Chapter 48: A Harvest of Poison

Chapter 48: Chapter 48: A Harvest of Poison

The woman was trembling violently.

Desperately trying to hide herself against King Zephyrus’ chest.

Her fingers had twisted into the fabric of his robes, her breathing shallow and uneven. Whatever composure she had possessed before was completely gone, leaving her looking frightened and vulnerable in his arms.

At the sight of this, Sylrienne completely lost control.

"You bitch!"

She charged forward.

"Sylrienne."

King Zephyrus’ voice cracked through the room like a whip.

His expression darkened instantly.

But Sylrienne was beyond reason.

"Father!"

She pointed accusingly.

"How could you do this to Mother?!"

Her voice rose higher.

"And you’re protecting her?"

A terrifying thought had already taken root.

If that woman truly was Elysia—

If Father accepted her—

Would she be expected to call Elysia "Mother" one day?

Absolutely not.

Never.

The very thought made her stomach churn.

She lunged forward again, reaching for the woman’s shoulder.

"Have you no shame?! Married to Uncle Cassiel and yet seducing my father!"

Her face twisted with fury.

"You shameless, immoral—"

Her wrist never reached its target.

King Zephyrus caught it midair.

His grip was like iron.

"That’s enough."

The two words were spoken quietly. But there was steel behind them.

For a moment, Sylrienne actually froze.

She stared at her father’s hand around her wrist, despairing at how completely everything had suddenly spun out of her control.

Then—

"Your Majesty."

A familiar voice came from the doorway.

"The physician has arrived."

The room fell silent.

Sylrienne turned.

Slowly.

Stiffly.

And saw Elysia standing there.

Perfectly composed.

Perfectly calm.

Entirely untouched.

Not dishevelled.

Not trapped.

Not ruined.

Just standing there as though she had wandered in by coincidence.

Elysia looked around the room.

Then blinked.

Seemingly confused.

"Why is everyone gathered here?"

Sylrienne felt the blood drain from her face.

If Elysia was here...

Then who—

A terrible realisation struck.

Her neck turned almost mechanically.

Back towards the woman in her father’s arms.

This time she saw more clearly.

The familiar hair.

The familiar profile.

The familiar jewelled hairpin.

The flushed cheeks.

The unfocused eyes.

"...Mother?"

The word emerged as little more than a whisper.

Her entire body went cold.

No.

No.

No.

That was impossible.

Elysia drank the wine.

She saw her drink it.

So how—

How had Mother ended up here?

Her thoughts tangled together, each one more frightening than the last. There had been no mistake. She had watched Elysia consume the wine herself.

The room seemed to spin around her.

"Everyone leave."

King Zephyrus’ command cut through the silence.

The noble ladies needed no second invitation.

Deborah and the others fled almost immediately.

No one wished to be present for whatever came next.

Only a handful of people remained in the room.

Elysia stepped forward.

"Your Majesty."

Her tone was gentle.

"The physician should administer the antidote as soon as possible."

King Zephyrus nodded once.

Carefully, he lowered Queen Ilara onto a nearby chaise.

The physician immediately moved to examine her.

After only a brief inspection, he began preparing acupuncture needles.

Meanwhile, King Zephyrus remained seated beside his wife.

His expression was cold and dangerous.

His gaze settled upon his daughter.

"Explain."

Sylrienne’s heart lurched.

Instinctively, she looked towards Elysia.

The calm expression.

The composed posture.

The complete lack of panic.

Only then did the truth sink in.

She had been outplayed.

Completely.

Hatred surged through her.

"It was her!"

She pointed directly at Elysia.

"She did this!"

King Zephyrus’ eyes narrowed.

"You accuse the Duchess of Draevenor?"

"Yes!"

Desperation sharpened her voice.

"I would never harm Mother!"

The words came faster.

"Elysia must have switched something! She must have drugged Mother’s wine!"

Elysia looked genuinely startled.

Then wounded.

Then resigned.

She lowered her gaze.

Softly sighed.

And dropped to one knee.

"Your Majesty."

Her voice was quiet.

"Today is Princess Sylrienne’s birthday."

She lowered her head.

"If possible, please allow this matter to end here."

Sylrienne nearly laughed.

Coward.

Just like before.

She doesn’t dare expose me.

But before the thought fully formed—

King Zephyrus spoke.

"This matter has nothing to do with you."

His voice was firm.

Decisive.

"I know your nature."

His gaze softened briefly.

"You are kind-hearted."

Then his expression hardened again as he looked towards her.

"But Sylrienne has been indulged for far too long."

His eyes returned to his daughter.

"She will answer for what happened today."

The words struck Sylrienne like a slap.

She stared at her father, unable to believe what she was hearing.

King Zephyrus continued, "You claim Elysia plotted against your mother... Then explain something."

His voice became colder.

"When you entered this chamber, before seeing who was inside, what did you say?"

Sylrienne’s heartbeat accelerated.

King Zephyrus didn’t wait for an answer.

"You called someone a bitch."

His eyes narrowed.

"You accused that person of seducing me."

The room seemed to grow smaller.

"If the Duchess had orchestrated everything..."

His voice dropped.

"How were you so certain she would be here?"

Sylrienne’s lips parted.

Nothing came out.

"I..."

"When you stormed into this room, you knew exactly what you expected to find."

King Zephyrus’ gaze became razor sharp.

"You simply believed that the woman would be Elysia."

Sweat broke out across Sylrienne’s skin.

"I heard noises..."

The excuse sounded weak even to her own ears.

"I suspected someone was inside..."

King Zephyrus interrupted.

"When you entered, you said: ’Married to Uncle Cassiel, yet you dare seduce my father.’"

His words landed one after another, each like a blow.

"How could you know it was the Duchess?"

Silence.

Absolute silence.

Sylrienne couldn’t answer.

Because there was no answer.

King Zephyrus rose slowly to his feet.

And delivered the final verdict.

"You prepared that wine for the Duchess. You intended to destroy her reputation."

Sylrienne’s legs gave out beneath her.

She collapsed to the floor.

For a moment, nobody spoke.

Standing nearby, Elysia watched quietly.

Without pity.

Without satisfaction.

Only with a strange sense of completion.

Because in her last life—

She had been the one kneeling.

The one accused and forced to explain herself.

And in that lifetime, nobody had believed her.