'Don't tell me,' Princess Katheria, seated with her hands holding the teacup, felt a surge of suspicion upon hearing the flirtatious words from Marquess Avendial.
Her subtle furrowed brow betrayed her growing doubt, ignited by the unnatural behavior of Avendial Croceaus, renowned for his cold and indifferent persona, even in front of her while a faint scent of lavender from the tea filling the silence.
Although they were soon to be engaged, they had never shared such intimate conversations.
Their interactions were mostly formal greetings and well-mannered tea or coffee meetings, without much to discuss, and he had never shown any reaction before.
"It seems my compliment wasn't worth paying attention to," Avendial smiled, observing the subtle changes in the princess's movements. Her fingers, once caressing the teacup, now tapped on the table, her pupils fixed on him as she pondered something, her face remaining impassive with the moonlight streaming down caught the golden flecks in her eyes, making them appear almost luminescent.
Seeing her like this, it was clear that the event he had initiated was working in the right direction and would soon lead to the chain of events that would secure him three things.
But for starters, it would be the execution of Count Patric Vrandin.
"Not in the least, it was just the first time hearing such a compliment from you," Princess Katheria shook her head, her closed eyes opening to reveal her deep yellow gaze. It reflected the image of the man seated not far from her in a bathrobe, his white hair fluttering and blue eyes appearing distant to her, warmth from the teacup seeped into her fingers, a stark contrast to the cold breeze caressing her hairs.
"I also feel this; today everything appears good, as if now everything will be alright and filled with satisfaction for me," Avendial gaze softened as he looked towards the sky.
The moon and stars shone above, and a cold, soft breeze graced his facial features. His eyes seemed content as he gazed at the stars, which had lost their beautiful glimmer in the tower's survival.
Though there were moons and stars, Avendial, a regressor, could clearly say that no world was as beautiful as his own, called planet Earth.
Finally inhaling deeply, his pupils glanced to the side, noticing the princess's widening eyes.
That tremble inwardly told him his plan was progressing perfectly and will soon going to show results.
"Marquess, are you feeling hot from inside?" the princess asked, though she had already heard it before. She reconfirmed, her eyes looking towards a woman standing in a silken, loosened dress.
With a gesture, princess directed Lady Margaret to check if Marquess Avendial's body was warm.
'....is something wrong, Princess?' Lady Margaret noticed the calm yet directed look from the princess, understanding that something was amiss. Prompted to move forward, she stretched her delicate hands towards Avendial, who had already perceived the unspoken communication between the princess and Margaret. He turned towards Margaret, causing her to slightly flinch and stop, her hand hovering hesitantly.
"Apologies, Marquess, it's just—" Margaret tried to explain, wanting to touch his forehead.
'!'
In that fleeting moment, Avendial took the initiative by leaning forward while placing his forehead directly on her palm before lifting his hair with a smile, adding, "It will be your fault, Lady Margaret, if my body burns down due to your touch."
"My hands should be cold, though," Margaret responded, understanding Avendial's flirtatious words. She glanced towards the princess, before adding, "...Marquess have a fever, Princess."
"Huh, did he catch a fever due to cold water?" Lady Vinis, who was holding her hamster, approached. She didn't want to miss the chance to touch the man who usually appeared untouchable and elegant but now seemed vulnerable. She stretched her hand but halted midway when her eyes met his.
For a fleeting moment, she noticed a cold gaze from Avendial, the same one that caused her to retreat with a smile to hide her embarrassment.
"No, inside the cold water, the Marquess said that after Count Patric fed him something, he started to feel a burning sensation from within," Margaret explained, slowly retracting her hand. Her soft eyes transitioned to coldness as her hand loosened.
She then turned towards the noblemen, where a man in a velvet suit stood, instantly becoming the center of attention.
"No, no, Lady Margaret, I didn't mix anything in the Marquess's juice. Please trust me!" Patric protested, noticing the sudden cold gaze directed towards him from Margaret. He looked around at the other noblemen, some of whom squinted at him while others murmured among themselves about the unfolding events.
"P-princess... I-I..." Patric's whole body shivered as he looked towards the woman seated at the head of the table. Her sharp gaze made it clear that she considered him insignificant, merely a hurdle to be removed. His words stuck in his throat.
"Count Patric, I didn't mention the juice, but the Marquess did initially. Your memory is quite sharp to remember his words," Margaret said, her cold eyes remained fixed at the trembling man. She sternly looked at Count Patric with suspicion.
"Lady Margaret, would you tell us what the matter is here?" one of the noblemen asked, having guessed that Count Patric had fed the Marquess something but not understanding exactly what. The princess's gaze, cold and filled with killing intent, heightened the tension.
"The Marquess Avendial has been poisoned," Margaret declared, her eyes moving towards each of the noblemen before fixing on Patric Vrandin.
'!?!'
Everyone's eyes widened, beads of sweat forming on a few faces.
