Nightmare Came to The Place I Escaped - Chapter 91

If he were to get weird after drinking the tea that Diana gave him, the first person to be suspected would be Diana or her family.

 

However, if it was the tea provided by the Imperial court, the story was different.

 

She visited here as a guest, and she would have nothing to do with the tea served by the royal family.

 

If there was a problem with the tea, the suspicion would fall on the servants of the Imperial palace.

 

“Will you please forgive me?”

 

Ian nodded quietly at Diana’s words.

 

“Can I have tea with you instead? I’ll taste your favorite tea and give you something similar.”

“Yes, we can.”

 

Ian nodded and called the maid.

 

“Bring us tea and refreshments.”

 

At Ian’s call, the maid who came into the room nodded politely.

 

She was a young-looking woman with short hair.

 

Ian looked at the maid’s hands for a moment, and then turned his head.

 

The maid bowed her head politely, and hurried out of the drawing room.

 

“….”

 

At Ian’s command, Harmond interfered and assigned the maid to this place. Perhaps the maid was taken aback by the sudden change in her work environment.

 

Originally, her assignment would’ve taken all her strength, but now it was easily solved.

 

Maybe she was doubting this situation, which was solved so easily now.

 

Ian let out a small sigh.

 

It was because the maid’s trembling hands had caught his eye.

 

Perhaps even the maid realized that if things went wrong, she would be the one to lose her life.

 

Was the reason why she obeyed Diana’s orders because she was threatened?

 

To a woman who looks younger than he expected. He felt bad when he saw her brown hair.

 

He even felt regret that this maid was recruited.

 

“Sigh.”

 

Ian didn’t know why the maid in this situation reminded him of Rachel.

 

The maid and Rachel look nothing like each except for their brown hair.

 

In addition, brown hair was the most common color in the Empire. It wasn’t a special color.

 

No matter how much he repeated it, the maid, whose hands were shaking in fear, overlapped with Rachel as a child.

 

“Your Majesty, I heard that you are marrying Lady Rachel Oates. I was surprised by the sudden news, but congratulations.”

 

No matter how much she was threatened, it was her choice after all. So, there was nothing to worry about.

 

“May I ask how your relationship with Lady Oates began? Your Majesty, who was not close to any other young noblewomen, seems to be close to the lady from the beginning.”

 

Even if it was the maid’s choice after all.

 

But if this was her only option.

 

“Tsk, I can’t do it.”

“What? Your Majesty?”

 

He wanted to make everyone involved with Diana pay for their crime.

 

Diana, who ordered Rachel to be killed; and the knight, who followed her orders and harmed Rachel. He wanted to incriminate everyone.

 

Maybe that was the right thing to do.

 

He wanted to make a good example so that no one would try to do anything useless in the future.

 

But for some reason, he kept thinking of Rachel.

 

“Lady Avery.”

“Yes, go ahead, Your Majesty.”

“You’re leaking information to the social world about me?”

“…What?”

 

Diana frowned as if embarrassed by Ian’s sudden question.

 

“I heard that you said I gave a gift to you. Isn’t that right?”

 

At Ian’s question, Diana blinked a few times as if she was agonizing for a moment, then she opened her mouth.

 

“I don’t know where you heard that, but it’s not true.”

“Hmm, no?”

“Yes. Your Majesty seems to be convinced that I said this, but I’ve never said that.”

 

Ian was dumbfounded by Diana’s brazen attitude, but he just nodded.

 

Because she was a person who lived with that frame of mind.

 

She didn’t seem to think that she would be found to be lying afterwards.

 

Even though dozens of people heard her.

 

Ian wanted to ask if he didn’t have any ears to hear what was going on in society, but he put up with it once again.

 

“Then I must have been mistaken.”

 

If he didn’t know Diana well, Ian might have believed it in the end with her expression that said she was being treated very unfairly.

 

But Ian knew Diana a bit better now.

 

This woman would not hesitate in telling a lie.

 

As was the case when he was searching for the lost Rachel in the hunting ground.

 

Knock Knock

 

As Ian was about to hit the bottom of his patience for Diana, the maid brought the tray in.

 

“Your Majesty, I’ll pour the tea for you.”

 

The maid’s hands shook so hard that she was about to turn the tea set over.

 

Even after serving Diana’s tea and refreshments, the maid hesitated for a long time.

 

“Do you have anything to say?”

 

At Ian’s question, the maid looked at Ian and Diana alternately, then bit her lip.

 

“…No.”

 

The maid hurriedly answered him, and left the drawing room.

 

“Lady Avery, this is my favorite tea, so I hope that the lady will like it too.”

 

Ian motioned towards the tea, and Diana slowly raised her cup.

