BSGE 73
by Cherry“Even if there’s a possibility of failure, I’ve already considered that. I’ll ensure the Duke’s suspicions never reach me.”
“I’ll do my best.”
“I don’t need your efforts! Just make sure the Duke’s household has no grounds to question anything.”
The Second Queen snapped her fan shut with a sharp crack, concluding the conversation decisively.
“I’ve never once distributed the royal family’s poison. It’s merely that someone with poor manners among those who enter my chamber secretly stole a single vial. Do you understand?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Good.”
In an instant, she had disposed of Firina and framed her as a thief. The Second Queen now wore a pale, victimized expression, as if she fully believed her own fabricated story.
“Ah, why must such things happen to me?”
“Shall I prepare some tea, Your Majesty?”
“Do so.”
Holding the teacup with its rising fragrant steam, the Second Queen lowered her delicate eyelashes, lost in thought.
‘If things proceed like this, the plan…’
She was deeply irritated by Aslan, the duke who had recently been celebrated as a national hero.
The Holy Empire had absorbed the small kingdom union adjacent to the northern border. A surprise attack that sparked a five-year great war.
During the war, Duke Aslan had not only decimated the overwhelmingly powerful enemy forces to protect the border but had also managed to persuade—or more accurately, intimidate—numerous enemy allied countries, described by the saying that “half the continent had turned away.”
Aslan was a duke with unprecedented achievements, yet the royal household’s view of him was far from favorable.
‘How dare he receive more praise from the people than the royal family itself.’
Recalling the displeased expression the king had worn during the recent royal procession, the Second Queen bit her delicate lip.
‘No matter how great the Aslan Duke might be, for a subject to cause concern for His Majesty is nothing short of disloyalty!’
Immersed in her self-serving thoughts, she exhaled a deep sigh.
“If only this plan had succeeded…”
She could have cleared the heavy clouds from her beloved’s face.
The opportunity had seemed so perfect, and her disappointment was profound.
The royal household had always sought to control the powerful Aslan family. Ideally, they would have struck at the family’s direct lineage.
‘Hmph! Nothing but brute strength.’
Those who carried Aslan blood were born with overwhelmingly robust physiques.
Quietly sending assassins had never even scratched these monster-like Aslans.
Even young, unmatured Aslan children could easily handle dozens of assassins with their incredible strength.
The royal household had only learned that sending assassins to the Aslan family was a waste of money.
‘And sending knight squadrons is impossible too.’
To truly damage this Aslan would require mobilizing the entire royal guard, which would immediately draw attention from other nobles.
And so, they had been unable to act…
‘An Aslan with a weak constitution!’
While the duke was away during the great war, the royal household had been planning to undermine the duke’s power—a reputation built through continuous victories that had become a threat to the royal family.
The Siurus Viscount had unexpectedly caught a significant opportunity through Firina, who was excited about her private audience with the royal family.
The Second Queen’s eyes gleamed when she heard the story about the duke’s nephew.
This was a chance that would not come again, she instantly recognized.
An Aslan weakness.
‘The opportunity to put a golden collar on a golden lion doesn’t come often…!’
Her heartbeat quickened as she finalized her perfect plan.
The snake shapeshifter’s unique ability was poison. Though rare individuals might occasionally have extraordinary abilities, this did not apply to the current royal household.
A snake shapeshifter’s poison could only be neutralized by the poison’s creator.
The possibilities for utilizing this special poison were diverse.
For instance, she could implant a time-delayed poison that would cause excruciating pain if not periodically neutralized.
Of course, she had no intention of directly revealing the poison’s involvement.
One of the most excellent qualities of a snake shapeshifter’s poison was its undetectability.
So, if a weak daughter were to suddenly complain of pain, and only the royal household possessed a medicine to alleviate it—wouldn’t that be convenient?
As the poison’s owner, she would merely be temporarily suppressing the poison’s effects, but from the outside, it would appear to be an incredible medicine.
There had been a reason for initially arranging a nominal engagement between the Aslan princess and her son.
