A Barbaric Proposal Chapter 93

※Poisoning (2)※

[Priests] "The Cardinal has been in this state for several days now."

The priests were polite. However, Black couldn't shake the feeling that they were too polite.

For twenty years, the Temple had been in league with the Six Families. While those who entered the priesthood were supposed to cast aside their family names, most high-ranking priests were either from the Six Families or closely connected to them.

Unless Manau had recently purged the Temple, there was a clear reason for this excessive courtesy.

[Black] "Exactly when did this begin?"

[Priests] "Since the wedding ceremony."

[Black] "Hmm."

A brief note of suspicion escaped his lips. He did not believe in coincidences.

If Manau, who had been perfectly fine during the wedding, was now suddenly dazed and drooling, there had to be a logical explanation.

[Black] "The diagnosis?"

[Priests] "We do not know. Sickness is a trial granted by God, and we merely accept it."

It was a phrase straight out of a scripture—delivered so perfectly it felt rehearsed.

[Fermos] "It seems God also grants poison."

Fermos shared Black's skepticism. As he interjected, the priests' forced mask of politeness finally cracked.

[Priests] "What are you saying! Poison?!"

[Fermos] "There are actually several types of drugs that can reduce a healthy man to this state. Let’s see... my money is on Kabino. It’s the easiest to obtain during this season. If you undress the Cardinal, you’ll likely find purple spots appearing around his heart. That is a hallmark symptom of Kabino poisoning."

The priests could never have dreamed that Fermos possessed such vast knowledge of poisons and medicines. They had likely never even heard the name "Kabino" until now, assuming no one else would know of it either.

[Black] "Strip him."

As Black gave the order to his mercenaries, the priests recoiled in shock.

[Priests] "W-What do you think you’re doing?! How dare you lay hands on the Mouth of God!"

[Black] "And what do you call putting poison into that mouth?"

[Priests] "T-That is...!"

[Priests] "No! Poison? That is an absurd slander!"

Unfortunately for them, their denials were useless.

Manau, lying on the bed with cloudy eyes, blinking, and hands trembling intermittently, was living proof of the poisoning.

The mercenaries quickly pulled the priests away from Manau and tore open his coarse priestly robes.

Just as Fermos had predicted, purple spots had bloomed across his chest like a feverish rash.

[Fermos] "One. Two, three... eight. This means it was administered less than a day ago. If three days had passed, the spots would have spread across his entire torso."

[Black] "So, the claim that it happened right after the wedding was a lie."

[Fermos] "Yes. In that case... this is getting interesting."

He pushed up his monocle with a sharp click.

[Fermos] "A ghost of the Kleinfelter family returns today, and immediately after, the Cardinal ends up in this state due to poison. Could this really be a coincidence?"

[Black] "Unlikely."

Black lifted his sword, still in its scabbard, and rested it against his waist.

[Black] "Can you craft an antidote?"

[Fermos] "As long as I have the ingredients. The Temple has a herb garden, so gathering what I need won't be difficult."

[Black] "Then make it. In the meantime, I will clean up the Temple. The 'ghost' must be hiding here."

[Fermos] "Understood. Hey, one of you stay with me. The rest follow our Lord. Finish this before I'm done with the antidote. I don't want to stay here longer than necessary."

[Mercenaries] "Yes, Deputy Commander!"

The mercenaries followed Black with somewhat reluctant faces, grumbling about having to beat up priests of all people.

To avoid unnecessary bloodshed, they kept their swords sheathed. It wasn't an ideal task, but it wasn't a difficult one either.

They had assumed the Temple could be gradually reformed once Manau was back in his position, but since things had taken this turn, they would simply have to handle it by force.

However, time was slipping away—time spent tied down here, unable to know what was happening back at Nauk Castle.

---

Liene’s feet felt heavy. It was nearly midnight. She let out a small laugh, remembering a similar experience from the past.

Back then, I was the only one pacing around in a panic before I went to find Sir Fermos.

It was the day Laffit had been exiled. Though emotions fluctuated from moment to moment, that day had been the most terrifying of her life.

She had never possessed something—or someone—like Black before. Because she loved him so much, it felt as though he might vanish at any moment, like an unbelievable dream.

Her small laugh turned into a quiet sigh.

I know. It’s a pointless thought. But sometimes, I’m afraid.

Afraid that when I open my eyes, I’ll be back in the days before he existed.

A time when today was exactly like yesterday, and tomorrow promised nothing different. A time without expectations, where the seasons were merely frightening, and the dry wind made her skin ache. A time when her only thought was how to endure another day.

Liene rubbed her arms as a sudden chill made her shoulders tremble.

[Klima] "H-Here..."

As if he had sensed her chill, Klima appeared with a blanket.

[Liene] "Ah, thank you."

He didn't try to wrap it around her himself; he simply stood there holding it.

Liene took the blanket from his hands. Once it was around her shoulders, she felt much warmer.

[Liene] "Are you not sleepy? It should be your time to rest."

[Klima] "No. I am fine. I won't sleep today. Not until the Prince... I mean, my Lord returns."

She spoke lightly, almost jokingly.

[Liene] "Is that so? That’s good to hear. I plan to do the same."

[Klima] "Yes. I know."

Klima, however, nodded with an incredibly serious expression. His sincerity made her feel a bit guilty.

[Liene] "I want to tell you to go to sleep first, but I can't. I feel uneasy for some reason, too."

[Klima] "I-It’s okay. I will stay awake and guard you well. You may sleep, Your Highness, but I cannot. I won't."

