Of course, I thought she would start with the main subject, but the Duchess poured tea for me, her guest.
It was refreshing cold tea with ice shaped like roses.
“Drink up.”
“I’ll enjoy it!”
Being parched from the stifling heat, I gulped down the cold tea in an instant. It was very cool, soursweet, and delicious.
However, the Duchess’s reaction was unusual. Her expression was strange, as if she had seen something unbelievable.
“You… finished it already, now?”
“Shouldn’t I have drunk it…?”
I finished it all. Not a single drop left.
I looked back and forth in confusion between the teacup and the Duchess’s face.
I had only drunk it because she said to, so why was she asking if I had finished it…?
“People rarely drink the tea I serve so freely.”
Ah.
Only then did I understand why the Duchess was surprised.
‘The Duchess handles poison. So she must have thought that the tea might be poisoned.’
But that didn’t apply to me. No matter what extreme poison I ingested, the Seberes family’s purification ability would detoxify it completely.
But the Duchess didn’t know the method of me taking poison to create an antidote.
I wiped away the sweat that had gathered on my forehead and feigned nonchalance.
“I was hot at the time, so…?”
“Isn’t your life more important than the heat?”
“I liked the scent of the tea…?”
“It’s a tea without scent.”
Every attempt at an explanation was blocked. I sensed that it would be hard to convince the Duchess with foolish words.
What to do? After brief contemplation, I blurted out.
“You and I are good partners, Duchess! A person wouldn’t poison a partner they work with…”
“Partners?”
“Yes. I’m sure you were pleased with my abilities. Didn’t the antidote pass this time? I thought that’s why you called me.”
A worry that I might have seemed impertinent came late, but it was after the deed had been done.
I tensely awaited the Duchess’s words.
“Partners, yes. Partners. You’re right, Elodie.”
Fortunately, there were no signs of dissatisfaction with my attitude. As I secretly breathed a sigh of relief, the Duchess continued speaking.
“I didn’t put poison in your tea. If I had really intended to poison you, I wouldn’t have done it while talking to you. It would have been in another situation to avoid suspicion.”
“Uh…”
“And, couldn’t I harm you whenever I want if I set my mind to it?”
To me, the Duchess’s words sounded like this:
If I wanted to harm you, I would have eliminated you long ago, so feel at ease.
“You’re right, Duchess.”
When I smiled brightly and answered, the Duchess licked her lips and smiled faintly.
“The sale approval for the antidote you made this time has been granted. All the prepared quantity has started to be distributed, and we received an advance. The amount of antidote isn’t much, so it’s a small amount, but here, take it.”
“Thank you.”
I carefully put away the money pouch, holding back the corners of my mouth that wanted to rise.
Though the Duchess said it was a small amount, judging by the weight and the jingling sound, it was more than I had anticipated.
I wanted to open it right away, but with extreme patience, I held back.
“Check this document for detailed financial records.”
“Yes.”
The Duchess with unenviable wealth couldn’t have cheated me out of money, so I casually skimmed through and closed it again.
“And I have another request.”
“Yes, please speak.”
“I want to place an order for more antidote, how long will it take?”
“It will be ready in about two days. The quantity won’t be too much this time, is that alright?”
“Yes. I would like to buy the antidote recipe if possible, would that be difficult?”
“Ah……. Yes. It’s a trade secret.”
I fidgeted awkwardly with my hands, smiling.
If I carelessly revealed the method of making the antidote, there was a good chance I would be caught using the Seberus family’s power.
The Duchess, apparently anticipating this, quickly moved on to the next question.
“There are quite a few other potent toxins waiting as well, I wonder if you can make the antidotes for them too.”
“It’s possible. But the more toxic they are, the more troublesome and timeconsuming it will be.”
Rather than troublesome, it would be agonizing for a long time, so I didn’t really want to take it on. The amount I could make at once was also limited.
Standing up, I suddenly remembered the last meal.
The Duchess firmly blocked Yanzi’s attempt to investigate the newly discovered pharmacist.
“My lady, thank you for keeping the secret with Yanzi Oraboni.”
“I promised, so I must keep it. We are partners, after all.”
