Just realizing that Walter had left the mansion, Hans felt confident.

“I just came from Lady Elizabeth’s room, actually.”

“Did Elizabeth ask about Walter?”

“Yes. I haven’t told her anything, but I might start looking out for my own interests.”

“Interests?”

“Yes. The information about your affair could be sold for a high price, and I’m keeping quiet. For 50 gold, I’ll stay quiet.”

“…”

“Ah, if I were to tell Lady Elizabeth what I know, it could jeopardize your inheritance, no?”

Unbeknownst to Hans, Edith had voluntarily decided not to take her share of the inheritance.

Edith simply looked at him. Her gaze eventually settled on the half-eaten refreshments. It was a cold gaze that Hans, caught up in his premature dreams, failed to notice.

“Hans. I thought you might be somewhat righteous, but seeing you resort to blackmail tells me otherwise.”

“I’m not a fool who won’t even look out for his own interests.”

Hans felt contempt for Edith and picked up the last remaining cookie just as a calm, cold voice pierced his ear.

“The tea and cookies are poisoned, Hans.”

“…What?”

Hans dropped what he was holding at her eerily calm voice. However, he’d already consumed most of the refreshments she’d prepared.

“If you don’t take the antidote orally within three days, you’ll die of abdominal pain. The poison causes permanent and fatal damage to the pancreas.”

“…”

Hans looked at Edith with a stunned face. Seeing her wait for him to finish eating made him feel like all the blood in his body had run cold.

Furthermore, the terms Edith used were not ones that laymen in medicine would typically know, giving him the impression that she knew well about poisons.

‘In reality, it’s just that the cold is causing temporary stomach pain.’
The tea Hans drank contained water steeped with branches of the sedic tree she had picked earlier.

Originally used for detoxification, the sedic tree always led to stomach upset when mixed with tea leaves, especially fermented black tea.

“Hans. Threats aren’t something only you can make.”

“What is this…”

“Go tell Elizabeth that Walter has never been seen alone with a woman.”

If Walter really was of Lexion’s bloodline as Benjamin’s investigation suggested, then Elizabeth would surely harm the women who might have borne his child.

In such a circumstance, if her secret meetings with Walter were to be exposed, she would be the first to arouse Elizabeth’s suspicion. Edith wanted to prevent that from happening in the absence of Walter.

“I’m asking you, Hans. I don’t want to kill anyone.”

“……!”

Hearing the word ‘request,’ Hans felt chills down his spine.

‘Did she deliberately mention ‘request’ when she entered the room, waiting for me to talk nonsense?’

He wondered how stupid he must have looked to her, sitting there munching cookies, unaware he had fallen into her trap.

Moreover, just as she had said, he began to feel a slight twist in his gut. When cold sweat started to form, Hans had no choice but to respond.

“Very well.”

“Thank you. Going directly to Elizabeth now would be suspicious. Take care of this by tomorrow morning.”

“Yes, yes. Will that be all?”

As Hans began to bend, just as he had under Walter’s pressure, Edith let out a cynical laugh.

If he hadn’t listened to her while suffering from a stomachache, she had planned to administer poison under the guise of an antidote. But seeing his pale face, she thought it wouldn’t need to go that far.

‘Walter was right.’

Hans never yields to the weak. He acts servile before the strong, but is deceitful toward those weaker than him.

It seemed that Walter had appropriately assessed this aspect of Hans when he decided to use him.

‘…What is he doing right now?’

Edith sent the trembling Hans away with a nod and threw herself onto the bed. Lately, her physical condition had been oddly abnormal, and it felt good to close her eyes as thoughts of her time with Walter consumed her mind.

That night, Edith had a strange dream.