Chapter 49

"Indeed, I understand that Aisha's actions were solely to help Fer."

This time, an interview with my father, the emperor, was conducted.

In the usual meeting room on the upper floor of my room, my father and his usual attendants were gathered.

Icto, who was with me on that day, was also called and was waiting.

Father listened to my story from the beginning and accepted all the explanations without any doubt.

"The crab curse. Icto, is that a well-known story?"

"Well, people around me knew about it. It's possible that it was just an old tale from the area where I lived. However, it was Aisha's keen insight that allowed her to diagnose the symptoms of the fourth prince as such."

"Meaning, it's difficult to prove, right?"

The story of the crab curse helped explain the allergy.

It's something that can be eaten and is harmless to others, but if consumed continuously, it can worsen and become a deadly poison.

"The fact that recovery magic worsens the condition was reported before. That's why it was thought there was no solution. The day he vomited, his recovery was faster, but why did Aisha say that recovery should not be done?"

It seems that Fer was said to be frail because even recovery magic couldn't help.

"Poisons can either inhibit or overstimulate the body's natural functions."

Stopping the body's functions can cause breathing difficulties or organ failure, while overstimulating can cause dehydration or acute poisoning.

What humans adjust to their liking is called medicine.

"I suspected an overreaction from the swelling of the lips. It's the result of the body's natural functions going too far. Activating it with recovery magic would only worsen the condition."

In my previous life, I would have tried to restore blood pressure and identify and suppress the allergen.

I didn't have severe allergies in my previous life, so I'm not very familiar with it, and the options for dealing with it in this world are limited.

So, the only thing I could do was make him vomit and wash him thoroughly to get the allergen out of his body as much as possible.

"I feel sorry for making three people cry with my rough handling."

"I've seen Fer suddenly collapse before. All I could do was call for a doctor. I couldn't do anything to help him as he suffered. Compared to that, Aisha did a good job."

Father smiled and looked at me intently.

For some reason, his eyes looked sad.

"......When did you start holding back from me? I thought you were a smart child, but looking back, you stopped telling me about your studies when Harty was around."

Oh, I've been caught.

I didn't expect to be caught here; I must have talked too much.

When I couldn't help but fall silent, Father looked at me with a sad expression.

"I think you used to tell me until you were about five. That would be around the time Terry started studying. You were probably wary of the commotion that would arise from comparisons."

"No, I just found alchemy fun and had no interest in anything else."

"Ah, indeed, poison is part of alchemy. In that sense, it's a hobby that can be easily justified. But......"

"Your Majesty."

The usual attendant interrupted, and when Father looked at him with a reproachful gaze, the attendant made a stern face, something he had never shown to Father before.

"You must not negate what this prince has endured."

I thought he would say it was a matter of time, but I was surprised.

When our eyes met, he immediately looked away.

I remember that he used to glare at me, but at some point, he started to look away.

I thought he was wary of being falsely accused, but maybe he had some thoughts about my situation, where I can only meet Father when I'm shirtless?

There's also the saying "outsiders see more clearly."

This attendant has seen every meeting between me and the Emperor.

So, he might have noticed things I didn't say and kept quiet, respecting my intentions.

"What needs to be resolved now is the suspicion of attempted assassination against the first prince."

Oh, I'm being treated as a suspect?

"You know it's impossible."

Father responded to the attendant's words with a weary expression.

Because I have no opportunity to assassinate, and killing just Fer wouldn't be beneficial.

"Aisha hardly ever leaves here, and the only attendants around her are three. She lives in a different place, and the servants have different workplaces, so there's no interaction. How could she have been poisoning him every time he collapsed? It's not just once or twice. Aisha's explanation is far more plausible."

The question is how she could have been poisoning the Emperor, who lives in a place with many people and watchful eyes.

"This time, it's said to be a curse. Whether or not she could have planted items like poison is not the issue."

"There's no evidence that Aisha performed a curse, and there's no reason for her to do so. If you try to convict her based on this, it will set a bad precedent where anyone can be accused without evidence or substance."

In this world, curses are said to exist.

They are a power that surpasses even magic, created by a strong will.

Most of the time, the one who curses pays with their life, but this doesn't affect the success of the curse.

So, since I'm alive and well, there's no reason to say I cursed anyone.

"However, if we don't set up an explanation, this time it can't be left as just a rumor."

"I'm denying the ridiculous rumors themselves."

The attendant is calm, while Father, who usually has a stern face, is emotional.

In other words, the conversation is progressing without me.

Also, it's rare for the attendant to speak at such length.

Usually, he just interrupts with a few words.

Was that interruption to cut the meeting short based on adult considerations?

Well, it's fine for now.

"What crime am I being accused of?"

I wanted to know the charges, but when I asked, both of them fell silent.

Father searched for words, and the attendant watched him.

"There's no need to worry. In fact, I only helped, so being charged with a crime is a mistake. Whatever they say, it's just a minor difference."

"They are trying to twist it and say it was to harm."

From what Father said with a bitter expression, it seems there are people who believe my actions, like making Fer vomit, were reactions to the poison.

The timeline is reversed, but the logic of those treating me as a suspect is as follows:

I lured Warnel away to search for him, then targeted the alone Fer.

Terry appeared and stopped me, but Fer had already ingested some poison and collapsed.

I tried to finish him off by forcing more poison down his throat, making him vomit, but I fled when many people arrived, failing to assassinate him.

"Isn't that too far-fetched? It's a poor assassination attempt."

"They say a child would do something like that."

"It's accepted because you pretend to be dull."

Maybe because I said I don't need consideration, the attendant speaks bluntly.

I know his name, but he's a bit annoying, so I'll secretly call him "Bob" from now on.

According to Bob, the one pushing this is Duke Lucaios.

Due to the influence of the big shots around the Emperor, there are many voices around Father supporting the theory that I'm the suspect.

At the same time, Father is the only one defending me, and his voice is small.

Except for Duke Lucaios, no one cares about me, so they don't say anything.

As a result, the atmosphere is leaning towards confirming me as the suspect.

"I thought the people who can enter the palace were all rational."

"......You are too rational, and some people suspect that you lack the innocence of a child."

Bob revealed some shocking information.

Is it because of the times I wasn't wearing a shirt?

I wish they would consider that I'm a child and that's why I acted that way. If I recall, wouldn't a normal child cry after being treated so cruelly? Is that a point against me?

"No, perhaps we should rely on Aisha's intellect."

Father seemed to realize something and took action.

"Aisha, can you summarize what you explained to me in a report or paper format with Warnel's help? Explain Fer's symptoms and write an article to prove the legitimacy of your actions."

"Yes, I think it would be useful to document it, not just for Fer but also for Warnel, who has the same condition. It's important to make the treatment methods known."

Of course, since we are related, there's a possibility that I, Terry, and Father also have a history of allergies.

"However, I've never written a paper before, so I would appreciate some time."

When I said that, Father smiled awkwardly.

"Does this mean you were trying to act childishly in front of me?"

"No, that's not it. I'm happy to meet Your Majesty. It's just that when I start thinking seriously, my emotional side tends to fade."

I think about the theoretical aspects with the adult part of my previous life.

And I want to fully enjoy the loving interactions with my father, which I couldn't experience in my previous life.

When Father looked at Icto, Icto nodded quietly.

"It's a switch due to the difficulty of being affectionate."

"Wait, you thought that? I just get a bit stiff when I'm organizing my thoughts."

Objection! Objection! I'm a nine-year-old child!

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Next: The Disease of the Crab Curse 2