TLDOWN 33

CHAPTER 33:

 The Source of Unease

‘When did I ever cause trouble?’

Lea pouted slightly as she set the tray she brought down on the Duke’s table. She glanced around and then asked:

“By the way, is Jane not here yet?”

“She’s a bit late today.”

Normally, Jane would arrive with breakfast right around the time Lea brought his jujube tea. But since the butler had summoned her, she seemed to be running behind.

“I heard the butler called for her. That might be why.”

“Is that so?”

Lea subtly brought up the butler, gauging the Duke’s reaction. But Akkia’s face remained expressionless. Just as she was about to place the tea down—

“Before it gets cold…”

As she looked into the gently rippling jujube tea, a thought flashed across her mind—the missing herbs.

‘Wait a minute, now that I think about it…’

Individually, the herbs Jane took were harmless, but the problem was that they reacted violently when combined with jujube—causing excessive oxidation.

It could be dangerous even for a healthy person. For the Duke, whose heart and blood vessels were already weakened due to Porarium, it could be fatal.

A chill ran down Lea’s spine.

‘No way… was Jane targeting him?’

The herbs Jane took were precisely the ones most incompatible with jujube tea. Add to that what the maids had said that morning about her relationship with the butler…

If their frequent meetings weren’t purely personal—

‘Then it’s tied to a plot against the Duke.’

That would explain all of Jane’s odd recent behavior.

As the realization struck, Lea halted her movement and instead picked up the teacup again.

Just the sight of the jujube tea set off alarm bells in her mind. Akkia must have noticed the slight tremble in her hand, for he looked up.

“What’s wrong?”

Though he looked puzzled, Lea stared at the tea for a moment before suddenly raising the cup to her lips and drinking it all in one go.

—Gulp, gulp.

Akkia stared at her, dumbfounded. Lea calmly set the empty teacup down in front of him.

She needed to know what Jane was really up to. Whether she was truly working on the butler’s orders or not.

“Duke.”

At the sound of her voice, his gaze sharpened. Their eyes met midair, and Lea’s sparkled with resolve.

“I don’t think you should drink jujube tea for a while.”

“Why not?”

He looked at her, silently asking for an explanation.

“Last night, I saw Jane coming out of the herb storeroom. After she left, two herbs were missing.”

“…”

“Each herb is fine on its own, but when mixed with jujube, it’s a different story.”

Lea calmly explained how Heteria and Kiana could react with jujube, detailing the dangerous oxidative effect it could cause.

Akkia stroked his chin thoughtfully.

“And what makes you so sure that maid intended to feed those herbs to me? Maybe she took them for herself or a sick family member. Theft of herbs is pretty common.”

Lea nodded in agreement.

“You’re right—it’s not uncommon. In fact, Jane’s younger brother reportedly suffers from an incurable disease.”

It was common knowledge in the mansion that Jane’s brother was ill. Akkia might have known that already—he liked to pretend he didn’t care about such things, but he had a keen grasp of everything happening under his roof.

Lea then quietly added:

“But I started wondering… where does she get the money for his treatment?”

Hemophilia, the disease her brother had, was rare and caused unstoppable bleeding once it began.

There was no cure, and lifelong medication was needed. The problem was that the medicine was extremely expensive—far beyond what a common family could afford.

Jane only had her sickly mother and young brother. That meant she was the sole breadwinner. Could a maid’s wages cover living expenses for three and still pay for the medicine?

‘No. Definitely not.’

It was impossible. And Jane never looked desperate for money. Lea remembered how fiercely Jane had pursued her for nutritional supplements.

“I think that money comes from the butler—Bayern.”

Lea recalled the maids’ earlier gossip.

Jane visiting Bayern frequently. The missing herbs. The timing was too perfect to be a coincidence.

“The butler’s been calling for her almost daily. If even the other maids are talking about it, then I’m confident in my guess.”

Lea’s eyes gleamed with determination. Though his face remained calm, Akkia was quietly impressed.

