Part One, Section Four: “The End And the Beginning”
Chapter Thirty-nine (Mia’s POV)
At last, the party had begun.
Most of the guests the father invited were present. Among them, there were neutral nobles who didn’t align with either the first prince’s faction or the second prince’s faction.
Prince Julius was audacious enough to plot the murder of Prince Fernando in front of them all… Most likely, it was meant as a warning, a demonstration of what happens to those who defy him… I felt his extraordinary obsession with power.
“Hi there, Mia. You’re as lovely as ever. You’ll be by my side, as usual, won’t you?”
With a sinister grin on his face, Prince Julius appeared at the party venue and approached me.
Well, of course, I have secured a prime seat. It is all in preparation to serve you your final judgment…
“Julius, you look rather cheerful. Is this party so much fun for you?”
“Yes, it is, brother. I’m pleased to see you looking so well. Parties can be quite enjoyable, you know, especially gatherings like today with the noble aim of uniting our strength.”
With the arrival of Prince Fernando, Prince Julius’s mood improved even further. It must be quite a joy to know that today would be the last time he sees his elder brother. Honestly, he should restrain himself from showing such satisfaction on his face.
“Mia, um, about that hair ornament… it suits you very well.”
“Thank you. This was a gift from my sister…”
“I see. Your sister has a good taste. B-but I think it suits you because it’s you.”
“Your Highness Fernando…?”
Prince Fernando, who appeared rather anxious, seemed to be struggling with his words. Well, given that he hadn’t been in the spotlight until recently and that this party was primarily for his assassination, it was understandable. We should appreciate that he came here at all.
“I’m grateful you’ve all gathered amidst your busy schedules for this Adenauers-hosted party. The purpose of this party is—”
The father, Marquis Adenauer, began his speech.
Prince Julius planned to lace Prince Fernando’s food with poison and make him eat it.
As proof, during the speech, the father kept glancing at the waiters. Even though he couldn’t see anything from his place…
Moreover, Prince Julius had sent assassins to the sick king’s chamber. He had reassigned many guards to secure this party, resulting in a weakened defense for the castle.
I’m impressed by how swiftly they moved.
“By the way, Mia, I’ve been thinking it’s time to set a date for our wedding ceremony.”
“Well, I’m delighted to hear that. But we don’t know how long this crisis will last. Let’s at least wait until that uncertainty is resolved.”
While engaging in casual conversation with Prince Julius, who was talking about something utterly unimportant, I casually took a seat next to him. And Prince Fernando settled down on the other side of Prince Julius.
“To boost everyone’s spirits, we have arranged the finest ingredients for your enjoyment.”
Among the ingredients used in the dishes prepared by the father, there was a type of mushroom called “Terish.”
While this mushroom was indeed a rare and highly regarded delicacy in Girtonia, prized for its excellent flavor and aroma, there was also a poisonous mushroom called “False Terish” that closely resembled “Terish” in appearance. This made it a high-risk ingredient that required careful handling.
“False Terish” contained a terrifyingly potent toxin that, even if ingested in small amounts, caused a rapid increase in body temperature and led to severe respiratory distress, often resulting in death. Accidental consumption has caused numerous fatal incidents.
Yes, Prince Julius planned to specifically make Prince Fernando eat that poisonous mushroom. This way, even if it’s noticed, he could insist it was an accidental mix-up. So, merely pointing it out won’t be enough to bring about his downfall.
By the way, it was Himari who uncovered this assassination plot involving the "Terish" mushroom. Of course, Prince Fernando was also aware of it. He was looking at the dish in front of him with an unaffected expression, though…
“Oh my! Marquis Adenauer has done an excellent job. Without a doubt, this is the finest Terish. I absolutely want you to savor this overwhelmingly delicious taste, dear brother!”
Prince Julius continued to praise the Terish as he put it in his mouth. And he conspicuously urged Prince Fernando to eat the Terish, to the point where it was quite suspicious.
“Oh, this is the most exquisite flavor. I’ve experienced various gourmet dishes, but it’s rare to find something like this. Now, elder brother, please have a bite too.”
Sweating profusely, Prince Julius had been trying to get Prince Fernando to eat the poisonous mushroom for several minutes. Prince Fernando remained silent the entire time.
“Elder brother, are you listening to your younger brother’s words!?”
At last, His Highness Julius, who had been consistently disregarded, lost his temper. He clearly displayed his frustration toward the silent Prince Fernando. In fact, when someone insists so much on eating something, it is natural to lose the desire to eat it, especially if you know their personality.
“…If it was that delicious, Julius, you should eat my portion as well. I have no appetite.”
“W-what?”
Prince Julius’s expression changed when Prince Fernando attempted to hand over his plate.
Well, of course, who would want to eat poisonous mushrooms?
“No, this is something that Marquis Adenauer wanted you to try, elder brother. I can’t simply snatch away his goodwill.”
Of course, Prince Julius refused. It was clear as day that he was panicking internally.
So, as we suspected, Prince Fernando’s “Terish” was substituted with poisonous mushrooms.
“Are these poisonous mushrooms…?”
“Huh…?”
“I’m asking if they’re poisonous mushrooms. I hear there’s a mushroom closely resembling Terish. Julius, can you do a poison test on this? I know you are thinking of poisoning me.”
Prince Fernando directed a piercing gaze toward Prince Julius. While the last time they met he gave off a feeble impression, now he was quiet yet powerful. It seemed that he could be this kind of person when necessary.
“Elder brother, I’m getting angry! To think I would poison my only brother! Even if it were a poisonous mushroom, suspecting me is completely off the mark!”
Prince Julius got all defensive. It seemed he expected Prince Fernando to notice poisonous mushrooms. With this, Prince Julius could claim innocence even if we insist that the mushrooms were poisonous. Honestly, he was quite clever in some strange ways…
But… it’s not over yet…
“Oh, Julius. My apologies. It’s my fault. There are no poisonous mushrooms on this plate.”
“You finally understand, elder brother…?”
Upon Prince Fernando’s apology, Prince Julius displayed a relieved expression. However, upon hearing the next statement, his face turned pale…
“Because I switched them.”
“Huh…?”
“I switched our dishes… Julius, yours and mine.”
Thinking about the plates being switched, Prince Julius started trembling nervously. It was only natural, considering he had consumed the poisonous mushrooms.
“Gah…! M-My body suddenly feels hot… Hot, hot, hot…! Uoooooh!”
Prince Julius cried out that his body was hot, clutching his throat as he attempted to vomit. He wore a pitiful expression, desperately trying to expel what he had eaten.
Your Highness Julius, now the real show begins. My revenge on you…
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