Chapter 15
Poison Plan (5)
Feeling the weight on his shoulder, Grayson glanced toward the crown of her head and let out a soft laugh.
“Seems your explanation was boring and uninteresting after all.”
Edward, who had kept lecturing without realizing Edith had fallen asleep, widened his eyes.
“Impossible! I’m a very popular professor.”
“Not to Lady Edith, it seems.”
“How could this be? Was it too difficult for the lady?”
While Edward reflected on his teaching methods, Grayson let his gaze fall to the red hair draped over his shoulder.
He hadn’t noticed during their first date because it had been tied up, but her hair looked incredibly soft and full.
Almost without thinking, he gently took hold of the very end of her hair—only to let go the moment he did.
Edith flinched sharply, her body jerking as she suddenly lifted her head.
Thud—!
The back of her head struck Grayson’s jaw.
“Ah!”
Edith let out a short cry and grabbed the back of her head.
Edward, who had been mumbling through his lecture, froze with his mouth hanging open at the sudden disaster.
Grayson also stopped moving, the sharp pain rattling through him as if his brain had shaken.
Then Edith, realizing what had happened, turned as red as her own hair—something Grayson found unexpectedly delightful.
“I—I’m so sorry!”
She sprang to her feet and bent deeply at the waist.
“I’m so sorry, Your Grace. I must have dozed off for a moment…”
Then she noticed Edward’s sulky expression and quickly shook her head.
“N-no, I didn’t fall asleep because your lecture was boring, Professor. Oh no… I’m sorry!”
“I’m fine, Lady Edith.”
Grayson rubbed his jaw as he spoke.
In truth, he was not fine at all—her head was surprisingly solid, and his jaw throbbed where she’d hit him.
But Edith’s flushed, flustered face was so charming that he decided this much pain was worth enduring.
“That side doesn’t seem fine, though.”
When Edith turned to Edward with guilt written all over her face, he waved both hands.
“No, I’m fine too, Lady. I think I explained things the wrong way. In cases like this, you have to start with the dangerous ones, then move to the less dangerous ones, then back to the dangerous ones. That way you can hold someone’s attention. I should’ve started with the famous Plarin.”
“Plarin….”
The guilt vanished from Edith’s face, replaced by desperation, but neither man noticed.
“It seems you’re very tired. Let’s end things here.”
“No, Professor. I’m really fine.”
Edith sat back down, straightened her back, placed her hands neatly on her lap, and looked at Edward with shining eyes.
“I want to hear more, Professor.”
***
It was bright when she entered Edward’s office, but by the time she came out, the sun had already set.
She had spent far more time at the academy than planned, but she had gotten what she needed.
‘I can neutralize the poison.’
Plarin poison was made from the fruit of the Plarin plant.
A poison that made one vomit blood and die almost immediately.
There was an antidote, but because the victim continued vomiting blood, feeding it to them became nearly impossible—making the poison even more dangerous.
It wasn’t a complete neutralization, but at least it would buy enough time to drink the antidote.
There was a neutralizing method, though not well known.
If Plarin root and Potenta grass were boiled together and drunk, the toxicity of Plarin poison could be reduced to some extent.
The problem was obtaining the materials.
‘Potenta grass isn’t hard to get, but Plarin root… how am I supposed to find that?’
Because Plarin was a lethal poison, its trade happened only in the shadows.
Gypsies might handle it, but…
If people learned she had met with gypsies, she’d be criticized immediately.
‘But I’m already called a madwoman anyway. Does it matter?’
Even if she managed to meet gypsies, there was no guarantee she could get the root.
They wouldn’t give such a dangerous thing to just anyone.
‘Just knowing how to neutralize it doesn’t solve everything.’
It was a discouraging situation, but she forced herself to focus on the fact that there was a way to survive.
If she let herself drown in despair, she’d never escape the darkness.
If even a small light was visible, she had to focus on that.
