TLDOWN 07

CHAPTER 7:

 Are You Prepared?

Lea felt exhausted as she walked toward the distant square. Ever since receiving the gold coins from Richel, she hadn’t been able to sleep easily.

Someone of high status had handed her a fortune without hesitation. Lea was still on edge, unable to uncover who was behind it.

“Judging by the Parcia Trading Guild seal on the coins, they must be involved somehow…”

The coins Richel gave her a few days ago bore the official guarantee stamp of the Parcia Trading Guild.

The Parcia Guild was run by the maternal relatives of the current emperor and was considered one of the five most powerful trade guilds in the Croatea Empire, flaunting immense wealth.

Backed by the emperor himself, its fame continued to grow by the day. There wasn’t a soul in the empire who didn’t know the name Parcia.

“Surely… the royal family isn’t involved? That would be a real mess.”

It was a reasonable deduction.

On the surface, the emperor and the duke maintained friendly relations, but when it came to power, anything could happen.

After all, the duke was likely the greatest threat to the emperor. Lea shook her head, feeling the headache creep in.

“First, let’s just go pick up the herbs.”

With a deep sigh, Lea approached the herbalist’s shop she spotted in the distance.

Today was the once-a-month delivery of rare herbs imported from top herbal suppliers across the continent to the Heidern territory.

Lea had some she needed for her research, so she picked up her pace.

“Getting them from the capital would take too long.”

Time was of the essence—especially for the duke’s antidote. Delay any longer and her own neck might be on the line.

Once at the herbalist’s, Lea browsed around and called for the clerk.

“Where’s the evening primrose?”

She had recently found in the library that evening primrose had detoxifying effects against some of the side effects caused by Polarium, which affected blood vessels.

“Over there, on the display shelf by the entrance.”

Turning to where he pointed, Lea spotted the bright yellow flowers. As she moved toward them, something else caught her eye—and she froze.

White bark root. Lea had stumbled upon an unexpected item.

“Oh… is this white bark root? Do you carry poisonous herbs too?”

“Yes, yes. It is toxic, but…”

White bark root was toxic. The clerk nodded as if he understood her concern, offering a faint smile.

“In some regions, it’s used to treat skin rashes. Any herb can be poison or medicine—it all depends on how it’s used.”

“It’s used for skin conditions, huh…”

Lea nodded thoughtfully. That was new to her. Then again, wasn’t poison also made from a mix of medicinal herbs?

“Yes, yes. You should try it sometime, Miss Apothecary.”

Lea had just stepped out of the herbalist after purchasing the evening primrose.

She was thinking she’d brew a tea from it for the duke once she returned to the mansion, when suddenly—she stopped in her tracks.

“Huh?”

Coming around a corner, she saw Richel. Her face lit up. He must have been out on an errand too.

Perfect timing—she’d been wondering about the Parcia Guild’s deeper involvement.

It’d be better to ask him here, away from prying eyes at the mansion.

“Ri—!”

Just as Lea raised her hand to wave and call him, Richel disappeared into a building, not seeing her.

Lea’s face stiffened as she walked toward the building he had entered.

The name engraved at the entrance of the grand estate—

“Magnolia Trading Guild?”

“Why would Richel go in there?”

Everything in the Heidern mansion was supplied through the Parcia Guild.

As the empire’s sole prince, it made sense for Parcia to handle the duke’s household affairs.

She’d even heard that the Magnolia Guild had poor relations with the duke’s estate because of that.

“Strange…”

Maybe he was placing an urgent order for the kitchen. With a troubled expression, Lea turned and headed back to the mansion.

Once home, she quickly sorted the herbs and went straight to the kitchen. Richel’s unexpected visit to the Magnolia Guild was bothering her, and she wanted to probe the kitchen staff for any clues.

The dining area was bustling as dinner prep was underway, the maids moving about busily.

Walking to the very back of the humid, overheated kitchen, Lea spotted the head chef, Hans.

“Chef Hans.”

“Oh, it’s the new apothecary lass. What brings you to the kitchen?”

Hans, sweaty from working by the fire, wiped his brow and approached.

“I picked up some snacks while I was in town. Just wanted to thank the kitchen staff—you’ve all helped me a lot.”

“Well, that’s very kind of you! Ha ha.”

The always-friendly Hans laughed heartily and took the basket of snacks. Lea leaned casually against the counter, her eyes scanning the room.

Hans noticed her searching expression and asked,

“Looking for someone?”

“I don’t see Richel around. Is he out on an errand?”

“Oh? That guy’s off today.”

Hans’s face shifted oddly at Lea’s question. A mischievous smirk played at his lips.

“You like Richel too, huh?”

Given how many maids in the mansion were fond of Richel, it seemed Hans misunderstood. Lea quickly waved her hands in denial.

“No, nothing like that. Wait—did you say he’s off today?”

