5 – 5. Bait
The Thames Palace is a den of evil.
That was the conclusion drawn by Bono, a knight serving as the bodyguard of Princess Siena Calyle.
Becoming the guardian of the Emperor or his direct lineage was the career path that every young knight in the Britannian Empire aspired to.
The first princess, Victoria, followed by the military.
The second princess, Siena, followed by the trash.
And the third princess, Anais, supported by bankers and businessmen.
However, Siena was treated as an exception among the three. It was because of her notorious reputation, enough to be treated as a side dish in the system’s tavern.
“Still, I thought it was exaggerated.”
But now that Bono was working at the Thames Palace, he realized that it wasn’t just a rumor.
The palace servants always worked in a state of heightened tension, afraid that they might be caught. And the bodyguards, including Alan Maydoff, unleashed excessive violence like wild dogs. Running an underground gambling den and loan shark business was just an added bonus.
But there was one thing that bothered Bono the most.
“I’m in a precarious position even in this den.”
The feeling of self-disgust rushed over him when he recalled the embarrassing incident a few days ago.
He had gone to confront Alan Maydoff, a former classmate he had been close with since their days at the academy, to point out his wicked behavior. It was a difficult task to witness the corruption of a friend who had been quietly training during their student days.
So he sternly confronted him, desperately hoping that his advice would reach Alan Maydoff’s worn-out conscience.
His intentions were good, but…
Unfortunately, Siena was outside the office. When she suddenly appeared, he was so surprised that he almost fell back.
“I wanted to die at that moment.”
There had been no direct persecution so far, but the silence made him even more uneasy.
When and how retaliation behind the scenes would occur was uncertain. The imperial princess had enough power for that level of retribution.
“I just hope they don’t touch my family.”
If her army officer father faced disadvantages or her brother, who worked at a trading company, suddenly got fired due to external pressure? Bonno couldn’t bear the guilt. To think that her family would suffer because of her stupid son’s actions.
“Should I seek mercy from Princess Siena?”
No, her conscience wouldn’t allow it. If she revealed her psychological distress, Siena might reveal her characteristic hypocrisy.
Then what should she do?
While she was pondering, someone came to find Bonno.
“Um, Sir Knight?”
It was the squire who had been brutally beaten by Alan before.
He stood leaning on crutches, barely able to stand. His face was in a pitiful state, with only his front teeth missing. Bonno felt sorry for him and clicked her tongue.
“What’s the matter?”
“Her Highness the Princess sent me to deliver a message. She asked me to bring back wolfsbane… She said it shouldn’t be entrusted to anyone else and that you should personally purchase it.”
“…….”
“This is… sigh. It’s not something a knight like you should be doing. I apologize.”
To send an officially appointed knight on an errand like this. Bonno murmured, “It’s starting, huh?” as she tasted the bitter irony.
However, something strange happened in the midst of all this.
“You said wolfsbane, right now?”
“She told me to perform the task discreetly without informing anyone.”
Why wolfsbane of all things?
“It’s practically a deadly poison.”
Note: “Wolfsbane” is a common name for the plant Aconitum, which is highly toxic.
An herb chewed and swallowed by the poor when afflicted with toothaches or headaches, thanks to its anesthetic effects.
However, if consumed excessively and frequently, it could be a deadly herb. This was a fact known to Bonno, thanks to survival training received during his days at the Bonodo Academy martial arts department.
“May I inquire about the purpose for which you’ll be using it?”
“I’m not in a position to disclose that. However… No, hahahaha.”
Si-jong, his laughter awkwardly fading at the end of his words. It was suspicious the way he seemed to hesitate, as if about to say something but then mumbled incoherently.
‘Where on earth is he planning to use it?’
Doubts kept rising in Bonno’s mind.
In the first place, why would the princess send someone for such an errand? This, in itself, was abnormal.
Come to think of it, Alan Maydoff also ordered herbalists to gather mushrooms. It’s unlikely they were intended for consumption, so there must be some purpose. Although there was no evidence, it seemed somehow unrelated to poisonous herbs.
“You should hurry. Do you know the princess’s temperament?”
“Oh, yes!”
An order is an order, so he decided to follow it for now.
However, suspicions grew stronger as he ran errands. The location where he obtained the poisonous herb happened to be a peculiar herbal shop in the middle of the slums. No matter how you looked at it, it didn’t seem like a store selling something beneficial for the body.
‘No way, it can’t be.’
He wanted to deny it, but no matter how much he thought about it, it wasn’t a normal mission.
*
It was undoubtedly him who ordered Bonno to buy poison ivy by selling the princess’s name.
‘By now, he must be curious about the intention behind the errand.’
He would probably be on the verge of losing his mind, trying to figure out why he was specifically asked to secretly obtain poison ivy, what the purpose was, and why he was chosen for the task.
