Chapter 16, Until a Proper Hand is Formed (4)

Translator: Hedge

Editor: Lizzz

 

Yes. There was definitely something wrong with his body.

 

“At first, I dismissed it because I wasn’t going outside, and after feeling pain in my heart, I thought it might be a problem with my Mana. I was also worried there might be something wrong with my heart.”

 

It seems that was not all.

 

“Then this must be an antidote.”

 

“Yes. Though I made it in a hurry, I’ve confirmed it works, so by the time you finish taking it, you should be better. After you get better, I’ll start looking at your magic.”

 

Kalian’s gaze would not leave the medicine pouch.

 

Allan quietly observed Kalian before beginning to explain dispassionately, as if talking about a third party.

 

“It’s a deadly poison called Tacrimosa. It’s made by mixing several poisonous herbs with the blood and venom of a Crimosa Snake. They probably wanted to make it look like the Prince who was healthy until yesterday was gradually falling ill, as it would be suspicious if he died suddenly. Since most poisons would be cured by the power of the Boon of Syspanian, they must have been consistently feeding you small amounts of this deadly poison.”

 

How truly cruel.

 

Kalian was only fourteen.

 

His only wrongdoing was resembling Freya Hwiteurin.

 

“For that, they would have needed something with no scent or taste, that doesn’t react to silver while showing symptoms similar to illness. Something they could easily obtain enough of to feed you over a long period of time. That poison matches Your Highness’s symptoms and your condition.”

 

Kalian lowered his head again without responding.

 

Allan continued his explanation. What he was saying now was information he had obtained by pressuring the Mages residing in Naeransha Street while staying at the Arcane Enclave Building all day yesterday.

 

“Without the power of the Boon… Even with a small dose, you would have coughed as if your lungs were diseased and would have died within a week while coughing out blood. Healing such a potent poison must have strained your heart. That’s why it felt like your power to heal had disappeared, and there was a backlash whenever you try toyou’re your Mana. You were trying to use more power while already struggling to keep alive, of course your heart would scream in pain.”

 

Kalian tried to close the medicine pouch but ended up dropping it from his hand. Several pills fell onto his knees. Kalian hurriedly picked them up and put them back.

 

His fingers were trembling.

 

Not from fear. It was rage.

 

[The original Kalian was definitely assassinated! It wasn’t poisoning! Given that he couldn’t use Mana from the beginning, and how I haven’t changed the whole situation yet, this means they must have poisoned the original Kalian before he got assassinated!]’

 

At this realization that brought other questions, an unbearable rage welled up.

 

“…Why.”

 

Kalian, clutching the pouch tightly in his hand, looked at Allan. [Why did they still find the need to strangle a child who was already dying!?]

 

Allan’s shoulders flinched for a moment.

 

It was because he saw the killing intent filling those red eyes. Though it disappeared without a trace immediately as if it had never been there, it certainly was not a look a boy of his age should be capable of having.

 

“I apologize, Master. I hadn’t thought about it in that direction at all.”

 

To Kalian’s words, Allan replied while trying to shake off the look he had seen moments ago from his mind.

 

“…Not all sharp things are like knives flying before your eyes. Sometimes, what is unseen is sharper.”

 

Kalian engraved Allan’s words deep in his heart.

 

A Sword Master would not get harmed by poison, that was why Kalian had let his guard down.

 

Bern had experienced battlefields where all kinds of assassination attempts ran rampant regardless of method. Yet he had let his guard down.

 

[I was so fixated on the assassination that I didn’t even suspect poison!]

 

Despite clear symptoms, he had not thought of poison as all. It was a huge mistake that Kalian, of all people, should not have made.

 

“Is it severe poisoning?”

 

“From what I can tell, it seemed like today or tomorrow would be critical.”

 

Kalian let out a laugh. Feeling his mood lighten somewhat at Allan’s words, he asked. “If I take the poison and antidote together, would it still get worse?”

