Chapter 54

54. Potent Medicine

“I’m back.”

It was late afternoon when Margaret returned from her trip to the temple to deliver a letter to Samuel Dorfman.

Adelaide’s letter to Samuel included a request to postpone any temple affairs for a while and to start helping the destitute with a substantial amount of money enclosed in a check.

“Did everything go well?”

“Yes. He gave me this to say thank you for your letter.”

Margaret held out the paper in her arms. Samuel Dorfman’s signature was engraved on the vellum paper used only in the temple.

Adelaide burned the paper and asked.

“No one recognized you, did they?”

“No. It was prayer time, and there were few priests in the temple.”

“Well, you’ve had a long day. Go get some rest.”

As Margaret bowed and left the room, she stopped in her tracks as if suddenly remembering something.

“By the way, I saw Lord Owens on my way back.”

“Count Owens?”

Adelaide frowned at the unwelcome name.

He owed her a debt. She still hadn’t forgiven him for trying to endanger Callion by pushing for a slave auction in Tiflis.

The relationship between Count Owens and Elkius was ambiguous on the surface.

Despite being favored by Elkius, he hadn’t been invited to the Imperial Council meetings, and his absence even from the memorial service had been puzzling.

“At the temple?”

“No, no. I saw him on the street, walking somewhere alone, dressed in shabby clothes and without any attendants.”

Walking alone in shabby clothes?

Adelaide raised an eyebrow.

“Is it really Count Owens, or are you mistaken?”

“I’m sure. He’s done something to my lady that I can’t forget.”

“So, did you greet him?”

“No, I didn’t. I wasn’t in a position to do so.”

“Explain in detail.”

Adelaide urged Margaret. Margaret lowered her voice and whispered carefully.

“It’s just that…… looked a little strange. His eyes were glassy, like he was drunk, his gait was unsteady, and he had a peculiar scent.”

“Scent?”

“He stumbled and bumped into a carriage. It smelled like strong rose perfume.”

“Rose perfume?”

“Yes. The same scent as the dress I threw away not long ago.”

The scent of roses from Elkius and Rosaline Harper was coming from Count Owens?

Adelaide thought hard.

The scent of roses from Elkius was unlike any commercially available perfume, and he had never smelled anything like it before he became Emperor.

Had he smelled something similar when she met him before the regression?

Adelaide shook her head, trying to recall the vague memory. It was better to ask someone who knew better than to ponder the question alone.

“Margaret, go to Sir Lucid and tell him I’d like to see him for a moment, if he’s not too busy.”

“Yes.”

‘It may not be a big deal, but…….’

It was reason enough to find out anyway.

⚜ ⚜ ⚜ ⚜

“Did you look for me, My Lady?”

Lucid, dressed in his finest Knightley attire, was unusually stiff. Adelaide opened her mouth, her tone light.

“It’s been a while since we’ve seen each other; has something been keeping you busy?”

“No, not really…….”

Lucid stammered.

Hmm. Adelaide set her jaw and stared at Lucid. When he couldn’t make eye contact, Adelaide asked sternly.

“Why the serious face? You look like you’ve sinned against me.”

“I’d prefer you just curse at me.”

“Why would I?”

Lucid scrunched up his face and ran a hand through his hair. He’d rather hear a reproach than this response, which seemed even more painful.

She spoke in a laughing voice.

“I know Sir Lucid was caught in the middle.”

“I should have handled it better.”

“I’m fine. What can you do? It’s your family.”

In response to her nonchalant tone, Lucid added, “His Grace isn’t interested in Shayla. Not when they were engaged, and even less now.”

“Sir Lucid.”

“Never mind, Shayla’s a foolishly one-sided affair. If anything goes wrong, I’ll take the blame and sort it out.”

Adelaide shrugged her shoulders at his guilt-ridden face.

“Enough with the responsibility. Just don’t avoid me.”

“…….”

Lucid let out a heavy sigh. Despite his seemingly light demeanor, he was surprisingly deep and rational. Adelaide gave up on further conversation and brought up the main topic.

“Have you found any red spinels?”

“Well, there aren’t any jewelry stores in the capital that handle them, and the ones around the capital are still searching. They say it’s more valuable than we thought.”

“Is it difficult to find out if nobles own any raw stones?”

“Checking the jeweler’s trade records will give us some idea, but it’s hard to know if they were traded between individuals.”

“Still, see what you can find out. It’s a very expensive gem, so there’s probably only a limited number of nobles who can trade with it.”

“Understood.”

“Also, if you come across any jewelry stores that deal with red spinels, tell them you’ll buy all they have, regardless of the price.”

“I will.”

