Chapter 21 - The Little one and the Duke, the Daughter and the Father

-Keep an eye on them, lady, and let the Master know.

-We can't do anything. Lady, please help us.

Beyond the sound of the ghosts, Count Semond was seen handing something to that guy.

Looks like a big pocket, what's that?

-We have limited time to show up in front of people and deliver our voices. So I'm asking you a favor.

"Oh, shut up. I can't hear them."

The surrounding area was so noisy that I got a little irritated without realizing it, and everyone became quiet only then.

'Huh?'

When I rubbed my eyes with my hands and looked a little closer, the face of the person standing in front of Count Semond was strangely familiar.

One of the people I used to see every time I went to the kitchen. He was a cook.

"·····You remember the recipe for Coryl, right? You're lucky. When you're done, make sure you're out of the palace."

"… outside, surely it will be safe…?"

"Of course ······."

Due to the distance and the heavy sound of raindrops, I couldn't hear the voice well, and only a few words were heard.

Coryl, I think I've heard a similar word somewhere. I can't think of anything because I'm sleepy.

Lightning flashed my eyes so I covered it with my arms. Then as soon as I lowered my hand, my eyes met with Count Semond over the corner.

"Who's there?"

I almost screamed out of fear, but my body suddenly floated into the air.

-Excuse me, miss!

Before Count Semond and the cook could even rush towards me, my body floated into the air and began to fly quickly towards somewhere.

The view of the hallway flashed under my eyelids. Then my door appeared in a flash.

*Boom! The closed door opened wide.

"Ow!"

At once I flew to bed, I fell onto the blanket, and the door closed again.

I was surprised and blinked for a moment, and invisible hands busily laid my body on the bed and covered me with a blanket.

-Please remember, miss.

-Please save the Master…

W, who do you want me to save?

I raised my head over the quilt to ask again, but by then all the strange voices that had been hovering around me had already disappeared.

The group of lights faded away and then it got dark again.

Thanks to them, I fell asleep at a late hour, so I woke up late in the morning after the maids woke me up.

'What was Coryl?'

Sitting in a steamy bathtub, soaked in water, I reflected on one word I heard at dawn.

I was still sleepy and yawning, but I held back because I would drown in the water if I slept like this again.

Instead, I kept trying to think about what "Coryl" was.

It was because I felt scared. The ghosts asked me to save Henriette.

"Uhm..., I don't remember."

It was clear that I heard it when I was at Count Semond. The more I think about it, the worse I feel.

But I couldn't remember what 'Coryl' was until I finished my morning bath.

First of all, Henriette seems to be in danger, so should we ask him?

Thinking so, I tried to get out of the bathtub, but my feet slipped all the way.

"Ouch!"

Almost fell down, I managed to hold the bathtub and balance myself.

Oh, my God, I almost got into trouble….

…Wait

".....ouch? ah....ah!"

I remembered!

It wasn't "Coryl" I heard. I couldn't remember because I didn't hear it properly at dawn.

More precisely, the word 'icoryl'.

It wasn't until I came up with that, that a thread of memory came to mind.

'That could have been a disaster. I can't believe this was mixed in the food.'

The body slid slowly down. I sat with my hips on the floor.

My spine went cold in a flash.

"Icoryl is a herb that only grows in the Eastern Empire. The smell is unique, so you can quickly notice it. It is usually used as a healing herb, but according to the recipe."

I stood up quickly, grabbed a towel and ran outside.

Now I remember everything.

When I was in Count Semond's house, Icoryl was mixed in the salad that Count Semond was eating. That is exactly what I heard at that time.

"It acts as a poison and also forces the body to operate mana. Even if the body is protected by magic, eating this herb will poison the body."

"Oh, my lady!"

I ran out with just a towel around me, and Peina grabbed me.

"Where are you going!"

"I, I have to go now!"

Icoryl was a plant that inhibited and coagulated the circulation of mana in the body, and then allowed the body to get powerful poison from the herb.

In other words, Henriette could be poisoned if he eats it.

"D, duke is in danger!"

"Huh? Master?"

But the maids didn't seem to have listened to me very seriously.

Peina laughed and said, pulling me closer and wiping myself with a towel.

"Did you sleep in the bathtub for a while, miss? You must have had a scary dream."

"It's all right, miss. What in the world could put the Master in danger?"

"Right, maybe even the king of the Holy Spirit can't hurt our master."

Despite my desperate expression, the maids would only wipe my hair and body one by one.