‘She figured out that Jane is Bayern’s informant…’

In truth, Akkia had known all along.

That Jane reported on his habits and behaviors to Bayern. That in exchange, Bayern paid for her brother’s medication. He had been aware of it all. But for Lea to piece it together from mere circumstances…

She really was clever.

“You’re right. Jane has been watching me on the butler’s orders. And if she took anything from the herb room, there’s a good chance it’s meant for me.”

“…You knew?”

He had known Jane was spying on him and still kept her close?

“Then you really shouldn’t drink jujube—”

“No.”

Akkia cut her off.

“I’ll keep drinking it. And I’ll keep eating the food Jane brings.”

‘What?’

Lea blinked in disbelief, sure she’d misheard.

“You mean, you’ll drink it even if Jane brings poisoned food? That tea could be deadly to you!”

“I know.”

“Then why—”

“Have you forgotten, Lea?”

Unlike the flustered Lea, Akkia remained calm, even amused.

“You already gave me Alpharadya, remember?”

Lea let out a quiet gasp. She remembered—the rare herb she had painstakingly procured and given to him.

It had been less than three months, so its effects should still be active.

‘Right. With Alpharadya in his system, even a strong toxin won’t kill him.’

She had been so wrapped up in her suspicions about Jane and Bayern that she’d forgotten about it entirely.

That was why Akkia was so nonchalant. Lea finally understood his intention.

‘He plans to expose Bayern completely.’

Even with Alpharadya in his system, repeated poisoning wasn’t good—especially not for someone already affected by Porarium.

Normally, she’d try to stop him from ingesting something potentially toxic. But the look of resolve on Akkia’s face told her everything—he was prepared to eat Jane’s poison repeatedly if it meant bringing Bayern down.

As Lea struggled with what to do, a thought struck her:

‘He just needs to look like he’s being poisoned, right?’

“Duke, I have an idea.”

A sly smile formed on her lips.

Just then, a knock echoed through the room.

❀ ❀ ❀

Lea watched as Jane arranged the Duke’s breakfast on the table.

Jane was only allowed close to Akkia during morning meals, when she delivered his food.

If anything was going to happen, it would be now. She seemed to be moving as usual, which meant…

‘She must’ve already added the herbs before coming here.’

But to which dish?

Akkia had started eating but wasn’t consuming much—just picking at the main dish.

‘It’s probably the main dish, then.’

Lea’s sharp gaze focused on the potato soup placed in front of the Duke. After finishing her task, Jane bowed politely.

“Breakfast is ready, sir. I’ll take my leave—”

As Jane turned to exit, Akkia began writing something down. Watching him, Lea called out.

“Jane.”

Jane stopped at the sound of her name. Lea looked at the note and smiled sweetly.

“The Duke is asking you to taste the food for him.”

“Me?”

Jane’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Yes. He usually asks me, but today, he wants you to do it.”

Still smiling, Lea handed her the note. Sure enough, it contained an instruction from the Duke, ordering Jane to taste the food in Lea’s place.

In all her three years at the mansion, hired by Bayern himself, Jane had never once been asked to taste the Duke’s food.

In fact, no maid had ever been asked—only Lea, the bold apothecary, ever did it.

Jane’s shocked expression gradually faded. Trying to remain unfazed, she approached Akkia’s table.

“If that’s what the Duke wants… I’ll do it.”

Her gaze lingered slightly on one particular plate. Just for a moment, her eyes wavered—then stilled.

‘So that’s the dish she tampered with.’

Jane began tasting the dishes one by one, starting from the closest ones.

She left the main course—the one clearly laced with the herbs—for last.

‘That confirms it. Jane used those herbs under the butler’s orders.’

Lea now had no doubts.

And just as Jane lifted a spoonful of soup to her lips—

“Jane. By the way, did you know?”

Jane paused and turned to Lea.

“That nutritional tonic I sell? It contains jujube.”

Lea’s lips curled into a chilling smile.