Chapter 42

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The water, said to be a gift from the second prince, was delivered to Maria, who had been in the anteroom of the cupola for costume fittings and rehearsals since this morning.

Previously, the second prince had been sending Maria high-quality water before concerts, and the maid apparently did not find this unusual.

To put it bluntly, the water Maria drank was laced with poison.

However, it was not toxic enough to be life-threatening; the damage was limited to a burning throat.

But Maria is a singer.

A burning throat is as good as taking her life.

After that, Victor apparently cast the "Analysis" magic on Maria, who was writhing in pain, scratching her throat.

To understand what had happened to Maria and to find a way to help her.

At the same time, Mr. Romanov apparently set up a protective barrier, and the moment the analysis results came in, he added a soundproof barrier.

The analysis revealed that Maria had been poisoned and had suffered significant damage to her throat, so Victor neutralized the poison with detoxification magic. Maria was freed from the burning poison in her throat.

During this time, Mr. Romanov apparently passed the information Victor had analyzed to the guards who had rushed in.

However, Maria's condition was not improving at all.

"Her throat is burned and raw, and it seems she can't speak due to the shock..."

"What!?"

The maid, who was standing there in shock, collapsed in tears, saying, "It's my fault."

In such a situation, recovery magic is not very effective, or rather, it is said that it is not used when there is a risk of aftereffects, as it forcibly seals the wound.

Victor, being one of the top ten magicians in the world, not only identified the poison but also pinpointed the culprit, who was already captured.

The motive for the crime was a common one: jealousy.

There are many people who want to take Maria's place.

However, the culprit had hanged herself before being caught.

"The time between Vitya identifying the culprit and the arrest was too short. It didn't even take half an hour."

"Probably... it was set up from the beginning. When caught, she probably thought, 'Well, that's that.'"

The conversation between the two adults was unsettling, but in short, it was difficult to say that this incident was solely intended to harm Maria.

There must be some circumstances unknown to me that led to this conclusion. Adults are scary.

But more than that, I was worried about Maria's condition.

Lying on a makeshift bed, she was as white as a porcelain doll, and her usually bright, charming fox eyes had lost all their strength.

It hurt to see her continue to cry without even looking at me as I offered her a handkerchief to wipe away her tears, so I tentatively placed the handkerchief at the corner of her eye.

The handkerchief changed color as the droplets fell, but what surprised me more was the heat of her cheek.

"This isn't good... Maria, you have a fever..."

"I neutralized the poison, but her throat is in bad shape. Maybe that's why she has a fever."

"Should I prepare some ice with magic...?"

At my words, the maid, in a panic, said, "I'll go get a doctor," and rushed out of the room.

For a singer, the throat is everything. And today was the day of her lifetime performance.

What could be the reason for such a terrible thing to happen on such a day? Is there a reason that justifies hurting her so much?

Biting my lip, I felt a slight taste of iron in my mouth.

The taste helped me cool my head a little. What I should do now is not to be angry.

Rummaging through my waist pouch, I took out the ice dessert I had brought as a gift.

If her fever was rising, it would be better to cool her down.

Thinking this, I opened the box, and Mr. Romanov looked at me with a startled expression.

"You brought one for Maria too!?"

"Um, yes. I thought it might help cool her throat..."

"It's not a cold, you know..."

Victor, who was about to stop me, was shaken by Mr. Romanov's head shake.

"The sorbet you ate also uses peaches from a very important person."

"Huh... Huh... Huh!?"

"It's made with 'Immortal Peaches.' Perhaps, or maybe..."

Maria, perhaps startled by Victor's loud voice, shuddered. I patted her back to calm her, but it was still very hot, indicating that her fever had risen significantly.

Hoping to lower her fever even a little, I scooped up some sorbet with the attached spoon and brought it to Maria's mouth.

"Maria, just a little bit..."

She might not have been in the mood to eat a strange child's dessert at such a time, but she nodded and let the spoon into her mouth.

I watched as her throat moved slightly, swallowing the sorbet. When I heard the swallowing sound, I scooped up more sorbet and offered it to her again. This time, she took the spoon from me and brought it to her mouth herself.

Suddenly, Maria's eyes widened.

"Un... believable!"

"Huh...?"

"My throat... it doesn't hurt!"

Her voice, which she shouted, was as clear and strong as I had heard before. Her eyes, which had been filled with tears, regained their vitality.

"Is this the power of the 'Immortal Peach'?"

"Yes. Though it's a bit presumptuous, this is the second time Phoenix has had the 'Immortal Peach.'"

Victor and Mr. Romanov were talking quietly in the background, but I remembered that the peach given to the princess was said to be effective for nourishment and healing injuries.

In any case, it seemed that Maria's throat had healed, and the hand that gripped mine was not as hot.

"Ah, it seems her fever has gone down."

"Yes, I feel better than before I was poisoned!"

She got out of the makeshift bed and stood up, then spun around and performed a beautiful curtsy. The three of us applauded her, and then two sets of heavy footsteps came rushing in.

Breathless, the maid and a man in a white coat, presumably a doctor, rushed in.

Seeing Maria standing up and puffing out her chest, the maid was almost jumping in surprise.

"Miss!?"

"Elza, I'm sorry to have worried you! I'm fine!"

"R-Really...!?"

"Yes, my little friend healed me! Please convey my gratitude to the noble lady as well?"

"Yes! Thank you, I will never forget this kindness!"

Elza bowed deeply, tears streaming down her face.

This maid must be around the same age as Maria.

She has freckles and red hair, but she is a beautiful woman who can stand alongside Maria.

"No, no... I didn't do anything... I just happened to have something that could be used as medicine."

"A-Anyone who just happens to have a universal remedy is rare, you know?"

"But it was a gift, and delicious things should be shared."

"Phoenix has a rather troublesome chronic illness, so he probably received it for that... If he knew you didn't eat it all yourself, he might scold you this time."

"Hardly. He is not an unreasonable person."

Puffing out her cheeks, Victor and Mr. Romanov's hands gently squeezed her cheeks.

The doctor, taken aback by the scene, started examining Maria.

The result was that she was in perfect health, and there was no abnormality in her throat.

The doctor, who seemed to have sensed something from the presence of Mr. Romanov and Victor, left with just a "Take care" without saying anything more.

"Come, Lord Shostakovich. Let's have our final lesson. I will show those who tried to belittle me, and by extension, the prince who supports me, what they deserve!"

Maria's gaze, fixed on the stage below, was burning with a fierce intensity.

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