Chapter 267

Chapter Fifty-Four: The Unveiling of the Plot

What?

What did Victoria say?

Assassin, army… poison effect?

I stared blankly at her profile, at her calm and collected eyes, my mouth slightly agape, my mind in a daze.

I hadn’t misunderstood what she was saying; it was just that Victoria’s demeanor was too composed. When she spoke, she did so with a nonchalant, unhurried manner, with no visible change in her emotions. It felt as if this woman had simply had a whimsical thought and casually made an unfunny joke.

But in the corner of my vision, the Duke’s slightly trembling lips and the pale face of the fat commander behind him told me that things might be as Victoria anticipated.

I became more alert, my body tensing slightly. While keeping an eye on the Duke, I also quietly observed the surroundings, wary of assassins or someone suddenly poisoning us.

Victoria spoke softly, but many of the nearby nobles who were holding their breaths to observe the situation heard her. At this moment, they began to panic, and the venue grew noisy again.

“Did you hear what Her Majesty said?”

“Just joking… What does Lord Rex want? How dare he…”

“Hush! Speak softly, let’s leave here quickly.”

Some people started moving towards the exit of the venue.

But most chose to stay, watching the situation unfold.

“Her Majesty, I don’t understand your meaning. I didn’t understand a word. Could you please… explain it in more detail?”

The Duke across from me remained composed, though his face no longer showed any trace of a smile. His narrowed eyes focused intently on Victoria’s exquisite face, his voice much deeper than before.

However, the fat commander standing behind him clearly panicked. He twisted his plump body uncomfortably, hiding his trembling hands behind his back, sweat all over his face.

There must be something wrong…

I supported myself on my mount, ready to jump at any moment, my gaze fixed firmly on the Duke and his entourage, guarding against any sudden moves they might make.

Yet, compared to my tension, Victoria appeared unusually calm.

She picked up the box containing the badge, holding it in front of her with interest, then brought her nose close to smell it.

Her lips curled slightly.

“Snake Kiss.”

She uttered the unfamiliar phrase, leaving me utterly bewildered.

But at this moment, I saw the Duke’s face completely change.

“It is a highly toxic poison primarily made from the roots and tendrils of a vine found in Epalista. Crushed leaves are used to create the poison, which is colorless but has a faint fishy smell, making it difficult to detect without careful examination. Its toxicity is ten times that of a rattlesnake; inhalation can cause unconsciousness, and contact within half an hour can lead to blood vessel rupture and death. Because the poison takes time to take effect and shows no symptoms until it does, it is greatly favored by assassins from various countries—”

Clang!

I slapped the box out of her hand with one palm, leaping to my feet simultaneously, using my other hand to cover my nose.

Due to the force, my hand hit my face with a loud slap.

“Do you still smell it? Are you crazy!” I shouted hoarsely, tears welling up in my eyes.

Didn’t she just say that inhaling it could cause unconsciousness!

Damn Duke, he actually smeared poison on the item he used to threaten the Queen!

How long have we been smelling it…

My heart pounded violently in my chest.

Clang, clang—

The box crashed onto the carpet far away. The surrounding nobles erupted in uproar, each looking terrified, stepping back several paces in alarm, some even screaming.

“Please do not panic. The roots of the snake vine can neutralize the poison. I’ve already ground them into powder and mixed it into the cake. You will be fine,” Victoria said calmly.

As soon as she finished speaking, I saw many people grab the cakes and start eating voraciously, completely abandoning their noble manners, eating more fiercely than I did.

I slowly lowered my hand from my nose, my gaze blankly fixed on Victoria beside me, unable to speak.

This woman…

She continued, “This poison killed my father and mother. Duke Rex, do you really think I would be unprepared? In fact, five days ago, I had enough snake vine roots bought. I knew you were coming and understood your tricks. To be safe, I even took an antidote before the banquet began.”

As she spoke, she glanced at me.

“I’ve given her and old Rekmon…”

?

When was I drugged? I didn’t notice at all… Impossible… Ah!

The earring…

“I thought you would use more severe methods, but you actually resorted to old tricks. Duke Lex, what made you so lax? Is it because you think success is within reach, or are you anxious due to the situation, feeling restless?”

“Anxious? That’s absurd!”

The old duke had completely shed his facade. He no longer smiled, and his gaze towards Victoria was as poisonous as a snake’s.

“What am I anxious about? I told you, today is for giving gifts—”

Before he could finish, Victoria interrupted him.

“Let me tell you what you’re anxious about.”

Victoria stood up from her seat and gestured towards an unknown place in the distance. Following her gesture, I saw several figures flash through the crowd. Instinctively, I touched my earring.

“Surely you have already received the summons from the church. You dare not comply with the summons, but you can’t guarantee when you might be forcibly taken. This is your first predicament.”

“Following closely is your second problem. You want to buy time, but now that the treasury no longer supports you, the ironclad guards’ pay is becoming difficult to sustain. If you don’t supply their wages, you’ll have to fill the gap yourself. By the end of April, you won’t be able to withstand the pressure, right? You have no choice but to find excuses to rob. But you don’t want to violate the treaty and risk breaking the church’s rules on war crimes. Otherwise, the church knights will have reason to march out. They could flatten your fortress in less than a month. So, you have to use your mother’s and father’s deaths as an excuse, becoming a bandit in the North.”

“You killed everyone in my mother’s family, took their food and supplies, but you know this won’t last long. Once you run out of gold to feed your men, they won’t listen to you anymore, and the ironclad guards will start to disintegrate from within. You don’t know how many people are willing to starve alongside you and fight desperately. You dare not take that risk… This is your third predicament.”

Victoria spoke calmly and unhurriedly, but the older duke’s face grew increasingly gloomy as she continued. The fat commander standing behind him was trembling uncontrollably, cold sweat dripping down his cheeks onto the carpet.

He seems to be under a lot of mental pressure…

I wanted to knock them down directly, but I was worried they might have other tricks up their sleeves. Victoria seemed to have seen through the old duke; perhaps she had her own plan…

Better listen to what she has to say and stay alert.

“Three predicaments should be enough to drive you mad. Your sleep quality must not be very good lately. This is the situation you face. To break this situation, you must act quickly, without delay. And now… is the best time for you.”

“…Is that so?”

The old duke stood up, standing opposite Victoria, his lips curling into a sneer as he met her gaze, eyes burning like flames.

But Victoria remained indifferent, continuing to speak as if unaffected.

“Boswell is destroyed, the capital is no longer impregnable, and after just experiencing a great calamity, it is now at its most unstable period. Tonight’s celebration brings everyone together, making it the perfect time for action. Only by seizing the capital can there be any hope of turning your situation around.”

Whoosh—

She suddenly raised her hand, sending a tiny gust of wind that struck the old duke instantly.

Clang!

A light metallic sound echoed.

This old fellow is wearing chainmail under his clothes!

Whoosh—

In an instant, the entire banquet hall erupted.

“Capture him!”

“Capture this old man!”

“He dared plot to assassinate Her Majesty; he should be hanged!”

The old duke ignored the surrounding voices, his cold eyes fixed on Victoria’s face, his lips curled high.

“How splendid! All my most embarrassing moments have been laid bare by you. Queen, I admit I was careless this time. Your wisdom impresses me… Honestly, I’m very angry now. Although I’m angry, I still can’t help but want to hear more. As you said earlier, I was waiting. Now, please continue. Guess how many ironclad guards will trample the palace soon.”