MPGF 22

Chapter 22: The Suspicious Medicine Bottle

Luxurious works of art lined the ornately carved golden stone corridor.

Following an attendant dressed in finer fabric than most, I arrived at one of the imperial palace’s banquet halls.

The moment I stepped inside, the gaze of the one seated at the head of the table overwhelmed me.

“I greet His Majesty the Emperor.”

When the Emperor—who looked exactly like Serdis—burst into hearty laughter, his golden hair, reaching all the way to his neck, swayed gently.

“I knew I’d see you again, young lady, but I never imagined it would be as my son’s partner.”

His deep voice resonated throughout the hall. Compared to when I met him in the audience chamber, his tone was clearly more relaxed. Thanks to that, I was able to sit near him more comfortably.

“Isn’t it even better meeting me as family?”

The Emperor’s red eyes stared into mine, then his gaze softened warmly.

“Yes, much better! Hahaha.”

“Your Majesty’s favorable view of me leaves me at a loss.”

A pleasant atmosphere flowed between me, the woman with the Emperor as a father-in-law, and the Emperor, who had a possessed daughter-in-law.

And next to him sat a woman who only smiled with her eyes.

I turned to the woman with long, deep green hair pinned up, giving her a somewhat intimidating look.

“I apologize for the late greeting. I am Anette, daughter of the Count of Leangberia.”

It was the Empress—Serdis’s mother.

Aside from seeing her from afar at banquets, this was my first formal encounter.

“You’re even more beautiful than I’d heard, Lady.”

Her sharp voice made me look up.

“It’s nothing compared to Your Majesty’s beauty.”

“Such pretty words from a pretty lady. What do you do for your skin to keep it so flawless?”

“If I said I don’t do anything in particular, would Your Majesty believe me?”

“Come now, share your secrets just between us.”

The Empress replied playfully.

Not long after, Hertian entered the banquet hall.

“I apologize for being late.”

Following closely behind—Serdis entered.

“Good. We’re not too late, are we?”

By now, I was getting used to him suddenly popping up like this.

Besides, this was his home turf—the imperial palace—so I figured I’d see him at least once.

What was different this time…

“You finally showed up? I thought you wouldn’t come, pretending to be busy as a Grand Duke.”

Unlike just a few days ago, Serdis was acting completely normal.

No more anger or pitiful expressions—just a playful smile on his lips.

Hertian, watching his ridiculous behavior, glared at him. It seemed he had the same thought as me.

What’s he scheming this time?

Just yesterday, he looked ready to tear up the wedding invitations. Yet today, he was smiling as if everything was fine. He was clearly here with some other motive.

I exchanged a brief glance with Hertian.

He seemed to pick up on my thoughts.

“It’s our first time dining together like this.”

Serdis sat across from me next to the Empress and smiled brightly.

Such a pure expression—it gave me goosebumps.

“Anette, congratulations on your marriage.”

Did I just go deaf?

What is there to congratulate?

Just the other day, he was practically groveling in front of everyone—and now he’s congratulating us?

How am I supposed to take this?

“Thanks to Your Highness’s kind words, it’ll be an even more joyful wedding.”

Let’s just smile.

I flashed a wide grin.

“Of course it’s something to celebrate. It’s not a political marriage—it’s a union of love.”

Was this his angle?

“Yes, a love that flared up suddenly, but is second to none.”

“It’s amazing how suddenly love can burn like that.”

He scrunched his nose and chuckled.

Now I understood why he showed up.

He didn’t believe we were truly in love.

After all, he knew I had been searching for a contractual marriage partner.

“But why does it seem to me like you two are forcing this marriage?”

So he did plan to expose us as a contract couple.

“Serdis.”

Right in front of the Emperor, no less.

“No, I’m just saying how it looks. You don’t look like other couples in love. You’re smiling on the surface, but there’s a wall between you. Like you’re getting married out of necessity—like it’s a contract.”

As he rested his chin on his hand, the Emperor interrupted him.

“Contract marriage? What kind of nonsense is that?”

“Oh, Father, you wouldn’t know. I just heard about it. Young nobles, unwilling to marry their arranged fiancés, make deals and fake a romance—entering into a contract marriage.”

BAM—the Emperor slammed the table.

“Utter nonsense!”

“I’m just saying it exists. I heard Anette was seeing someone from the Beyrn family until recently. I thought maybe she rushed this marriage to avoid that.”

I screamed in my head a hundred times:

Shut your damn mouth!

Was it so satisfying to reveal that I was dating someone else just before the wedding?

“Not that I’m doubting you, Anette.”

How gracious of him.

And thanks to that, now the Emperor was suspicious.

“Young lady, you’re not planning to stain the royal family’s honor with a divorce, are you?”

His voice turned ice cold, sending a chill down my spine.