An assassination attempt within the royal palace could bring serious repercussions for the royal family, and they all would be held accountable.
"N-no, I-I promise—" Patric stammered, seeing the noblemen's accusing gazes, matching those of Margaret and Princess Katheria.
As if, they had already condemned him as a murderer.
'For now, it will be only you, Patric,' Avendial thought, his smile devilish under the moonlight. His eyes remained fixed on the man who had given him an aphrodisiac, now branded as a murderer and soon the one behind him will also have the same fate.
"P-princess Katheria, the Marquess is alright, right? Then—" Patric tried to argue, pointing out the absurdity of condemning him for poisoning a man who was flirting, laughing, and seemingly unaffected except for the normal effects of an aphrodisiac heating up his body.
Patric wanted to reveal the truth, but doing so would make him a criminal for administering something like that to Avendial. He feared the wrath of Princess Katheria, known for her cruelty.
"The name of the poison is Pyrocinum Uephorica," Princess Katheria murmured, her voice just louder than a whisper yet piercing through the ears of everyone present.
'!?!'
"Wh-what!"
"H-how could this be?!"
A shock, like a tsunami, drenched everyone in that moment, reverberating through the grand hall. Eyes widened, flickers of disbelief dancing within them.
GASP
Noblewomen gasped, their delicate hands flying to cover their trembling lips, attempting to stifle the audible expressions of their astonishment.
Men, typically composed with masks of indifference, now betrayed an array of emotions: brows furrowed, jaws slackened, and whispers of incredulity swirling in the air.
Every gaze, intense and piercing, turned toward the man at the center of the storm—Marquess Avendial Croceaus—He was filled with positivity, his smile radiant, seemingly unfazed by the waves of shock crashing around him while feeling satisfied with the beauty of nature around him.
"We need to call the doctors!" Suddenly, a voice tore through the place, causing everyone to look toward a woman who pushed her way through the crowd. Her shocked face was evident in her trembling golden pupils and quivering lips, accented by black lipstick, adding more urgency to the situation. Her black net dress drew glares from a few noblewomen.
Aecilia cared little for these people who judged her as she tried to approach the man, unaware that the poison he had ingested was affecting his mind in a way that would soon lead to gruesome death.
Indeed, Pyrocinum Uephorica, a rare poison, acted directly upon the brain through Dopaminergic Activation, Serotonergic Modulation, Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) Axis Activation, and Thermoregulation Disruption.
From the beginning, Pyrocinum Uephorica stimulated dopamine levels to their maximum, temporarily elevated serotonin release, and increased the production of cortisol and adrenaline. It also targeted the brain's thermoregulatory functions, disrupting the body's ability to maintain a stable temperature.
Each symptom exhibited by the Marquess pointed in that direction—heating up of the body while appearing unusually positive and flirtatious—behavior that was not expected of him.
'It must be sad for her...,' Avendial thought, glancing toward Princess Katheria. Her eyes were coldly fixed on Count Patric Vrandin, a chill filling the air as Patric's legs trembled, realizing he had already offended the princess. Ignoring the man, Avendial felt slightly bad for Princess Katheria for a few seconds.
After all, she was the one who had discovered this poison, used by none other than members of the royal family.
In 2010, the mother of Princess Katheria, who held a strong social standing and position among the nobility due to her sharp mind, was seen as the true empress rather than the reigning one.
Suddenly, one day, Empress appeared more cheerful and happy than ever, spending all day playing with her daughter, a rare occurrence. She shared all her life's sufferings with Katheria, who had never received such attention since birth.
The next day, the empress was found dead, a victim of a gruesome death caused by seizures, metabolic overload, multiple organ failure, and complete nervous system collapse, with blood oozing from her facial orifices and veins bulging all over her body.
It took 15 years for Princess Katheria to uncover the secret behind her mother's death, which everyone had assumed to be an accident—the day before, the empress had been most energetic and happily interacting with everyone.
Avendial had used that same poison, Pyrocinum Uephorica, to fabricate his current behavior, which seemed driven by an aphrodisiac.
He sought to leave the place alive with Rivia, even if it meant causing momentary pain to Princess Katheria.
He knew Princess Katheria would soon skin Patric alive and burn his nerves to get the answer to who gave him that poison, if Avendial's calculations were correct.
Emerging from his thoughts, Avendial pushed aside the first thing he had secured—Patric Vrandin's execution.
Avendial turned his attention to the next task that needed immediate action, knowing that his actions would be seen through the lens of the poison affecting him, affording him time to correct any mistakes even while acting slightly out of character today.
His gaze settled on a woman who stood frozen in panic, her feet rooted to the spot as she hesitated to approach him, intimidated by the disapproving glares of several noblewomen who viewed her as a disgrace to nobility.
Looking at her, Avendial's eyes softened, a smile gently forming on his lips as he spoke softly, "Lady Aecilia, it would be better if you forgave me. That angry expression of yours towards me appears too beautiful for my heart to bear."