FMLDM 57

Chapter 57

The Poisoner (1)

“How could you….”

From the very beginning, I had suggested morning tea to Macaron precisely to prepare for this incident. Rydik’s deadly poison wasn’t entirely impossible to guard against. There was a way—building immunity. So every time I prepared tea, I secretly added a minuscule amount of poison to his tea. But I could never bring myself to tell Macaron about it. And yet, he knew everything. Knowing all along, why did he pretend not to notice?

“Looking closely, madam, it seems you often underestimate me.”

“What do you mean….”

Could it be he still suspected me? I swallowed hard with my eyes closed. Macaron’s low voice was as usual, but the subtle shift in the air, the delicate tension of the moment, made me feel as if I might be pulled underground. Even without wrongdoing, the situation sent cold sweat trickling down my spine.

“Did you really think I drank it without knowing?”

His sly tone made it hard to gauge his intention, causing me to flinch. I tried to appear composed, but my voice, once released, trembled uncontrollably.

“You knew everything… why didn’t you say a word?”

“I presumed there was a reason.”

Macaron wasn’t someone who easily trusted others. At least, from what I knew, he had always been that way. Yet he broke down that wall and allowed me into his inner world.

“Because it’s you.”

I had expected some of it, but his faith struck me deeper than I had anticipated. A strange warmth welled up from deep within me. It was gratifying to know I had become that significant to him, yet at the same time, my heart grew heavy. I knew my presence had altered his life considerably. Unsure if this was truly the right path, fear also weighed on me. But Macaron, as always, curved his eyes like a crescent moon at me, steady and calm.

“I may not know your exact intentions in serving tea every morning, but it’s obvious you didn’t mean to harm me.”

“……”

“You seem to have forgotten that I am a genius in pharmaceuticals. Nothing in this world can deceive my taste.”

Macaron said it was easy, but in reality, detecting poison from a single sip of tea fell into the realm of the impossible. Among all the pharmacists in the Empire, Macaron alone possessed such a refined palate capable of discerning even subtle poisons by taste. He was a rare combination of talent and effort, which earned him the title of a genius. So perhaps noticing it was instantaneous for him. Still, I never imagined he would know the details so thoroughly.

“An assassin hired for this purpose wouldn’t have added such a minuscule dose, right?”

“……”

“Nor would they have timed it to coincide with a moment when you weren’t present, preventing me from being poisoned like this time.”

Honestly, I had thought even Macaron couldn’t have foreseen this. But did he not anticipate that I, facing a genius pharmacist with such refined taste, would prepare to counter it? During my Moon Night days, I had painstakingly obtained rare spices from Lady Marie’s guild. These spices, only available through the Laputa guild, could neutralize any aroma or flavor, making the poison virtually undetectable. The already nearly scentless Rydik poison, when mixed with these spices, left no trace. I even added the strong scent of tea, testing it multiple times. The guild hadn’t lied. Yet he discerned it immediately… I had underestimated Macaron far too much.

“To be honest, at first, I did suspect you, madam.”

That must have been the case. The first time I added poison to his tea was shortly after arriving here. Back then, I had no idea I would grow to like Macaron this much, and he had not yet lowered his guard toward me.

“That’s why, even during the Kai incident, I lost my composure…”

The memory of that terribly painful day flashed in my mind. Even now, his eyes reflected lingering guilt. He lowered his head briefly, exhaled deeply, and finally lifted his face.

“And now… I can only admire your foresight.”

Macaron merely stated his conclusions calmly; he didn’t question me. Was he not curious about how I knew enough to poison him? If I were Macaron, I would have been fascinated by how someone could anticipate an assassination attempt—especially using Rydik. Yet he never asked.

“Thank you. For saving me.”

His gentle smile enveloped the room, filling it with a warm, comforting atmosphere.

“To be honest, I even wondered if you might possess precognition.”

Macaron spoke lightly, but I could tell he wanted an explanation. Until I provided it, he would wait in silence. I knew exactly how profound his trust was, and how much lonely contemplation it must have cost him. Now, it was my turn to offer an explanation. Gathering my courage, I faced him squarely, suppressing the urge to shrink away. If I couldn’t offer any other defense, I might as well be shameless enough to leave no room for suspicion. For both of us.

“I don’t have precognition. I’ve just witnessed such incidents many times before.”

