“Your Grace, a letter has arrived from the palace.”

“From the palace?”

It had been less than a week since he had last seen the emperor. To receive communication from the palace so quickly was unexpected.

‘I have a bad feeling about this…’

The duke hastily tore open the letter Rikel had handed him. And soon, darkness rapidly descended upon the duke’s face as he read the contents of the letter.

“Is something the matter?”

As the duke sighed briefly and touched his forehead, Rikel cautiously asked.

“Illay is being summoned to the palace. He says he’s lonely and wants to have a cup of tea with me.”

Akkia muttered as he irritably put down the letter. Since when were they on such friendly terms to sit face to face and leisurely have tea together?

There must be some ulterior motive.

“Have you noticed any strange signs around the emperor lately?”

“No, there haven’t been any particularly unusual movements. However, there are indications that Count Rodrigo’s side has purchased grassroot through a merchant group.”

“Grassroot?”

“Yes, it’s not a particularly rare medicinal herb, but one of the commonly used herbs for nutritional supplements.”

The duke, who had been silently listening to Rikel’s words, nodded his head. As he said, grassroot was known as an herb for improving vitality.

However, that was only when grassroot was used alone. Akkia awkwardly rubbed his chin with a somewhat embarrassed expression and addressed Rikel.

“Grassroot…”

“Shall I investigate a bit further? Grassroot is…”

“No, it’s fine. I know what you’re trying to say. I understand for now, you may leave.”

Rikel hesitated for a moment, but eventually bowed his head at Akkia’s dismissal. It seemed Akkia also understood the intention behind what he was about to say.

Then, as he was about to turn and leave, Rikel turned back towards Akkia.

“Ah, Professor Rams visited the palace. He stopped by to attend an academic conference and had an audience with His Majesty.”

“Professor Rams?”

Akkia, who had lowered his gaze to the documents, raised his head again at the unfamiliar name. Wasn’t Rams the herbologist Leah had met not long ago?

“Yes. He talked with His Majesty for about an hour before leaving.”

Akkia’s brows furrowed slightly.

An hour was quite a long time to stay. No matter how famous a professor Rams was, he wasn’t influential enough to have an audience with the emperor.

‘So that means he sent someone to follow Leah.’

If they had started investigating Leah, it was only a matter of time before Illay noticed the Poralium poison.

Since the duke’s pharmacist had met with a poison specialist.

“Rikel. It seems we’ll have to move up the timeline.”

“Are you referring to the timeline, Your Grace?”

At Akkia’s subtle suggestion to move up the timeline, Rikel’s eyes darkened deeply. As if he immediately understood what it meant.

“Yes. Where is Leah?”

“I believe she’s still in the laboratory, shall I call for her?”

For a moment, Akkia thought about meeting Leah to seek her advice regarding grassroot. However, the duke soon shook his head.

‘The new drug development is also urgent.’

“No, it’s fine. Prepare for the trip to the palace.”

.

.

.

Illay sat on the windowsill, gazing into the distance.

[Your Majesty, it is my first time greeting you. I am Professor Rams, teaching herbology at Poren Royal University. It is an immense honor to meet you in person like this.]

As luck would have it, upon hearing the news that Rams was attending an academic conference in the capital, he had invited him to the palace. It was to ask about Akkia.

Unable to directly ask about Akkia, he vaguely explained the duke’s condition as a topic of discussion.

An unknown illness. At first, Akkia’s energy gradually decreased until he collapsed.

And when he regained consciousness, his condition had worsened to the point where it wouldn’t be surprising if he died at any moment, accompanied by aphasia.

[Hmm. From what I hear, it sounds similar to the symptoms of Poralium poisoning.]

The answer that came at the end of the explanation was shocking.

[Poralium poisoning? You mean it’s not a disease but poisoning?] [Yes. If it’s not a congenital disease, the condition can’t worsen so suddenly like that. Usually, those symptoms appear when poisoned. Especially, the characteristic of Poralium poison is that it slowly causes a person to wither away and die.] […] [Of course, it’s difficult for that to happen with a single poisoning. There’s a high probability of long-term exposure. Is that patient still alive?]

When Illay heard the story from Rams, he felt as if he had been hit on the back of his head.

Even Illay found it suspicious that Akkia had suddenly fallen ill.

Because until the former empress was assassinated, Akkia was still energetically playing with Illay. Illay’s brows narrowed as if recalling his childhood.

‘Either someone deliberately fed Poralium poison to Akkia.’

Or if not.

“He has been pretending to be weak all along.”

A chilling voice escaped Illay’s lips.

The fact that he sent that woman, the pharmacist, to meet Rams meant that Akkia also knew he was in a state of poisoning.

‘Then the latter possibility is high.’

No. His ominously pounding heart seemed to confirm that his speculation was correct.

‘It’s unbelievable.’

Illay lowered his head and stared at his trembling hands.

He thought Akkia was a weak prince just waiting for the day he would die. But if he had been drinking the Poralium poison himself…

He was no different from a tiger hiding its claws and lowering its body.

Just as Illay’s eyes turned as cold as frost, a short knock and the voice of a court lady were heard.

− Your Majesty, Duke Haidern has arrived.

‘Yes. The doubts will be resolved today as well.’

He would be able to tell if Akkia was indeed poisoned with Poralium based on what he had prepared today.

“Tell him to come in.”

As soon as Illay gave permission, the door to the audience chamber opened.

“Welcome, Akkia.”