‘We…….’
For me, who was Ferdia, yet not Ferdia, it felt somewhat strange.
Of course, the Duchess probably said it without any special meaning.
[Star Icon][Star Icon][Star Icon]To get to the annex where I was staying, I had to go through the west corridor. I left the greenhouse and headed towards the west corridor.
On the side of the corridor was the family dungeon, and I happened to be passing by it.
“Lock him up.”
“Yo, Your Majesty. It’s unfair. I have devoted myself to loyalty for Ferdia and Your Majesty, why!”
“Silence.”
Thump!
My steps halted abruptly at the sound of a dull beating.
Turning my head towards the dungeon, a horrifying scene unfolded.
A man, beaten to the point that his face was unrecognizable, was on the ground. Duke Ferdia stood in front of him, surrounded by the family soldiers.
It was hard to verify due to the deformity of his face, but I recognized who the fallen man was.
Hector Arold, Duke Ferdia’s assistant.
“I have already collected evidence that you are in collusion with the Second Prince.”
“It’s not true. It’s a conspiracy! It must be a wicked plot by the Second Prince to divide the Ferdia family!”
I was impressed with Sir Arold’s claim.
Look at his fickle loyalty, betraying his real lord who he was in collusion with.
In some respects, it was a claim that might have caused Duke Ferdia to reconsider the punishment if he had sincerely trusted his aide.
“A wicked plot, you say…….”
Flick, a smirk appeared at the corner of the Duke’s mouth. That was just before.
Crack!
Duke Ferdia’s blade was thrust mercilessly into the floor.
And there.
“Ah, aaaahhhh!”
The assistant’s hand was there.
He screamed at the sight of his hand impaled by the sword, but the Duke did not remove it.
“Please……. spare me, please……. spare me…….”
The assistant wailed for a while, then fainted. Only then did the Duke pull out the sword.
Drip, drip…….
Red blood flowed from the tip of the sword.
Unintentionally witnessing a horrific scene, I quietly tried to slip away behind a nearby tree.
But my attempt failed.
“Elodie Ferdia.”
At the soft call, I slowly lifted my head.
Golden, cold eyes were staring straight at me.
A shudder ran through me, freezing my entire body. Those eyes alone were enough to overwhelm a person.
At that moment, I thought,
‘If he discovers that I am not his real daughter, that sword’s tip may turn on me.’
I want to avoid that ending, so I’m struggling like this, but will things really go my way?
Instinctive fear surged within me.
Soon after, the Duke began to walk, brushing past me.
“Come with me, there is something I need to say.”
The faint smell of blood wafted from the passing Duke.
“……Yes!”
I silently followed him closely.
An Indifferent Woman is the One Men Desire the Most
One-line summary: The female lead is actually cold-hearted and extremely rational. She has stage-by-stage relationships and won’t two-time, but there will always be someone who secretly likes her.
This novel has the following triggers, so if you’re sensitive to these, please don’t read:
1. The female lead has had many relationships, but she treated each one seriously and broke up properly.
It’s just that the men unilaterally pestered her incessantly. For the female lead, when she doesn’t like someone anymore, she simply doesn’t like them.
(This applies to her relationships with Male Lead 1, 2, 3, and 4 as well, but she’s loyal in each 1-on-1 relationship!)
2. In this novel, Male Lead 2 and the female lead kiss in a car, and Male Lead 1 sees it and beats up Male Lead 2.
The female lead calls the police and sends both Male Lead 1 and 2 to the police station! Male Lead 1 begs the female lead not to break up with him.
3. Male Lead 1 has a gentle appearance but an obsessive personality.
Male Lead 2 has a delicate and soft appearance, slightly green tea-like (two-faced).
Male Lead 3 is a youthful college student and a smart person who has secretly liked the female lead for a long time.
Male Lead 4 is the female lead’s father’s special assistant, a business elite with deep, hidden thoughts.
4. At the beginning of this novel, the female lead has already broken up with Male Lead 1 (Chapter 4) and gotten back together with Male Lead 2 (ex-boyfriend).
5. Enter with caution if you have triggers!!!
