“What are you saying, respected Queen? My father has invested so much—”

“Money, yes. Because you have plenty of it.”

Only money.

“So you tried to cover everything with money. What can’t money cover up, even when conspiring to harm people?”

Tiltia stared at the pale-faced Selina with an unreadable expression. The atmosphere instantly froze as though everyone had been doused with cold water. The contrasting cheerful lyre music sounded even more eerie.

“Harm people? I-I don’t understand what you’re saying at all—”

“At the Battle of Oinox—”

“Mother, let’s set aside heavy topics and eat first. The food is excellent. Try some pepper-marinated pheasant as well.”

If Antor hadn’t diverted attention with a fake cough, neither the queen who was pressing Selina with meaningful looks, nor the Third Prince who watched like a bystander, nor anyone else at this gathering would have taken the initiative to lighten the mood.

While catching her breath, something hard suddenly struck Hari’s elbow. It was a golden goblet.

“…”

Hari poured wine into Achilleon’s empty goblet.

“I wanted water.”

She emptied the goblet and refilled it with water. After taking a sip, another complaint followed.

“It’s lukewarm.”

“I’ll bring you fresh water.”

This time he contradicted himself, saying he wanted wine instead. While making these unpredictable demands, Achilleon suddenly pushed back his chair and stood up. All eyes turned to him.

“The wine isn’t quite to my taste. I’ll check the cellar for a moment.”

Achilleon gave Hari a slight glance, indicating she should follow. Feeling Selina’s piercing gaze on her back, Hari followed him.

The cellar was chillingly cool. After crossing the corridor lined with massive oak barrels, Achilleon picked up a wine bottle prepared on the shelf. The sequence of piercing the cork and inserting then removing a thin poisoned needle flowed so naturally that Hari initially didn’t understand the meaning of his actions.

“Shall we take our revenge?”

The poisoned bottle was handed to Hari, who questioned its meaning with her eyes.

“What I just put in has a lower density than wine. It separates completely like oil and water, floating on top. Can’t be seen with the n*ked eye though.”

He pressed his thumb over the mark on the cork where the thin needle had been inserted, erasing all traces perfectly.

“Whoever drinks the first pour will certainly be poisoned. The poison floats on the surface without fully dissolving in the wine for about 10 minutes. So manage the situation well during that time.”

Has this person finally gone mad?

At the curse that finally escaped her lips, Achilleon let out a short laugh. Hari glared at the poisoned wine bottle with a pale face.

“You think I’ve lost my mind?”

“This wine is meant to be presented to the Queen. Ordering me to serve something like this – are you trying to get me killed? Is that what you want?”

Her trembling voice rose higher. What kind of test was this? Revenge against whom? At that moment, a woman dark as the night sea flashed through her mind.

Selina.

“…I told you that woman had nothing to do with the orchard incident.”

“Telling weak lies doesn’t make them true, Hari. There’s nowhere in this palace my eyes don’t reach.”

“Ah!”

Her attempt to snatch the wine bottle was easily thwarted. Even standing on tiptoes and reaching out only managed to hit around his neck.

“I told you. This is ‘our’ revenge. Don’t be stupid and get played – make your own side.”

Our? What on earth is he saying? None of it made any sense from start to finish. Achilleon bent down while moving his silver ring from his index finger to his thumb.

“Show me that you can do it.”

* * *

“Give it here!”

Selina, who had been anxiously watching the Queen’s mood, ran to the garden entrance as soon as Hari returned and snatched away the iced goblet and wine bottle.

“Do you know what kind of gathering this is, to irritate your superiors? Must you make Achilleon move himself and do things two or three times?”

Selina berated into Hari’s ear with a smiling face. Unlike her voice which was fresh as spring breeze, it was laden with deep hostility.

“Do things properly, Lady Hari.”

Selina turned sharply and immediately began fawning as she poured the first glass for the Queen.

“Most respected and beloved Queen, I offer this glass representing House Karnos, please accept it.”

Thinking about the poison dissolving into the wine made her head spin yellow. Hari sent an urgent look, but the culprit of this absurd situation was calmly cutting meat with his knife.

