In the original story, Alexa had never been poisoned. But all of this pain was real. Her throat still burned as though it were on fire, and her chest felt as though something were squeezing it tight.
Yet what surprised her most of all was Enoch’s attitude, swearing on his own name to protect her. For some reason, that fact touched something deep within her.
“Your Majesty the Empress, I imagine you are feeling very disoriented right now.”
The imperial physician opened his mouth carefully.
“Your Majesty has been poisoned with a dangerous toxin. However… even after investigating everything at the banquet, the source of the poison has yet to be found.”
That meant the culprit had not been caught.
Alexa found it puzzling that someone would poison her, an empress with not even a shred of influence.
“With the medicine, your voice should return in about two days… but even so, it is best to spare your throat as much as possible.”
Alexa nodded.
“I will continue to prescribe an antidote, a restorative, and a sedative. Even if the medicine is difficult to take, you must not skip a dose.”
The imperial physician’s expression was grave.
Only then did it truly sink in that she had come close to dying.
The one most shaken by all of this was surely Enoch. This commotion had erupted right beside him.
“A faint trace of poison was detected in the wine glass at the banquet, but there is no certainty that it was the source.”
Perhaps the culprit’s true target had been Enoch.
The two of them had each taken a wine glass at random from the tray at the end. If something had been wrong with the glasses, it might have been Enoch, not Alexa, who fell gravely ill.
“The investigation will continue by order of His Majesty the Emperor, so please set your mind at ease and take care of your health.”
Alexa gave a slow nod.
The imperial physician then excused himself briefly to fetch the medicine. At that, Matilda approached with tears in her eyes and took Alexa’s hand firmly in hers.
“Your Majesty the Empress…”
Tears welled up in Matilda’s eyes. Alexa wanted to tell her she was all right, but her throat would not cooperate. More than anything, forcing herself to speak now would only hurt Matilda more.
“How could something like this…”
Matilda let large teardrops fall one after another. Alexa gathered what little strength she had left and squeezed Matilda’s hand tightly.
“You must not strain yourself.”
Matilda’s two hands gently patted Alexa’s hand.
“His Majesty the Emperor has said he will find the culprit without fail, so please be at ease.”
Alexa nodded.
This incident had occurred in the emperor’s very presence, so it was not simply a matter confined to the Empress’s chambers.
“I will protect Your Majesty so that nothing like this ever happens again.”
She was grateful for Matilda’s devotion.
But she truly had no idea who could have done this, or why.
“Your Majesty the Empress, I have brought your medicine.”
“I will administer it.”
Matilda took the tray with the medicine. She then helped Alexa up and propped her against the headboard, then spooned the medicine into her mouth one spoonful at a time.
The medicine was bitterly foul, and her throat still burned as though it were on fire, but Alexa drank every last drop.
“Now lie back down.”
Matilda helped Alexa lie down gently and tucked the blanket around her.
“A sedative was included in the prescription, so sleep will come soon. The longer you sleep, the more your body will recover, so I will keep the prescription as it is for the time being.”
Alexa managed a faint nod.
And just as the imperial physician had said, drowsiness began to wash over her before long. Alexa sank into a deep sleep.
Only then could Matilda let out a long, heavy sigh. They had only just been rejoicing over the consummation of the marriage, and now this. She could not believe it was real.
“To suffer something so terrible… what could our Empress possibly have done wrong…”
The sleeping Alexa’s complexion was pale as a blank sheet of paper. The soft, steady sound of her breathing was so faint it seemed it might go out at any moment, and it made Matilda’s heart ache all the more.
“She is not someone anyone should hate… why would anyone…”
Matilda wiped her tears.
The feeling of her heart dropping the moment Alexa coughed up blood was still vivid.
The one saving grace in all this misfortune was the attitude of Emperor Enoch. He had been genuinely furious over Alexa’s poisoning, and he had publicly declared that he would take every measure within his power.
With no one else to trust right now, that sincerity of Enoch’s was the only thing that meant anything.
“Still, His Majesty the Emperor is sincere… so the truth will come to light soon enough.”
This tragedy should never have happened, but perhaps because it had occurred after the consummation of the marriage, it seemed to have moved Enoch’s heart.
Matilda, who knew nothing of the secret of the wedding night that only the two of them shared, could only think of it that way.
“So please, recover safely and rise again…”
Matilda murmured with the fervor of a prayer. It was too heartbreaking to look at Alexa, who appeared so fragile it seemed her breath might stop at any moment.
The Alexa Matilda knew was not someone with the temperament to earn anyone’s resentment. That was precisely what made this incident all the more suspicious and frightening.