But I wasn’t going to fall for such a cheap, transparent tactic.

“Your Majesty, I’ll make sure to give you a grandson soon.”

I answered boldly, neither more nor less.

“G-grandson?”

“Yes. With the way things are going, we might not even get to enjoy our honeymoon properly.”

What more was there to say?

I promised a grandchild.

If Serdis could play dirty, I could, too.

“You’re saying you’ll bear a child?”

Apparently, it worked. The Emperor’s expression instantly softened.

“That’s a couple’s natural duty, after all.”

I smiled proudly, glancing between the Emperor and Hertian.

Serdis seemed at a loss for words now that the topic of grandchildren had come up. If he couldn’t even win with words, why start a fight at all?

After the long-yet-short banquet, there was a short break.

Serdis used this time to regroup. He slipped out of the hall and met his attendant in a secluded corner.

“Your Highness. Was the banquet successful?”

His personal attendant cautiously asked, reading his mood.

“No.”

But despite his words, Serdis didn’t look upset at all.

“I never expected Anette to fall for just a few words. She even married Hertian because of me.”

“She’s certainly not an easy one.”

“Enough. What about the item I asked for?”

“Here it is.”

The attendant took out a small vial from his pocket and handed it over.

“If you mess this up again… you know what’ll happen.”

“There won’t be any mistakes. I tested it on the palace staff before coming here.”

The attendant lowered his voice, a twisted smile forming.

“They all writhed in pain from stomachaches and only got up an hour later.”

“Any lasting effects?”

“I called a doctor, and they said nothing was physically wrong.”

“Really?”

Serdis eyed the vial with fascination.

“A drug that causes intense pain without harming the body…”

It was exactly what he had been looking for. He smiled, satisfied, and handed it back.

“Make sure only Anette’s teacup is laced with it. No one else’s.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“There must be no mistakes.”

The attendant gulped and turned away with renewed determination.

That—was Serdis’s real reason for showing up today.

The banquet in the palace had actually been more enjoyable than I expected.

The food was exceptional, and above all, Serdis had behaved himself since that earlier incident.

He should’ve started a fight by now…

Chewing on a macaron for dessert, I kept sneaking glances at him.

But Serdis, oddly composed, sipped his tea with leisure.

“Lady Anette seems to be enjoying the macarons. You’ve already eaten four. How adorable.”

The Empress smiled gently at me.

Wrong. This was my fifth one.

And it wasn’t my fault.

They were the best macarons I’d ever tasted. I couldn’t stop myself.

Bring me the royal palace patissier!

“They’re just so delicious… I’ll try to control myself.”

“No, no. Watching you enjoy them is quite lovely.”

I smiled back politely at the Empress.

“Why don’t you eat something? You haven’t touched your plate.”

Then the conversation turned to Hertian beside me.

Unlike me, Hertian probably found this place extremely uncomfortable.

After all, it was the Empress who had driven him out of the palace.

He’d lived quietly under the protection of the Grand Duke from a young age, and once that shield was gone, he’d had to escape to the battlefield.

I knew all that. I kept quiet to avoid angering the Empress further.

“What? Are you afraid I poisoned your food?”

And yet the Empress just had to push him. The air instantly grew cold.

“Look at you, not even answering. I suppose I was wrong to expect to be treated like a mother at this table.”

I had hoped we could get through the evening peacefully—but it exploded.

“Enough, Empress.”

The Emperor finally stepped in to stop her.

But it was too late. Hertian opened his mouth.

“Would the Empress use such obvious tricks like poison?”

His icy gaze made the air freeze.

“Surely the woman who used such tricks 17 years ago wouldn’t use the same ones now. Especially someone with the title of Empress.”

His lips curled into a sneer—a clear mockery.

No further explanation was needed to understand what he meant.

He was accusing her of poisoning his mother.

“Are you saying I killed someone with poison? Is that what you’re claiming?”

“If not, you’re welcome to deny it. Whether I believe you is another matter.”

“You!”

As the Empress yelled, Hertian picked up his fork and dropped it.

The loud clang of metal on marble rang sharply.

“I didn’t refuse to eat—I couldn’t. My stomach is sensitive, you see.”

His rough tone was unfamiliar.

Only now did I begin to grasp how deep and dark Hertian’s past truly was.

Beneath the table, I reached for his hand.

It was steady—without the slightest tremble.

“We should take our leave.”

In the end, I decided to leave.

Any longer, and Hertian’s fury might erupt.

Even the Emperor couldn’t bring himself to stop us.

“Let’s go, Hertian.”

Just as I rose, holding his hand—

“Mother.”

Serdis, who had remained silent, finally spoke.

I prayed he wouldn’t say anything to provoke Hertian.

“This time, Mother… you were in the wrong.”

But unexpectedly, the arrow was aimed at the Empress.