The emperor rose from his seat as Akkia made his appearance. Illay, who had erased the cold expression from a moment ago, was exceedingly gentle.

He gestured for Akkia to sit down and wore a kind smile.

“I wanted to see you often, so I summoned you to the capital, but you never come to see me, so I had no choice but to call you here like this.”

The sound of something being written on paper echoed through the audience chamber.

[“I apologize. My health has not been good lately, so I couldn’t go out.”]

Illay read the note Akkia handed him.

“Oh dear, then you should have told me all the more. Have the palace physician examine you before you leave.”

The emperor clicked his tongue as if he was truly sorry.

“Speaking of which, I have something I prepared with you in mind.”

The emperor gave Akkia an exceptionally graceful smile.

“This is said to be quite good for restoring vitality. So I specially prepared it for you.”

[“This is…”]

“It’s an energy supplement called grassroot. It’s said to be very beneficial for those who haven’t seen sunlight for a long time, like you.”

The duke furrowed his brows as he looked at the teacup placed in front of him. Illay was always like this.

Regardless of whether Akkia wanted it or not, Illay had to have things done his way to be satisfied.

Akkia sighed as he looked at the steaming teacup.

As a duke, he couldn’t ignore the emperor’s goodwill when he had shown such courtesy. He had to avoid provoking the emperor’s temper as much as possible and show a vulnerable side to make him let his guard down.

“I’d appreciate it if you drink it all, even if just to acknowledge my sincerity.”

As if adding fuel to the fire, the emperor also urged Akkia.

[“Thank you, Your Majesty.”]

The duke, who had been intently staring at the teacup for a moment, reluctantly and cautiously drank the tea. Then, an unpleasant sourness spread throughout his mouth.

“They say good medicine is bitter, but this has a strong sour taste. Isn’t it interesting? That such sourness comes from an herb.”

The emperor, who had been watching Akkia drink the tea, also picked up a cup. Grassroot. As Illay had said, it was indeed an energy supplement.

‘Generally speaking.’

“Even if it doesn’t suit your taste, it’s best to drink it all. To the end. All of it.”

As if he intended to watch Akkia drink that tea to the end. Illay’s persistent gaze fell upon Akkia.

[This is the timeline separator]

Late in the afternoon, when the sun was setting and the sky was dyed orange. Upon hearing the news that the duke, who had gone to the palace, had returned, Leah headed to his room.

“I should have a conversation with the duke about what happened that day.”

On that day, she was so flustered that she ran out of the room without properly asking. But when she later thought about it carefully, there were quite a few strange points.

‘The duke said he clearly spent the night with me, but it didn’t feel like that at all.’

Because her body felt so refreshed, as if she had slept deeply.

“And I need to ask exactly what my condition was.”

In order to get rid of this embarrassing side effect as soon as possible, she needed to ask what symptoms had appeared.

Leah, who had been thinking about this and that, soon stood in front of the door to Akkia’s room.

− Knock knock.

“Your Grace. It’s Leah. I have something to tell you. May I come in for a moment?”

But when there was no response from inside the room, Leah tilted her head.

“Is he not here?”

As she was about to turn around, thinking she should come back tomorrow, Akkia’s voice was heard.

− …Come in.

Perhaps he had fallen asleep after returning from the palace. The duke’s voice was lower than usual.

As she entered the room, she saw Akkia lying on the sofa.

Perhaps he had been taking a nap. The duke had his head tilted back, covering his face with his right arm.

“What is it?”

Akkia’s languid voice, escaping his lips, echoed in Leah’s ears.

“It’s not that important… If you’re very tired, should I come back tomorrow?”

“No. I have a feeling I won’t be able to hear it tomorrow.”

“Pardon?”

When Leah asked again, not having heard the latter part of what the duke had muttered, he let out a low sigh.

“…Don’t just stand there, sit down.”

“Ah, yes.”

Since she hadn’t properly faced the duke since that day, an awkward atmosphere flowed.

“Your Grace. About that day…”

When Leah bowed her head, unable to muster the courage to face the duke.

“Nothing happened.”

Akkia’s answer came before she could even ask, and Leah raised her gaze. The duke, who had his eyes closed, was now meeting her gaze.

“The thing you’re worried about, it didn’t happen.”

“Ah.”

Indeed, nothing happened that day.

Leah was sighing in relief, her tense body relaxing completely.

“…Leah. Once you finish the antidote, will you return to Tren?”

Akkia, who had been looking at Leah with an indecipherable gaze, casually asked.

‘Tren…’

Originally, the answer should have been ‘Of course,’ but well. Leah hesitated, not knowing how to respond.

When she gives the antidote to the duke, their contract will end. Leaving with the end of the contract was only natural.

But for some reason, the answer didn’t come out easily. As Leah’s lips quivered, a low voice wrapped around her ears.

“Don’t go.”

Akkia slowly recited, as if exhaling a hot breath. Don’t go, he said. Leah’s eyes widened at the completely unexpected words.

“If I say that, will you not go?”

‘What?’

Leah was perplexed and confused.

Because she couldn’t understand the intention behind this man uttering such words. And it was strange that her heart swayed like a reed at a single word.

‘What do I want to do?’

She repeated the action of pressing and parting her dry lips several times. By the time the hem of her skirt, which Leah had been grasping, was in a mess.

“Your Grace. I…”

She turned her head to look at Akkia, trying to say anything.

But then.

− Thud.

Suddenly, she felt one side of the sofa tilting, and at the same time, something heavy touched her shoulder.