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Chapter 23
“I feel a bit awkward asking questions nonstop, but… can you really identify even the type of poison just by gathering knowledge?”
“Um… well… this is… something I’d like everyone here… to keep… in their hearts… as a secret, if possible…”
When I prefaced it that way, a strange tension ran through the room.
What I was about to say would, in a sense, lessen the worries of those attending the prince—though it might not sound like it.
“As long as I am… inside the box… I will not… die from poison…”
“What do you mean by that?”
“I mean it… exactly as it sounds.
I can tell… the taste of poison… but the poison… is neutralized… before it can take effect…”
“I see. So that’s what you meant the other day when you said, ‘the box is resistant to poison.’”
The people attending the prince all wore indescribable expressions, but the prince himself looked thoughtful—yet somehow pleased.
Then, as if asking a question but already half certain of the answer, he continued.
“Still, being immune to poison and having knowledge are two different matters.
That being the case—when you realized poison didn’t affect you, didn’t you try various things?”
“Yes… my curiosity… was very strongly… stirred…”
Being so directly called out made me feel oddly embarrassed.
“I wanted to know… just how much poison… could be neutralized… so I tried various things…”
“Including tasting them?”
“Anything that seemed… possible…”
“Out of curiosity?”
“Yes…”
The moment I answered, it seemed as though shock rippled through the prince’s attendants.
Well, an ordinary noble lady wouldn’t memorize the taste of poison just because it didn’t affect her.
“I really think we’d get along well.
That said… no matter how harmless it may be, it’s impressive that the chancellor and his wife allowed it.”
“……”
I’ll refrain from commenting on that.
“Though you’re outside the box, just for a brief instant I caught a glimpse of you earlier. You averted your eyes immediately, didn’t you?”
…I thought staying silent would suffice, but he saw right through me.
In truth, I hadn’t received permission, so I’d begged Kachina to procure things for me by force.
In the end it was discovered, and I received a severe scolding from my parents—though that’s a secret.
With Kachina’s mediation, they decided that scolding me would never stop me anyway, so a rule was established: I had to inform them beforehand whenever I conducted experiments.
A rule I sometimes keep… and sometimes don’t.
“You shouldn’t worry your parents too much.”
“Your Highness… are you… familiar… with a throwing weapon… called a boomerang?”
“I am.”
He smiled wryly, so he was clearly self-aware. Let’s call that even.
As I chatted with Prince Siphon like that, I glanced around and saw that his attendants still looked deeply shaken.
Was it really such shocking information…?
“Anyway,”
Amid that atmosphere, the prince showed no concern and tossed another question my way.
“If poison were mixed into the meals brought to you, would it be fine to deliberately ignore it?”
“It would be best… if the food… contained no poison… but if it is necessary… for Your Highness’s ‘interesting plans’…”
Poison ruins the flavor, so I’d really prefer they didn’t do it.
Still, considering the prince’s tastes and passions, this was probably the answer he liked best.
Indeed, the prince looked pleased.
“Speaking of poison, that reminds me.
At the coming-of-age ceremony, you noticed the poison in the wine before drawing it into the ‘box,’ didn’t you?
You only identified its nature after tasting it, but how did you realize beforehand?”
Since I’d done it right in front of him, it was a natural question.
I didn’t intend to explain everything, but giving at least part of the answer would likely prevent him from prying too forcefully.
“It is… a power of the ‘box’… that I gained… while ingesting poison…”
In a way, this ability also reduces the worries of those attending the prince.
“As I thought. Even if you can’t identify the poison itself, you can tell whether it’s present the moment it’s placed on top, correct?”
“It’s not… perfect… so I think… there are leaks… but—yes, that’s correct.”
So he’d already been vaguely suspecting it.
As for this ability… it seems the judgment is based entirely on my own knowledge.
If the poison is something I know, I can tell whether it’s present.
However, at the moment it’s placed on top, I can only tell whether a poison from my knowledge is being used.
I don’t know exactly what it is unless I actually ingest it.
That said, I have no intention of explaining those details here.
“Even so, that’s more than sufficient.”
The prince nodded, looking genuinely delighted.
In contrast to his joy, the faces of the others seemed to be growing paler by the minute.
Even so, our conversation continued lively.
Gradually, the topic drifted away from poison—
and as we chatted on for a while, Prince Siphon suddenly blinked, as if something had just occurred to him.
“Oh, that’s right. Your story was so fascinating, and our conversation so enjoyable, that I completely forgot to say this.”
“What… might that be?”
At his suddenly formal tone, I tilted my head.
“These are words I should have said at the very beginning.”
With a slightly serious expression, Prince Siphon said:
“Despite the sudden proposal of engagement, thank you for accepting it so graciously. I look forward to working with you from now on.”
“……”
It took me a moment to fully grasp the meaning of his words.
As understanding slowly sank in, though they were simple words, they made me inexplicably happy—
“The pleasure is mine… I look forward to it as well.”
Without even realizing it myself, I let my words bounce lightly as I nodded with a smile, unseen inside the box.
“I know it’s late to say this after all we’ve talked about, but I thought it was important.”
“Yes. It is… important.”
I replied with a smile to Prince Siphon, who was laughing gently.
After we laughed together for a short while, I made up my mind, just a little.
When you feel a connection of trust with someone, you take a step forward.
That’s how Jaba earned trust as well. This was my moment to gather courage and step forward.
“Your Highness…!
Um… well… if it pleases you… would you… come inside the box…?”
“Is that all right?”
“Yes…
If Your Highness touches it… you’ll be able to enter…
Once inside… could you please… go straight… to the guest room… you visited before…?”
My voice trembled slightly, but I managed to say it all.
The prince hesitated for just a moment.
He glanced briefly at his attendants, then nodded firmly.
“Then, excuse me.”
With those words, Prince Siphon rose from his seat, approached me—my box—and slowly extended his hand to touch it.
