Chapter 48

"Sei, Sei-sama, Happy Birthday...!"

"Thank you... a..."

Before I could finish my response, the timid young lady bowed her head and fled. The birthday party had started, but many of the attendees had clearly come just to make an appearance and offer their congratulations. I smiled wryly at the obviousness of it all.

Today, more than ever, I could clearly see how much everyone disliked Sei Arclight. Thanks to this, I didn’t even have to worry about who was approaching, which made things easier.

"I'm sorry I'm late, Happy Birthday."

"Thank you. I'm glad you could come."

In the midst of this, Mabel, who had taken over Eliza's body, came to me. She seemed to have just arrived and, as always, carried a beautiful, ladylike smile.

She must have known that I was aware of her true identity. Even though it was part of the plan, her composure and confidence were unsettling.

"Hehe, that dress is beautiful too. It suits you well. You noble ladies really have beautiful faces; I envy you."

Mabel smiled and touched my cheek with her cold palm. The touch sent shivers down my spine.

I couldn’t understand what she was thinking. I suppressed my anger and returned her smile.

"You’re beautiful too."

"I’m glad. Thank you."

"Enjoy the party today."

She nodded and, with a swish of her beautiful blue dress, walked into the crowd. The guests all smiled happily and welcomed her into their circle.

As I watched her go, I let out a small sigh.

"Sei, are you okay?"

"Yeah, somehow. It was too normal and it scared me."

Gerald, who had quickly come to my side, handed me a glass of juice with fruit in it.

Gerald joked, "Don’t worry, there’s nothing in this one," which made me smile.

"I’ll send a waiter over in thirty minutes."

"Okay, I understand."

Thinking about the start of the operation made me nervous.

If I showed any signs of agitation or odd behavior, the perceptive Mabel would definitely not drink from the glass. I clenched my palm tightly to stay composed.

"Hey, Sei. Aren’t you scared of being so normal?"

"I don’t like pain, but I’m not scared. Because Gerald is with me."

When I said that, he suddenly opened his eyes wide in surprise. Then, he smiled as if he was about to cry.

"Sei, you’re really a good person. I feel bad about myself."

"Huh?"

"Sorry."

I wondered what he was apologizing for. Gerald said he would go to prepare and left the scene.

◇◇◇

"Operation will start soon, but please don’t be surprised. Oh, but act surprised for the performance."

"Yes, I understand."

"Don’t overdo it."

"Okay, thank you."

To avoid worrying my parents, I whispered to them again and then went to Mabel. She smiled warmly at me, as if greeting a close friend.

"Oh, you came. It’s a wonderful party, and I’m having a great time."

"I’m glad. I’m happy too."

We chatted about trivial matters, but I watched for the right moment and raised my right hand slightly.

"I’m thirsty, can you give me two glasses?"

"Of course."

To avoid arousing suspicion, the waiter poured the contents of the bottle into the glasses in front of us. The waiter then offered us two glasses and let Mabel choose one.

After Mabel took a glass from the waiter, I took the other. I tilted my glass towards her.

"Shall we toast?"

"Of course. To Sei’s birthday, cheers."

We lightly clinked our glasses and took a sip. I had heard that the poison would take effect in a few minutes. I made sure she saw me drink, and she also took a sip.

I confirmed that the contents of her glass were decreasing and felt a sigh of relief. Now, I just had to wait for the effects to kick in.

"Ugh... u... a..."

A few minutes later, my heart beat heavily. I was immediately hit with pain and discomfort several times worse than I had imagined, and tears streamed down my face.

I couldn’t breathe properly, and a whistling sound escaped my throat. Gerald, who had rushed over, supported me as I could no longer stand. The pain was intense and unbearable.

A little later, I confirmed that Mabel was also clutching her throat and in pain. I closed my eyes tightly to endure the pain. The room was in chaos, and I could hear a loud murmur.

All I had to do was be carried to the room and take the antidote. But as I tried to endure, my consciousness began to fade, and I couldn’t stop sweating.

The pain was so intense that I wanted my heart to stop. Uncontrollable screams escaped my mouth.

Gerald’s voice seemed to be fading away.

"Eliza-sama! Are you okay!?"

Just as I thought the pain had slightly eased, I heard a voice nearby. I was supposed to be in Gerald’s arms, but it felt like I was in very thin arms.

Feeling a sense of unease and foreboding, I opened my eyes as my consciousness was fading. The moment I saw the scene in front of me, I gasped.

In my blurred vision, I saw my own figure.

I apologize for the long update. Thank you for your comments and reviews. I’ll do my best...!!