The Poisoned Duke
‘It looks like aconite.’
The uniquely shaped violet petals and elongated stems closely resembled the appearance of aconite.
“Th-that’s the poison extracted from its roots. It’s not even known on the Eastern Continent… only a few people are aware of it.”
Just as expected, it was indeed aconite—the poisonous herb the Empress had used in her attempt to assassinate Amelia.
“Raphael, do you have anything I can write with?”
At Canna’s question, Raphael pulled a fountain pen and a small notebook from the front pocket of his priestly robes. Canna quickly sketched the plant and slid the paper through the bars.
“Your Grace, please confirm if this is correct.”
The next instant, the paper vanished from her grasp. Sylvien must have taken it.
“Y-yes, that’s exactly it! It looks just like this!”
“Are you certain?”
“Yes, truly! I swear it…”
“You do understand what will happen if you’re lying, don’t you? It will undoubtedly be an unpleasant moment for both of us.”
That man even delivers threats with elegance. Canna clicked her tongue. Doing that to someone who’s already sobbing in terror is genuinely frightening.
‘I wish Juhwa could see this.’
Would her obsession cool off if she witnessed how terrifying he could be? Canna let out a soft tsk.
“Between mung beans and black beans, which one can you obtain first?”
“Mung beans are already stocked in the Valentino mansion’s herb storage.”
“Then prepare the mung beans first. I’ll also need black beans and licorice. Would you be able to get bamboo leaves as well?”
“It’s possible.”
“Good. Mix the black beans and licorice in equal proportions and boil them. There’s no need to heat it for long—one and a half hours should be sufficient. Then combine it with separately brewed bamboo leaf tea.”
Canna meticulously wrote down the exact quantities of each herb and handed the note to Raphael. He stared at it with an expression that was half admiration and half suspicion before vanishing.
Sylvien, who had been quietly observing, asked, “It seems you’re quite familiar with this antidote prescription.”
“With this formula, most common poisons can be neutralized. However, whether it will work against the toxin from that purple plant… well, we’ll only know after trying it.”
Of course, she knew with absolute certainty that it would work.
Gamdutang, made from black beans and licorice, could completely eliminate aconite’s poison.
Yet Canna deliberately kept her answer vague. It wasn’t out of modesty.
It would be suspicious if I claimed I could detoxify a plant that was only recently discovered on the Eastern Continent.
“So, where is the patient?”
“It seems we should change your clothes first.”
Sylvien glanced down at the hem of her dress.
“There’s blood on it.”
When Sylvien summoned a maid and gave the order, the maid confessed with an awkward expression, “I’m terribly sorry. The Countess of El Lester ordered that all of the Duchess’s garments be disposed of…”
It was such a Josephine-like action that Canna wasn’t even surprised. There was no way that mother-in-law would have left her runaway daughter-in-law’s belongings untouched.
“Besides, it’s the middle of the night, so no clothing shops will be open… Should I borrow something from Madam Josephine?”
“No, that won’t be necessary.”
Borrow Josephine’s clothes? She would rather keep wearing the bloodstained ones.
Canna shuddered and sent the maid away.
“Your Grace, the clothes can wait. Show me the patient first.”
“The underground prison is saturated with toxins. It would be better for Lady Canna’s health if you washed up before proceeding.”
Just what had happened down there to fill the place with toxins?
While the patient was important, her own life mattered more. Canna nodded without further protest.
As she turned to leave, Sylvien’s calm voice followed her.
“Once you are ready, come to my bedroom.”
Wearing filthy clothes wasn’t the problem.
But putting them back on right after a shower? That’s something I really hate.
In the end, Canna borrowed a negligee that the maids used as nightwear and headed to Sylvien’s room.
“You’ve arrived.”
The moment Canna stepped into the bedroom, her feet stopped dead.
“I’ve been waiting for you.”
In the room lit only by faint lamplight, Sylvien was sitting on the bed.
He smiled languidly and beckoned her with a gesture.
“Come here.”
Moonlight poured over him, revealing every detail without restraint.
His damp silver hair, swept completely back, and the firm chest visible through the open gap of his nightgown both gleamed pure white.
