Chapter 47: Until Death Do Us Part

“Of course it works!” the girl said hurriedly. 

“This is the genuine Witch’s Secret Potion. The effect is absolutely reliable!”

Abel looked at the powder in his hand, then at the overly enthusiastic maid before him.

A maid proactively coming to her master’s “enemy” to expose her master’s plan and even bringing “evidence”?

Moreover, the way she was looking at him…

“So,” Abel placed the paper packet on the table, “you’re here to plead on behalf of Her Highness the Princess?”

“Yes!” The girl nodded. 

“Although Her Highness used improper methods, she truly didn’t intend to harm you! The poisoning was definitely done by someone else!”

Abel fell silent for a moment, seemingly deep in thought.

The girl took the chance to continue:

“If you don’t believe me… I can prove it to you right now!”

Abel raised his eyes.

“How?”

The girl pointed at the paper packet on the table.

“I’ll drink it for you to see! As long as I drink this, you’ll be able to witness with your own eyes whether it’s poisoned or not. Of course, for the effect to appear, both people need to drink it together.”

She paused, then added, “If I drink it alone, although you won’t see the effect, it can at least prove that it isn’t poisonous!”

Abel looked at her sparkling eyes.

So eager?

A mere maid, willingly offering to drink this suspicious substance just to prove her master’s innocence?

He smiled.

“Alright,” he said. “Then drink it.”

The girl was stunned.

Eh?

This reaction was wrong!

In the normal script, shouldn’t a gentleman say “No need, I believe you”? Why did he agree so readily?

But she quickly recovered and smiled.

“O-okay! Then I’ll go prepare some tea!”

She turned around. 

With her back facing Abel, her expression twisted for a split second.

This damn straight man!

She quickly adjusted her face and walked over to the small table in the corner of the gazebo to brew tea.

Abel stared at her back.

Her movements were skillful—pouring water, adding tea leaves, stirring… Everything looked perfectly normal.

But Abel noticed that in one fleeting moment, her fingers moved subtly. 

The paper packet was opened, and the powder was poured into both cups.

Then she arranged the two teacups on a tray and walked back.

“Lord Abel, please.” She placed the tray on the table and pointed to the cup closer to him. “This one is yours.”

Abel looked at that cup of tea, then at the other one.

He suddenly exclaimed, “Eh, Your Highness the Princess?!”

Huh?

She froze and quickly scanned the surroundings, but saw nothing.

Only then did Abel say apologetically, “Sorry, I mis-saw it earlier! Let’s continue drinking tea!”

The girl sneered inwardly. Hmph, you asked for this. 

If you had just shown a little gentlemanly behavior, none of this would have happened.

Thinking this, she picked up her teacup and drank it down in one gulp without hesitation.

Abel picked up the teacup in front of him and brought it to his lips.

The girl’s eyes were locked on him, filled with anticipation.

Drink it, drink it! Once you drink it, you’ll become my dog!

The girl let out a sigh of relief and smiled.

He drank it!

Success!

She nearly laughed out loud but held it in. Pretending to be concerned, she asked:

“Lord Abel, how do you feel? Any discomfort?”

Abel thought for a moment and shook his head. 

“I don’t feel anything. Are you sure this thing actually works?”

“Of course it works!” the girl said excitedly. “Just wait a little longer and you’ll—”

Her words cut off abruptly.

Because she suddenly felt her heartbeat speeding up.

What’s going on?

She looked at Abel—the green-haired man was casually leaning back in his chair, smiling as he watched her.

No.

No no no—

She suddenly looked down at the two teacups on the table.

Two cups. 

She drank one. He drank one.

The one she drank should have been…

Her mind began to go fuzzy as realization hit her.

When?

When exactly did he switch them?

She suddenly recalled that moment earlier—when Abel had said “Your Highness the Princess,” and she had turned her head—

In that split-second distraction, he switched the cups?

Just how fast were this man’s hands?!

“Miss Siglika.” Abel’s voice drawled lazily. “Are you alright? Your face is quite red.”

Mephir felt her face was indeed burning.

It was getting hotter and hotter.

Her heartbeat was accelerating faster and faster.

And the man in front of her—that damned man—was starting to look more and more… appealing in her eyes.

She shook her head desperately, trying to shake off those messy thoughts.

But the more she tried to shake them away, the clearer his face became.

“I… I’m fine…” she said with difficulty, her voice trembling slightly. 

“It might be… the weather is too hot…”

“Oh?” Abel smiled as he looked at her. 

“That’s good, then. By the way, when will the ‘effect’ you mentioned show up?”

Mephir’s mouth twitched.

She wanted to curse.

She wanted to hit someone.

She wanted to beat this smiling man into a pulp.

But right now, her mind was full of—

He looks so good when he smiles.

She stood up abruptly.

“I-I’ll take my leave first!” she said incoherently. “Her Highness is still waiting for me!”

With that, she turned and fled.

Abel watched her staggering, fleeing figure and gently shook his head.

“She really has issues. But I wonder what exactly is going on?”

Mephir stumbled all the way back to the servants’ area. 

She rushed into an empty storage room and slammed the door shut with a bang.

Leaning her back against the door, she gasped for air.

Her heart was pounding so violently it felt like it would burst out of her chest.

Her mind was completely filled with that man’s face.

That face which wasn’t particularly handsome now felt indelibly branded into her brain, impossible to erase.

Damn this potion!

She pounded her head hard.

But the more she tried to drive the thoughts away, the clearer they became—

The way he smiled. The way he drank his tea.

“Aaaahhhhh—!”

Mephir hugged her head and squatted on the floor, letting out a despairing wail.

Right now, her entire mind was occupied by that bastard!

What was he doing?

What was he thinking?

Had he noticed she ran away?

Would he come looking for her?

Mephir suddenly stood up, squatted down again, then stood back up, pacing frantically in the small storage room.

“Calm down… calm down…” she muttered to herself. “This potion must have an antidote… It definitely has one…”

But she couldn’t remember anything.

Her brain was in chaos, filled entirely with that person’s face.

She leaned against the wall and slowly slid down to the floor, hugging her knees.

Lifting her head, she stared at the mottled shadows on the ceiling with vacant eyes.

“…Why do I only want to go see him right now?”

“Even… want to do some happy physical activities with him?”

Fuck fuck fuck! Which horny witch invented this damn thing?! I don’t even know how long the effect will last…

This question received an answer not long after, when she casually brought up the ‘Witch’s Secret Potion’ with Her Highness the Princess.

At that time, Prim blinked her large eyes innocently and said, “What are you talking about, Siglika? Of course true love lasts for ten thousand years! Ah, as for the way to remove the effect, yes, there is one!”

“Until death do us part! It seems the effect will only end if one of the two parties dies!”