Chapter 110

* * *

“You were lucky.”

The doctor just said this. With great relief.

“Does it mean that neither the poison, nor the Breath of Johannes is left behind?”

To Rixus’ question, the doctor softly answered, lowering his body.

“Yes. She will be completely healed within a few days.”

“Are you sure?”

I think he had already asked 10 times.

I, who couldn’t stand it anymore, said while holding Rixus’ hand.

“Rixus, I’m really fine.”

“Are you okay…?”

Rixus looked at my face, seeming to have a lot to say, then bit his mouth tightly.

Then he commented,

“Your face is a mess right now.”

“You’re the one with the worse face, Rixus.”

“I’m fine.”

I was about to say ‘I’m fine’ right away, but I stopped.

Since I was the one who swallowed two drugs, with one that acted like poison on my body.

It was understandable that Rixus was worried about me, but at the same time it was so unfamiliar.

I had only experienced people who didn’t blink an eye even after they dumped me in the swamp. I was rather accustomed to cold reactions and indifference.

Even in Spinel’s Royal Palace, I had never felt sick while serving as an iron-blooded monarch.

So, it tickled me for no reason that someone was watching out of worry.

Although it was Rixus.

‘You must have worried a lot.’

His eyes were bloodshot. Did you sleep?

I heard that while I was lying down, every day, he wouldn’t leave my side… 

Again, feelings of gratitude and regret flooded into me.

I took cold water and drank it slowly, as if trying to swallow these warm, unfamiliar feelings.

“Your Highness the Crown Prince, Her Majesty the Queen will soon rise from this state. I’m sorry for saying this…”

The doctor hesitated a little, then looked at me and said,

“Her resilience is like a wild beast’s.”

“!”

Pff—

I spit out the water I was drinking.

‘You’re saying my resilience is like a beast’s?!’

‘Usually… Such an expression… Don’t you use it a lot for men…?’

In an instant, I felt so strong that even the rocks could be shattered like shells, like a sea otter, and I made an embarrassed expression.

I guess my resilience was over-trained in the poison swamp.

I made myself strong with poison… 

“I can’t believe it since she’s so weak. But it’s fortunate.”

Rixus took out his handkerchief and wiped my mouth slowly, worryingly.

“Weak…?”

Feeling my beast-like resilience, the doctor raised his eyebrows and followed Rixus’ words as if puzzled for a moment,

Seeing my wide red eyes with the signal of ‘Shut up’, he immediately cringed and lowered his head.

“…Yes, Your Highness……”

“The fact that my wife was addicted to the poison, and everything about the Breath of Johannes, should all be kept secret.”

“I will put a hard lock on my mouth, Your Highness the Crown Prince.”

I liked the clear command of Rixus’.

Earlier I asked him, before I was completely sober.

About how things were going.

That was the thing I was most curious about.

In fact, no matter how much I prepared and mentally practiced it, risking my life would be in vain if the contents were revealed.

Rixus replied that he also kept it a thorough secret that there was poison in the wine I had prepared.

‘It’s just as expected.’

He was on the good side. It was most comfortable when he was on my side.

“Is there anything to be particularly careful about?”

The doctor answered Rixus’ question succinctly.

“I think she should focus on recovery for a few days and take care of herself as much as possible.”

Those words caused a disaster.

Rixus immediately summoned five priests to give me divine power and resilience.

“…Are you not focusing too much on recovery?”

Even a patient with a deadly disease wouldn’t have five IVs attached.

When I got up from the bed because I wanted to go do some work, Rixus jumped up and insisted,

“I’ll help.”

“…Please let me do it myself! What are you talking about!”

“Then I’ll take you somewhere nearby. How can you walk after lying down for a few days, Candy?”

“…I can walk, damn it!”

As he walked down the hallway proudly carrying me, all the employees peeked at us with their heads bowed.

They would think that the crown prince and his wife finally became crazy.

‘…Please, let me go on my feet…’

He kept treating me like I was a feather that would fly when the air shifted.

I couldn’t even eat rice with my own hands.

“I can do it.”

“That’s the third time I’ve said that. It’s just…”

Rixus’ eyes trembled a lot in an instant as I persisted.

That expression looked so heartbreaking… There was a squeeze in my heart for an instant.

He bit his lips and looked at me as if suppressing his emotions, then slowly changed his expression.

“Let me do it.”

“…….”

“I almost lost my wife on the wedding day, so I can do this for her.”

When I saw that expression, I vaguely remembered.

The moment I was convinced that Rixus had died when he jumped into the icy lake.

At that time, my heart was pounding.

I vividly remembered how much I hated the dark lake that had swallowed him as if he had not existed.

‘……It was very difficult.’

If he had that feeling for a few nights and days, the whole time when I was lying down.

Lowering my eyes, I relented.

“It’s too hot, so blow it up and feed me.”