For a second, Canna was so overwhelmed by the unreal beauty of the scene that she nearly took a step backward.
Okay, no. That would be embarrassing.
She almost made a fool of herself. Canna composed her expression and walked forward.
“Please get up. We need to go see the patient now.”
“There’s no need to go anywhere.”
“What do you—”
“Isn’t the patient right here?”
Sylvien smiled neatly.
“It’s me.”
“…Pardon?”
“I was the one poisoned by that toxin.”
…….
“What did you just say?”
Canna’s reaction came a beat too late.
Of all people, Sylvien? Sylvien had been struck by aconite?
No way!
Was this man taking her for a fool? Aconite was an extremely dangerous lethal poison! No one could live a normal life with all their limbs intact after being exposed to it!
…But I can’t actually say that!
She opened her mouth, but nothing came out. She simply trembled in silence.
It would be strange if she knew too much about aconite!
Instead, she phrased it indirectly.
“For someone who’s been poisoned, you look far too composed.”
It was normal to be groaning in agony or hovering on the brink of death.
Yet Sylvien showed no signs of illness whatsoever.
Come to think of it, the sleeping incense didn’t work on him either.
A faint irritation began to rise.
Is it because of the baptism? The holy power…? No, that probably isn’t the reason.
The male descendants of ancient holy knights—meaning the men of the Addis and Valentino families—could wield holy power after receiving the Great Temple’s baptism.
However, that wasn’t why Sylvien remained unaffected by poison.
Canna was certain of it. Because—
There was a man in the Addis family who died from poison.
Alexandro Addis’s older brother was exactly such a case.
Sylvien shrugged.
“As Lady Canna knows, I am rather healthy.”
“I have nothing to say if you’re going to overestimate your own health. However—”
Canna stared straight at him and pointed a finger.
“To act so carefree without even knowing what kind of poison you were given was incredibly foolish.”
The more she spoke, the more absurd it felt.
If the patient was himself, he should have told her immediately! They could have treated it much faster!
“Treating poison is a race against time. Even with relatively easy toxins, if too much time passes after it spreads, it becomes incredibly difficult to manage. So—”
Wait, what on earth am I saying?
A wave of futility suddenly washed over her.
She had unconsciously slipped into doctor mode and started lecturing, but who was she talking to? It was Sylvien.
Right. Damn it. Why should I even care?
She had said something completely unnecessary.
Irritation surged through her, and Canna clamped her mouth shut. If possible, she wanted to press a rewind button and erase her last few lines.
Sylvien simply gazed at her in silence without offering any reply. That, at least, was a relief.
“How do you feel right now? Are you truly experiencing no symptoms?”
In response, Sylvien placed a hand over the left side of his chest.
“There is a slight feeling of tightness.”
Aconite’s toxicity caused blood vessels to dilate and weakened heart function. It seemed Sylvien was feeling a faint discomfort after all.
“When exactly were you poisoned?”
“This morning.”
The more she heard, the more ridiculous it became.
If that was the case, he should have told her and received treatment right away. Why had he dragged it out this long?
Patients who live by the ‘I’ll be fine’ mentality need to learn their lesson the hard way!
Thinking I’ll probably be okay and then dying only to regret it in the afterlife—how typical.
Canna let out a deep sigh and perched on the edge of the bed.
“Let me check your temperature for a moment.”
She reached toward Sylvien’s forehead. But she hesitated, unable to touch him recklessly.
“…May I touch you?”
The other party was Sylvien. Touching him without permission might cause frost to bloom across her body.
At her question, Sylvien let out a small chuckle.
“You may.”
Permission granted.
Only then did Canna place her hand on his forehead. In that instant, she was startled. The shape beneath her palm was so flawlessly perfect that it felt like a sculpture meticulously crafted by a master artisan.
Did his forehead really need to be this handsome?
How annoying. She grumbled inwardly as she checked his temperature.
He does have a slight fever.
So he was still human after all; the poison was circulating to some degree. Moreover, even the breath that faintly brushed her wrist carried a trace of warmth.
“First, we need to stop the toxin from spreading any further. Take off your gown.”