𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟔𝟓: 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐮𝐛𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐍𝐞𝐜𝐤𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞
“But, why do you have that necklace, royal concubine Karina?”
“I-I don’t know!! After the ruckus about the queen’s necklace theft, I thought I’d check what’s in my safe just in case, and for some reason, it was in there!!”
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The royal concubine tearfully insists that she absolutely didn’t steal it.
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The lost queen’s necklace was found in the royal concubine’s safe.
It seems someone is trying to frame the concubine for the crime.
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“That’s not all that was found.”
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Another item is placed on the table. It’s a black bottle.
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“Royal concubine Karina, what is this?”
“It’s a very rare poison.”
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Apparently, the royal concubine’s family runs a pharmacy, and she’s familiar with it because she helped out with the family business.
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“This poison isn’t that strong, but it slowly eats away at the body over time.”
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She says it’s a slow-acting poison that can slowly kill as if the victim had fallen ill.
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“This was found in my safe.”
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It was as if the royal concubine was plotting to kill someone with this poison.
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“This was a product that was popular among noblewomen as a ‘weight loss medicine’ up to ten years ago, but when suspicious deaths started to occur and the substance was further examined, it was revealed to be a poison. My family used to handle this product, but it is now banned from sale.”
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The royal concubine herself has used it a few times and recognized it at first glance.
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“There’s an effective antidote, so if you drink it right away, you won’t be in any danger, but if you drink it without knowing, it will slowly eat away at your life. It’s a dangerous medicine.”
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There are people who trade it even though they know it’s a dangerous poison.
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The royal concubine opens the lid of the bottle and shows what’s inside.
Inside is a powder wrapped in medicinal paper.
I recognizes the unique wrapping, and my heart beats uneasily.
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“This is. . . . . .”
“Lara, is something wrong?”
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I pick up the package with shaking hands and check the inside.
This medicine, a mixture of yellow and white granules, was undoubtedly what my father had taken as a medication for his illness.
It was also something I had given him multiple times when he had seizures.
Could it be that I was giving him poison at that time?!
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“Lara!”
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Hearing my name called by the Marchioness, I snapped back to reality.
This is not the time to be worried about the poison.
I need to listen to the royal concubine.
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When the queen’s necklace and the poison were found in her safe, she seemed to be at a loss for what to do.
However, I heard some alarming information when I noticed that the hallway was noisy and listened in.
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“I heard that poison had been put in the queen’s food, and I immediately realized it must be this poison here.”
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The queen is trying to frame the royal concubine, even going so far as to stage her own poisoning.
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“I hesitated whether to consult with my maid. But then――”
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The only person who could have put the necklace and poison in her safe would be her maid.
“I thought she might also be an enemy, so I decided to ask Lord Ghodrove for help.”
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Lord Ghodrove, being neutral, would help her. That’s what she believed, but Lord Ghodrove was away on a diplomatic mission to Vulcano.
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“My father, too, was so ambitious that he only saw me as a pawn in politics. If I relied on him, he might defect to the queen’s side and hand me over.”
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She seemed to have remembered my existence, who was neither on the side of the queen nor the concubine, when she was in trouble.
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“The queen was going to give you the necklace, wasn’t she? I have a favor to ask. Can you pretend that you took the necklace back with you?”
“No. . . . . .That would be a difficult request.”
“No way!!”
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She had not expected to be pushed into a situation where she would have to take the necklace.
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“In that case, can you hide me and Leonardo here?”
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Looking at the face of the Marchioness, she was shaking her head.
The royal concubine hugged Lord Leonardo with a look of utter despair.
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“T, This is terrible… terrible! Mrs. Dosa, who was in a similar situation, received help, but you’re not going to help me!”
“Royal concubine Karina, your circumstances and Lara’s are as different as heaven and earth.”
“But, but if things stay as they are, I will really be killed by the queen!”
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There was one question on my mind. I asked the tear-streaked concubine.
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“Um, why don’t you ask the king for help?”
“The king is weak to the queen! If he’s pressed hard, he’ll easily break!”
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Indeed, if the situation arises where his position becomes dangerous because of the royal concubine, he would probably abandon her without hesitation.
I thought the royal concubine was naive and fluffy in her nature, but she does have a sharp eye for people.
If she had been asking the king for help, she would probably be under arrest by now on suspicion of theft of a necklace and poisoning.
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“Anyway, I can’t help you. Please rely on someone else.”
“There’s no such person. You know the rumors about my isolation in society, don’t you?!”
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While the concubine was crying her eyes out, Prince Leonardo was just staring at a single point with emotionless eyes.
He seemed to have guessed the fate he was about to face, and accepted it quietly.
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“I, I don’t care what happens to me! But just this child! I just want you to save Leonardo! Please, I beg you!”
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The royal concubine’s desperately painful screams overlapped with my own past self.
Moving according to the plans of others, being framed for a crime, and then being killed――that was me and Florenci.
We and them were very similar.
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When I realized it, I had gone to the royal concubine and held her hand.
I asked without thinking too deeply.
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“Do royal concubine Karina and Prince Leonardo have the courage to become someone else?”
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