TOPWL 64

“You mean Duke Khalid?”

“Yes. When he learned I had taken down two grown men, he asked me to come with him. Ever since then, I’ve served under him.”

“And your family… what happened to them?”

Shane took a deep breath, hesitating. Yudit was about to say he didn’t have to answer if it was painful, but Shane spoke first.

“I lost my parents and younger brother… but His Grace the Duke rescued my younger sister from a slave trader.”

“Your sister… is she well?”

At Yudit’s question, Shane’s expression softened, if only for a moment.

“Yes. She married two years ago and gave birth to her first child this spring.”

Through his conversation with Shane, Yudit realized something: Shane was completely Khalid’s man. There had to be a reason Khalid had placed him at Yudit’s side. While pondering that, Yudit suddenly coughed violently as a searing pain flared in his chest.

“Your Highness! Prince Yudit!”

Shane shook him. His hands grew more frantic, but Yudit couldn’t respond through the agony that tore through his chest like it was being ripped apart. When he didn’t regain consciousness, Shane cursed and raised his voice.

“Damn it, faster!”

“Yes, sir!”

“Change our destination.”

“Wh-where to?”

“To the Duke’s estate.”

That was the last thing Yudit heard—Shane shouting to the coachman—before his consciousness faded.

***

The first thing Yudit saw when he opened his eyes was an unfamiliar ceiling. As he turned his head on the pillow, he saw a bed wide enough for three people. No one else was in the room. Yudit sat up. The stabbing pain in his chest and the ache in his tightly bound knees had vanished. He threw off the blanket and checked his condition. His ankle was wrapped in bandages, but it didn’t seem too serious.

Rising to his feet, Yudit approached the window. Outside were thick trees and a broad, straight road cutting through them—Khalid’s estate. He turned at the sound of the door opening. A servant entered with a basin and towel. Realizing the prince was awake, the servant offered a greeting, set the basin down, and promptly left. He was probably going to fetch a physician.

Yudit’s guess proved correct. Five minutes later, a physician entered. With a monocle and familiar face, Yudit realized it was the same person who had treated him after the fire.

“Your Highness always seems to find himself in a mess,” the physician sighed and began examining him.

She unwrapped the bandage, revealing an ankle tinted pale purple—it looked much better than before Yudit had passed out.

“Fortunately, the first aid was timely. Otherwise, things might’ve taken a turn for the worse. Do you remember what happened?”

“I was bitten on the ankle by a poison goblin, and Shane sucked the poison out. Since there was no physician, we headed back in the carriage, but a fever hit me, and then… I collapsed with pain in my chest.”

“Your cognition seems intact. That’s a relief.”

It seemed the physician had only asked to check his awareness. But once she confirmed no one else was in the room, she lowered her voice.

“Your Highness… are you ingesting poison?”

Yudit blinked.

“I noticed it last time, but your heart and liver are severely weakened. So are the other organs. At first, I suspected someone was poisoning you, but today I became certain. You’re doing it to yourself, aren’t you?”

There was no more hiding it. Yudit slowly nodded. The physician let out a deep sigh.

“Your internal organs are already in poor condition. You need to start weaning off the poison.”

Yudit knew that himself. The stabbing chest pain and the sharp twinges in his abdomen weren’t normal. But building immunity through micro-doses had kept him alive in the treacherous palace. He’d lived in the Imperial Court his entire life—how many poisoned teacups had he dodged? That’s why he couldn’t stop. Especially now, when the competitions had begun.

“I’m not planning to take it forever. Once things are settled, I’ll stop.”

The physician sighed again, clearly recognizing that Yudit had no intention of quitting right away.

“You said your chest hurt. That’s not just from the poison goblin’s venom. The accumulated toxins reacted with it, shocking your heart. You may have resisted because of your tolerance, but long-term use will not help you.”

As the physician’s lecture dragged on, Yudit simply smiled faintly. She rubbed his temples in frustration.

“I’ll prescribe something to restore your energy. Just be aware—it’s only temporary.”

“Understood. Thank you.”

Yudit’s crisp answer made the physician roll her eyes. As she packed up her bag after finishing the examination, Khalid walked in. His appearance was exactly as Yudit remembered—unchanged. Strangely, Yudit realized he’d missed him a little.

“I’ll have the medicine ready within two hours,” the physician said.

“Very well.”

After bowing to Khalid, the physician left. Silence fell in the room, now occupied by only the two of them. It was Khalid who spoke first.

“His Highness always seems to arrive in poor health.”

“I’ll be more careful…”

“So, you’re taking poison.”

Yudit nodded. It had been Khalid’s personal physician who examined him—there was no use denying it.

“No wonder the sleeping drug didn’t work.”

Khalid stepped closer and cupped Yudit’s chin in his hand. Yudit blinked as Khalid scrutinized him with a piercing gaze.

“I didn’t think I’d meet someone else doing the same thing I once did.”

“You used to take it too?”

“For a while, when I was young. Paid dearly for it, too.”

Yudit looked at him with concern. Seeing that, Khalid gave a dry laugh.

“Who’s worrying about who, now? I quit, you know.”

“When did you quit?”

“The day every one of my blood relatives disappeared from this earth.”

He said it lightly. Khalid had no siblings, but many relatives. Even after he inherited the ducal title as a child, there’d been no shortage of unrest. His so-called ‘guardians’ had all ended up dead or missing. He hadn’t earned his title by chance—Khalid had proven himself in blood.

“A few days ago, I got a letter from Aisa.”

A familiar name slipped from Khalid’s mouth—Aisa, the Emperor’s concubine and Azil’s mother. Why had she contacted Khalid?

“She asked me to become her son’s godfather.”

Yudit’s heart sank. Godparents were usually chosen at a child’s birth. For her to ask now… it was practically a plea to support Azil.

“The amusing part was that the letter bore the Emperor’s seal.”

Aisa’s letter bore the Emperor’s seal—meaning it was essentially a request from the Emperor himself to back Azil. Yudit asked, his voice trembling,

“Did you… reply?”

“Oh, I did.” Khalid looked directly at him. “What do you think I said?”

Yudit stared at him, then slowly shook his head.

“I don’t know.”

“It wouldn’t be fun if I just told you. Try to guess. If you’re right, I’ll give you a gift.”

After a moment of thought, Yudit slowly replied,

“I believe you refused.”

“Oh? Why’s that?”

“Because Prince Asil already has a godfather.”

Khalid blinked—then burst out laughing.

“Ha! Spot on. That’s exactly what I wrote. That since the Marquess of Francesca, Prince Azil’s godfather, is still alive and well, it would be improper of me to take that position.”

The Marquess of Francesca was a staunch imperialist and often clashed with the neutral Khalid. Khalid wasn’t the type to pass up the chance to eliminate a rival.

“If the Marquess of Francesca were to be… removed?”

“That’s something to consider when the time comes.” Khalid shrugged.

“Oh right—the second round of the competition has begun, hasn’t it?”

“……It has.”

“How was it? Bern 3.”

Khalid already knew what district Yudit had drawn. Most likely, he also knew what the other princes had drawn.

“It was worth visiting.”

“Oh? Worth visiting, even if it meant nearly dying from a poison goblin bite?”

“Precisely because of that, it was worth visiting.”

At Yudit’s answer, Khalid tilted his head slightly.