If the Queen collapsed here, without a doubt Margharita, who directly brought the wine, would be pointed to as the suspect.

Then, like she was suddenly remembering something, Selina clapped her hands together.

“Beautiful Queen! Won’t you give Achilleon and me your blessing of union at this gathering?”

A Hitais ritual of blessing lovers by passing wine cups. It was a blatant attempt to formally cement her relationship with Achilleon before the Queen, but the problem came next.

“On such a fine day, I can’t refuse a bit of fun like that.”

The Queen smiled slightly and divided the poisoned wine between Achilleon and Selina’s cups. The first cup that should have gone to the Queen went to Achilleon, the second to Selina.

Clink, the clear sound of glasses touching crossed the fragrant table. And the moment wine droplets splashed onto Achilleon’s hand, Hari saw the silver ring had turned black and understood the meaning of this outrageous show.

Before she could think, Hari pushed Achilleon’s hand. Crash! With a sharp sound, Hari lost her balance and fell to the floor scattered with broken glass pieces. Glass shards dug into her bare legs. Whether this was the situation he wanted, she wasn’t sure, but if she had stayed still, she would have been in danger of losing her head for a crime she didn’t commit.

The blackened silver ring caused a huge commotion.

The prince had nearly been poisoned.

People’s voices filled with fear and questions echoed chaotically. The Queen’s scream was among them.

“Didn’t you bring the wine and open it yourself?”

Selina collapsed to her knees and pleaded with the Queen.

“Are you saying I tried to poison Achilleon?”

“Then are you suggesting that maid who was with my son the whole time put in poison?”

“That’s not…! Well, maybe!”

“Who dares try to poison the prince right before my eyes! Call the security officer at once!”

“How could you suspect me, Your Majesty!”

Red wine flowed like blood down the marble steps of the chaotic pergola. When the investigator arrived, Selina was wailing loudly, insisting her innocence.

“How many types of wine were prepared for the luncheon?”

“Five types.”

“Who ordered them?”

“Lady Huliya, the head maid of the White Jade Palace…”

A busy scene like a well-rehearced play. It felt unreal. As Hari was answering the investigator’s questions, she suddenly felt a piercing gaze and turned around.

The Third Prince, surrounded by three physicians, was watching her with crossed legs. His upturned red lips glistened with wine.

“You, escort the Third Prince back to the main palace.”

The Queen, looking exhausted, pointed to Hari. Everything was against her will, but she had no choice but to comply this time too. Looking back, she could still see Achilleon watching her intently while swinging his legs in the same spot. His deep green eyes creased into a smile.

See, isn’t it fun?

As though he were asking that.

* * *

Everyone from the cellar manager to the servants involved in preparing the luncheon was dragged away for questioning. Even when Huliya, his close aide, came begging for help with a pale face, Achilleon didn’t even spare her a glance.

“What was that show for?”

“Show? I’m sincere in everything I do. And stop pretending you don’t know. Holding the poisoned cup was worth it, wasn’t it?”

A large hand suddenly emerged from among the huge cushions. Hari glared at the hand waving in the air from her seat on the stool by the bed. The room’s scene was quite extreme. Achilleon, who hadn’t let a single drop of poison touch his tongue, had bandages coated with antidote wrapped around his fingers just for holding the wine glass, and herbs were burning everywhere because he had supposedly smelled the poisoned wine.

“Heston, this isn’t necessary.”

“It’s the Queen’s orders. I have a duty to treat the prince with the utmost care.”

“Alright, you may leave now.”

After dismissing the old physician, Achilleon raised himself up, leaning on his elbow. As his loose robe fell below his waist, it revealed his sensual upper body without a single wound.

He hardly looked like a patient at all.

“You must have received something from the Queen. After all, you’re my benefactor, right?”

Hari looked at her own legs, which hadn’t received proper treatment and had to rush here at the prince’s summons. Scabs had formed on her shins where the glass had scratched them. They might leave scars.

“Her Majesty commended me for the merit of saving Achilleon’s life.”

The uncomfortable private audience with the Queen flashed through her mind over her injury-covered legs.