Kneel Before The Villain - Chapter 123

“My lady, where are you hurt?”

 

Joan came over to examine me with her eyes widened in surprise.

 

 

“No. I owe someone something, so I want to pay it off. Get the best medicine possible and send it to the Merchant Hermes in my name.”

 

“Yes. Okay.”

 

She nodded her head but stood still, looking at me.

 

Stunned by that gaze, I asked.

 

“Why are you doing that? Is there something you want to say?”

 

“My lady, you have to tell me who to send it to.”

 

“If you tell Noah, he will send it on his own. Oh, and tell Stephen to stop by my room. I have work for him to do.”

 

Joan still looked puzzled, but she said yes, and then  left the room.

 

I looked at the flower vase I had previously placed by the window.

 

Beautiful deep red flowers were splendidly blooming.

 

They were newly sent from the Merchant Hermes this morning.

 

The lisianthus was fresh as if it had been soaked in water, and its splendid yet captivating appearance drew attention.

 

I looked at it for a while and then turned away.

 

❋ ❋ ❋

 

“The princess told me to deliver this?”

 

Noah asked with a puzzled face.

 

Joan also nodded her head with the same puzzled expression.

 

The Princess didn’t really give any instructions other than to tell Noah to send the medicine. It seemed like he would understand what the Princess wanted.

 

However, it didn’t look like he knew just by looking at his bewilderment when he opened the box.

 

“What is all this about?”

 

Inside the box were several small crystal bottles.

 

Even each bottle had a small jewel embedded in it.

 

Its very fancy appearance resembled a perfume bottle, or a bottle containing cosmetics or perfumed oil.

 

Why did she suddenly send something like this to him?

 

Joan calmly explained to Noah, who had a puzzled look on his face.

 

“This is a medicine to heal scars, this is an antiseptic… and this is a good medicine to replenish energy.”

 

Noah nodded his head as if he finally understood.

 

However, he couldn’t hide his surprise.

 

All the bottles in the box were overly ornate, so it was clear that they were top-notch elixirs.

 

The quantity was small, but they were pricey.

 

Seeing that she had sent so many of these medicines, it seemed that the princess knew about Elvin’s condition.

 

‘But how?’

 

On the outside, Elvin was nothing more than an arrogant and indifferent aristocrat.

 

It was a complete secret that he led a group of knights disguised as the guild and received secret orders from the emperor.

 

It’s not like the princess has clairvoyance, so did he even tell her the top secrets?

 

“Please tell the princess that I received it well.”

 

Noah nodded his head, barely keeping his expression from distorting.

 

After Joan gave him a small nod, she left Hermes right away.

 

Noah looked at her for a while, then turned around and headed straight for the annex.

 

Inside the luxurious building, it was so quiet that no one seemed to be living there.

 

Due to the dazzling splendor and contrasting silence, the interior had an eerie atmosphere.

 

But these days…

 

After opening the stairs and going up one more floor, Noah stopped in front of a room at the end of the hallway.

 

“It’s Noah. Princess Lillian sent some gifts. Can I come in?”

 

“Come in.”

 

Hearing a short answer from inside, he opened the door without hesitation and went in.

 

Unlike the cold hallway, the room was warm.

 

The heat from the fireplace, where dry firewood was burning brightly, quickly warmed the body, so it was as warm as spring even though it was autumn.

 

“The princess’s maid delivered it. She didn’t know who to send it to, but she guessed it was for the Lord of Merchant Hermes.”

 

After finishing his words, Noah looked at Alvin, who was approaching him before he knew it.

 

The corners of his mouth were raised oddly.

 

“What is it?”

 

“Take a look for yourself.”

 

Noah handed Elvin the box.

 

Without hesitation, he immediately opened it to check the contents.

 

“Medicine?”

 

Elvin asked and Noah nodded.

 

“Yes. Medicine to erase scars, antiseptic… and this is a good medicine to replenish energy.”

 

After explaining each and every detail of what he had heard from the lady-in-waiting, he looked at Elvin’s reaction as he nodded with a satisfied face.

 

“I’m sure I said it was fine, but she’s worried and sent me something like this.”

 

 

Noah looked at him with a complicated gaze.

 

Elvin’s normally aloof face was full of joy.

 

If the medicines sent by the princess were converted into money, it would be a considerable amount.

 

However, it was nothing compared to what Elvin had brought for the princess.

 

Would that be good though?

 

While Elvin was away, Noah was proud of his role as a link between the two of them, but on the other hand, he felt sorry for him.

 

At that time, Elvin took out the potion that was good to replenish energy, opened the lid, and tried to drink it.

 

Noah hurriedly stopped him with astonishment.

 

Elvin looked at him and frowned as if asking why.

 

Noah rubbed his heavy breathing chest and spoke cautiously.

 

“You should call a doctor and check the ingredients before taking it. In order to prevent unexpected accidents…”

 

Didn’t he get assassinated before?