“Yeah, yeah. Don’t worry, if I see him, I’ll be sure to tell him these snacks were from you. Promise!”

Lea blinked in confusion at Hans’s teasing. She had assumed Richel was out on business.

“He went to Magnolia Guild on his day off?”

Not to Parcia, but to Magnolia?

The Magnolia Trading Guild was a newly rising power in recent years.

Since it started in Heidern territory, it hadn’t been well received by the capital-based guilds.

If it wasn’t a simple errand…

“There’s definitely something going on.”

The moment her vague suspicions turned into certainty.

“I need to report this to the duke.”

Her instincts told her not to ignore it. A faint smile appeared on her lips.

❀ ❀ ❀

In the quiet of the duke’s study, filled with the scratch of a pen, a servant standing before the butler, Bayern, spoke up.

“Butler, sir. We just received word that the woman scheduled to visit tonight fell ill and won’t be coming. What shall we do?”

“Really?”

The butler pondered. Tonight was the once-a-month night when a woman was sent to the duke’s room.

Of course, the duke had never once laid a hand on any of them.

But the reason they kept sending women was a different one: to confirm the rumor that the frail duke was incapable of producing an heir.

“And the rumors are spreading nicely.”

Feeling satisfied that things were going just as “that person” wanted, Bayern stroked his chin proudly.

“Now if only I’d be summoned to the capital…”

How many years had it been since he was stuck in this rural backwater? When he first received orders from “that person,” he thought the sickly duke would die quickly.

But against all odds, the duke had clung to life for over a decade.

And so, here he was—trapped in this remote post.

“Tch.”

He was far too talented to rot away in a place like this. As Bayern wallowed in his self-admiration, the servant asked cautiously,

“Shall we inform the duke then?”

Snapped out of his daydream, Bayern scoffed.

“What for? He’d have thrown her out anyway. Just leave it.”

He picked up his pen to resume his paperwork, too lazy to bother informing the duke.

Unaware of what this negligence might cause.

❀ ❀ ❀

“Should be safe by now…”

Lea glanced at the moonlit sky and murmured. The duke’s medical checkup had already been done that morning.

Visiting him again would certainly raise eyebrows, so she chose a time when people were least active.

“Got the Parcia coins ready too.”

To explain the connection between the Parcia and Magnolia guilds, Lea had brought the coin Richel gave her.

She even hid it on her body rather than in a pouch—just in case.

Reaching the duke’s door, she knocked gently.

Knock knock.

But strangely, there was no response.

“Asleep already?”

It was early for his usual bedtime. Still, no matter how many times she knocked, there was silence.

“Guess he really is sleeping…”

Just as Lea turned to leave—

—“Where are you going?”

“I left a broom on the third floor earlier today.”

Wait, what?

She suddenly heard footsteps coming up the stairs.

The third floor was restricted to members of the duke’s household. If someone saw her here now, it would surely lead to misunderstanding.

Hearing the approaching steps, Lea bit her lip and slipped quickly into the duke’s room, just before the maids turned the corner.

Pressing her ear to the door, she waited.

After a while—

“Gone…?”

Once the maids’ footsteps faded, Lea let out a sigh of relief, vowing never to visit the duke’s room at this hour again.

Just as she calmed herself and reached for the doorknob to leave—

She felt someone’s presence behind her.

Then—

“Duke…?”

“You weren’t asleep?”

In the dimly lit room, the duke stood there, gazing at her. He hadn’t made a sound when she knocked earlier.

His brow furrowed as he realized who had entered.

“…Why are you here?”

First surprise, then annoyance crossed his face.

“Maybe it’s better this way…”

Remembering why she had come, Lea stepped toward him.

“I have something to tell you, Your Grace.”

“At this hour?”

“Well… isn’t this the best time?”

To avoid being seen by others.

The duke let out a short laugh at her matter-of-fact tone.

“At this hour, huh? Alright, let’s hear it.”

He gave her a look, as if to say, go ahead, amuse me.

Lea felt a strange discomfort but pushed it aside and reached to show him the Parcia coin.

Turning away from the duke, she began unbuttoning the top of her blouse, where the coin was hidden.

Then—

“…What are you doing?”

“Pardon? Oh, this is just—”

Before she could finish, the duke let out a baffled laugh and collapsed onto the bed.

“What’s with him all of a sudden?”

Worried that he might be unwell, Lea approached—

“Are you prepared?”

Lea blinked, stunned.

Prepared? Prepared for what?

As she tried to make sense of his words, the duke suddenly grabbed her wrist and pulled her forward.

Letting out a small yelp, she soon found herself wrapped in his arms.

“What on earth…!”

Caught off guard and unable to move, Lea stared up at him in shock.

“Come on, show me what you prepared.”

Clearly, this man had completely misunderstood.