Chapter 20- Dethronement of the Illegitimate Queen

The herbalist looked up from his work when Iris entered the building.

"Oh Miss Iris, you're here. Your order is ready." He said cheerfully.

Iris acknowledged his words with a nod. He waved for her to follow him into the study. He didn't bother offering Iris a seat this time but just sat behind the large desk. 

"The tincture was successfully created, it was challenging but ultimately lucrative." He began a polite conversation as he retrieved the poison. However, Iris had no patience for his idling.

"How much?" She straightforwardly asked.

"Well… These materials are very expensive and difficult to gather." The shopkeeper trailed off. 

Iris began setting down large bags of gold until she saw greed about to leak out his eyes.

"Yes, yes that should be sufficient. However, there is one more matter I must bring up with you."

Iris began searching through her coat for more gold but was interrupted.

"I'm afraid it's not simply a matter of money." He said regretfully. 

"I made this poison, as it's not a recipe I've seen before. I have to admit I was very curious about its effects. However, unfortunately I cannot give this to you."

As his words hung in the stale air, a large group of armed people gathered into the room. Iris had obviously been targeted. She hadn't expected the shopkeeper's eyes to be bigger than his stomach. 

But it didn't matter either way. Iris hadn't had much time to train this body, but it would be enough to fight. She just might sustain more injuries than normal, considering the size of the group she was facing. 

Before the intimidating group made their first move, Iris flew towards the shopkeeper and knocked him out. It would be inconvenient if he were to flee during the battle. During Iris's actions, she had been completely surrounded. Before her opposer could, Iris made the first movement.

The smell of blood and sweat began to fill the air as weapons flew. Iris was armed, but still at a disadvantage. She was steadily taking down her adversaries, but she was obviously running out of energy. She was covered in blood and panting heavily, but finally there was only one left. She turned to the remaining person with quick and ruthless movements. 

But her fatigue got in the way at a critical moment. Her attacker had planted their dagger firmly in Iris's stomach. 

Iris gritted her teeth and slashed the person's neck while they stabbed her. As her last opponent fell, Iris collapsed on the ground. The dagger didn't seem to pierce any important organs, but Iris saw the skin around the wound start to blacken. Poison.

It needed to be dealt with immediately or she would die here. But the adrenaline from the fight started to wear off and her wounds became painfully apparent. Iris tried to focus her mind, resisting the exhaustion threatening to take over. Somehow, her mind drifted to the last life. Compared to this life, it was peaceful. Iris thought of something and slowly rose to her feet. She didn't know what would happen if she died here, and she didn't want to find out. 

Thankfully, this whole event had occurred in a building full of healing herbs. She didn't feel guilty as she ransacked the place. Her movements were very slow as she began tending to her wounds. Her stomach wound was especially painful. She didn't know what type of poison it was or what would solve it, but she didn't care very much. As long as she could delay the spread long enough to complete her mission, it was fine either way. Pain wasn't new to Iris, she could withstand it. 

-

Iris barely managed to heal herself and find a soft cushion to pass out on. When she woke up, surrounded by corpses and blood, she found her attention attached to the shopkeeper. He was still knocked out, Iris likely hadn't slept for long. As Iris tenderly walked over to him, she pocketed the vial of poison off the desk, as well as her bags of gold. She crouched before the shopkeeper and rudely shook him awake.

"Hmm? What? What happened?" The shopkeeper took in the desecration before him in shock. His eyes landed on the girl in front of him in apprehension. She had done this?

"What did you-"

"No questions from you." Iris interrupted him.

 His previous confidence had all but shattered when he understood the scene before him. He had grossly underestimated the person in front of him. 

"Who had you do this?" Iris didn't think the man in front of her would have the ambition to assassinate a royal on his own. And she was correct.

"No, no, no, I can't tell you! My life is on the line." He frantically explained.

Iris held a knife to his throat.

"Your life's on the line right now. Tell me." 

The shopkeeper trembled as the blade pressed into his skin. A deep, instinctual, fear rose in his heart. The girl threatening him right now was not something he could oppose.

"I'll tell you, please! Please let me live! It's-" But before he could finish his words a ominous blankness took over his facial features. His eyes were void of emotion, now vacant and unseeing. 

He suddenly grabbed the dagger Iris held and pressed it against his neck. Iris quickly pulled it away, but her injuries betrayed her. The shopkeeper quickly stabbed the knife into his throat once he had the opportunity. His warm, viscous, blood sprayed all over Iris. 

Iris was still for only a moment before she slammed her fist into the wall in anger. She gritted her teeth as she glared at the now dead body. 

-

Iris limped over to the inn she was staying at, ignoring the strange glances from the people she passed. As soon as she arrived in her room, she fell into her bed and fell asleep.

When she woke up the next morning, there was no muscle in her body that wasn't sore. She came out from that battle worse than she expected to. She hadn't expected Netra's body to be so weak. 

Thankfully, she still had about a week until she was expected to serve as the Queen. It wouldn't be nearly long enough to heal her injuries, but it would be enough to manage some of the more prominent and cosmetic ones. 

Iris observed the poisoned wound on her stomach. The poison had slowed a bit when she applied a few herbs, but it would take very long for the wound itself to heal. Iris likely wouldn't be rid of it while she occupied this body. But that's fine. She would avoid trips like this in the future. 

She gazed at the poison that she had done all this for. She had gotten what she came for, that's all that mattered.