Though the fake engagement had failed, leading to the alternative of sending Siurus Viscount.
‘If only the plan had gone correctly, I could have seen how far the duke would go for his ailing daughter.’
It would have undoubtedly been greatly beneficial to the royal household.
‘If only I could have manipulated Duke Aslan using his daughter’s illness as a weapon…!’
As she ruminated on her disappointment, a soft boyish voice reached her ears.
“Mother.”
“Ritter.”
Seeing her son seated before her, the Second Queen calmly settled her expression, though worry remained visible.
Ritter, reading the lingering concern, asked worriedly, “Didn’t my ability help?”
One thing among the whispers she had shared through Firina was true:
The poison in the vial had been created by the Second Prince’s unique ability.
“Ritter…”
The Second Queen felt immense compassion for her young son’s troubled expression.
‘My poor child.’
The First Prince—born of that detestable woman—had awakened two shapeshifter abilities, overflowing with power. In contrast, her beloved son seemed suppressed by his half-brother’s energy, with his awakening delayed.
She had painstakingly obtained a rare shapeshifter essence from the black market to stimulate his awakening, yet her son still appeared uncertain of his own abilities.
“It’s okay. Ritter, you’re fine.”
“Really?”
“Of course, our precious prince.”
Gently stroking his white hair—so like his father’s—she smiled.
“Although this plan to place a golden collar failed…”
“…”
Ritter’s eyebrow subtly raised at the word “failed”.
“Just because one attempt falls through doesn’t mean we should give up. There’s always a next time.”
Ritter’s momentarily stiffened expression softened when her gaze returned to him, quickly becoming obedient once more.
“Yes, Mother.”
“Good.”
She lifted her teacup, covering her mouth as she always did when deep in thought.
“How shall we proceed… Let’s think.”
Her eyes flickered with a nascent idea.
*
The afternoon sunlight streamed over the largest tree in the duke’s mansion garden.
A swing had been newly attached to its thick branches.
Two figures stood guardedly beside the girl seated at its center.
“They’re gathered again today,” someone observed from a distance.
“The young lady and the young master?”
“Yes. And the prince.”
“They’re like the three musketeers from a fairytale.”
Everyone nodded in agreement, recalling the storybook tale of a fairy, a knight, and a warrior.
“What might they be discussing?”
“Perhaps post-battle cleanup?”
“No, no. The young lady is here too. She hasn’t participated in battles yet, so she can’t discuss spoils. And surely the young master wouldn’t discuss something she’s not interested in.”
“True. Maybe estate management? Our young lady is a genius, and the other two have likely received such education already.”
“Indeed. Are they having such high-level conversations despite being so young?”
Their expectations, however, differed from reality.
“Go ahead,” Ather said with absolute seriousness.
“Is this really that important?” Beatty responded.
“Yes.”
With unwavering determination, Ather insisted again.
Beatty sighed dramatically and spoke.
“Fine.”
“Good.”
“Is it over now?”
“No, that’s not it.”
“…Is it done?”
“Yes, yes.”
“I want to stop.”
“Oh, you’re getting better.”
Looking at Beatty’s bewildered expression with pride, Ather raised his hand.
Tap.
His attempt to pat Beatty’s head was immediately intercepted by the fierce protective older brother.
Beatty calmly restrained her growling brother while speaking to Ather.
“We’ve practiced informal speech enough, right?”
“More.”
“Oh, is it not enough?”
Belatedly switching to informal speech, Ather grinned as if immensely pleased.
“Right. Let’s practice a bit more.”
“This is taking quite a while.”
“It’s fine. We’ll keep practicing until you’re comfortable.”
Ather’s playful smile was met with a distinctly unamused look from Carl.
Having used “informal speech practice” as an excuse to stick close to Beatty, Ather remained comfortably seated until the newly established family tea time in the duke’s household.
A time created by the duke to see his daughter’s face more during work hours—much to the chagrin of his subordinates whose working hours had consequently increased.
The duke’s mouth subtly twisted seeing an “impurity” seated beside his daughter during this precious moment.