The Youngest Daughter Of The Great Wizard Of The Famous Swordsmanship [EN]: Chapter 111

111. A Tea Party Stained with Blood

February 19, 2024

Rosette, unaware of Lilith’s scrutiny, anxiously watched Ophelia.

Ophelia, who had been carefully nibbling on the cake, widened her eyes and covered her mouth.

“It tastes just like it did back home.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

Ophelia looked around and whispered quietly.

“To be honest, the desserts in the Ivelin Kingdom are rather simple. Some people in Ivelin even look down on their own desserts. But I’ve always liked this taste.”

Her eyes welled up with tears.

“This cake, in particular, was a favorite of my grandmother. Whenever I visited her, she would always ask for this cake to be served. It’s a secret, but I sometimes visited her just to eat this cake.”

“I see.”

“But, Duchess, how did you recreate this taste? I couldn’t even find a proper recipe in the Empire.”

Rosette smiled, recalling the past week she had spent practically living in the kitchen with the head chef.

“I’ve had this cake in the Ivelin Kingdom before. The recipes I found in the Empire were a bit lacking, so I kept modifying them as I tasted it.”

Pipi, who had been sampling the cake alongside Rosette, had actually gained a bit of weight. Rosette learned for the first time that familiars [magical companions or spirits] could also gain weight.

“I see. You’ve worked hard. It’s a shame Joshua couldn’t have tasted it too.”

“When His Highness the Crown Prince returns, I’ll ask the head chef to make it again.”

Rosette was about to offer the recipe she and the head chef had created to the Imperial Palace’s head chef, but she stopped herself. Even if she gave it to them, those snobbish chefs wouldn’t bother making a dessert from the Ivelin Kingdom.

It would be better to just make the cake herself.

“Would you? Thank you.”

Ophelia hesitated for a moment before licking the cream off her fingertip and looking around at the others.

“Everyone, please try it. It tastes exactly like the ones I had in the Ivelin Royal Palace.”

At her words, everyone hesitated for a moment before picking up their forks. Lilith and her followers also belatedly picked up their forks and tasted the cake.

“Oh my.”

The first exclamation came from Ines.

“To be honest, I didn’t have high expectations based on the appearance alone, but it’s much better than I expected.”

Rosette wore a proud expression.

“Right? It’s more delicious than you think.”

That was the start, and other young ladies and wives also honestly expressed their admiration.

“I’ve been ignoring the desserts of the Ivelin Kingdom just based on their appearance without even trying them. It was my misjudgment.”

“Me too. I guess you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. The moist yet rich texture is really nice.”

Lilith reluctantly opened her mouth.

“I agree. It tastes quite good.”

Ophelia smiled faintly.

“Yes, it does.”

Then, she silently finished her piece of cake.

After that, they enjoyed the refreshments and exchanged stories. The atmosphere, which had been stiff due to Lilith’s appearance, gradually began to ease.

Rosette watched Ophelia, who was silently listening to the others, and examined her complexion.

“Your Highness, are you alright?”

Ophelia’s skin was originally as white as jade, but now it was beyond pale. Her lips, where the lipstick had faded slightly, had a faint purple tint.

“Yes, I’m fine.”

Rosette lowered her voice so that only she could hear.

“If you’re not feeling well……”

Ophelia pressed her lips together and shook her head slightly. Rosette finally understood why she was stubbornly pretending to be okay and staying in her seat.

‘She doesn’t want to be criticized.’

What would people say if the Empress of a country left her own birthday tea party, citing her health as an excuse? It was something that could lead to all sorts of rumors.

‘Is there a way for me to end the tea party appropriately?’

Rosette was thinking that when Ophelia covered her mouth with a handkerchief and began to cough. The coughing, which had started small, gradually grew louder, and soon the white handkerchief was stained red.

“Your Highness?”

Rosette screamed in surprise, and all eyes turned to Ophelia. Ophelia raised her hand as if to say she was alright.

But after coughing a few more times, Ophelia’s body slowly tilted to the side. Rosette quickly caught her and checked her condition.

There was red blood on her handkerchief and around her mouth.

“Kyaa!”

“Your Highness……!”

The garden instantly turned into chaos. Then, Lilith stood up with a stiff face and ordered a knight of the Imperial Guard who was guarding the garden.

“Take Her Highness to her room and summon the Imperial physician.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“And.”

She glanced at Rosette with a strange look and added.

“Just in case, keep an eye on everyone here.”

“Keep an eye on us?”

A wife protested.

“Princess Lilith, you’re treating us like criminals. Why should we be guarded by knights?”

“Are you asking because you really don’t know?”

Lilith wore a look of disdain and urged the knight, who was standing awkwardly.

“What are you doing, not taking Her Highness inside quickly?”

“Yes!”

The knight carefully picked up Ophelia, who was limp in Rosette’s arms, and quickly left the garden. At the same time, other knights surrounded the tables.

Lilith explained.

“As far as I know, Her Majesty the Empress didn’t have any particular illnesses. What does it mean when someone like that suddenly coughs up blood and collapses?”

