AMHFB 10

Chapter 10

That’s what the shop owner had said.

“My! You’ve made a fine choice, Miss! This product, as they say, is called the ‘All-Purpose Poison Detector!’”

“All-purpose?”

“Yes! Even if you drop just a single drop of a substance containing poison! Even an extremely tiny amount! It’ll detect it all. Nothing compares to it, not even silver spoons!”

“…How much is it?”

“Just 500 gold coins! Really, I’m giving it to you at a bargain!”

500 gold was half of the emergency fund I had, and for commoners, it would be several months’ worth of living expenses.

The price was high enough, but what bothered me more was that the magic shop owner didn’t sound entirely trustworthy.

After much deliberation, I only bought it after seeing the certificate that guaranteed its quality from the Mage Tower.

I pressed the knob on the pocket watch and opened the artifact. In the place where the clock face should have been, a transparent magical gem was embedded.

“So, all I have to do is drop the substance suspected of containing poison here?”

There was still water left on the table, which I suspected Killian had given me. I glared at the gold-rimmed cup but quickly shook my head.

There was no way Killian, who had been meticulously watching me, would be this careless.

If he had poisoned the water, he would have disposed of the cup by now. The cup and water on the table must be clean.

I had no choice but to use the most certain method.

“As long as there’s poison, even a tiny amount should be enough.”

I took a pen from the drawer and checked its sharp tip. Without hesitation, I pricked my finger.

Drip.

Crimson blood fell onto the magical gem.

I had stabbed too deeply, and the tip of my finger throbbed, but I focused entirely on the pocket watch. The manual said that if poison was detected, the gem would glow red; if none was detected, it would glow white.

Yet the gem, which had absorbed my blood, remained quiet.

“Please…”

Please let nothing happen.

Eyes wide, teeth clenched, I silently prayed. Soon, the gem flickered.

I sat down, clutching my sinking chest with one hand and gripping the edge of the desk with the other.

“I just had a ten-year scare…”

The gem was white.

Even after calming my pounding heart and checking again, it was definitely white.

Yes, come to think of it, carrying out a poisoning when alone with someone would also be a burden for Killian. While no one could accuse him, it was certainly a situation where suspicion could easily fall on him.

“Thank goodness.”

I exhaled deeply and closed the glowing pocket watch before opening it again. The gem had returned to its original transparent state.

Despite the scammy name of “All-Purpose,” I had been skeptical even of the Mage Tower’s certificate, but it had proven quite useful.

“Maybe I should carry it around all the time?”

The artifact wouldn’t work if the magic in the gem ran out, but the poison detector seemed to consume very little mana.

They said things like this were nearly permanent.

I picked up the instruction manual I had tossed aside.

“Let’s see… Number of uses…”

[※WARNING※]
Usage limit: 3 times

“Are you insane? 500 gold for only three uses?”

Since I had already used it once, only two uses remained.

Isn’t that too much?

An ordinary person wouldn’t face a poisoning threat three times, but if someone was buying a poison detector, they were clearly not ordinary—and three uses was stingy!

The fact that the usage limit was written in tiny letters separately made it clear the creator knew he had no conscience.

“You scammer!”

I shoved the pocket watch into the drawer and lay down on the bed.

‘I still need to search Killian’s room again, ask Randel for help, and also deal with Anna…’

There was a mountain of work ahead for a successful divorce.

But for now, it was best to rest, as per the doctor’s recommendation. If I failed to find any evidence, I might have to flee in the dead of night, and in this state, I couldn’t even get out of the Grand Duchy, let alone head south.

‘I should avoid running into Killian as much as possible.’

…Or so I thought.

“Why do I hear Killian’s voice as soon as I open my eyes?”

Was the Grand Duke’s castle poorly soundproofed, or did my ears just have a supernatural ability to catch only Killian’s voice?

It seemed the latter, since Anna and Randel’s voices came faintly from outside the door.

I layered a thin robe over my pajamas and cautiously pressed my ear to the door, intending to eavesdrop on what Killian was saying to the two guards he had placed.

“Open it.”

“Ah, no! Your Highness said this morning that all visits from the Grand Duke are to be refused!”

“I’m just checking from a distance. Open it.”

I even heard Killian sigh, and it carried through to me.

Even without doing anything, this man could crush a person’s spirit, and now, showing such low spirits, Anna couldn’t possibly move.

“B-but you told me not to open the door…”

As expected, Anna’s voice trembled. Still, she was holding up better than I thought.

‘Interesting. I thought she’d open it immediately if Killian ordered her.’

Anna, hired by Killian, was as threatening as Randel, if not more. She looked weak, but in reality, she was the number one person to watch out for.

Everything that reached my mouth had to pass Anna’s inspection.

To avoid poisoning, I would need to either fire or sway Anna—but firing her was already out of the question.