 

Allan’s expression twisted.

 

“Why are you even considering doing that? Though it would slow things down, it would ultimately become dangerous.”

 

“How much would it slow things down?”

 

“Since I’m not a healer, it’s hard to say for certain. Perhaps ten days, or maybe two weeks.”

 

Kalian wore a satisfied expression.

 

“That much delay is sufficient. I’ll take them together.”

 

“Are you seriously saying you’ll take the poison and medicine together?”

 

Whether this was an insult, informal speech, or polite speech, the tone was unclear. Probably because it was a mix of everything.

 

“Yes. If it were just a simple physical ailment that would be one thing, but since it’s poison, we must handle it carefully. I can’t simply stop taking it in the current situation.”

 

Looking at Allan’s worried eyes, Kalian continued.

 

“I believe it’s in the morning tea. Besides that, I haven’t consumed anything else daily. But I always drank my tea in front of everyone. Though I don’t suspect the maids, we can’t overlook even the slightest possibility.”

 

[Perhaps, just perhaps. The previous Kalian might have noticed he was being slowly poisoned and had refused the poisoned tea. Once Sillike discovers Kalian had noticed the poison in the tea, she might have sent an assassin after him, who was already dying from poison. If it was Sillike, I would not but it beneath her to do this.].

 

[So, if I refuse the tea now, they’ll immediately try another method. But, since my situation is different from then, it’s hard to be certain how they’ll try to kill me.]

 

As Kalian organized his thoughts, Allan spoke up.

 

“Your Highness. If you’re worried about not having evidence to catch the culprit, don’t be concerned. I’ve already gathered evidence that the Beurisen Trader’s Guild has been importing many snakes recently, claiming they’re for leather, and the Arcane Enclave is currently investigating from various angles.”

 

Allan had discovered quite a lot in just one day.

 

“Thank you. That can be kept as our final card. But that alone won’t be enough to catch Sillike. We need to find another way.”

 

[Wow. To have gathered the evidence as well. How impressive.] Kalian simply smiled, not knowing how many Mages had been mobilized to uncover this much information.

 

“Until we find a way, Sillike mustn’t know that I’ve noticed the poison in the tea. But I’ve been drinking that tea in front of all the maids. Since there’s no way to avoid drinking it without arousing suspicion, I’ll have to keep drinking the tea even while taking the antidote.”

 

“Besides, if it becomes known there was a problem with the morning tea, Ian and the other maids will definitely be punished for it. Internal Affairs will not let this pass, now after noticing how poison has been consistently delivered to me for so long.”

 

“The Baby Elephant should be fine though.”

 

At Allan’s mumbled words that seemed like talking to himself, Kalian asked back.

 

“Pardon?”

 

“Nothing. But why do you trust that servant so much?”

 

To that question, Kalian answered while raising his hand to point at his face.

 

“Isn’t it obvious? He can’t lie. It shows right here, on his face.”

 

Then he looked at his right palm. There was a small but distinct scar, a mark from when he was injured during the incident with Plants.

 

He remembered Ian holding that hand, crying like a child.

 

“And just… that I trust him.”

 

Allan silently nodded.

 

Kalian continued.

 

“Since this isn’t poison meant to be used for a day or two, Sillike must have considered the possibility of being discovered. The fact that she proceeded despite this means she must have prepared a means of escape if discovered. She even openly said she would kill me right to my face.”

 

He remembered Sillike’s attitude during the dinner with Viscount Lannen Beurisen. It was clearly the attitude of someone who had nothing to fear being caught.

 

“If we’re not careful, we’ll lose those I trust without being able to catch Sillike. She’ll even turn it around and accuse me of framing her. If that happens, it will be difficult to prevent assassins or exposure to other poisons.”

 

Allan let out a deep sigh, which seemed to have come from deep within.

 

“So, I’ll take on both problems together until we get a proper hand to play, at least until we find a way to make her completely abandon poison as a means. After that, I can handle whatever visible blades come flying at me.”