[Liene] "Alright. Then let’s hold out a little longer."

Liene forced herself to open the royal records, which no longer seemed to register in her mind.

Because the study grew too chilly at night, she had moved her work to her private chambers. Klima had carried the massive, heavy volumes for her.

[Liene] "The surveillance is being handled properly, right? I mean, the people who came from outside. There are so many of them tonight."

Such occurrences rarely happened in Nauk. It was a strange night.

Klima nodded.

[Klima] "We are patrolling the castle continuously. In pairs. Twice each. If anything happens, we w-will know immediately."

[Liene] "That’s reassuring."

There was no need to worry about the security inside or outside the castle. Fermos had mentioned that new doors and latches had been installed on all the secret entrances they had discovered. No one could sneak in unnoticed anymore.

So why do I keep feeling so anxious?

To soothe her restless mind, Liene turned her eyes back to the royal records. The records were vast and filled with trivialities, and what she was looking for was too vague. She was randomly scanning for any mention of drought or water besides rainfall when something caught her eye.

[Liene] "Ah...?"

It was a minor entry from a time much further back than twenty years ago—a record of a jewel falling out of a Gainers royal ring and being repaired.

Normally, she would have passed over it without a thought. However, she couldn't take her eyes off the intricate drawing of the ring included with the entry.

The ring was uniquely shaped, with several jewels arranged to mimic the symbol of the House of Gainers. Because so many different gems were embedded in it, one or two would occasionally fall out without explanation. Frustrated by this, the King at the time had ordered the ring to be redesigned. To prevent the jewels from catching on things and falling out, the craftsman had skillfully arranged them in a long, vertical line to fit the shape of a finger.

As a result, the ring took on a rather odd shape for jewelry, which earned it a peculiar nickname. Because it resembled a long object with a rounded end, it was called "The Key."

[Liene] "This... must have been it."

She let out a startled whisper to herself.

[Liene] "This ring is the..."

Knock, knock.

It was then that a knock sounded at the door of her chambers.

[Dieren] "Princess."

It was the son of the Grand Duke of Alito.

[Dieren] "I have come to ask for the favor you granted me."

---

[Randall] "Patrol finished. Nothing unusual to report."

Randall let out a long yawn.

[Tiwakan] "I see. And those men? The ones we don't know?"

[Tiwakan] "The night watch is keeping an eye on them. They are suspicious. They’ve barely touched any alcohol and aren't sleeping at all."

[Randall] "Damn it. That’s why I can't sleep either."

[Tiwakan] "Should we try lowering our guard on purpose? Maybe they’ll make their move then."

[Randall] "Shall we?"

Waiting for them to move first was becoming tedious. Setting a trap by intentionally showing a weakness seemed like a good idea.

[Randall] "Don't make it too sudden or they’ll notice. Do it gradually, as if we’re settling in for the night."

[Tiwakan] "Don't worry. I can handle that much."

The lanterns illuminating the area around the guard barracks began to go out one by one at intervals. As if following a routine, the patrol vanished, leaving only a single light behind.

A short while later, once the surroundings fell silent, the suspicious men who had brought Weroz stepped out of their room with hushed footsteps.

Following them, with equally silent steps, were the Tiwakan.

---

[Liene] "What can I do for you?"

Liene suppressed her mounting fatigue as she faced Dieren.

[Dieren] "I would like you to write a travel permit. Since my sister's marriage, a permit hasn't been strictly required to cross the border into Sharka, but given the late hour and the fact that I'm departing from Nauk, I want to avoid any potential misunderstandings."

It was a reasonable request.

[Liene] "Ah, I see. Then would you wait a moment? I’ll have to go to the study to get a pen and paper."

[Dieren] "I’ve brought them with me in case it was a bother."

At Dieren’s gesture, his attendant stepped forward and lowered a box he had been holding respectfully in both hands.

When the box, decorated with elegant silver filigree, was opened, it contained paper, a pen, and ink.

[Liene] "You are well-prepared. However, I’ll need to apply the seal."

[Dieren] "I couldn't possibly impose that much trouble on you. As the current ruler of Nauk, your signature is more than enough."

[Liene] "If you say so."

The attendant unfurled a rolled piece of paper and placed it on a small tea table.

While Liene picked up the pen, the attendant opened the ink bottle and handed it to Dieren. Dieren placed the ink bottle next to Liene’s hand.

Perhaps he was nervous, for the bottle wobbled as if it were about to tip over.

[Dieren] "......Ah!"

Dieren nearly spilled the ink onto the back of Liene’s hand. But he didn't.

Klima, who had been standing quietly in the corner, suddenly stepped forward and firmly gripped Dieren’s hand, which was still holding the ink bottle.

[Dieren] "What are you doing...!"

The ink overflowed, staining both Dieren’s and Klima’s hands.

[Attendant] "......! Your Highness!"

The attendant’s face turned pale. Dieren looked the same.

[Dieren] "What is the meaning of this insolence! Why would you do such a thing!"

Dieren shouted, shaking off Klima’s hand.

While it was indeed an act of insolence, Dieren’s reaction was definitely strange. He was tightly clutching his ink-stained hand with his other hand.

Klima watched his actions intently, then wiped the ink from his own hand onto his tunic and spoke softly.

[Klima] "Because you put something in the ink."

[Dieren] "W-What? What are you saying?"

[Klima] "If it were me, that’s what I would have done. In this situation, it would be the most effective method."

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