The Underground Bargain
Yes, this was it.
There had to be a transaction between them. Once his request became clear, Canna felt a sense of relief settle in her chest.
“Who is the patient?”
“Someone poisoned by a toxin from the Eastern Continent.”
“A toxin?”
Canna was genuinely startled.
“Yes. According to the one who attempted the poisoning, it is an unknown poison even in the Eastern Continent, so there is no antidote.”
So that was why he had come to her.
He knew Canna was well-versed in Eastern Continent medicinal herbs and had come to request her help.
If the poison was extracted from medicinal herbs, I know every method of neutralization. I should be able to handle it.
Other types of poison might be different, but anything derived from Eastern Continent herbs fell squarely within her expertise. She could accept this.
Canna nodded without hesitation.
“Very well. I’ll take a look.”
“You will?”
“Yes. If I succeed in removing the toxin, you must grant my request. What I want is the same as before.”
Canna raised her index finger firmly.
“Divorce me.”
She quickly added, “I’ve said this before, but my father may not agree. You must take responsibility and persuade him.”
“Understood.”
“……”
The answer came far too smoothly, leaving Canna uneasy.
Did he still not believe her, or had he begun to trust her even a little?
She could not read what lay behind those eyes.
Belief aside, this entire conversation felt unnaturally smooth.
Has he already forgotten that I betrayed him just recently?
There was no sign of resentment, not even displeasure. It was as though the incident had never occurred.
“By the way, the person who attempted the poisoning—is he still in custody?”
“Of course.”
“You must not kill him. We need to know exactly which poison was used.”
“Understood.”
“Where is he? In prison?”
“He is confined, though not in an ordinary prison.”
“Where, then? And where is the patient?”
Faced with the rapid questions, Sylvien smiled.
“Would you follow me?”
Instead of answering, Canna stood up at once. Poisoning was a matter of life and death; there was no time to waste.
“Yes, let’s go immediately. Though I’ll need to stop by the Addis mansion first to gather my tools. Do we have time for that?”
“Ah, that won’t be a problem.”
Sylvien opened the door.
“Shall we?”
* * *
“Sister?”
The moment they stepped out of the room with Sylvien, they ran into Kallen.
“Sister, are you all right?”
He hurried over and grabbed her shoulders, turning her around once.
“Are you hurt anywhere?”
“I’m fine.”
“Oh no, your hair is still wet. We should return to the mansion right away.”
Sylvien gave an awkward laugh.
“My apologies, Lord Kallen, but Lady Canna has agreed to come with me.”
Kallen’s grip tightened instantly. His voice turned sharp.
“Sister, come back to the mansion with me.”
“……”
Canna felt a sudden sense of déjà vu. This situation… she had seen it somewhere before.
Last time, she had coldly shaken him off because she had no use for him.
But now I still need him.
So she would have to show a little sincerity and soothe him. Canna placed her hand gently over Kallen’s arm with an apologetic smile.
“Kallen, I have to go.”
“……”
“Something important has come up. I’ll report back once I’m done.”
“Sister.”
“I’ll be back soon.”
Why did she have to coax him like this?
He’s not a child.
Irritation rose, but Canna smiled beautifully, as if posing for a painting.
“Hm? Kallen.”
“……”
“Let go.”
In the end, it was the same as before. Kallen’s hand slipped away weakly.
Canna gave him one more smile, but that was all.
Without hesitation, she walked past him.
* * *
“You’re saying he’s here?”
“Yes.”
After stopping by the Addis mansion to collect her medicine chest and equipment, Sylvien led Canna somewhere unexpected.
It was a very familiar place.
The Valentino mansion—the home where Ju-hwa had stayed for seven years.
As they walked down the corridor, Canna asked, “So who exactly is here? The poisoned patient, or the assassin who tried to poison him?”
“Both are here.”
Sylvien headed for the basement.
At the end of the basement corridor, before a massive door, he inserted a golden key.
This door actually opens?
She kept her expression neutral, but inwardly she was surprised.
The door at the dead end of the basement hallway had always been locked; she had assumed the space beyond was sealed off.
Don’t tell me…
The moment they stepped inside, the space grew abruptly dark.
The only light came from a faint lamp hanging on the wall. Sylvien lifted the lamp and spoke.
“The stairs are steep. Be careful.”
So there really was a secret space like this. Canna followed his back cautiously down the steps.
“What is this place? Your Grace’s secret hideaway?”
“It isn’t a secret. I don’t particularly hide it. But it is discreet—yes, that description fits.”
Sylvien continued descending the stairs at a steady pace.
“Few people know what lies beyond this door.”
It was intriguing. A secret chamber beneath the grand ducal mansion.
Do all family heads have something like this?
Come to think of it, the Addis mansion had a similar place.
A room that had been strictly forbidden to everyone.
It’s not like Bluebeard’s chamber. What on earth is Father hiding in there?
A room only Alexandro Addis could access. No one knew what lay inside that hidden space.
“The stairs end here. Watch your step.”
As expected, what appeared at the bottom was an underground prison.
Ugh.
The sudden metallic scent of blood made Canna cover her nose.
The smell of blood.
To think something like this existed beneath the place she had lived—it sent a chill down her spine.
Just then—
“Sylvien.”
Canna nearly screamed. Someone had approached silently from the darkness.
R-Raphael?
Under the dim lamplight, the man’s purple eyes looked almost navy.
Raphael glanced down at Canna, then quickly turned his face away before their eyes could meet.
“Was it necessary to bring her all the way here?”
“We can’t very well bring the assassin up to the surface, Raphael.”
After Sylvien’s gentle rebuttal, he guided Canna further inside. Raphael’s brow furrowed in displeasure, but he did not stop them.
“……”
As she passed him, their eyes met for a moment. Canna gave a small wave.
Hello. It’s been a while.
That was the meaning of the gesture, yet Raphael averted his gaze with a wary expression.
Am I contagious?
It seemed her previous apology had not worked at all.
“Raphael, is everything prepared?”
“Yes.”
“Good work.”
Sylvien smiled softly and unlocked the iron bars. Then he looked down at Canna and shook his head.
“You’ll be able to hear everything from out here.”
“Pardon?”
“Do not come inside.”
Clang. He shut the bars without waiting for a reply.
Just how dangerous is it in there?
Canna stared uneasily at the stone floor. Dark red streaks wound across the uneven surface.
This was…
Blood?
A shiver ran through her.
Right. The man tried to commit murder, after all.
It was only natural that extracting information from someone like that would be brutal.
Only now did the reality of having stepped into something extremely dangerous sink in.
“Hngh, ugh, hah…”
The moment Sylvien entered the cell, the assassin’s breathing grew ragged, as though he were having a seizure.
“I-I’ll talk! I’ll tell you everything! Anything! S-so please, just let me live…!”
“Is that so?”
Sylvien asked, his voice disturbingly gentle.
“Your attitude is different from yesterday. You told me to kill you, so I believed you and treated you accordingly.”
“Sob, hngh, I-I was wrong, I…”
“Now, now, don’t cry. There’s no need to waste your strength.”
Canna felt a chill at his soft tone. How could he speak so kindly to an assassin?
“I’m glad you’ve changed your mind. I’ll believe you this time. Please don’t disappoint me.”
“Kgh, hngh, sob…”
“As you may have heard, there is a lady standing outside the bars. She is not suited for such grim matters. Please cooperate with that in mind.”
“Hngh, hnghh…”
“What poison did you use?”
Canna held her breath and listened to the information coming from inside the cell. She realized that what she had suspected was correct.