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Three days had passed since the incident.

“My heart is racing… I’m feeling dizzy…”

Scholar Krellyn gently asked Vivian, holding her wrist and checking her pulse.

His face was filled with concern, but Vivian could sense that it was all just an act.

“I’m fine now. Breathing is less painful, and my throat is feeling better too.”

Vivian realized her voice was still weak, but she could feel her strength gradually returning.

Krellyn nodded, saying, “That’s good to hear. You’re recovering much faster than I expected. Honestly, when I heard about your condition… I didn’t think we’d be having this conversation again…”

Vivian fell silent.

She realized just how close she came to facing death.

Looking out the window, the river flowed peacefully, but her heart felt heavy.

It wasn’t just about avoiding poison.

She had to live with the knowledge that someone would continuously be after her.

And she had no idea who that enemy might be.

It would have been easier if it was someone from the distant Allen Family… but she could sense that it was someone much closer.

Someone she trusted among her vassals, or perhaps someone from the family, or even her uncle… she had no way of knowing.

Having barely escaped, Vivian felt she was changing, even if just a little bit.

This world had no one to care for her when she cried.

No one she could trust, and no one she ought to trust.

“If you’re done checking, I’d like to be alone now.”

Vivian’s firm order seemed to momentarily catch Krellyn off guard.

The old Vivian would have said something more considerate and engaged in unnecessary chatter to create a softer atmosphere.

But now, she had no desire for that.

Knowing someone had tried to kill her, she felt that any insincere conversation was utterly pointless.

Krellyn cleared his throat and stood up.

“If you ever feel any discomfort, please come find me. For a while, I’ll be fully prepared.”

He turned and left.

As the maids opened the door for him, Krellyn exited.

…

Vivian then noticed someone standing outside the open door.

It was easy to spot the black hair from afar.

Vivian briefly locked eyes with Kyle Allen.

But that was all. No words were exchanged, and Kyle turned away nonchalantly, as if simply acknowledging her existence before leaving.

It was as if he was saying he’d seen her alive and that was enough.

****

The Punishment Unit was buzzing with noise.

Really, the entire Castle of Rondore was in an uproar.

The reason was obvious.

The attempted assassination of Vivian.

And at the very center of this incident was me.

I was lying in my quarters, taking a breather.

Surrounding me were Balron, Willas, and Martin, also residing in the same space.

Balron let out a sigh and said, “Wow… this is scary. I can’t believe something like this actually happened. When I lived in the village, I had no idea.”

“…”

“Hey, Kyle. So how did you figure out about the charcoal trick?”

I replied, “You’re a commoner, so you wouldn’t know. For those of us who might be poisoned, it’s common knowledge we learn early on.”

“Is that so? Honestly, I never want to know that.”

Martin chimed in, waving his arm. “It must be scary for Vivian too. She’s younger than me and is going through this…”

Martin was 17, two years older than me. Willas and Balron were the same age.

“We need to stay alert, moving forward.” I told them.

Willas looked surprised and sat down on my bed.

“Moving forward? Are you saying this kind of thing will keep happening?”

“Someone tried to kill Vivian. They failed, but this sort of thing will likely happen again.”

“…Thinking about it like that, I really don’t want to be nobility.”

Balron echoed Willas’ sentiment.

“What, so if you wanted to, you could just be one?”

“I just meant it like that.”

I could see the three of them were oddly fascinated by this huge incident.

I guess it wasn’t their problem, so they could watch it unfold comfortably.

If I were in their shoes, I’d probably feel the same way.

…If it weren’t for Vivian being the target.

They didn’t hide their curiosity about this rare event making waves.

“Kyle, but if what you’re saying is true…”

“…?”

“If someone really intends to harm Vivian… honestly…”

“Spit it out without dragging it out.”

“…Couldn’t they just kill her outright? Who’s on Vivian’s side right now?”

I clicked my tongue.

“That’s a matter of execution.”

“What?”

“Who’s going to step forward? Who’s going to pull out a knife in the open?”