Well, Henriette should be so powerful. But this time it's really dangerous!

But without a moment to say what I saw at dawn, the maids took me to the dressing room as usual after I had finished cleaning my body.

I had to give up the idea of telling them what I saw at dawn.

Well, there is no evidence, and what can the servants do for me?

I have no choice but to do it by myself.

'He said he'd leave the cook to take care of it. So, does it come out right at breakfast?'

"Well, Count Semond, when is he leaving?"

"Originally, he said he was going to leave as soon as it dawned, but the master recommended him to stay, saying he had more business to discuss together. But he won't be with him for breakfast."

Looks like he was going to poison the Duke's breakfast. It's for sure.

'What if Henriette dies?'

He will continue to be detrimental to many people.

But unlike the villain Henriette in my novel, Henriette, the Duke, is a much more friendly man.

When I said I remembered going to an orchard, he took me to a bigger orchard, made cookies for the little kid who was afraid of poison, and promised to fix his attitude in the future because he didn't want me to be afraid of him.

I don't know why he's so different from my original villain, but I'm Henriette's daughter now.

I can't let him die. He already saved me once.

"P, Peina."

"What? Miss."

"I have a favor to ask of you."

If the plan that came to mind now fails, I may be kicked out of the castle today.

That is, this present solution was like gambling.

My future, Henriette's future and gamble for his life.

"Can't Count Semond have breakfast with us?"

"What, Count Semond?"

"Yes, I want to eat with the Count after a long time."

Peina picked out all my dresses and shoes, then immediately went to deliver my message to Henriette.

I walked resolutely along with her who came back with me.

I'm in a satin yellow dress with flower decorations, like a chick.

"Oh, you're here?"

Arriving at the dining room, Henriette and Count Semond were there first.

Count Semond was smiling, but at the same time it seemed very uncomfortable.

Originally, he was going to leave the poison icoryl in the food Henriette was going to eat, but Henriette did me a favor and forced him to sit here.

But it's just the beginning.

You must have accused me of being a liar yesterday.

'Then I'll be a real liar.'

For breakfast, potato dishes with onion soup and cream served with herb salad, sandwiches, fruits and meat.

While Peina was serving from the side, she glanced at Henriette's plate sitting right next to me.

The sandwiches on his plate now contained only vegetables except a thin piece of ham.

And in between, there was a strange four-pronged herb on the edge of the leaf.

'Icoryl!'

Dark green herbs with a slightly darker color than other vegetables. That's ICORYL.

It's said to have a slightly sour smell, which can be poisonous depending on the cooking process.

Henriette was just seen reaching for a sandwich with an icoryl in it. Count Semond was also smiling, giving him an eye.

At that moment, I raised my voice a little and opened my mouth.

"Duke!"

Standing tall, Henriette's hand stopped.

His eyes turned to me, and Count Semond looked at me.

It's a little scary, but I have no choice but to be brave.

"Well, I have something to tell you."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm so sorry I've been lying. Count Semond... a, actually, he didn't teach me a thing. It's just, I forced myself to learn it. The Count, I didn't ask him to do anything."

Henriette heard it and completely pulled out of the sandwich with a stiff face.

Count Semond smiled and opened his mouth as if he were pretending to be in a good mood.

"You were very energetic when you were in the County. Didn't you always make up a funny story? I beg your pardon, Your Excellency. Wouldn't that make the meal even more enjoyable?"

"So all your testimony at the meeting is a lie."

Great job, Henriette. He's not even listening to Count Semond.

"…yes."

"Was it all a lie to say that the forces that formed the organization centered on the Marquis Alpeir had a secret meeting at Count Semond's mansion?"

"Yes."

"And the accusations against those who have already been confirmed and imprisoned were all false?"

Henriette was throwing questions with a stiff face at first, then questioning, frowning as if he had found something strange.

I did not miss this opportunity.

Looking at him with a serious face for a moment, I nodded very slowly.

"Yes."

Please notice. That I'm lying right now.

Most of the anti-emperor forces were manipulated by Henriette's forces and were almost half framed.

However, common sense suggests that some cases have already been resolved due to corruption and money laundering by the Academy, which cannot be a lie.

I believe in Henriette now, and I am informing him with all my might.

"Everything I say is a lie."

From now on, I'm going to lie.

Henriette looked me in the face for a moment, and soon withdrew his gaze calmly.

"Okay, I get it."

Did it work? I was swallowing my dry saliva with nervousness, and he quickly reopened his mouth.

"Then you need punishment."