“Such incidents? Could you clarify?”

“…The Prince’s Rebellion.”

After speaking, a tense silence settled. Thinking about it, mentioning the Prince’s Rebellion in front of Macaron himself was nerve-wracking. Yet, true to form, Macaron accommodated me with quiet patience.

“It’s alright. Speak freely.”

Encouraged by his calm, I unleashed the historical knowledge I had honed over the years.

“When selecting a crown prince, wars between kin often occurred…”

“……”

“…And during the elimination of rivals, poison was most frequently used. In a way, it was the simplest method. Therefore…”

I strung together the parts I remembered, forming a lengthy narrative of historical events. Of course, much of it was fuzzy recollection, bordering on nonsense. Yet Macaron listened as attentively as any devoted student, occasionally chuckling or squeezing his thigh. Seeing him nod so vigorously, I considered it a success. He added,

“To have read such texts and prepared what even I hadn’t considered beforehand.”

One step.

“I am once again in awe of your insight.”

Taking a second step, Macaron approached, lifted me onto the window seat, and met my gaze. The distance between us was less than a pace. His outstretched arms confined me to his embrace, and his alluring, crescent-shaped eyes conveyed understanding of everything.

Even a gaze alone could send shivers through me. His red eyes seemed almost penetrating, touching every part of me. The heat radiating from his stare made the surrounding air warmer. It was as if he sought to reaffirm his trust in me through his gaze. Aware of its meaning, I turned toward the window, letting a cool breeze temper the heated atmosphere. Macaron seemed amused even by my opening the window, smiling gently. The breeze fluttered through the room, lightening my heart. I wanted to forget everything in his embrace, but this wasn’t the time. Pushing him gently, he stepped back in response. Seizing the small gap, I shifted the topic.

“Now, we need to find the culprit.”

Perhaps displeased by the topic change, Macaron slightly furrowed his brows.

“I’ve already instructed Momont regarding that.”

Just then, a knock sounded, and Momont entered. Macaron’s frown deepened further, and the room briefly fell silent.

“What is it?”

“I have a report regarding this incident.”

Momont’s gaze flicked repeatedly toward me as he spoke.

‘Is my presence inconvenient?’

“I’ll return shortly,” Momont said, stepping back. But Macaron grasped my hand.

“No, there’s no need to leave.”

Macaron briefly looked at the hesitant Momont, then said in a calm voice,

“Report.”

“Your Majesty, but….”

“Report.”

Momont glanced at me, gauged Macaron’s reaction, and then slowly recounted the incident.

“In the morning, as I was preparing tea, Maid Mary came to inform me that madam had instructed me to see Master Kai and Miss Coral off to the academy.”

Since this was the time the incident occurred, Momont’s words inadvertently cast suspicion on me. I understood why he hesitated earlier to mention it.

“Of course, I believe madam’s instruction was purely coincidental.”

Despite his words, Momont still seemed uneasy. It was natural; having served Macaron closely and dealt with his many enemies, Momont would naturally struggle to trust anyone pointing fingers at me. Though I had lived here for a year and grown attached, my bond couldn’t compare to the years Macaron and his retinue had shared. Yet there was something strange about Momont’s report.

“…Mary?”

She had been instructed to monitor the children, but why lie? Other servants had merely carried out their usual household duties.

‘Why would Mary say that?’

Mary, the youngest maid, was close to Eve and had often conversed with me. Momont’s face had hardened, and Macaron asked calmly,

“Did madam give that instruction?”

My heart melted at his gentle tone. Trembling, I replied,

“Yes. I had left that task to Eve. I thought Sir Momont would be busy even without it.”

Momentarily stiff, Momont visibly relaxed, recalling the sequence of events.

“Even so, Chief Maid Eve told me she had received the instruction herself, so I returned immediately.”

As the careful account unfolded, Momont clenched his fists and continued,

“When I prepared the tea and went to the West Wing, Your Majesty had already collapsed.”

“…!”

Macaron remembered collapsing immediately after drinking the tea. Piecing it together, it seemed Mary had lied to Momont to divert him. Later, someone had discreetly placed the tea in Macaron’s empty study. The tea was set before Macaron entered, so neither Momont nor Macaron had seen the mysterious poisoner. At present, the only clue was Mary, who had misled Momont. As soon as we reached the East Wing, we called for Mary—but only Eve returned after a short while.