Chapter 33

---

"Don... where...?"

"You're awake."

"---!"

Don, who had woken up on the bed, tried to jump up in surprise but fell back onto the bed due to the pain.

This wasn't the mansion; it was a room in a house on the outskirts of the city, and it was just me and Don.

"Don't overdo it; you were almost dead."

"Almost... dead?"

He endured the pain, furrowed his brows, and looked at me.

"Can't you remember? I've been monitoring everything, so if you don't remember, I can tell you."

"...Ah."

It seemed he had remembered.

"That's right. After you reported eliminating the witness, you were cut down by the intermediary. In short, you were abandoned because you made a mistake."

"Is that... so..."

Even though he was lying on the bed, Don's dejection was clearly visible.

"I thought something like this might happen when I assigned you to tail them, but I didn't expect you to actually try to silence them."

I sighed.

My older brother is really...

"People are treasures."

"..."

Don turned his head on the bed and looked at me.

"Did you foresee that I would be abandoned?"

"Pretty much."

"True to the rumors, you are indeed a wise prince..."

Don chuckled, looking both impressed and resigned.

"If only I had come to you from the beginning..."

Don's words were tinged with self-mockery.

"It's not too late even now."

"Eh?"

"I mean, if things had been different, you could have been my subordinate. If that's the case, it's not too late even now."

"Are you serious...?"

"In return, I'm strict about betrayal. Once you become my subordinate, you can't leave until you die."

"Thank you...!"

Perhaps due to the pain, Don propped himself up on his elbow and bowed deeply from the bed.

---

Name: Noah Ararat

Minister of Justice

Gender: Male

Level: 3/∞

HP: E+F Fire: F+B

MP: F+F Water: E+S

Strength: E+E Wind: F+F

Stamina: F+F Earth: F+F

Intelligence: F+E Light: F

Spirit: F+F Dark: F

Speed: F+F

Dexterity: F+F

Luck: F+F

---

Unlike when I came as a spy, my status has improved. This proves that he has decided to become my subordinate from the bottom of his heart.

"Alright. Focus on healing your wounds. I'll find a fallen noble to adopt you as a foster child. You'll get a new identity and name. Change your appearance a bit as well."

"Yes, sir..."

"It's best not to be in the capital for a while. I'll find you a position as a magistrate in Almeria, where you can lie low."

"Thank you...!"

"That will do for now. We'll decide what to do next when the time comes."

"..."

"What's wrong?"

"I don't know if I can repay your kindness... but the Phoenix wine that Gilbert presented to His Majesty should be stopped immediately."

"Why?"

When I asked, Don told me the secret in a hushed voice, making sure only I could hear.

---

After leaving the house on the outskirts of the city where Don was staying, I returned to the Ministry of Justice and then rushed to the palace. I requested an audience with His Majesty and waited.

After about an hour, I was led to a study that resembled a library.

"Oh, what is it, Noah?"

"Your Majesty, I have a highly confidential matter to discuss. Please dismiss the others."

"Hmm...?"

His Majesty observed me closely before speaking.

"You can speak freely. Everyone except Cruise is deaf."

I looked at the young eunuch who was doing chores next to His Majesty. He acted as if he couldn't hear anything while I was speaking with His Majesty.

I see, to maintain confidentiality, the people in the study are all deaf.

"Understood. Your Majesty, please stop drinking the Phoenix wine immediately."

"Phoenix... the wine produced in Gilbert's fief and presented to the palace this year, right?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"It's a food pairing issue."

I told His Majesty what Don had told me.

"The Phoenix wine is a good tonic on its own, but when paired with a specific item, it turns into a deadly poison."

"What is this specific item?"

"The Dragon's Claw."

"Dragon's Claw... I see, it's something the Emperor and Crown Prince consume during the annual ritual to honor our ancestors."

"Yes."

I took a deep breath and continued, adding my own deductions to what Don had told me.

"The terrifying aspect of this food pairing is that the effects of the Phoenix wine last in the body for a week, not just the day it is consumed. Since the Phoenix wine has been presented for almost a year and Your Majesty has been drinking it regularly, it's as if you have already proven that it is not poisonous. Therefore, no one will suspect the food pairing with the Dragon's Claw, nor will they suspect the Phoenix wine itself."

"The culprit's alibi is established, then."

"Yes."

"However, this is based on the premise that the food pairing is real."

"I have tested it. I had a death row inmate consume both under the condition of release if they survived. The result was..."

"Indeed, the effect was immediate."

"Exactly."

The effect was immediate.

One death row inmate drank only the Phoenix wine.

Another ate only the Dragon's Claw.

The third consumed both.

Of the three, the two who consumed only one of the items were fine, but the one who consumed both died almost instantly.

"I see. So, if nothing is done, both I and the Crown Prince will die during the ritual. The Phoenix wine is also given to the Crown Prince, and only the Emperor and Crown Prince consume the Dragon's Claw."

"Yes."

"You did well, Noah. Impressive. Cruise."

"Yes, sir."

"Summon Henry. Have him send troops to surround the First Prince's residence. I will inform you of the details later."

"Yes, sir."

Cruise, His Majesty's confidant, moved to carry out the order.

This is good.

I'm sorry, Brother Gilbert, but I can't overlook something this serious.

"You're done, Noah. Your reward will be given later."

"Yes, sir."

I bowed and was about to leave the study.

I might be asked for my opinion as the Minister of Justice later, but for now, it's over.

Just as I turned to leave, something flashed through my mind.

I stopped in my tracks.

A significant sense of unease.

I tried to figure out what was causing it.

Then I remembered.

I had been reminded of this many times before.

The incident in Dossou Village and the events that followed.

His Majesty's eyes and ears are incredibly sharp, and almost everything I do is known to him.

His Majesty, who knew something that even Don knew, acted as if he had just found out.

...Could it be?

I turned around and cautiously looked at His Majesty.

Our eyes met, and His Majesty smiled wryly.

"You are indeed very wise, Noah."

"---!"

That one word made it clear that His Majesty had also realized what I had.

"Did you know?"

"Yes. To be more precise, I haven't been drinking the Phoenix wine."

"..."

"I have been the Emperor for too long, and some can no longer wait."

"..."

"You, however, don't seem to be one of them."

"No, I am not."

I answered immediately.

To be honest, I was reborn, and I was born into the royal family.

I have never really felt much like His Majesty was my "father."

Our familial bond is thin.

Even so, I have never thought of killing His Majesty to seize the throne.

"I see. Noah Ararat."

"..."

"I appoint you as the Deputy Minister of Military Affairs, to serve concurrently with your current position as Minister of Justice."

"Ha...?"

"And I also appoint you as the Admiral of the First Army, commonly known as the Emperor's Guard."

"As you wish."

I accepted, but I still couldn't fully grasp His Majesty's intentions.

"I have no intention of falling easily. If I were to be killed by my son, it would be a laughingstock for future generations. However, if something happens, you must take control of the capital with the Guard and place a suitable person on the throne."

"---!"

I was taken aback.

This appointment was the highest trust His Majesty could give.