"…What did you say?"
As expected, Dane's face stiffened immediately.
"First of all, the tips of Your Excellency's lips are faintly bluish, and your fingertips are cold."
"……."
"After careful observation… it appears the early symptoms of poisoning have manifested."
Dane seemed quite surprised, his lips parting wordlessly. Seeing the look in his eyes demanding an explanation, Joel continued.
"It is not a deadly poison that threatens your life. However, it could restrict His Excellency's body at a crucial moment."
He took a reagent out of his bag and offered it to Dane.
"Here, try infusing it with your mana."
When Dane infused it with his mana, the reagent turned blue, indicating a positive reaction.
"Just as I expected."
Joel nodded with a grave expression, but inwardly, he was cheering.
"This means impurities have been mixed into Your Excellency's mana."
"…How."
"Could you wait just a little longer? Until I am certain, I would like to keep this matter between the two of us."
Dane shifted as if he wanted to stand up right that moment. But then, he let out a long, deep sigh and calmed himself.
"Make haste, Joel."
Eventually, a calm voice flowed from Dane's mouth.
"…I am truly relieved to have you by my side."
"Not at all, sir."
The sight of the young master he had cared for since childhood relying on him brought a faint pang of guilt to Joel's heart.
But the next moment.
"It is my duty as the personal physician responsible for His Excellency's health."
Relief at completely deceiving him and the anticipation of meeting his daughter soon washed over him.
The guilt was fleeting; nothing remained but the scheme to commit the perfect crime and get away with it.
"I will return shortly."
Joel bowed his head and withdrew from Dane's office.
So as not to let the smile spreading across his lips be noticed.
"……."
Dane was staring at the back of Joel's head with eyes filled with contempt.
**
"Joel. What is the meaning of this insolence?"
Rose's low, sharp voice sliced through the laboratory.
"The materials I used cannot coagulate His Excellency's mana. Based on its bonding structure, there are no components that induce poisoning either. This is the absolute basics of magical theory. "
Rose pushed her glasses up, her expression icy. Her shoulders were stiff, and her rebuttal was flawless.
"Do you think I wouldn't have calculated that much?"
However, Joel caught the moment Rose's eyes subtly wavered.
"I never used the word 'coagulate,' however."
A gruesome smile of victory spread across Joel's lips.
"It seems you already knew His Excellency's mana would coagulate, my lady."
"Ah…"
Rose quickly covered her mouth as if realizing her mistake, but it was already too late.
"T-That was just me posing a hypothesis! A theoretical outcome if His Excellency's mana were to stagnate…!"
Rose rambled out excuses, but her trembling eyes and tone were enough to give Joel complete certainty.
"For a hypothesis to match a patient's actual symptoms so accurately… what a chilling talent you have."
Joel approached her slowly and murmured in a low voice.
"Must I really shove the reagent evidence in your face? My lady, let's hear the truth instead of a hypothesis now. What did you do to His Excellency?"
"Ah…"
Rose finally couldn't hold out any longer and collapsed onto her desk. Watching the tears stream down Rose's cheeks, Joel cheered inwardly.
"I, I just… His Excellency, to me…."
Rose's voice crumbled away like a wet, fallen leaf.
The fierce momentum with which she had preached her magical logic vanished without a trace, leaving behind only a woman stained with tears of regret.
"If I didn't do at least this much… His Excellency would have driven me away…."
Rose wiped away the tears rolling down her cheeks and pleaded.
"Joel, please…. You know I never truly intended to harm His Excellency…."
Her tone shifted from informal to honorific, turning into a desperate plea.
"I just wanted an excuse to stay by His Excellency's side…."
Sobbing, Rose grabbed the hem of Joel's sleeve.
"Joel, please. Don't tell His Excellency. If he finds out, I will truly…."
Fear and despair lingered in Rose's touch.
Joel looked down at her pitiful state, immersed in a sense of victory. As expected, a woman blinded by love was incapable of rational judgment.
"His Excellency's life is at stake. As his personal physician, how could I stay silent?"
"I'll do whatever you ask. Please, just don't tell His Excellency. It's hard enough to endure even now…."
Finally, the words Joel had been waiting for came out of Rose's mouth.
Desperately holding back a smile that threatened to split his face open, Joel gazed at Rose with the utmost solemnity.
"You are well aware of the magnitude of the crime you have just committed, I assume."
"I know…. I think I lost my mind for a moment there."
"In light of your service of bringing joy to His Excellency thus far, I will grant you a chance to atone."
Joel spoke as if he possessed the right to judge Rose.
"Go and administer the antidote to His Excellency right this instant. I will immediately verify his condition."
"Y-Yes, of course."
"And as soon as His Excellency is fully cured, you will leave the duchy. You will withdraw gracefully."
Rose gasped for breath, her face desperate.
"I-If I do that, then today's incident—"
"I will turn a blind eye. Provided that His Excellency's body is completely detoxified, that is."
Even if Rose cured her own poison, the Velvet Wisp's poison would still remain. If he pinned that on Rose, Joel would have a perfect alibi.
"His Excellency already has a troubled mind as it is; I would rather not report such misconduct of yours to him. It is better for me to handle this quietly."
"But if I do that, then I…."
"Did you truly intend to remain in Schmaichel after committing such an act? I cannot accept someone who went mad with love and harmed their lord as the lady of the ducal house."
Joel's demeanor was exactly that of a personal physician who prioritized his lord's health above all, caring deeply for his body and mind.
