Crown Prince - Gritzini
Second Prince - Orhide
Aurelian - Duke Raftera’s son
Argonas - Son of Chancellor Lionel
Interlude: Kingdom of Menexes (4)
~King Narcisse’s Point of View~
(Continental Year 578, Wind Season)
We hurried back to the royal capital after finishing the inspection. Along the way, we confirmed the current state of the capital through express messengers and letters via the guild. It seemed that Gritzini had captured those involved in the coup, with Orhide and several nobles imprisoned. The unrest within the castle had been suppressed with the cooperation of Duke Argonas and Duke Gardenia, and we were headed directly back to the castle.
“Father, I’m relieved to see you safe.”
“Mm. Sorry for being away so long. I never imagined such a thing would happen during my reign. Duke Gardenia, Argonas, thank you for your protection.”
“No, had the Second Prince been truly determined, even we wouldn’t have escaped unscathed. He seemed conflicted, though. He has yet to explain why.”
As our carriage passed under the castle gates, those involved in the suppression of the coup, led by Gritzini, gathered to welcome us. Lionel, unusually, was praising his son, and I made sure to express my gratitude to those who had supported him.
I was certain that Duke Raftera was the mastermind, yet he hadn’t returned to his mansion and wasn’t in the Count Prima territory where his grandchildren lived. Until now, I had overlooked many things simply because he was my uncle, but I would allow no more. I could endure his constant jabs at me, but laying hands on my sons was unforgivable.
“Duke Raftera and the next duke, Aurelian, are to be detained as soon as they are found. I will now go interrogate Orhide.”
“I’ll accompany you.”
Together with Gritzini, we headed to the northern annex where Orhide was under house arrest. Chancellor Lionel and Duke Gardenia, who had played a key role in suppressing the rebels, came with us.
We granted Marquis Soshure and the knights who had guarded us a few days of rest, and they would receive rewards along with those who had protected the capital. But first, I needed to hear from Orhide.
“I’m coming in.”
“… Father, Brother.”
Two knights stood outside the door, two more inside. They ensured no external contact was possible, though apparently Orhide hadn’t even attempted to make contact since being captured. He now sat quietly, his head hung low on the sofa.
“Orhide, why did you do such a thing? You said you were looking forward to your brother’s coronation.”
“… I… I envied my brother.
He inherited your violet eyes and was expected to become crown prince. I was born without those eyes. That’s why I trained to become a knight, hoping to find some way to be of use to him.
But then, his son was born with golden eyes. I thought… if my own child was born with violet eyes, then even if I couldn’t, perhaps my son could become crown prince.”
It’s true, my first grandchild had golden eyes, resembling the crown princess. But succession isn’t determined by eye color alone…
“Sorene and I… still have no children. It’s been years since our marriage, and she’s never once conceived. We assumed it was because of the duties and studies required of a royal princess—so busy all the time.
After all, he and his wife didn’t conceive for three years either, so we thought it was normal. But… to find out that the tea given to us by Princess Musette contained ingredients that make pregnancy difficult…
Brother, did you want your own child to become crown prince that badly? Did you, as Duke Raftera claims, intend to create an age gap between the candidates so your child could secure the throne!?”
“What!?”
“Foolishness!”
Seeing my son, tears welling in his eyes as he poured out his frustration, I was filled with rage. What vile things that uncle had planted in his mind… My eldest son, frozen in shock, my second son ready to grab his brother in anger—both are my beloved sons. Their children are my family too.
Overcome with emotion, I stood and struck Orhide across the face.
“F-Father…?”
Seeing my son standing there in shock, holding his cheek, I realized with surprise that I had raised my hand against my own child for the first time.
“Think calmly. Normally, wouldn’t you have verified the truth of those words first? Were those tea leaves truly a gift from Princess Musette? What kind of tea was it?”
“It was a tea called Tsufete. It has a rich aroma. I liked it when we had tea together during a tea party with Princess Musette, so she kindly shared some with me.”
“Tsufete…? Where is that tea from? Musette always drinks Sluga tea from her homeland, the Kingdom of Lizmoni. It’s also known for its fragrance, but I’ve never heard of Tsufete.”
“Tsufete is from a small country in the south, the Kingdom of Heilan. If I recall correctly, that town is famous for its trade with the sea people, and they also deal in substances that are poisonous to humans.”
Hearing Lionel’s answer, Orhide collapsed to his knees as the realization hit him that the tea leaves had been switched. But the very fact that tea leaves laced with poison made it into the royal family was suspicious in itself.
“Investigate in detail how those tea leaves were obtained and how they ended up in Sorene’s hands.
Orhide, the fact that you attempted a coup remains unchanged. However, this incident was fueled by your belief that your wife was being harmed. Since no one was injured, I will consider imposing the most lenient punishment possible. Will you cooperate so we can resolve this swiftly?”
“Of course. Brother… I am truly sorry. I… I’ve done something unforgivable.”
“No, had I been told Musette was in danger, I may have suspected the same. But first, we must uncover the truth behind this incident.”
I wanted to find my uncle as soon as possible, but we needed to dismantle this mess one piece at a time. Though we set out to unravel the threads of this conspiracy, the seeds sown by the traitors had already taken root in the capital. By the time we noticed, it was already too late.
The true villain behind the coup, Duke Raftera, had yet to be found, and the tea poisoning incident remained unresolved. Thus, we canceled this year’s New Year’s banquet. Originally, the banquet was intended to announce the date of the succession ceremony and hold the coronation at the end of the Water Season, but all plans were postponed.
After a month of investigation, it was revealed that, as expected, it was Duke Raftera who had imported the Tsufete tea leaves. He had ordered several varieties, claiming they were for his personal enjoyment in his private quarters. Since he had inspected the items himself, they passed through security without question. No one imagined he would poison something he intended to drink himself.
The tea leaves brought into the castle were passed to a maid serving the Second Prince's residence through a lower-ranking servant. It turned out that the maid's child was ill, and Duke Raftera had been covering the medical expenses. The maid claimed she didn’t know the tea contained harmful substances, but the fact she had switched the tea into a different, uninspected container was a grave crime.
Following her interrogation, she was sentenced to whipping, followed by execution by beheading, along with her family. It was also discovered that the real tea leaves, which had indeed been gifted by Princess Musette, had been discarded, mixed with fertilizer, and spread across the flowerbeds.
Even with the arrival of the Water Season, my uncle and Aurelian remained missing. It was suspected they might have fled the country, but there were no reports from the border guards to support that theory.
Around this time, reports of an epidemic began pouring in from the southern territories. There had been an outbreak of illness in Viscount Prima’s lands last year, but it was reported to have ended quickly. This time, however, the disease lingered. Severe coughing, high fever, and pain throughout the body were its hallmarks. At first, it was dismissed as a seasonal winter illness, but its severity was alarming, and recovery potions had no effect.
On this continent, the country most advanced in medicine is the small nation of Nieselb. Because the neighboring Imperial State, with its many holy priests, quickly takes away any child who manifests holy attributes during their baptism, Nieselb cannot raise such individuals themselves. As a result, they have focused on developing non-magical means to safeguard the health of their people.
I sent Argonas to Nieselb to inquire whether they had a cure or treatment method. This morning, I received news that we might be able to bring a skilled healer capable of handling the epidemic to our kingdom. It would take at least another month and a half for them to arrive.
Reports from the capital stated that crowds were gathering at the temples and apothecaries. I could only pray we would hold out long enough.
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