 

From assassins hiding to poisoning attempts, he was almost hit with a crossbow on the road, and this time, on his way back from a mission, he was attacked by assassins disguised as bandits and got injured.

 

It was still not clear who was behind it, so it was stupid to take the medicine without checking it.

 

Who knew if it had been tampered with even if it was sent by the Princess.

 

However, Noah couldn’t finish his words as Elvin glared at him coldly.

 

Elvin was unhappy without saying.

 

Seeing how his master trusted the Princess implicitly even though they had only been friends half a year while he had been serving him several years, Noah felt dissatisfaction rose in his heart.

 

He himself had gone out of his way sending gifts to the Princess to keep his master in a favorable position and done all the requests for the Princess.

 

He even felt Elvin had depended on him all this time.

 

Internally wiping his tears, Noah added to convince Alvin.

 

“It’s not that I doubt the princess, but we cannot rule out the possibility that someone might have touched the gift the Princess sent.”

 

Noah said with a serious face.

 

He couldn’t help but be suspicious.

 

Normally, he wouldn’t have done this.

 

But with Elvin’s current condition, it couldn’t be helped to be on high alert.

 

He had an arrow pierced wound on his shoulder, apart from the wound on the arm that Roxana knew about, and other minor wounds.

 

Worst of all was the wound on his abdomen from a sword.

 

The good medicine helped but it wasn’t magical and it was amazing how he could still move without problems despite all that.

 

For the past few years Noah had never doubted Elvin’s abilities, but seeing him come back with a hole in his stomach, he couldn’t help but worry.

 

“Furthermore, we still don’t know who was sent to assassinate you. So why should we take the risk?”

 

“At this point, there is only one person who could do something like that.”

 

“Now….you mean you know who the perpetrator is?”

 

Noah looked at Elvin with surprised eyes.

 

“I haven’t found any hard evidence yet, but I do have a guess.”

 

“Who is it? No way…….”

 

“Of all the people who would be happy if I died, who else would do something rash like this other than him?”

 

A cold glint passed in Elvin’s eyes as he thought of someone.

 

Noah nodded his head in displeasure, then opened his eyes wide in surprise.

 

For Elvin had opened the vial and drunk the contents inside without hesitation.

 

“I’ll call if there’s anything wrong, you can leave now.”

 

In the end, Noah had no choice but to leave with a heavy heart.

 

❋ ❋ ❋

 

A few days later.

 

A man in a white coat applied medicine to Elvin’s shoulder and bandaged it as he sat on the sofa.

 

“Your recovery is faster than I thought. Seeing that the wound healed quickly, the medicine must have been effective.”

 

Hearing the doctor’s words, Noah’s mouth raised as he stood next to Elvin.

 

“It seems that the princess is very thoughtful to send such a gift.”

 

The medicine sent by the Princess was not only good, but also effective.

 

It wasn’t wrong for him to be suspicious a few days ago, but that didn’t mean he didn’t regret it.

 

Every time he called the doctor to treat Elvin’s wounds, his mouth twisted with self-torture when he remembered how Elvin had kept calling him to report his health status that nothing was wrong. Not once or twice, but twice each morning and night. Though Elvin didn’t say the words when he called him each time, Noah could tell he wanted to say ‘See? Nothing is wrong with the potion that I took.’

 

It was like rubbing salt on a wound. Noah couldn’t help but to put up with it.

 

“Thanks to the Princess, the wound healed quickly, so I need to thank her. So I’ll leave it to you, Noah, to choose a thank you gift for the Princess.”

 

Elvin said as he looked at Noah with a smirk on his lips.

 

It was a victorious smile.

 

Feeling tired, Noah had to try hard not to frown.

 

Still, when Elvin did not move his gaze away from him, Noah reluctantly opened his mouth and added.

 

“The princess is very thoughtful.”

 

Noah felt his cheeks twitch as he spoke.

 

“She is.”

 

Elvin smiled and looked at the medicine chest.

 

The doctor was puzzled seeing his pleased expression as he had no intention of hiding it.

 

Seeing that, Noah’s mouth twisted again.

 

He didn’t know why his mind was so warped, even though it was fortunate that no accidents had occurred, and it was obviously a good thing that spring had sprung on the organization where the cold had been.

 

❋ ❋ ❋

 

The Empress’ Palace.

 

A woman walked quickly through the hallway and entered a room.

 

In the elegant and solemnly decorated room, the empress was sitting waiting for her and drinking her tea.

 

She was as calm and dignified as ever.

 

“His Majesty had again summoned the Second Prince to have lunch.”

 

The moment the name of the second prince came out of the maid’s mouth, the empress’ beautiful fingers twitched slightly.

 

“The attendant said that the two of them talked for a long time about the marriage of the second prince.”

 

❋ ❋ ❋