She had deliberately drunk milk that had gone off by a few days so the illness would not be discovered as a pretense.

The memory had somehow become something to smile about, and Blair let out a small laugh.

“Come to think of it, the two of you were already quite close back then.”

“Not exactly—”

“Well. The fact that that reserved prince asked someone to look after another person was no ordinary thing, no indeed.”

Mediang clearly had no intention of listening to Blair’s objection.

No need to correct him, really.

Blair let Mediang keep his misunderstanding and finished the last of the bitter medicinal tea.

“Oh, Your Highness. If you take this whenever you have a moment as well…… hmm?”

Mediang rummaged through his bag, which was full of all manner of ointments and medicines.

“Dear me, am I getting old. I believe I forgot to bring the herbs good for fatigue recovery.”

He scratched his head.

“Please wait a moment and I’ll fetch them right away.”

“Let me come with you instead.”

“No, no. I could not possibly ask Your Highness to come and go on my account. I’ll be quick—”

“It’s fine. I was planning to take a walk anyway.”

Blair had been about to go out for a stroll, so she let Mediang lead the way and stepped out of the room.

Visiting Mediang’s infirmary for the first time since the equestrian competition, Blair smiled at the memories it brought back.

“I thought I left it around here…… Ah! Here it is.”

Mediang handed over a small pouch of dried herb leaves. Blair thanked him and was about to leave when she came face to face with an unexpected person at the door.

“Sir Werner?”

Ernst lowered the hand he had been about to knock with and smiled in greeting.

“Your Highness? What brings you here?”

“Oh, I came to pick something up from Mediang. What about you? Are you hurt?”

“Nothing like that……”

Ernst glanced carefully at Mediang and spoke.

“I came to ask the doctor something.”

“Hmm? Me?”

Mediang asked in a puzzled voice. Ernst closed the infirmary door and asked in a serious tone.

“It’s about the medicines and teas His Majesty the King takes.”

At the words His Majesty the King, Mediang’s expression stiffened slightly.

“Including herbs taken simply for general health, the total amount is quite considerable, isn’t it?”

“……That’s right. He is getting on in years, after all.”

“Are all of those things handled through you or the other royal physicians?”

“Why do you ask?”

Mediang’s voice carried a clear note of wariness. It was understandable. Matters concerning the king’s health were largely confidential.

“Why else would I ask something like this. Someone was curious.”

“……His Highness the Prince?”

“He mentioned wanting to give His Majesty a tea said to be good for one’s health, and asked me to find out if there’s a particular procedure for that. He seems to be concerned about his father’s wellbeing.”

Ernst shrugged as he said it, and Mediang finally let his suspicious look drop.

“His Highness has grown much warmer than he used to be.”

“He really has.”

Ernst agreed cheerfully.

“As you asked, the medicines and herbs His Majesty takes are decided jointly by myself and the other royal physicians. That applies to treatments only, however.”

Mediang continued,

“But herbs taken simply for general health, and ordinary teas of that sort, are managed under the chief chamberlain of the central palace.”

“……The chief chamberlain. I see.”

Ernst stroked his chin lightly and nodded.

“I don’t know what kind of tea His Highness intends to give, but you’re welcome to show it to me, so come by anytime.”

“Oh, His Highness will be pleased to hear that.”

Ernst thanked him with a warm smile and a bow of his head.

“Then I’ll come by again soon.”

“Thank you as well, Mediang.”

Blair, who had been standing quietly, shook the small herb pouch to show her appreciation and followed Ernst out.

“Where are you headed? I’ll walk you.”

Ernst asked in a perfectly proper tone. Blair narrowed her eyes at him.

“You’re quite good at lying, Sir Werner.”

“……Was it that obvious?”

He glanced away.

“Not exactly.”

She knew Kalintz did not think of his father with that kind of warmth, so it had been easy enough to see through.

Blair left the rest unsaid.

“This is about Duke Brienne, isn’t it.”

“You really are too quick.”

“Was it not intentional?”

If he had wanted to keep her in the dark, he could have gone to Mediang separately later. For all his easy manner, Ernst was not careless.

“You’ve seen through that too. One person like His Highness is frightening enough.”

Ernst said it with a breezy laugh.

“His Highness asked me to look into the medicines and teas His Majesty takes.”

“He suspects someone is using poison or some kind of drug.”

“It’s the most discreet and reliable method.”

Fair enough. However formidable Duke Brienne might be, openly attempting to assassinate the king would be no different from signing his own death warrant.

“The investigation won’t be easy.”

“Still, we have enough trustworthy people on our side that it won’t be entirely fruitless.”

Ernst’s characteristic optimism put Blair somewhat at ease.

“Oh, and there’s the matter of that maid who died in the carriage accident. The one who served Olivia.”

“Marie?”

“Yes. It’s hardly a lead, but it turns out she had a younger brother.”

“Oh…… right. Olivia went absolutely wild at Marie during the interrogation. Threatening to do something to her brother.”

Picturing Olivia’s ugly face as she screamed in a rage, Blair gave a small shudder.

“That’s right. Fortunately, Marie’s younger brother had left Marquis Lorentz’s household just before everything happened. He went back to his hometown of Bashar, but……”

Ernst stroked his chin and let the sentence trail off.

“After the carriage accident, he left.”

“His hometown?”

“Yes. He left of his own accord. The moment he heard the news about his sister.”

“!”

Blair looked at Ernst with wide eyes.

“Do you think he decided his own life was in danger?”

“That seems very likely.”

If he had heard something from Marie about Duke Brienne.

“He may be holding a very important key.”

Something like decisive evidfence that Duke Brienne had used his daughter’s death to orchestrate a conspiracy.

“Either way, it’s well worth investigating. The duke’s side doesn’t appear to have taken notice of the brother’s existence yet.”

Blair nodded at Ernst’s words and quietly sorted through her thoughts, then asked him,

“But Sir. Why are you telling me all this?”

He could not possibly be unaware that Kalintz would not be pleased. There had to be a reason he was sharing all of this so openly.

“……May I be honest?”

“Please.”

Ernst hesitated for a moment, then spoke with a slightly serious expression.

“I can’t stand Willer Brienne either. He is someone who must be removed, for His Highness’s sake, and for the Kingdom of Eiron’s sake.”

He continued with contempt in his eyes.

“His Highness and I have tried countless times to catch him out, but it hasn’t been easy. Since Your Highness the Princess Consort arrived, though, there’s been some progress.”

That was true. From the moment she became a frons who drew attention, Duke Brienne had started moving more aggressively.

“The duke, who never showed a single opening, not only had a private conversation with the Valia diplomatic envoy in the garden, but let the two of you overhear it. He’s grown impatient.”

Ernst said it with a serious face.

“And with two sharp minds working together, the leads and information have become far richer. I feel like this time, we might actually be able to drive Willer Brienne out.”

“So in short, you’re telling me this because you think I might be useful in catching Duke Brienne.”

That seemed to hit the mark. Ernst scratched his head with an embarrassed look.

“You are also someone His Highness cannot do without.”

“Pardon? What do you mean?”

Blair asked, caught off guard by the sudden remark. But Ernst only smiled his easy smile.

“Something along the lines of, please continue to look after him.”

Ernst gave a small bow of his head, and Blair let out a cough and turned away.

A foolish, uninvited hope bloomed softly inside her chest once more.