There was an urgent visitor to the busy Medelia Count’s residence.

“Thank you for coming, Viscountess Ratsha.”

Terik greeted Viscountess Lordy Ratsha.

It had already been 3 days since Erina was poisoned, but no meaningful antidote had been created.

Erina’s body was still fighting the poison, sleeping half the day, and her magic stone showed no signs of improvement.

Sensing the worry in Terik’s words, Lordy hurried to meet Erina.

“May I see Count Medelia?”

“Fortunately, she is awake now. She’s waiting, having heard you were coming.”

Lordy followed Terik, moving urgently to enter the room where Erina was.

Erina was sitting at the table with Heila’s help.

“Viscountess Ratsha.”

Erina’s appearance, smiling painfully with her still pale face, did not look fine even with kind words.

“Count Medelia.”

Lordy hurriedly approached and sat in front of Erina, examining her.

“I’ve heard the overall situation. Did you take the antidote right after being poisoned?”

“Yes, my lady. Thanks to that, I survived.”

Erina was not merely saying empty words.

Though incomplete, it was a poison as deadly as any extreme toxin.

If not for the antidote Lordy had given, she might have met her end as Rose had hoped.

“If that antidote couldn’t neutralize it, it must be quite a vicious poison.”

Heila spoke on Erina’s behalf upon hearing Lordy’s words.

“It’s a poison made by someone who became a sage through a single herb. It’s said to be incomplete due to lacking one ingredient, which someone else substituted to complete it.”

“How could someone so talented do such a thing…”

Lordy clicked her tongue at the foolishness of the poison maker.

In the Sepia Kingdom, they could have worked under quite favorable conditions.

The Sepia Kingdom had been steadily recruiting those skilled with herbs, so naturally, those knowledgeable about herbs gathered there.

For those studying herbs, it was well-known, so Lordy immediately realized.

The one who made this poison was surely someone who had been working in the shadows.

It was clear without being told that they had made a foolish choice, blinded in an instant.

Likely, that sage would not be able to avoid execution for the crime of involvement in Erina’s near-death.

Inwardly clicking her tongue, Lordy comforted Erina.

“His Majesty has requested an expert from the Sepia Kingdom. They’re expected to arrive today. There’s no poison the one coming to the Empire can’t neutralize, so you’ll be fine soon.”

Lordy conveyed the news while constantly examining Erina with eyes dripping with concern.

“Thank you for your concern, my lady.”

Lordy, sensing Erina’s rapidly declining strength, left after wishing for her quick recovery.

Afterwards, those worried about Erina came to visit carefully.

Bellodi and Tanya cried their eyes out in front of the sickly-looking Erina, each blaming themselves and apologizing.

Tanya apologized for having sided with the vicious Rose, while Bellodi apologized for helping with the deadly poison that had hurt Erina.

Bellodi and Tanya, who apologized hundreds of times to Erina as she assured them it was alright, hurried back seeing her exhausted appearance.

Sereni visited Erina and briefly relayed news about the two kingdoms.

She said that in the Tula Kingdom and Trumto Kingdom, like the Smale Kingdom, nobles with strong resentment towards the king were gathering to plot rebellion.

She mentioned that the center of the rebellion in the Tula Kingdom was the 2nd prince, Sereni’s younger brother.

The children of the former queen of Tula Kingdom – the 1st prince and two princesses – were already influenced by the Tula king, immersed in an unattainable daydream.

Sereni had advised them to break free early on, but to no avail.

She said that in the Tula Kingdom, Sereni and the 2nd prince, the current queen’s children who were thinking somewhat sanely, were gathering nobles with the aim of deposing their father.

She reported that the Trumto Kingdom was in turmoil as a rebellion was already underway, centered around the duke who led the noble faction.

Erina already knew about the Trumto Kingdom’s situation, having heard it from Terik.

Erina was already secretly helping, on the condition of receiving custody of the royals who had tormented Connie, having made contact with the duke.

Soon after Sereni left after relaying the news, someone from the Sepia Kingdom arrived.

The person from the kingdom was currently working as a royal physician in the Sepia Kingdom.

“Pleased to meet you. I am Casol Hudin.”

He was from the Hudin Marquis family, which had been in charge of royal physicians for generations and was incomparably competent in herbal knowledge.

“I heard it was urgent, so I’ll examine right away.”

Bertrel thanked Casol, who was moving quickly first, and guided him to Erina.

