As I opened my eyes, I found myself in bed. The uncertainty of what happened after losing consciousness gave way to relief— I was alive.
"Duchess, you’ve awakened! Let quickly inform the duke; he was quite worried," a maid said, heading towards the door to summon the duke. Despite her advice to stay lying down, I struggled to sit up.
"No, there’s no need for all this. I can manage," the duke said, rushing towards . I refused his hand, determined to stand on my own.
"Has the culprit been caught?" I inquired, focused on finding the one responsible.
"Culprit? What culprit are you talking about?" he responded, seemingly oblivious to any wrongdoing.
"Are you out of your mind?" I retorted.
"What did you say?" he asked.
"You heard . Where is the culprit?" I pressed on.
"Wife, there’s no culprit. You had food poisoning," he claid, causing my anger to escalate.
"Duke, I didn’t expect this from you. You’re saying there’s no culprit, and I had food poisoning, and you expect to believe that? No, I won’t believe it," I declared, getting up despite the discomfort in my body.
"Wife, take rest!" he urged, attempting to push back onto the bed. I slapped his hand away.
"Don’t you dare touch . Don’t you dare tell what to do!" I commanded, ordering the guard to bring the maid who had served lunch.
I waited anxiously as the guard returned with the trembling maid.
"So, you know what happened, right? You know the consequences of trying to poison the duchess, don’t you?" I interrogated her.
"I... I don’t know anything," she stuttered.
"You don’t know anything? Then who does? The guard? The cook? Who gave you the poisoned salad, despite knowing the consequences?" I demanded, lifting her chin to look at .
"Wife, what are you doing?" the duke questioned.
"Didn’t you hear what I said?" I replied, halting his interference.
Suddenly, the door swung open, revealing the princess. This was the mont I had been waiting for. If she confessed on the spot, the duke might finally believe .
"What the hell are you doing, duchess? Why are you interrogating my maid as if she’s a criminal? I expressed my gratitude to you, and this is what I get? I didn’t expect this from you," the princess exclaid innocently.
"I’m interrogating because I was poisoned, not you. If it were you, as a princess, you would have already had the maid executed. But for , why is the issue being swept aside like this? I am also the duchess of Ablia; I have so respect and responsibility for the empire. So why is this matter being treated lightly? Is this how the emperor in this empire demonstrates his rule to ordinary people?" I questioned her.
"Your issue is nothing but food poisoning!" she asserted.
"Okay, and who said that? The doctor? Fine, I’ll accept what you said. But can you explain why I am the only one experiencing food poisoning when everyone else who had the sa al is fine? Is there sothing in others’ bodies that I lack?" I challenged, making her admit, "Duchess, I have a special diet due to my health issues."
"I’m not talking about you, princess. I’m referring to everyone else in the empire, from nobles to cooking servants. Why is no one else falling ill, while I did unless poison was deliberately added to my food?" I concluded, leaving her stepping backward.
"So, you are accusing my maid of such a severe cri?" the princess inquired.
"When did I say I’m accusing? I’m stating it with proper proof. Isn’t what I’ve said enough for people to understand who poisoned and put my life at risk?" I responded.
"If you are blaming the maid who works for , then you are implicating , her master," she asserted.
"Okay, I’m putting the bla on you for attempting to kill . Is this clear enough?" I declared, looking directly into her eyes.
"Did you see, Alex? Your wife is making such accusations, sothing I’ve never done," the princess said, pushing and moving towards Alex. I intervened, commanding her to stop.
"You are forgetting that you are in my room right now, and whatever you touch becos my concern. I’d like to show you sothing before you make a mistake," I warned.
"What do you an, Duchess?" she inquired.
"What I an is, a while ago, you were so ill that you couldn’t get out of bed. You could hardly recognize people due to drowsiness. But suddenly, you’ve beco so well that you had no issue rushing to stop . What kind of illness changes according to your convenience?" I questioned.
"What are you trying to say?" she asked.
"It’s very clear, Princess. Back then, I didn’t permit you to say anything because you were unwell. But now, you are not. You can walk, run, speak, and see perfectly fine. Yet, you can’t distinguish between what is yours and what is taken? Or do I need to remind you that a married man can’t be touched by any woman who is not his wife?" I stated.
"Duchess, he is my cousin!" she insisted.
"He may be your cousin, but he is married, Vixara!" I heard the prince’s voice.
"Prince, what brings you here?" I asked.
"I heard about your health, so I couldn’t stay away. So, how do you feel now? Any discomfort?" he inquired.
"I’m fine, Prince, but I’m still searching for the culprit who tried to kill !" I replied.
"Yes, I heard that you got food poisoning, but I don’t believe in that theory either. I ca here after testing the salad myself, and I didn’t feel anything, which ans soone purposely placed sothing on your plate," he revealed.
"I think the sa, which is why I brought the maid who served . Coincidentally, she is the princess’s maid," I said, making the prince look at the princess. We both knew the truth, but we needed proof.
"Guards! Take this woman to the underground dungeon. I will be there shortly!" the prince ordered.
"As you say, Prince!" the guards replied, escorting the maid away while she scread and cried. I felt no pity for her.
"Brother, are you siding with the duchess?" the princess asked.
"I’m not siding with anyone. I’m just trying to put everything in its original place, whether it’s things or people," the prince explained.
"That’s why you are not in the right position, Prince," the duke retorted.
"I am in the right place, Duke. But I think you once again forget about your courtesy. I won’t be putting that much pressure on you again. But I don’t think what you did was right. To think that your wife might have food poisoning, despite knowing that you too had the sa dish for lunch. I can’t believe, as a husband, you give up so easily. I didn’t expect that from you," the prince criticized.
"I feel bad for this, but right now, I’m not in the mood for an argunt, as my wife is not feeling well. So you all can go, leaving my wife to rest," the duke dismissed.
"Oh, sure! We will et later, Duchess. Hope you get well soon," the prince said, leaving with the princess.
"So, what are you waiting for? An invitation? Go as well. Seeing you won’t let rest well either," I said, looking at the duke.
"Wife, why are you being like this? I want to be with you," he pleaded.
"Be with ? Don’t make laugh, for the gods’ sake. You didn’t want to be with ; otherwise, when I was dying, you wouldn’t have believed anyone saying I had food poisoning. Instead, you would have tried to investigate the situation until you found the true culprit," I retorted, glaring at him.
"I made a mistake," he admitted, pressing his lips.
"This is not a mistake. This is a choice made by you and only you. No one made the decision for you; you did it by yourself. So stop saying the sa thing over and over," I replied, laying down on the bed and covering my face.
"Wife, forgive !" he pleaded. I could feel the sorrow in his tone, but I didn’t say anything.
"You would have been happy if I had died. You are only happy to see poisoned so that you could marry the princess and have a happily ever after with her," I accused.
"Don’t say sothing I never even thought of in my dream. This is all wrong. I have never seen Vixara in that way," he insisted.
"Vixara is my sister," he added.
"So what was that, Duke, when her chest was pressed against your chest? Brothers and sisters don’t hug like that. There is courtesy and distance that maintain the brother-sister relationship. But what you and the princess did didn’t once make think you two are siblings at all," I said, raising up on my bed.
"So get out of my sight," I commanded, making him leave my room.
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