‘Even if I kicked Anna out, Killian would just place someone else in her spot.’

Better to turn Anna, who seemed less hostile, to my side.

Judging so, I had used the tear strategy the previous night.

“Anna, the truth is… my relationship with Killian isn’t good. Lately, especially. You’ve heard the rumors about Baron Flame’s daughter, right…?”

As I spoke, feigning tears, Anna had started to snivel with me.

The sympathy tactic seemed to work. Even now, she was still trying to uphold the ban on Killian entering.

“Absolutely not!”

Hearing her voice, I nodded with satisfaction.

Yes! Good! Keep going, more!

“Please respect our Grand Duke!”

In one night, she had become invested in “our Grand Duke.” This was a sign that Anna no longer considered Killian on her side.

Time to make my move.

As I reached for the door, I let out a silent scream.

“Y-your Highness has no conscience?”

Anna’s scream carried a completely different meaning.

‘She’s scolding him for cheating!’

The plan worked too well!

She had gone from pitying me to feeling hostility toward Killian.

From beyond the door, I heard another sigh from Killian. Since Anna had displeased her employer, it wouldn’t take much for him to fire her.

I couldn’t let someone who might become my ally slip away.

I gathered myself and quickly opened the door. Killian, Anna, and Randel all immediately looked at me.

“Eleanor.”

“Your Highness!”

They all looked as if they had finally met someone who could communicate with them.

I had worried that Killian might draw his sword, but it was absurd.

Anna, who I thought would be sniveling, had a determined face, and Randel was in combat stance at the door.

Killian didn’t look particularly angry either. He had been leaning casually against the hallway window but straightened as he saw me.

The atmosphere wasn’t at all what I expected, but I first pulled Anna behind me.

I felt her trembling hands clutching the edge of her cardigan. She must have been scared to confront Killian.

I crossed my arms and glared at Killian.

“Why are you making noise in front of my room? Didn’t you say I was banned from entering?”

“Not yet—”

“Don’t give me that nonsense about not entering yet.”

Killian wasn’t the type to not understand that ‘don’t enter my room’ meant ‘don’t come near me.’

Still, he shrugged.

“I thought we could have breakfast together.”

“Breakfast? The sun’s already high in the sky.”

“Then let’s have cake. You promised.”

“What promise?”

Ah, he meant the one from yesterday when he received the cake and said he would make a time to eat together?

“That was a promise you made alone. I don’t want it.”

Killian stroked his chin at my sharp refusal, as if calculating how to persuade me.

Do you really think I’d eat with you?

I scoffed.

“If you really want to eat, try carrying me there.”

“Really? Can I?”

“Try if you can, ugh!”

Before I could finish, my body floated and landed across Killian’s shoulder. I grabbed him in alarm.

“What are you doing? Are you crazy?”

“I won’t drop you. And you said I could.”

“Just because you said doesn’t mean you actually do it!”

“If you don’t want breakfast or cake, we still need lunch. You know you’re lighter than my sword, right?”

“Stop exaggerating and put me down!”

I frowned, but it didn’t seem to faze him at all.

“If you want to get down, try it.”

He mimicked my words with a sly smile.

Unbelievable.

“You’re really this childish?”

Killian didn’t answer. He just held me on his arm, looking at Anna and Randel, as if saying, “So, will you stop me?”

I turned to glance at Anna for help, but she subtly avoided my eyes and defended Killian.

“Oh, Your Highness, if it was urgent, why not say so earlier? Our Duke only had one piece of cake all day yesterday.”

“No wonder you felt light.”

Anna waved at me after speaking with Killian fluently.

“Have a good day, Your Highness!”

“Anna! You—you!”

I had pulled her in as soon as I opened the door, so how could she do this to me?

I was too shocked to speak.

Randel tilted his head, muttering something strange.

“Hmph… Maybe she’s just overprotected…”

Taking a step back, he clearly had no intention of helping.

“Who are you both even on the side of?!”

Anna and Randel answered simultaneously.

“Obviously, on Your Highness’s side!”

“Of course, on Your Highness’s side.”

Damn it. Am I the ‘Your Highness’ you’re talking about?!

“Ugh.”

I clenched my fists and groaned. Killian laughed lowly.

That laugh, sounding almost delighted, and the fact I was clinging to him, felt uncomfortable—but I held it in.

I couldn’t fend him off alone, and even if I could, a slip onto the marble floor would likely break bones.

Killian glanced at me and said,

“You’re not as rebellious as I thought.”

“Your ride is surprisingly comfortable.”

I was small but still an adult. Yet Killian’s arms were solid as steel. How does one grow such strong arms? I envied him.

As I zoned out, admiring his handsome face, a female voice nearby spoke.

“Why are you stopping us again?”

Wait… That voice sounds familiar…

“It’s important!”

Could it be Melissa Frey?