“My lady, please rest for a while. We will take turns watching over Her Majesty the Empress.”
Young maid Ella spoke, but Matilda shook her head.
“I will keep watch over Her Majesty. The rest of you, keep the Empress’s chambers in order.”
“Then… at least let me bring a blanket and some cushions. You will collapse at this rate, my lady.”
Matilda nodded.
Extreme exhaustion was pressing down on her, but the thought of keeping watch over Alexa came first. Right now, she could not leave Alexa’s side under any circumstances.
* * *
Enoch was earnest about rooting out the culprit.
He had given his close attendant knight Din firm orders to investigate the parties behind this incident.
Above all, it was still unclear whether the poison had been aimed at Enoch or at Alexa.
Yet, cruelly, no decisive evidence came to light. Every item of food the imperial couple had consumed was investigated, but no poison was found.
“Din, we must tighten security throughout the imperial palace.”
Until now, Enoch had never faced a threat of this kind. His imperial authority had been quite firmly established.
But the incident had happened. So he could not afford to do nothing. Even if the culprit was never caught, it was necessary to strengthen security for the sake of what might come.
“In particular, dispatch more guards to the Empress’s chambers.”
“Yes, understood.”
If Alexa had been the target, it was possible that someone with a grievance against the maternal relative faction had attempted to poison her.
House Taira had gone so far as to adopt Alexa in order to maintain their grip on power as the maternal relatives. Enoch was surely not the only one who found that disagreeable.
“Just what kind of person would do something like this…”
By the same reasoning, he could not trust all the nobles. Or perhaps the eastern princess had harbored resentment over the failed marriage proposal.
“Whoever it is, this is a deeply treacherous act.”
Din answered with a dark expression.
To dare carry out a poisoning in the vicinity of the emperor was something that should never have been possible.
“The empress’s head maid is capable. Appoint her as chief head maid and grant her full authority over the protection of the empress.”
Ordinarily, the chief head maid was the head maid of the highest-ranking person in the inner palace. That meant the position of chief head maid should by rights have belonged solely to Stella, head maid to Empress Dowager Camilla.
But Enoch set aside that rule and made an exception, granting Matilda the authority of chief head maid. It was a decision made entirely for Alexa’s sake.
“I should go to the Empress Dowager’s palace.”
At those words, Din was inwardly surprised.
Enoch had never sought out the Empress Dowager on his own initiative, so this incident must truly be serious.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Enoch rose from his seat and made his way to the Empress Dowager’s palace. His expression was thoroughly displeased, but his steps did not slow.
“I pay my respects to the Empress Dowager.”
Enoch offered his greeting with his usual indifference.
Camilla welcomed him with a bright expression.
“Come in. It has truly been a long time since you came to me first.”
Enoch had no intention of lingering in this place. Already, the distinctive incense of the Empress Dowager’s palace was giving him a headache.
“As the empress is ill due to the poisoning incident, please oversee the inner palace for the time being.”
Camilla wore an expression of surprise.
She had not expected Enoch, who was indifferent to everything, to think of Alexa to this extent.
The poisoning incident was a sorrowful thing, but Alexa had survived. So the fact that Enoch cared for Alexa this much was a welcome development.
It was the moment her worry that Enoch, who kept the maternal relatives in check, might not accept Alexa’s presence simply dissolved.
“I will do my utmost to look after the empress, so you focus on your state affairs.”
Camilla parted her red lips again.
“To dare try to harm our empress, who came from House Taira… I will not stand by and watch either. I will search every corner of the inner palace to find the culprit.”
Enoch felt a deep revulsion at the mention of House Taira, but he knew that the Empress Dowager’s attitude was useful in the current situation.
And though the Empress Dowager did not know it, Alexa had already volunteered to become a woman of Dias.
That alone made her a different person from the Empress Dowager.
“Then I leave the inner palace and the empress in your care.”
His business concluded, Enoch left the Empress Dowager’s palace without looking back.
“The emperor has changed.”
Camilla said, taking her long pipe between her lips.
“He always used to be reluctant to come see me, and yet he came of his own accord. It seems his feelings for the empress run deeper than expected.”
Alexa was beautiful.
Perhaps that fact had stirred something in Enoch’s heart.
“Though the empress was poisoned, she survived, so she will be able to play a great role going forward.”
Contrary to expectations, Enoch was showing care for Alexa, who had come from House Taira. If so, the maternal relative faction would only grow more firmly entrenched.
That alone was enough to satisfy Camilla.