“Count, this is Marquis Casol Hudin, the royal physician of the Sepia Kingdom.”

Erina, supported by Heila, sat on the bed and greeted Casol.

“Marquis Hudin, I’m glad to meet you.”

“Count Medelia, it’s a pleasure. May I proceed with the examination right away?”

“Of course.”

“Please describe your current symptoms in detail.”

While Casol was examining Erina, Bertrel brought in the herbalist who had been researching the poison at the count’s residence all along.

Erina took a breath and spoke to Casol.

“Occasionally pain rises but soon subsides. My body lacks strength, and I quickly tire from moving or talking for long.”

Fortunately, she could speak more fluently than before, able to convey without interruption.

Casol carefully wrote down Erina’s slowly spoken words while examining her body.

The herbalist who soon entered also added words about the poison.

“We’ve caught the person who made the poison and found the recipe, but since they didn’t consider an antidote when making it, we’re facing quite a challenge.”

Casol received a paper from the herbalist detailing the herbs used in the poison, the mixing method, and how it was made.

“Moreover, due to misusing the final herb, a different poison than intended by the maker was completed.”

“The Tetenia herb that should have been added last was used dried instead of fresh.”

When Rose demanded the Tetenia herb from Bellodi, Jarham said it didn’t matter how it was added, so she immediately received the dried herb she had on hand.

Because of that, while an instantly fatal extreme poison wasn’t completed, it became a poison quite difficult to neutralize.

Casol examined the paper he received and the paper with Erina’s symptoms for a long time before speaking positively.

“If we can procure the ingredients, I think we can make an antidote soon.”

As Casol’s hopeful words came out, sighs of admiration burst out here and there in the room that had been filled with tension.

Afterwards, Casol asked for understanding and spent the entire day making the antidote with the herbalist.

Many people joined forces to quickly gather the ingredients needed for the antidote, and with Casol’s outstanding ability, the antidote was soon completed.

As it was quite a vicious poison, it had to be neutralized over several times.

As soon as the detoxification was over, Erina regained her health as if she had never been ill.

The blurry magic stone regained its color as soon as Erina recovered her health.

The nobles cheered when they learned that the color of the magic stone had returned.

The count’s residence was able to quickly find stability amidst the blessings and encouragement of many.

“I’m really, really glad, Erina.”

“Heila. I’m fine.”

Heila held the hand of Erina sitting on the bed, sniffling and repeatedly saying how glad she was.

Erina’s complexion, which had been pale and sickly, was better than ever, and her body, which Heila had to support, looked light.

The words that had to be continued while catching her breath each time were smooth as before.

As soon as Erina regained her health, gifts and letters poured in from everywhere as if they had been waiting.

There were many who wanted to visit directly to congratulate her on her recovery, but Terik refused them all.

It was because he wanted to give Erina, who had just barely regained her health, some time to rest.

Erina spent such a comfortable day amidst the consideration of many that she couldn’t even remember the past events she had been rushing through without rest.

Three days after Erina was poisoned, and three days after she was detoxified, the person she really wanted to see came to visit.

‘Knock knock-.’

“Come in.”

Late at night, the one who opened Erina’s door and entered was Sandes, whom she had been waiting for so eagerly.

As soon as Sandes opened the door and entered, he couldn’t speak at the sight of Erina’s healthy appearance.

“Sandes.”

Although Erina, whom he had longed for so much, was right in front of him, it was difficult to open his mouth due to the emotions welling up.

While Erina was fighting the poison, Sandes moved busily without a moment’s rest, trying to handle all matters on her behalf.

Although he wanted to see her, he was so busy that all he could do was visit briefly in the deep night to see her sleeping face and leave.

Each time, he had to leave after just helplessly watching her unable to sleep properly, with painful groans.

When Erina started regaining her health by taking the antidote, he had so much to do that he couldn’t even visit her.

In Sandes’ memory, only her suffering appearance remained, making his chest ache whenever he thought of her.

Seeing Sandes biting his lip with wavering eyes, Erina took a step towards him and said.

“Sandes, I’m all better now.”

At those words, the crumbling Sandes rushed to her in one breath and embraced her tightly.

“Erina.”

Sandes held her, who was reaching out to him with both arms, fully in his embrace and buried his face in her shoulder.

The familiar scent of her on the tip of his nose made Sandes feel relieved.

Erina, hugging Sandes back, smiled as she nestled into his arms.

“Hah…”

A sigh of relief that he had been holding back all this time flowed from his mouth.