The wife’s face turned pale.

“Could it be……”

“Yes.”

Lilith said in a solemn voice.

“We can’t rule out the possibility of poisoning.”

* * *

Rosette, with her arm linked to Ines’s, looked around. In a situation where everyone was trembling under the watchful eyes of the stern knights, Lilith was strangely relaxed.

She was pretending to be nervous, her face hardened, but unlike the others, whose bodies were tense, she showed no signs of tension.

‘Why?’

Of course, if Ophelia were to die, it would be good for Lilith. If a new Empress had to be chosen, Lilith, the Emperor’s long-time lover and the mother of Louis, would have a high chance of being selected.

‘No, Lilith would undoubtedly become the Empress.’

However, if Ophelia was really poisoned, Lilith would also be a suspect. The Lilith family would naturally be the ones who wanted to eliminate Ophelia the most.

Yet, she was so relaxed.

Was it because she didn’t commit the poisoning, or was it because……

‘Is it because she’s confident she won’t be accused of poisoning?’

Surely most of the people here were innocent, so why were they trembling? It was because they could be falsely accused of poisoning.

‘Could it be……’

Rosette quickly looked at the cake plates, most of which were empty, when a knight of the Imperial Guard rushed into the garden and strode towards her.

Rosette instinctively looked at Lilith. She was covering her mouth with a handkerchief, her eyes wide with surprise.

Perhaps the mouth hidden beneath the handkerchief was smiling.

‘It’s okay. I’m innocent. So I can prove my innocence.’

Rosette was about to stand up, her palms slightly sweaty, when the knight who had approached her grabbed Ines Rivera’s arm and pulled her up.

“……?”

The knight, with a fierce expression, said in a voice as chilling as his expression.

“Ines Rivera. By order of His Majesty, you are to be arrested immediately on suspicion of attempted poisoning of Her Majesty the Empress.”

Ines replied with a bewildered face.

“Attempted poisoning? Why would I……? How could I?”

“Anette poison was found in the goddess statue that you gifted to Her Majesty the Empress. The maid who placed the statue next to Her Majesty’s bed with her bare hands also collapsed, showing the same symptoms of poisoning.”

“What……! That’s impossible!”

Rosette argued from the side.

“That’s right. This is a frame-up.”

The knight’s eyes flashed.

“We’ll find out whether it’s a frame-up or not once we investigate.”

The knight, handing Ines over to a fellow knight standing behind him, said firmly.

“Take her away.”

Ines, who was usually calm, finally burst into tears.

“Rosette, I really didn’t do it. I really didn’t. The goddess Ashera knows my innocence.”

“I believe you, Sister. I’ll find a way to prove your innocence somehow.”

“Please tell my father about my innocence. And don’t tell Daniel.”

Ines hesitated for a moment, then reluctantly followed the knight on her own accord.

As she disappeared, people buzzed.

“How could Lady Rivera……”

“I thought she was quiet, but I guess not.”

“But isn’t Lady Rivera engaged to Prince Adrian?”

“Then could the Adrian family also be involved in this……”

“Shh, be quiet. The Duchess Adrian is listening.”

Rosette clenched her fists as she listened to the voices of the people whispering about her, when Lilith approached her.

“Oh my, this can’t be happening.”

Her voice was filled with sorrow.

“I guess I was deceived, not knowing that Lady Rivera was doing such a thing, Duchess.”

“Princess Lilith……”

“I believe that you are not involved in this, Duchess. But His Majesty will not think so. So shouldn’t you hurry and assert Adrian’s innocence?”

It sounded like a concerned remark at first glance, but it was nothing short of a warning. A warning that Adrian would not be safe either because of this incident.

Rosette gritted her teeth and replied.

“Thank you for your concern, Princess Lilith. But I should go see Her Majesty the Empress first.”

Rosette was about to leave the garden, passing by Lilith, when a guard standing at the entrance of the garden blocked her path with his spear.

“What is this……”

“By order of His Majesty, Duchess Adrian is also to be strictly guarded.”

“Guard me? What does that mean?”

“The Marchioness Rivera is suspected. So, of course, Adrian, who is engaged to her, must also be investigated, mustn’t she?”

It was a valid point. Rosette bit the inside of her cheek tightly before finally opening her mouth.

“How is Her Majesty the Empress now?”

“I cannot tell you that.”

“You can at least tell me that much. Besides, I’m a mage. I can heal internal injuries that physicians can’t heal right away……”

“As I said, you are not free from suspicion. How can we allow someone like you into Her Majesty the Empress’s room?”

“……”

Rosette took a deep breath to suppress her anger before opening her mouth.

“Then do I have to stay in the Imperial Palace?”

“You may return to the Duke’s residence for now. However, you will be guarded.”

“Then I will return to the Duke’s residence.”

“Understood. I’ll have a carriage prepared.”

Rosette looked back at Lilith, who was looking at her for the last time, and left the garden, following the Imperial Knight.