TPGV Ch# 9

“Are you awake, Princess?”

Lexius approached Elliche and felt her forehead. The fever was still there.

When Cecil quickly handed over a glass of water, Elliche tried to sit up. But she seemed to have no strength at all, unable to even lift her head.

Lexius supported her back and forced her into a sitting position. Elliche looked at him with a deeply confused expression.

“…Duke?”

“Drink some water first.”

Elliche blinked a few times, and only then did her expression harden with wariness as she came to her senses.

“Why are you here?”

“Because I heard you were sick.”

Lexius replied indifferently, and Elliche sneered.

“Did you come to check for yourself? To see if I’m really sick?”

“Well, that too.”

“If you’ve confirmed it, then leave. You’re making me uncomfortable.”

Elliche turned her back and lay down again without even drinking the water. It was clear she had no intention of dealing with him.

Lexius looked at her thin back disapprovingly and got to the point.

“I heard you’re the one making the antidote for Chorfen.”

“And what does that have to do with you?”

“Anything that happens in my house is my responsibility.”

“What right do you have to say that, when you haven’t cared in over three years?”

Though she lay with her back turned, Elliche responded to every word he said.

Her tone was combative, as if she’d been holding back for a long time.

Lexius thought of the dark magic of seduction that she had clearly transferred to him. He decided to respond in kind, using words that would match such a spell.

“As of today, I’ve taken an interest. In you, that is.”

“…What did you say?”

Elliche turned to look at him immediately, her eyes wide in shock.

It was a surprisingly genuine reaction for someone supposedly manipulating him with dark magic.

“I know you’re the one selling Chorfen’s antidote under the name Madame Ritz.”

Lexius continued in as gentle a tone as possible.

Though he held deep contempt for her, it would be to his advantage to act as though he were under a spell, to better understand her intentions.

“I’m not interested in selling it to you.”

Elliche drew a clear line.

“Whether you intend to or not doesn’t matter to me. But how will you prove the antidote works? No one’s going to buy a medicine without guaranteed results.”

At his insinuation, Elliche’s face hardened.

“I took it myself. I ingested Chorfen, and the antidote clearly worked. Within moments, I was completely fine.”

“And how can I believe that?”

“If a buyer shows up, I can demonstrate it myself—take Chorfen and show the antidote curing me in real time.”

She replied irritably.

“You heard that, my friend?”

Lexius turned to look at Calix.

Elliche now wore a puzzled expression, as if she had only just realized someone else was in the room.

Calix, who had been looking out the window, strolled over to stand beside the bed.

“You’re willing to demonstrate it personally, Your Highness?”

“And who are you?”

“Oh my, I forgot to introduce myself. Calix Portensia. I’m a magician.”

Elliche studied him warily.

“Portensia… You’re that magician not even the Emperor can control.”

“Indeed, the very same Archmage.”

Calix responded with a smile, though inside he must have been boiling with rage at facing the Emperor’s daughter.

“Are you interested in buying Chorfen’s antidote?”

“Of course. But I’ll only purchase it after seeing its effects firsthand.”

Elliche hesitated. Unlike earlier, when she could barely stay conscious, her blue eyes now burned sharply.

“Cecil, bring some Chorfen. And take the antidote out of the vault.”

At her words, Cecil moved quickly, grabbing a vial from the shelf by the window and unlocking the safe to retrieve the antidote.

When she tried to hand them to Elliche, Calix politely intercepted the vial.

“Let’s verify this first. It might not be the real Chorfen.”

At his words, Elliche flared up.

“Are you doubting me?”

“It’s standard procedure. These days, there are too many fakes around.”

Calix calmly opened the vial.

Chorfen was clear and odorless, making it difficult to distinguish by eye—many had died by unknowingly ingesting it in food.

There were several tests. Chorfen turns fresh red roses blue and withers them. It turns orange carrots black, and it melts animal fur, hardening it into leather.

Lexius summoned a servant to bring the necessary items.

The servant looked surprised to see Lexius in Elliche’s room, but quickly returned with a red rose, a carrot, and a piece of wolf fur.

