“No! This is unfair! I was only using an aphrodisiac—!”
They had taken away the tea, but Helen had nothing to hide. The onlooking nobles began to whisper among themselves after Helen’s startling confession.
“Oh my God, did you hear what she said?”
“Lady Selby tried to give the Crown Prince an aphrodisiac.”
Whatever the context, this was pure entertainment for the guests. Tomorrow morning, the social circles would be awash with gossip about the party. Helen spoke quickly, her eyes darting frantically around the room.
“Well, I was forced to!”
“By who?”
Elena stared at her coldly, and Helen racked her thoughts.
“It-it was Sarah! Sarah Jenner told me to approach the Crown Prince this way—”
Ttubeog ttubeog.
But before Helen could finish, Sarah slowly walked into the room. There was a variety of emotions playing on her face, but mostly fear. Helen murmured to herself in shock.
“Y-you…”
Elena watched as Helen was taken aback.
“It was Lady Jenner that informed me that you would commit this crime.”
“W-what?”
Helen’s eyes widened once again. She couldn’t understand why Sarah would suddenly betray her. The fact that Helen had just placed sacrificed Sarah for her own life had already been forgotten.
“You! How dare you set me up? You think you’ll ever be safe in this palace?”
Helen screamed in rage, but Sarah didn’t respond, her expression darkened. There was no need to exchange words anymore.
Elena deliberately allowed the scene to play out before the other nobles. Only when this became known in society could punishment be made more fairly. Elena achieved what she intended, so she turned to the guards to give them an order.
“Take her to the interrogation room.”
In order to prevent an intervention from the Selby family or Empress Ophelia, Elena had assigned an interrogator in advance. This time, Helen wouldn’t be let off so easily. Elena was going to take this opportunity to make her pay.
“Yes, Your Highness.”
The guards began to drag Helen out of the room.
“Let go! Let go of me!”
Helen resisted with all her strength, but it was futile against the muscled guards. Soon after, Sarah silently bowed to Elena and then followed the group out the door. Sarah would testify against Helen as promised. There was also plenty of evidence that Helen had secretly purchased the aphrodisiac.
When the scene was over, the guests went back into the party, whispering among themselves.
*
*
*
Before long, only Carlisle and Elena remained in the room. The door was closed behind them, and silence hovered awkwardly in the air. It was Carlisle who broke the silence.
“Did you know someone would give me an aphrodisiac?”
“…Yes.”
“Is that why you looked so angry?”
“What?”
She fixed him with a blank look, and he spoke again.
“You looked at me like you were jealous of other women.”
Elena couldn’t hide her surprise. Despite her attempts to hide her inner thoughts, he seemed to have read her mind, and she gave him a hasty reply.
“No. I was only watching just in case you needed my help.”
“…Ha.”
Carlisle gave a sudden low chuckle. His forehead was creased, however, and his laughter was not a good one.
“I didn’t know that. I was imagining things.”
Elena couldn’t understand the meaning of his muttered words, but as soon as he finished speaking, Carlisle stood up from his seat and strode towards Elena. His eyes seemed to burn in a heated stare.
“Why didn’t you tell me about this plan earlier?”
“No matter how much I knew about the plan in advance, there is nothing as certain as being at the scene.”
“What if I drank the drug?”
Elena quickly fished out a small glass vial that she had.
“Did you drink it? Then take this antidote quickly, just in case.”
Carlisle quietly looked between the antidote and Elena, his frown deepening. He sighed and swept his hair roughly with one hand.
“I don’t know why I’m so angry.”
“I don’t know what this is about, but if I’ve upset you in any way…I apologize.”
As soon as Elena finished speaking, Carlisle grabbed her slender shoulders with both hands. He lowered his head and made eye contact with her, his voice taking on a deep tone.
“…Elena.”
She was unused to him calling her by her first name, and her heart began to race. A line had been drawn in the past, but it was her first time realizing that hearing her naming coming out of someone’s mouth could be so exciting.
“What would have happened if you didn’t discover this plan in time? What if I spent the night with another woman like a fool?”
Elena didn’t understand the purpose of the question. But if that were to happen, there was only one path.
“…Then I would have to live with you having a second wife.”
Carlisle’s grip on her shoulders tightened.
“Eut.“
Elena gave a faint gasp of pain, and the power in Carlisle’s grasp suddenly melted away. He looked at her with an expression of regret.
“You won’t even get jealous if I bring in another woman?”
“…”
The question struck Elena dumb. Of course she would jealous. She grappled with it every day. She tried to persuade herself to be satisfied if her family were simply alive and Carlisle became emperor. But it was hopeless…she couldn’t help the greed she had for him.