Lucid, who had bowed his head, stood up from his seat. Adelaide caught him urgently.

“One more thing.”

Adelaide held him back and spoke cautiously.

“Sir Lucid, are you familiar with…… potent medicine?”

“……?”

Lucid’s eyebrows shot up. He cleared his throat and spoke in a low voice.

“I may look like a debaucherous fellow… and I’ll admit that some might see me that way, but I haven’t gone as far as that.”

“No, I didn’t mean that you looked like that.”

Adelaide said quickly, throwing up her hands.

“You have a broad network and knowledge of noble culture, so I’m asking you. It’s a delicate matter.”

“Well, I won’t deny there are such individuals around me, but what exactly are you curious about?”

“Do any of them come out smelling like roses?”

Lucid’s brow narrowed in thought before he spoke.

“There is.”

“There is? What kind of medicine?”

“It’s called Velido, it’s sold in the salons, you smoke it and inhale it, and it makes you unconscious and euphoric. It smells bad, so they mix it with rose water, and it’s very expensive.”

“I see.”

“It’s mainly used as an elixir, but it’s very addictive, so the Emperor forbade its use.”

“But some people still use it, right?”

“Well, sort of.”

The scent of roses comes from Elkius and Rosaline Harper. And the same rose Margaret had smelled from the Count of Owens.

“His Majesty has been very weak lately, so I’ve been sending up some medicines to help him.”

The imperial physician’s words came to her mind. Elkius and Rosaline must have been using it regularly.

“Thank you, that answers my question.”

Adelaide smiled meaningfully.

⚜ ⚜ ⚜ ⚜

” … Intended to present the tribute to His Majesty, but His Holiness decided to manage it personally… … will do our best to find a solution, so please give us some time… “

Rip. The thin paper crumpled in his hand. Elkius Isulandt drew in a harsh breath and ripped the crumpled parchment open.

‘Incompetent fool! To fail to secure such a simple thing!’

Anger surged through him at the realization that there was not a single person in the world he could trust. On one side of his desk was a stack of petitions demanding that Regalia be released to restore the Emperor’s authority.

How dare they question the Emperor’s authority? The more he thought about it, the more he shuddered.

Elkius tugged nervously at his cord. The waiting chamberlain entered the chamber.

“Bring me a drink.”

“My lord, it’s still early…….”

“Just bring it!”

The emperor’s stern demeanor sent the chamberlain rushing out the door.

His head was throbbing unbearably. Perhaps a drink would alleviate the headache.

‘This is all because of Callion Tiflis, that bastard. I will never sleep well until I kill that bastard.’

Elkius gritted his teeth and rolled his eyes.

How could he kill him?

The easiest way would be to frame him, but Callion was slippery. He couldn’t use poison since he had too many guards, and sending an assassin was out of the question with his tight security.

Should he order Adelaide to do it? Even though she was a fragile woman, surely she could manage to pierce his heart.

‘……She won’t do it.’

Adelaide Cornwall was also a problem. It was suspicious what kind of secret she was hiding. It was odd that she hadn’t informed him about presenting the Regalia, and her pretense of loving Callion was unbelievable.

Perhaps it would be better to kill Adelaide first.

Was there any reason to keep that annoying woman alive, especially now that Earl Cornwall has become useless?

“My wife’s condition is not good and I would like to go down to the estate for her to recuperate. Please allow me.”

Elkius remembered the letter he had received from the Earl of Cornwall not long ago.

It was a secret known only to him and a few others that the Countess of Cornwall was a sickly woman. She had been bedridden for years and had written to say that he thought it was time for her to die and wished him well.

Of course, his generous permission was tempered by the fact that he wanted to offer his empty townhouse to the imperial family.

‘I wonder if he ran away.’

Even though his life could be cut short the moment he lights a torch to the gunpowder pipe,

As he continued to think, Elkius frowned at the door that opened without a knock.

“Who told you to come in here?”

“You told me to bring you a drink, so I was worried…….”

Rosaline Harper replied, her voice deep and somber.

“I’ll just leave this here.”

She stepped carefully in and set the bottle down, her face flushed. Elkius stared at Rosaline, who was dressed in a tattered maid’s outfit that was different from her usual attire.

“Don’t drink too much.”

Rosaline whispered tenderly as she tried to turn away, but Elkius grabbed her wrist and pulled her onto his lap.

“Mmm!”

He bit her lips as if to devour them. Rosaline embraced Elcius and responded to him. Amidst the torn fabric, hands wandered..

“D*mn it, ease up.”

“Eh, Elki!”

A dizzying jumble of watery sounds. The open door to the office slammed shut.