“…Ah, now I get it.”

If my predictions were right, any attempts on Vivian’s life would be carried out undercover like this.

No matter how alone Vivian seemed, there wouldn’t be anyone crazy enough to get their hands dirty like that.

On the surface, it might seem simplest to just kill her outright, but in reality, that would be the hardest way to do it.

The public scrutiny, the treatment they would receive, and any power they might gain would never turn out well.

It was clear to see the stigma that would fall on someone who killed a 14-year-old girl for power.

…Otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to protect Vivian either.

Martin, like Willas, had his curiosity piqued.

“Kyle. Can I ask you one thing?”

“…”

“Why did you save Vivian? You have a vendetta against her.”

“…”

I didn’t even know. I had no idea why I did that.

I thought about it.

Was I possibly infatuated with her?

But I had never felt my heart race painfully seeing her, nor had my face turned red, my palms sweat, or felt anxious in front of her.

I never even had the thought of wanting to hug her or hold her hand.

So, of course, I couldn’t provide an answer.

I had felt pity for her, but was that enough to trigger such a strong emotion?

Now it felt easier to believe that the old crone was indeed a witch.

It must have been a curse.

…But the old woman clearly used the word “love.”

…I didn’t think it was love, though.

I had no idea.

In the end, I gave Martin an answer that was easy for him to accept.

“If Vivian had died there, the blame would’ve fallen on me.”

“That’s true. I hadn’t thought of that.”

Martin snapped his fingers in realization. Balron and Willas nodded along, impressed.

All of a sudden, I grew tired of the conversation.

So I stood up from my bed and said, “I’m leaving now.”

“Alright. See you later.”

As I was about to head out, I added a parting word to them.

“Oh, and make sure to practice your drills. We’ll be heading out soon.”

“You make sure you practice, too. We’ll be working hard.”

Balron, who was visibly losing weight, replied.

I nodded at him and stepped out of the room.

.

.

.

I shifted my steps toward the hall where the long table was.

Of course, there she was—Vivian. I probably shouldn’t have been surprised that she was right on schedule.

Today, she too was sitting alone at that long table.

If it had been filled with people, it would have been an elegant sight, but now, with Vivian sitting alone, it only showcased how lonely she was, holding the reins as the lady of the house.

In front of Vivian lay a lavish spread of food.

Being at the center of the incident, it seemed the kitchen had put extra effort into the meal.

Roast duck, an assortment of fruits, soft-looking bread, steaming tea, and refreshing water.

The maid who had been with Vivian was different now.

Word had it that all the maids involved in the incident were being interrogated.

I wasn’t sure if that meant anything.

The person managing the interrogations was a spy named Nesto, but he didn’t seem all that trustworthy either…

“…”

I quietly watched Vivian.

I intended to watch her eat and then leave.

But Vivian remained stiff in front of the table, not even moving her utensils.

I suddenly realized how long she had been sitting there alone.

Since she wasn’t continuing her meal, the maids exchanged anxious glances behind her.

I knew all too well.

After receiving the note warning me to “be cautious with food,” I had been terrified to eat for days.

And Vivian, having been the one to actually ingest the poison, obviously had her hesitation doubled.

She was walking a far tougher path than I was.

Eventually, Vivian finally moved her hand.

Trembling, she grasped the utensils. Her hands wouldn’t steady, as if she were stuttering.

Her eyes weren’t looking at food.

It was as if she was facing a knife instead.

Her eyes were a mixture of vigilance and fear. It looked like she was trying to hide it, but it was painfully obvious.

With each step she took toward breaking down, it was nothing short of distressing to watch.

I didn’t know how much more pathetic she needed to become to satisfy anyone.

Could she no longer eat properly?

But I couldn’t bring myself to blame her; what she was going through was far too brutal.

“…Ha.”

I sighed and turned my gaze away.

I didn’t want to see that. And if I didn’t want to see it, I had to take action.

In the end, it’s always the one regretting who acts.

So I moved forward.

Entering the expansive hall, I approached Vivian.

 

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