After breakfast that morning, Physician Nathan came to see the queen. When he arrived, Anastasia was seated and reading a book. Read full story at n͟o͟v͟e͟l͟f͟i͟r͟e͟.net
"Rosa, go stand outside the door. Do not let anyone come close," she ordered. She cast a brief glance at Grater, who immediately walked to the door but did not leave the room. After all, Physician Nathan was a man, and Anastasia was a woman.
"Your Majesty, I am here for a follow-up check-up," he said, seeing that Anastasia made no attempt to let him examine her.
"Physician Nathan, do you think your tricks are invisible?" Anastasia asked, her gaze faint and unreadable.
Physician Nathan’s hand trembled at the question. He understood better than anyone what was wrong with the prescription.
"I do not understand what Your Majesty is talking about," he replied, not wanting to give himself away.
Anastasia smiled faintly. "You were the one who gave Physician Dorothy the prescription with an issue. You didn’t expect me to discover it so soon. You must have guessed the relationship between the king and that female physician, making her a perfect tool to use. So, I’ll ask a simple question—who do you work for?"
She had no patience for games. Physician Nathan had noticed nothing amiss in her condition—she was the one who presented the prescription and questioned him. Anastasia had observed how much he hesitated before answering her. Later, he had fully played along and shifted the blame onto Dorothy.
Anastasia could not help but think of the late king’s poisoning, which had been carried out by someone trusted by the royal family. This same Physician Nathan was a man held in high regard by the royal household.
She had also noted the previous day that neither the king nor his mother had suspected that Physician Nathan could be the one harming her. At best, they believed he had conspired with her to frame Dorothy. Such trust in him was rare—and worked to Anastasia’s advantage.
"Your Majesty, I do not understand what you mean," Physician Nathan said. He believed the queen only had suspicions. Without evidence, she could do nothing.
"Physician Nathan is a wise man. I do not wish for conflict, but if I mention my suspicions to the king—considering how desperate he is to save his woman—what do you think will happen?" Anastasia asked, a small smile playing at the corner of her lips. If Nathan gave himself away to easily she would suspect his motive.
"Your Majesty... I have always been loyal to the royal family. The king and his mother know this well," he said, still unwilling to confess.
"Loyal?" Anastasia scoffed lightly. "I wonder if the king’s mother would still think so. Her husband died of poisoning, and the culprit was never found. I heard you’ve also grown quite close to the late king." She raised her brows slightly. "I also heard that she even suspected the seer who was closest to him. Do you think, if I honestly tell them what I’ve observed, they would believe you?"
"Moreover, that physician, Dorothy, insisted that you gave her the prescription. She had no evidence, but her sincerity showed clearly on her face. Even though I stand on the opposite side of her, I could see she was not lying..."
Anastasia paused and looked directly into Physician Nathan’s eyes. Her gaze had turned cold.
Physician Nathan realized that the seemingly harmless queen was, in fact, dangerous. He had managed to fool the king and his mother, but she had seen through him? How? He couldn’t figure out how he had given himself away.
"I have nothing to lose. I am certain that if His Majesty begins an investigation in your direction, something will surely be uncovered. By exposing you, I can earn the title of a virtuous woman. You, on the other hand, will die—and perhaps your family will be buried with you," Anastasia said flatly. The reason she compromised to spare Dorothy’s life the previous night was because she guess Dorothy was being used.
Cold sweat covered Physician Nathan’s body. He was now sure he had revealed something to the queen at some point. His mind raced as he tried to guess her intentions.
"What does Her Majesty want me to do?" he asked after a moment of thought. He was convinced that Anastasia had a task for him and had not exposed him because she needed him for something.
So, he stopped pretending and asked directly what she intended.
"I asked you a question—who do you work for?" Anastasia said. She knew Physician Nathan was trying to reach a balance by becoming useful, hoping to gain leverage against her. But she was no fool. Why would she entrust a weakness to a man with no morals? someone who framed his own student and spoke righteously?
"Your Highness already has my weakness. I will not betray you," he said carefully. He had already sworn allegiance to the late king, so he didn’t want to reveal more. The only way he could protect himself was to ensure that the queen didn’t fully understand the situation—so she couldn’t manipulate it to her advantage.
"Physician Nathan may leave. Hopefully, the torture equipment in the investigation room will pry your mouth open," Anastasia said coldly.
The reason she had not spoken of her suspicions before the king and his mother was because she wished to build a circle of loyal people. For someone like Physician Nathan, she believed the only way to trust him was to hold onto his weakness.
In her dream, she had died from a slow-acting poison. So she believed that having a competent physician loyal to her might prevent such a fate.
But if Physician Nathan refused to surrender his weakness, she would help the royal family identify a traitor and win a good reputation for herself. She was certain that both the king and his mother would favor her more for it. After all, her actions would save the king’s beloved—and give the queen a lead in the mystery of her husband’s murder.
"Physician Nathan, this way, please," Grater said, stepping forward after hearing the queen’s words.
"I will speak," Physician Nathan said anxiously. He was now certain the queen was not bluffing. If she couldn’t use him, she would indeed destroy him.