 

Diana opened her eyes coldly as if her resentment towards Ian, who had been arguing with her a moment ago, hadn’t resolved yet.

 

As if she really had done nothing wrong, and felt treated unfairly.

 

Even so, she glanced at Ian. She seemed to care about whether he would drink the tea.

 

“It smells good. It seems His Majesty likes tea with a slightly bitter aftertaste.”

 

Diana said, as she put down her cup.

 

“Why aren’t you drinking?”

 

Diana was impatient, and tried to rush Ian.

 

At Diana’s urging, Ian finally lifted his teacup.

 

If she’d left it alone, he would’ve stopped here. Ian changed his mind, and decided to push Diana further.

 

Diana Avery had to be absolutely frightened, and he needed a little time.

 

When Ian put the tea cup to his mouth, Diana’s smile became a little stronger.

 

“What do you think? Is this your favorite tea?”

“Yes, it’s my favorite flavor.”

 

At Ian’s words, Diana raised the corners of her mouth satisfactorily.

 

“I’ll prepare a gift with a similar tea leaf.”

 

Diana picked up her teacup once again. She hoped that Ian would follow her, and raise his cup of tea.

 

Ian followed her and raised the cup again, hoping that the medicinal effect would happen soon.

 

Of course, seeing Diana’s smile grow wider every time he lifted the teacup, he wanted to end everything right away.

 

Ian struggled to hold back his anger.

 

“Oh, I recently went down to the Oates estate and met with the lady. Did you hear about that?”

 

Ian didn’t like Diana mentioning Rachel at this moment.

 

It was because he saw that there was something she wanted to get from that question of how she got close to Rachel.

 

What Diana was looking to find out was how Rachel, who’d just debuted in society, had become close to him.

 

In the process, Diana also wanted to know anything about Rachel that could be difficult for her.

 

“I heard.”

“Oh, did Lady Oates write that in her letter too? I was worried about her and went to see her. I was worried that she might be having trouble adjusting to society and returned to the Oates territory.”

 

Ian felt dizzy for a moment. Soon, his body heat rose and his breathing became uneven in an instant.

 

“Ha.. Ha…”

“Your Majesty? Are you okay?”

 

Diana moved closer to Ian, as if she had just noticed.

 

He sensed Diana’s approach, and she smelled unbearably good.

 

“Tsk, I think there was something in the tea.”

“…What?”

“I’ll leave for today.”

“But, Your Majesty!”

 

When Ian tried to get up from his seat, Diana hurriedly grabbed Ian’s arm.

 

“Didn’t I drink the same tea? But I am fine right now.”

“H-ha.”

“Couldn’t His Majesty have misunderstood something?”

 

Diana stood in front of Ian, as if she was waiting for the medicine she’d given him to take full effect.

 

Ian frowned at the annoying Diana, and called for a servant.

 

“Your Majesty! Are you okay?”

 

At Ian’s call, Harmond, who seemed to have been waiting for Ian outside the drawing room, quickly entered.

 

“Lady Oates! What are you doing to the Emperor of the Levskaya Empire?!”

 

Ian grabbed Harmond’s arm as he shouted at Diana in agitation.

 

“Call the doctor. Bring the lady, and investigate all the servants of the Imperial palace.”

“Your Majesty? But, this.”

“Harmond. Do it.”

“Yes, I understand.”

 

Ian left the parlor as he frowned in agony.

 

***

 

“Your Majesty, are you all right?”

“Tsk, I’m okay.”

 

Ian frowned slightly as if he was in a bad mood.

 

The effect of the medicine was reduced by the royal physician’s action, but apart from that, he felt dirty about the fact that he took stimulants.

 

It would have been better if it was poison.

 

“You may have heard it directly from your doctor, but you need to rest today.”

“Yes.”

“Oh, and he said not to eat. So, don’t do that.”

“Don’t worry about it. I’m good at being patient.”

 

Harmond opened his mouth slightly at Ian, who was acting as if it wasn’t a big deal.

 

In his mind, Harmond wanted to scold Ian for such a stupid action, but when he remembered that the person lying on the bed was the Emperor, he didn’t say anything more.

 

“But why did you send the lady away? You know who was behind all of this and who implemented it.”

“I’ve changed my plans.”

“What do you mean…”

 

Ian sighed softly.

 

“Harmond, why do you think the maid acted according to Diana’s orders?”

“What? Well, it’s…”

 

At the sudden question, Harmond blinked as if trying to find the right answer.

 

“She knew that if things went wrong, she would have to give up my life.”

“…Your Majesty, no way?”

 

Only then did Harmond realize Ian’s intention when he asked him such a question, and he frowned.

 

“It’s ridiculous.”

 

***