 

Allan looked at Kalian with a complicated expression.

 

Kalian picked up one of the antidote pills with a bright smile.

 

“Well then, I’ll gratefully take this.”

 

And without hesitation, he put it in his mouth and swallowed it. Seeing this, Alla’s eyes widened.

 

“Didn’t I tell you to be suspicious when taking it? What if that itself was the real poison?”

 

“Then there would be nothing I could do about it. It would mean you didn’t trust me as much as I trusted you. In that case, wouldn’t that be my fault for failing to earn your trust?”

 

Allan chuckled and praised, “You certainly have a way with words.”

 

“What else would you expect from the mouth that won over Allan Manasil?” Kalian responded with a proud expression as if he had just received a compliment.

 

After silently observing Kalian for a moment, Allan asked.

 

“Very well. What else would you like me to do for you?”

 

Though just telling him how to survive was more than enough, Kalian still needed much more of Allan’s help. Kalian answered in a quiet voice.

 

“Tomorrow evening, please take me outside the Royal Palace just once.”

 

This was something he could certainly do.

 

Allan nodded.

 

“I’ll take you as many times as you need.”

 

…

 

*Rustle.*

 

The medicine pouch made a sound as the antidote pills rolled around when he lightly tossed and caught it in his hand.

 

After Allan left, Kalian was now breaking his promise with Ian for the first time. He was deep in thought, just fidgeting with the pouch without touching his lunch.

 

Ian was watching with worried eyes, knowing that Kalian’s conversation with Allan had been about his health condition. Still, he stood by silently without saying anything.

 

*Rustle.*

 

The medicine pouch made another sound in Kalian’s hand.

 

“…Ian.”

 

“Yes, Your Highness.”

 

“Are there any scheduled events with nobles within the next ten days?”

 

“Due to the month-long suspension of noble-related schedules before the festival, there are quite a few coming up.”

 

[How fortunate.] Kalian nodded.

 

“What specifically is there?”

 

For a while, Ian lowered his gaze, seemingly organizing his thoughts as he recalled Kalian’s schedule. Then, he began listing them starting with the nearest ones.

 

Events outside the Royal Palace and those taking place inside came pouring out one after another, like a torrent. Hearing Ian’s words, Kalian’s face showed how overwhelmed he was.

 

[So many!] Kalian slightly raised his hand to stop Ian from explaining further.

 

“That’s enough. That should suffice. Thank you.”

 

“Yes, Your Highness.”

 

Right now, Kalian was thinking about how to make Sillike abandon poison as a viable method to get rid of him.

 

He had thought of one method during his conversation with Allan. It was the only thing the current Kalian could attempt within ten days. That was why he had told Allan he wanted to go outside the Royal Palace, and fortunately, there was one perfectly suitable event with the nobles.

 

However, it was a somewhat dangerous method.

 

That was why his deliberation had been so lengthy.

 

[‘To take your opponent’s hand, you must first bet your own.’] Suddenly, he remembered the words of Bern’s Father, who was the current King of Secritia, Debeullan.

 

[You always come to mind at times like this, Father.]

 

Thanks to this, Kalian finally firmed his resolve to take the risk.

 

As he was about to stand up, he looked at Ian.

 

Seeing that face which clearly showed the unspoken question of whether he would not eat something, Kalian smiled and sat back down. Then he placed the pouch he was holding onto the table.

 

The rustling sound rang out once more.

 

Naturally, Ian’s gaze followed the pouch as well. Since he was clearly very worried, Kalian explained with some of the truth removed.

 

“It’s medicine. Don’t worry, I should be better by the time I finish taking it all. However, about this,”

 

When Kalian paused there, Ian, who had caught his intention, answered first.

 

“Yes. I won’t mention it anywhere else. Don’t worry.”

 

Whether Ian was quick-witted or slow-witted, Kalian grinned and began savouring his late meal.