The Duke, his only cousin, was weak and the Emperor had a deep bond with him, sending rare tonics and personal physicians each season to take care of him.

But if the personal physician sent by the Emperor tried to harm the Duke…

A red warning light was ringing in Lea’s head. She should not get involved any deeper in this matter.

“Why do you sigh like that?”

A soft voice came from the front as Lea let out a sigh unknowingly.

He seemed to have sensed something from her lingering figure while she was packing her bag. After a long silence, she shook her head.

“No, it’s nothing.”

She looked as though she had something to say, yet she denied it. The Duke’s brow slightly furrowed.

And when Lea, having packed her bag, was about to turn around, Akia’s question held her steps.

“What do you think about it? About me collapsing after eating leopard grass.”

The Duke’s straight gaze landed on Lea.

“Well, I am not sure…”

“I think this is not an accident caused by the incompetence of the physician.”

Akia’s mouth was twisted in an aloof manner as his cold voice flowed. Lea’s hand, clenched into a fist, started to sweat as she couldn’t avoid the Duke’s gaze.

It was hard to guess what the Duke meant by asking her directly.

“Tell me, Lea. Who do you think tried to kill me?”

Upon Lea’s attempt to sidestep the issue, Akia posed an even more blatant question. Overwhelmed by the sudden rush, Lea closed her eyes tightly.

This was a question that was already answered. He was watching to see how she would answer.

“Sigh…”

As she let out a deep breath, her tangled thoughts cleared up all at once.

‘The Duke is not asking because he doesn’t know.’

He wants to see how I would answer. In that case, I had no choice but to answer honestly. Lea opened her mouth.

“There are three possibilities.”

Lea’s calm voice echoed in the room.

“First, the Emperor’s physician mistook the efficacy of the leopard grass. Second, the Emperor instructed the physician to harm the Duke. Third, someone instructed the Emperor’s physician to kill the Duke.”

She articulated while folding her fingers one by one.

“The first is not the case. It’s impossible for the Emperor’s physician to mistake the efficacy of the herbs. It’s a principle not to prescribe uncertain medication. That means it’s either the second or third case. As you know, both are the worstcase scenarios.”
No matter who did it, assassinating royalty was a grave sin, enough to wipe out an entire lineage. Someone was desperate enough to take such a risk to eliminate the Count.

‘I might be in danger myself.’

The attitudes of the servants in the mansion gave an idea of the Count’s position within the empire.

When I said, ‘Either His Majesty or someone of his standing is after Count’s life!’

Lea was afraid of the aftermath. That she might get too deeply involved in the Count’s business. She didn’t have the nerve to stir up something she couldn’t handle.

‘Right. There’s no reason for me to risk my life to be loyal to the Count.’

Lea’s only goal was to repay the penalty safely and get out of this mansion.

And she wanted to live happily with her orphanage family using the money she received as a contract fee.

If she got more involved here, she might be killed by the Count in return. The Count wouldn’t let someone who shared too many secrets leave easily.

“I couldn’t dare to imagine who might be behind it. It doesn’t seem like a story that a mere rookie pharmacist could judge.”

“……”

“But it’s true that the Count is being threatened by someone.”

Lea slowly raised her eyes to meet Akiya’s gaze. His piercing gaze swept over her, but Lea didn’t flinch a bit.

“If the Count is taking poison and it’s related to this matter….”

Lea slowly opened her lips.

“You should cover up this case.”

Lea’s eyes, more determined than ever, were directed towards the Count.

Just when the Count was about to ask Lea something, his mouth trembling.

“Count!”

The bedroom door opened and Bayern and Jacob approached with urgent strides. Seeing the two people who suddenly appeared, Lea’s eyes fluttered for a moment.

But seeing the Count so calm, he must have known that the two were coming.

Bayern, coming closer, saw Akiya, who was fine, and opened his mouth. A look of mixed emotions. What stood out most was shock.

‘Sure enough, the butler was part of it too.’

At first, he thought the palace physician had been bribed by someone. Bayern had never liked Lea.

He thought he was upset because he was not the one to counter the palace doctor’s examination. It was clear that Bayern was also part of the group targeting the Count.

Lea swallowed a sigh that was about to escape. Then she glanced down at Akiya, who was leaning against the bed.

No emotions showed on the Count’s face, staring at the two men expressionlessly. What kind of life had this man lived?

How many assassination attempts must he have faced to remain so composed in front of those trying to kill him?

As she tried to calm her troubled heart.

“Ah…… I’m relieved. The Goddess Helena must have helped.”

“……”

“How worried I was that the Count might go wrong. I was about to write a letter to His Majesty, I’m so relieved.”

Bayern, who had come close, knelt in front of the Count with a worried look. It was an utterly hypocritical sight.

“Jacob, come over here and check on the Count.”

“Alright.”

Bayern called Jacob, who was standing afar. Jacob ran over in one step and took out his medical tools from his bag.

“Count, it’s Jacob who saved you! His medicine worked wonders.”

“……”

“Isn’t he the Emperor’s personal physician? Fortunately, it was a regular checkup, you were lucky, Count.”

‘Lucky? It’s more like a calamity.’

Lea almost burst into laughter. The Count almost died because of that prescription filled with wormwood!

“Count. Your pulse is stable, and the allergic red spots, the symptoms of clairvoyance, are all gone!”

Jacob exclaimed, but he was on the verge of collapsing. His eyes were shaking constantly, and his lips were trembling slightly.

He didn’t expect the Count to wake up like this while he was waiting for him to become a coffin.

“Are you saying he’s healthy?”
“Indeed. Hehehe, it seems my treatment was effective. You are recovering so quickly.”

Jacob let out a dry laugh. However, his composed facade was not as flawless as Bayern’s. The rigid eyes and smiling lips created a perfect dissonance.

The Count noticed it in an instant as a fleeting smile flashed at the corner of his mouth. Then he extended one hand toward Lea.

Without hesitation, Lea handed him the paper and pen she was holding. The scratching sound of writing filled the surrounding.

Bayern took the paper handed over by Akia, and nodded his head without hesitation.

“Yes! It’s Jacob.”

“…….”

“You are indeed the physician of his majesty, aren’t you? I’m really glad to see you unharmed, Count.”

They were like two old friends who got along well. As the Count watched Bayern and Jacob, he began to write something.

And then.

“Thanks to you, the disease has improved, so I will beseech the emperor to give you a great reward.”

Lea read the note on behalf of the Count.

“Ththank you, Your Lordship the Count!”

But his face paled as if it wasn’t appropriate for someone who was about to receive a reward. He thought he would be reprimanded, but he was suddenly getting a reward.

‘Something is strange.’

It was true that he suffered greatly after eating a tiger’s grass, so he thought the Count would seriously reprimand him. But instead of reprimanding, he was giving him a reward and thanking him.

Bayern couldn’t hide his uneasy feeling.