“Awung.”(TL/N: a whiny/acting cute kind of sound.)

“…I didn’t say it’s okay to play.”

“It’s because you’re so cute.”

Rixus couldn’t hide the smile on his lips and blew the mieum with his own mouth.

Then he fed me.

‘Did it taste like this?’

My eyes widened a little.

The taste was artful. It was savory yet plain.

It was interesting because it was a food that I wouldn’t normally have looked at.

Every bite, each bite, I was looking forward to it.

‘Did I regain my appetite in one day with the resilience of a beast…?’

I was embarrassed by myself, but I ate everything that Rixus gave me.

Rixus looked very satisfied, and I wanted to see that expression, so I ate diligently, like I was reassuring him that it was all right.

In the end, after I emptied a bowl and took the medicine, I felt a little better.

A satisfactory languor came over me.

After we both had a breather, I asked the real question.

“How’s Yuria?”

“She was arrested on the spot, so she must be in jail by now. I’ve postponed the trial until you woke up.”

“Good job. I didn’t expect you to care so much.”

Actually, this was definitely unexpected. I thought that he might be angry and punish Yuria right away.

Rixus looked at me with still eyes, and then opened his mouth.

“I have to know exactly the full story of the case so that I can punish her according to the weight of the crime.”

“…….”

He spoke in a roundabout manner, but he was asking me directly—

—About this ‘the whole story of the incident’.

It was natural for him to be curious.

How I was able to see through Yuria’s work in advance.

How did I find the drug, and where did I get the poison?

“Did Lady Mavis replace the poison in your wine bottle?”

“…Yes, that’s correct.”

“The lady must have wanted to create a self-made play.”

“Yes.”

“You knew it beforehand.”

“…You are right.”

He, who had been slowly asking questions from the side, dug deep in an instant.

“How did you know that?”

He looked straight into my eyes and asked.

“…….”

He would want to know how I discovered it.

Then I would have to tell him about my trip to Yggdrasil and how I persuaded Shadow.

What was Shadow’s weakness, and how did I know it?

……Of course, the further it goes, the more difficult it becomes to explain. I couldn’t be honest, but if I made something up, that sharp man would notice.

It was the same as before I collapsed from eating the antidote.

I had no choice but to shut my mouth.

“Okay.”

“……What?”

“I’ll pretend I’ve heard the answer.”

Rixus must have been curious, but fortunately, he didn’t pry further.

I inwardly sighed with a deep sense of relief.

‘What’s going on? If it was the regular Rixus, he would have tenaciously dug a couple more times.’

Of course, if I didn’t talk till the end, he wasn’t the kind of man who would forcefully dig in.

There were times when he was really keen.

But not now. He looked at me quietly and said,

“You must be very tired, I don’t want to bother you either.”

“….…”

“Relax, Candy.”

He gently stroked my cheek and stood up.

Something was wrong with him coming out this way.

However, I thought he had become meek once I was seriously ill.

Yes, it was about time for Rixus to become less obsessive.

* * *

“Did you call?”

Ires entered the office and bowed his head to his superior.

Rixus, who was still looking out of the window, spoke with his broad back facing Ires.

“I have a secret order for you, Ires.”

“Tell me, Your Majesty the Crown Prince.”

Then, Rixus turned around. He ordered his own lieutenant.

“Leave for Morentorium right now. Go and get the ‘Portrait of Madam Artingus’.”

“…Isn’t that a holy thing that sees the past?”

Ires had also heard of it.

Portrait of Madame Artingus; the holy relic that could see the past.

However, it was only a rumor to the extent that it was not known whether it actually existed.

“The relic is real. I don’t know whose hand it is in now, but 9 years ago, it belonged to the Duke of Pavenacci of Morentorium.”

“…….”

“Of course, it would be sold and bought among collectors. Track it down and bring it back. The cost doesn’t matter. I’ll pay for it from my personal assets. Instead…”

Rixus moved his head a little closer.

A dark shadow swallowed his face.

“Bring it without fail. As soon as possible.”

It was difficult, but Ires could find it.

Usually, the person who sold such a precious treasure would be silent when questioned who he sold it to, but the order of the crown prince was different.

“…And where you plan to use it, may I dare ask?”

“I need to know everything.”

In front of Rixus’ view, the appearance of Berylia, who shut her mouth as if she could not confide yet, was clear.

It wasn’t just this one time.

Each time, Berylia kept her secret a secret, as if she had something she couldn’t say to him.

Meanwhile, he believed that it was the way for him to respect her.

No more.

He didn’t know anything, so he couldn’t protect her. So now, he couldn’t stand back anymore.

“From now on, I…”

His eyes gleamed.

“I intend to find out everything about Berylia, I won’t miss a single thing.”

Credits goes to Kushi for providing the raws, Samsaav for raw typing, Ame for translating, and Dea for proofreading.