweat. Her once straight back was now curved in discomfort, and she held her stomach with both hands.

“My… my stomach… please… help me…”

Sweat beaded on her forehead, and groans escaped from her slightly parted lips. She was in severe abdominal pain.

“Mother…?”

Serdis’s face crumpled like a sheet of paper upon witnessing the Empress’s sudden collapse. He immediately held his mother in his arms.

“Mother. Breathe deeply.”

By the time the court physicians arrived, the Empress appeared to be at ease in Serdis’s arms.

“Just as you said… I feel a bit better.”

She clung to Serdis, taking in deep breaths as if he were her source of oxygen.

That’s when she realized it.

Serdis’s true intentions.

‘He wanted to show me how much I need him due to my weak constitution.’

She couldn’t even muster a hollow laugh.

There was no point in asking why he would do such a thing.

Instead, she dropped her teacup on the floor. The sound of the cup shattering drew everyone’s attention to her.