No matter what happened afterward, no one would dare suspect Joel.
"I trust you would not do something as foolish as throwing away the opportunity I have given you."
Joel had perfectly blocked even the slightest possibility of Rose blurting out what just happened to Dane.
"If His Excellency were to learn the truth, it would not end well for you, nor your family."
"I know, of course I know. Joel, please keep the promise you just made. I'll do as you say…."
"Naturally."
Nod.
Joel smiled, wearing his usual good-natured expression.
"As long as you do as I say, my promise to you will be kept."
"Thank you, Joel…."
Reassured by his firm tone, Rose finally sighed in relief and stroked her chest.
But a short while later.
"What did you say?"
Dane braced his hands against his desk, looking as if he would leap to his feet at any second.
"Is that true?"
"Yes, Your Excellency."
Joel lowered his voice, adopting a sorrowful expression.
"First, let me clarify that this conclusion was reached only after thoroughly investigating the circumstances. It was not a hasty judgment made on my own."
"Continue."
"I first inspected the water sources and the food storages within the castle. But as for Fabri… you are likely aware. I could not find any suspicious points."
"……."
"Next were the inner circle. I conducted a full investigation of the butler Bill, the head maid Selma, and the valets, but… they were clear."
Joel paused for a moment to gauge Dane's complexion. Only after confirming the deep furrow forming between Dane's brows did he finally present the last possibility.
"That leaves only one possibility. Someone who can catch His Excellency off guard, someone with the advanced magical knowledge necessary to directly intervene with his mana… that is."
Even though Joel intentionally used the phrase 'someone with the knowledge', Dane did not point it out.
Emboldened by this, Joel spoke in a voice that feigned the agony of a painful decision.
"Have His Excellency's symptoms perhaps worsened significantly as of late, particularly after visiting my lady's laboratory, or after coming into contact with her?"
Dane's eyes flashed. Joel did not miss that fleeting tremor and drove the wedge deeper.
"I am worried that, driven by a sense of loss after being abandoned by His Excellency… my lady might have harbored ill intentions. If this is a poisoning utilizing the properties of magical theory, then all the circumstances align perfectly."
"That can't be…"
Looking as if he were in shock, Dane pressed a hand to his forehead and hung his head. Seeing this, Joel dropped his voice even lower and continued.
"Just in case, I went ahead and visited my lady first to confront her with my suspicions…."
"What did she say?"
Dane jerked his head up and looked at Joel. A faint glimmer of hope surfaced in his blue eyes.
"…My lady confessed to her crimes."
Joel replied heavily, as if it pained him to shatter that hope.
"Ha."
Incredulous, Dane leaned back in his chair. His chest began to heave with a surge of violent anger.
"I'll drag that woman out right this—"
"No, you must not."
Joel stopped his lord from making a hasty judgment.
"Your Excellency, you cannot drive her out right now. I apologize to say this, but only the creator of the poison—my lady—can prepare the antidote."
"You can't cure it yourself?"
"Yes. It is a poison that requires magical knowledge to treat."
Joel bowed his head repeatedly in apology.
"First, I ordered my lady to cure you this instant. And I encouraged her to pack her belongings and leave."
"…You proceeded with this without telling me?"
Even in the midst of his fury, Dane's gaze sharpened like a blade.
"You intend to let the woman who dared do such a thing to me leave alive?"
The killing intent radiating from Dane filled the room like a thick fog.
"Your Excellency, please calm down. This was the best course of action."
Joel had to gasp for a bit of breath.
It was clearly killing intent aimed at Rose, but for some reason, it felt as sharp as a blade pressed against his own throat.
"A woman driven mad by love is capable of anything."
"……."
"If cornered too severely, she might have decided to take you down with her. It was an unavoidable choice."
At Joel's earnest explanation, Dane's expression softened slightly.
"For now, pretend to turn a blind eye and let her cure you. It is not too late to punish her later."
"…You are right."
A faint red flush briefly colored Dane's pale face. It was a strenuous look, as if he were suppressing something.
"I thought it was strange how hard she tried to approach me… so that was her scheme."
Joel never doubted that it was a fierce rage directed at Rose.
"Please give her a chance for the time being. Visiting my lady's laboratory is also a viable option."
"Understood."
Dane squeezed his eyes shut for a moment before opening them again. He then waved his hand dismissively at Joel.
"You may go now. I wish to be alone."
"Yes, Your Excellency. I will continue to keep a close eye on my lady and carefully examine your physical condition."
"Do so."
Joel did not forget his thorough act until the very end.
He had completely subdued Rose with a trivial clue and even secured circumstantial evidence to frame her as a poisoner later.
He found himself marveling at his own intelligence and meticulousness.
"Have a good rest, Your Excellency."
Clack.
A short while after Joel left, hiding a smile.
"…Rose."
Dane muttered, his grip crushing the edge of his desk.
"What do you think you are doing?"
His voice was incredulous, yet it also seemed to have reached the limit of his patience.
He leaned back and glared underneath the desk.
"I'm detoxing you right now."
Rose, who had been hiding under the desk, smiled playfully. While groping the front of Dane's trousers with her hand.
"If I don't…."
A captivating smile spread across Rose's lips.
"…you might drive me out."
Squeeze.
Rose's hand pressed forcefully against the front of Dane's trousers. As if branding her possession.
"……."
A deep furrow formed between Dane's narrowed brows.