Chapter 40
Chapter 40
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 40
Chapter Title: Suspicions of Poison
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I returned to my chamber and stepped out onto the terrace after concluding my sunbathing session.
Wishit approached me with a cautious demeanor and inquired about my intentions regarding the people loitering in the manor.
The garden was fully visible from my second-floor vantage point and I could see a cheerful group enjoying their time together.
Molga was wearing an angelic smile while the twins scampered about the grounds.
Viego occupied one end of the table and watched over them with a protective gaze.
I responded that I certainly did not intend to stand by and explained that my plans had shifted slightly.
Wishit leaned his elbows on the terrace railing and rested his chin on his hand while turning to look at me.
His vibrant red hair and youthful countenance made him appear much like a younger brother.
I reached out and stroked his head a few times in an affectionate gesture.
He reacted with a start and questioned my sudden display of affection.
I remarked that he suited this current form much better than his previous appearance as the Crown Prince.
I advised him to remain in this state for the time being.
I chuckled softly before narrowing my eyes into a sharp glare directed toward Molga below.
I asked him if he was aware of the true cause of my father's death in our previous life.
Wishit narrowed his eyes and searched his memories before providing an answer to my sudden query.
He recalled hearing that my father had died suddenly because his body had been weakened by excessive alcohol consumption.
I acknowledged that I had once held the same belief regarding his passing.
However, I revealed that our family physician had likely been bribed by Molga to prescribe harmful medicine to him.
I explained that the medication was benign on its own but became a deadly toxin when mixed with alcohol.
Wishit stiffened with a look of profound shock at this revelation.
He asked if I was suggesting that my father had been deliberately murdered.
I noted that four members of this family had died since Molga first entered the household.
I held up four fingers for him to see and proceeded to fold them down one by one as I spoke.
I listed my grandfather, grandmother, and then both of my parents as the victims.
Wishit remained in a state of stunned silence.
I acknowledged that the individual causes of death seemed plausible when viewed in isolation.
Grandfather died of old age while Grandmother’s health declined rapidly due to emotional stress.
My mother passed away after giving birth to me and my father died from his long-term habits of drinking and smoking.
I took a steadying breath before looking down at Molga once again.
I pointed out that while each death seemed natural, the pattern was suspicious when considered as a whole.
I questioned how everyone in this house could perish so easily unless there was a darker force at work.
Wishit asked if I truly believed that woman was responsible for all of those deaths.
I admitted that while it was a significant leap, I harbored deep suspicions regarding her involvement.
Wishit swallowed hard as he processed my firm and resolute response.
I noted that Molga had only secured the title of Duchess after the passing of my grandmother.
She was a woman who otherwise should have remained a mere concubine for the duration of her life.
I mentioned the shocking nature of the will my grandfather had supposedly left before his death.
The document registered the twins and ordered that Molga be treated with the respect due to a Duchess Dowager.
Wishit recalled hearing that my grandfather had initially refused to recognize the twins because they were not from his legal wife.
I confirmed that he had apparently changed his mind just before he passed away.
I explained that without that will, Molga and her children would have been forced to live independently from the ducal house.
Wishit remarked with a hint of anger that Molga was the primary beneficiary of all those tragic deaths.
I agreed and suggested that even my late mother's passing might have been orchestrated for her gain.
I noted that once my mother became the lady of the house, Molga would have faced many restrictions on her authority.
Wishit acknowledged that such a situation would have prevented her from managing the family finances and servants.
I suggested that she must have deeply resented her lack of power in that scenario.
I pointed out that almost all authority fell into Molga's hands immediately after my mother passed away.
Wishit tensed up as I directed a sharp and piercing look toward him.
I noted that my father was the only individual she could not fully control, yet even his life was destined to end in three years.
I explained that once Viego became the duke, the world would have belonged entirely to Molga.
Wishit observed that Viego viewed the woman as being no different from his own mother.
I stated that I simply could not accept that all of these deaths were mere coincidences.
He responded with a solemn acknowledgment of my perspective.
I declared that if my suspicions were true, simply driving her out would not be a sufficient punishment for her crimes.
I continued to watch Molga while resting my chin on my hand before abruptly deciding to leave the room.
I wondered how far her depravity truly extended.
I hurried down the stairs and made my way toward the garden.
I considered the possibility that she had committed even worse atrocities than the abuse of Rubette.
Every gaze in the garden turned toward me as I made my sudden appearance.
Viego called out my name in a tone of surprise.
I flashed a bright and deceptive smile before running toward Molga.