Calix carefully touched each with the liquid. Soon, the rose turned blue, the carrot black, and the fur dissolved into a smooth leather.

“It’s definitely Chorfen.”

Calix finally said, handing the vial back to Elliche.

She raised it to her lips to drink, but Calix stopped her by grabbing her wrist.

“What are you doing?”

Elliche looked at him, confused. Calix answered coldly.

“Your Highness’s constitution is… not exactly normal, is it?”

“What do you mean?”

“You have foreign blood, if I’m not mistaken?”

“You’re not wrong.”

She nodded silently.

“Then it’s best a regular person tests it. A typical citizen of the Empire.”

“A regular citizen?”

“Yes. And isn’t there someone in this room who would gladly give their life for Your Highness?”

Calix looked at Cecil, and Elliche’s face froze in anger.

“Are you saying Cecil should drink this deadly poison?”

“Are you unsure it’ll work?”

He responded without flinching.

“Of course not. But I don’t want to treat her like a sacrificial lamb. If you won’t buy it, then forget it.”

Elliche coldly closed the vial.

“I… I’m fine, milady,” Cecil suddenly interjected.

“No, you’re not! I don’t want to sell the antidote that badly. If they won’t buy it, so be it.”

“But—”

“Enough. Just go. It’s clear they’ve already made up their minds.”

Cecil looked at her with a dark expression, then suddenly snatched the vial from her hand.

Before anyone could stop her, she opened it and drank the entire contents in one go.

“Cecil!”

Elliche paled as she rushed to check on her.

Chorfen takes about an hour to spread through the body, slowly paralyzing the victim until they suffocate and die, bleeding from their eyes and ears.

“I’m okay, milady. Don’t worry. You’ll cure me, right?”

Cecil’s voice had become sluggish, fear clouding her face. The poison was already working.

“Take the antidote now!”

Elliche rushed to give it to her, but Cecil refused.

“The magician needs to see the effects clearly. Just wait until I’m on the brink—your medicine really works, milady.”

Cecil had complete faith in Elliche.

Calix, who had been watching, was moved despite himself—but still made a sarcastic comment.

“How fortunate, having such a devoted maid.”

“Don’t talk like that!”

Elliche yelled as she looked at Cecil, full of concern.

Time passed slowly. After 15 minutes, Cecil slumped in a chair. After 30, she could barely move her limbs, her blood vessels bulging.

Elliche laid her on the bed.

“I… I’ll be okay… right, milady?”

Cecil said with tearful eyes. Elliche gently patted her shoulder.

“Yes, Cecil. Don’t worry. I’ll cure you.”

The two men watched silently, timing everything. Both were incredibly ruthless.

“Let’s give her the antidote now,” Calix finally said, just as the 45-minute mark passed and Cecil was gasping in agony.

“Cecil, open your eyes.”

Elliche held her hand tightly. But Cecil’s eyes stayed shut, her body only groaning in pain.

Elliche opened her mouth and poured in the antidote little by little.

After a while, Cecil managed to open her eyes. Her body trembled as it began to recover.

“M-Milady… I think it’s working.”

After an hour, Cecil sniffled and spoke. The redness in her eyes faded, and the swelling in her face subsided.

Calix checked her pulse and forehead, then looked at Elliche in disbelief.

“How is this possible…”

He lifted the antidote bottle and summoned a blue flame. It did nothing, indicating no dark magic was involved.

Cecil jumped up from the bed and exaggerated her movements, showing she was fine.

“See? I told you, my lady’s medicine is the best!”

“Now that you’ve seen it, pay up.”

Elliche said coolly.

Calix still looked shocked.

“I’ll pay,” Lexius said. “You asked for 100,000 Shtel?”

Elliche was quietly surprised. Whatever their relationship, it was no small thing for him to pay that much on someone else’s behalf.

“Yes, that’s right. I’d prefer to be paid immediately.”

“I’ll have Benshue send it to you.”

Lexius took the antidote bottle and left with Calix.

Before the door closed, he glanced back at Elliche.

His expression was hard to read. He knew the Emperor’s powder had touched his hand—but whether it had worked or not, he still couldn’t tell.