Of course, there was no need for poison ivy for him. It was just to provoke Bonno’s suspicions.
The purpose was, of course, to manipulate Bono and throw bait to the statics.
Having sown suspicion, it was time to incite directly.
“Bono, I apologize for before. I didn’t expect Her Highness the Princess to come in so suddenly.”
Approaching Bono in the training ground, I added words with a pretentious air.
At the same time, eyes filled with venom, glaring at me unfairly. He really dislikes me. Originally, that was why I chose him.
“What’s the use of apologizing now…!”
“I know. A mere verbal apology is useless.”
“….”
“Well, how about this? If you grant me a small favor, I’ll plead with Her Highness the Princess for your forgiveness. She may not care about others, but she listens to my advice. You must know that.”
Upon hearing this, Bono hesitated for a moment. Apart from his contempt for Sienna, he seemed reluctant to easily give up the title of the Princess’s bodyguard.
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“What kind of small favor are we talking about?”
“You’re aware of Empress’s ailment, right?”
“Naturally.”
“Her Highness Sienna has always been concerned about the Empress’s condition. You know she’s a gentle soul.”
“Well… not really.”
“After thorough investigation, she seems to have found a good remedy recently. She intends to present it to the Empress as a gift.”
Bono managed to control his expression somehow, but it only made it more evident. By now, he must be recalling hemlock and the mysterious mushrooms.
Seeing his subtly trembling gaze, it was clear that he had internally deduced the nature of the “medicine for the Empress.”
Without revealing my thoughts, I gently persuaded him.
“Bono, when Sienna goes to present the remedy to the Empress, I hope you will handle it. It’s originally my duty, but… you know how my reputation is.”
“Why me of all people? It’s not like I’m the only one with a royal escort…”
“Other colleagues face criticism too. But you, having recently worked at the Thames Palace and with a decent track record, are perfect for the medical team.”
“….”
“It’ll be a good opportunity for you.”
Saying this, Alan Maydoff awkwardly lifted the corners of his mouth.
Even from my perspective, Alan Maydoff’s face had an impression of someone barely holding onto life, making it impossible to reassure anyone with a smile. Rather, his smile seemed unsettling, raising more anxiety about why this guy was smiling.
After a silent moment, Bono finally nodded.
“I appreciate your consideration, Alan, but I’ll have to decline.”
“You’re refusing? Don’t regret it. It’s a great opportunity.”
“I appreciate your offer. However, I lack experience in the medical field.”
His effort to conceal his true feelings was evident.
It was not at all difficult to guess what was going on inside Bono’s head.
Even if those guys don’t poison the Empress, they might be aiming for a gradual weakening effect, or perhaps, not satisfied with that, they might try to shift all responsibility onto me.
“It probably doesn’t have to be you anyway. In any case… never mind.”
Deliberately trailing off, he left the room. Looking back, I saw Bono standing stiffly in place, staring into empty space.
In his desperate situation, he had only one card left.
‘He’ll push it.’
In charge of the Empire’s security was the Royal Guards.
But Bono wasn’t a fool; he wouldn’t mess with the Royal Guards. He knew well what would happen if he accused the Princess without clear evidence. Surely, he would have reported it to the Third Princess or her faction studying at the academy.
‘Perhaps he thinks that’s the just thing to do.’
This thought hit the mark. The palace guards at Thames Palace, who had been entrusted with the task of monitoring Bonno, came running towards me.
“Lord Bonno just left the palace in a hurry!”
A report that the escort knights, who should always be around the princess, had gone on leave without any notice. The guards said they had investigated the destination thoroughly.
“And then?”
“They said he’s going to the Academy. I asked about his business, but he ignored me and left in a hurry.”
The person Bonno hurriedly went to meet was Princess Anais, who was attending the Academy.
Anais, the heroine and sponsor who pushes the protagonist up the stage of departure.
At first, she approached me based solely on the protagonist’s abilities, but as her intelligence declined, she began to develop an obsession. Unlike Sienna, whose character is ruined, she is said to have a harmonious personality, but she is also ultimately a ruthless member of the royal family.
I couldn’t just let this opportunity to easily send off my step-sister pass by.
Now it was time for us to move.
“Your Highness, the preparations are complete.”
I went to Sienna’s office and reported.
She was flipping through a ledger with her finger twisted in her silver hair. The ledger was one of the small sources of funds she managed for the big company that operates by making a fallen nobleman wear pants.
Seeing her cover the ledger as soon as she saw me, it seemed she was more interested in the stage I had prepared than the numbers. Filial piety is more interesting than a ledger.
“Anais is quite wicked too. Don’t you think she won’t just believe us?”
“It’s alright. Bonno will think we really are using poison.”
I felt sorry for using him as bait, but in return, I intended to protect Bonno’s life. It’s better than just leaving him to be attacked by Sienna and die.
Now it was time to go and pay our respects.