I vowed to myself that I would never allow her to escape her fate easily.
Molga was startled as I threw myself into her arms in a display of feigned affection.
I elegantly uttered a French insult that I knew no one in the vicinity would understand.
Molga pushed me away slightly and asked with her characteristic angelic eyes what I had said.
I lied and claimed that I had been studying a foreign language from across the sea.
I told her the phrase meant that I loved her dearly.
Molga appeared to be moved by my words and turned toward Viego with a look of feigned emotion.
I pouted my lips and offered a false apology for my recent behavior and tantrums.
Molga stroked my head and claimed she should be the one to apologize for not paying me enough attention.
She informed me that she had scolded Riki for his harsh words and told me not to worry any further.
I responded with a polite and submissive acknowledgment.
Viego watched the interaction with a look of awkward relief, seemingly glad that I had finally decided to be cooperative.
I hugged Molga tightly once more while she patted my back with a hollow pretense of affection.
I suspected she was already questioning the motives behind my sudden change in attitude.
I giggled and repeated the French insult one final time.
***
The first weekend of August arrived four days later.
It was the day scheduled for the social gathering.
Lizbet had gladly agreed to my request to attend the party together.
I spotted Lizbet upon my arrival at the garden of Astor Palace where the princesses resided.
Lark was also present and appeared as though he had just come from the training grounds in disheveled attire.
I offered them a polite greeting.
Lark greeted me with a smile as I stepped down from the carriage before inquiring with worried eyes if I were ill.
I was puzzled by his sudden question regarding my health.
Lizbet suddenly chimed in and asked why I had lost so much weight.
I realized that my daily checks of my body had made the change seem less dramatic to me than to others.
I reflected on the fact that losing over ten kilograms would naturally cause a noticeable transformation.
I smiled at Lizbet and shrugged while suggesting that the change was due to my recent exercise routine.
Lizbet appeared displeased that I had slimmed down so unrecognizably in only a month.
I explained that I had been running regularly and had significantly reduced my intake of snacks.
She then shifted her attention to my dress and scanned my outfit with a critical eye.
I was wearing a deep violet empire-style dress with an elegant neckline.
The design was cinched under the bust to avoid a puffy appearance and was perfectly suited for a fuller figure.
I informed her that the dress was from a new boutique in Renten called Blanc de Ruby.
I shamelessly promoted my own shop while claiming the design merely made me look slimmer.
Lizbet’s eyes wavered as she compared my elegant attire to her own dress which was burdened with heavy pads and garish ribbons.
Her outfit was a total miss, though I recognized it was simply the unfortunate result of following the current trends.
I knew that once Sera Wigo wore my designs today, the fashion trends would shift overnight.
I struggled to hide my rising smile of satisfaction.
Lizbet then proudly displayed a hairband studded with pink diamonds that her brother had purchased for her.
I played along with her boasting and expressed a feigned sense of jealousy while brainstorming new business ideas.
Lark suddenly interrupted our conversation and held something out toward me.
In his hand was a hairband featuring a single, clear diamond as a sophisticated accent.
He announced that it was a gift for me.
Lizbet gaped at her brother in shock and asked why he had purchased such a thing for me.
Lark brushed off her question casually and insisted that he simply wanted to give it to me.
I accepted the expensive gift in a state of daze and offered my sincere thanks.
He inquired if I intended to do my evening walk today.
I informed him that I would be leaving the party early to complete a late lap around the grounds.
Lark noted that staying out too late could be dangerous but mentioned he had also planned to walk today.
I agreed to see him later and offered a polite farewell.
I felt Lizbet glaring at me with a face full of intense dissatisfaction.
She asked me point-blank if I harbored romantic feelings for her brother.
Lark and I exchanged a brief and awkward look at her sudden question.
She pressed the matter persistently while puffing her cheeks in a threatening manner.
I shook my head with a smile and denied having any such feelings for him.
Lizbet nodded in satisfaction and remarked that I should know my place if I possessed any conscience.
I found her snide tone annoying but decided to respond with a polite and submissive smile.
I assured her that I knew my place and would never dare to set my sights on the Crown Prince.
Lark watched his immature sister with an odd glare while keeping his arms crossed.
I boarded the carriage and urged Lizbet to join me so that we would not be late for the gathering.
Lizbet offered a farewell to her brother before taking the seat next to me.
Lark prevented the coachman from closing the door so that he could address his sister one last time.
He smiled brightly and informed Lizbet that the one with feelings was actually her brother rather than the Duchess.
Lizbet whipped around in total shock as Lark shut the carriage door and waved them away.