“Lady Edith.”
Only when her name was called did she remember she was with Grayson.
She had been so lost in thoughts of acquiring Plarin that she had forgotten entirely that he was beside her the whole time.
When she turned her head, he stood there with the setting sun behind him.
Every time she saw him, she felt the same thing—what a beautiful man.
Whether in daylight, dusk, or darkness, his beauty shifted in tone, always looking new.
She suddenly wondered:
‘If I had grown up without trouble and met him… If I had grown up like Lillian, graceful and sheltered… would I have fallen for him like other women do? Would I have been swept away by that dazzling face and been excited about our marriage? Even without knowing his temperament, strengths, or flaws—would I have loved him simply because of his looks?’
Then she realized she was indulging in foolish fantasies and gave a bitter smile.
Why imagine things that didn’t—and would never—exist?
Reality was h*ll, and she still needed to find a way to survive her own wedding.
She had to endure the loneliness of facing imminent death without telling anyone.
Edith dismissed her thoughts and answered politely.
“Yes, Your Grace.”
“Shall I take you home?”
A Myers carriage was already waiting for them.
Edith remembered the suffocating time she had spent inside that carriage and shook her head.
“No, I’m all right.”
“Very well, then. Go safely.”
“Yes, Your Grace as well.”
After giving a soft, graceful bow, Edith stepped away.
Watching her, Grayson boarded the carriage and checked his pocket watch with a sigh.
He had lost his entire afternoon schedule listening to Edward’s boring lecture.
Why did he interfere in their conversation?
He should have left the academy as planned and moved on to his next destination.
Even though he had acted on his own, Grayson couldn’t explain why he had done it, but he didn’t dwell on it.
It was already over, and now he had to think about how to smooth things over with his second brother, Leopold, after canceling their meeting without notice.
Fortunately or unfortunately, the problem didn’t last long.
Impatient as always, Leopold had already come to the Myers estate and was waiting for him.
As soon as Grayson stepped into the estate and saw the pale-faced steward, Dwayne, he knew Leopold was here.
“His Grace the Duke of Lachent has been waiting for two hours.”
Grayson gave a small nod and walked toward the drawing room.
The moment he opened the door, Leopold thundered.
“Grayson! Do you know how long I’ve been waiting?”
“Two hours.”
Bang!
Leopold slammed the table with both hands.
“I’m not asking you to guess the right answer! Where have you been? Were you meeting our dear older brother?”
Even though the crown prince position had long gone to their eldest brother, Cassius, Leopold still bristled at the mention of him.
“I had something to do. Since I wasted your time, I’ll offer appropriate compensation.”
“Forget compensation. Tell me about Edith Reynolds. I heard you went on a date yesterday. Is she really crazy?”
His eyes gleamed, as if hoping the answer would be yes.
Grayson could have given him the answer he wanted, but instead he opened his cigar box to stall for time.
“Come on, tell me. They say the late marchioness bewitched the marquis, but what about Edith Reynolds? Does she take after her mother?”
“That is rude, brother. She is going to be my wife.”
“Ah, right. Of course, your future wife.”
Leopold laughed heartily, clearly pleased that Grayson had accepted the marriage.
“Father really went too far. Of all people, he gave you that woman. If he was going to tie us to the Reynolds family anyway, he should’ve done it last year with Lillian. Don’t you agree?”
Grayson lit his cigar without answering.
Misreading his silence, Leopold spoke in a soothing tone.
“Don’t blame Father too much. I’m sure he had his reasons. Besides, Edith Reynolds is stunning, isn’t she?”
It irritated Grayson to hear Leopold speak lightly about Edith’s looks, but he answered only by exhaling a slow plume of smoke.
Leopold picked up a cigar from the box, sniffed it, and continued.
“Grayson, I’m planning to build a relief shelter for the poor. What do you think? Interested in investing?”
Grayson swallowed a sigh.
