RGS Volume 6 Part 16

“It’s salt.”

“Salt?”

Norhox couldn’t understand his servant’s words.

What on earth was he talking about?

The cook took salt when he ran away?

He was already seething with irritation and thirst and hearing something so absurd made him feel like he was about to lose the last shred of his sanity.

He felt like his head would explode if he didn’t vent his anger somewhere, so he raised his hand gripping the sword. However, halfway up, his movement stopped. The servant, not noticing he had stopped, backed away as if frightened by his movements and continued explaining in a trembling voice.

“It’s not a regular salt, it’s a high-grade salt but it’s not worth a lot of money so he couldn’t have gone far. We will find him soon and bring him back immediately…”

The servant kept talking, but nothing reached Norhox’s ears, who had stopped moving. The severe thirst seemed to dry out even his heart, making it pound and thump loudly echoing inside him. However, it did not occupy his mind. After nearly a month, he finally realized what he had been craving.

Salt.

Yes, he had been longing for a salty taste all this time.

So salty that he could hardly recognize it as salty anymore.

But why?

Since when did I become like this?

⊹˚. ♡.𖥔 ݁ ˖ ⊹˚. ♡.𖥔 ݁ ˖

“Then, His Majesty dining with the King’s Heart every evening and consuming the black potion daily—is it to ensure they ingest the poison too?”

“Who knows?”

The war profiteer murmured expressionlessly and added.

“Who can truly understand all of his thoughts?”

After asking the question, he twisted his lips and looked at Ashler.

“Even I just grinned foolishly when I first received the salt mine, thinking it was just a pile of money.”

As he spoke, he chuckled out loud, but then his voice dwindled as if talking to himself.

“Even as I became addicted to the poison, I didn’t know what to do with my growing wealth. Nor did I realize how dangerous that salt could be. You know…”

The war profiteer raised his bloodshot eyes and looked at Ashler.

“You asked what I was truly afraid of, didn’t you? Take another good look at the contents Kin sent you.”

He pointed his chin at the letter, and Ashler looked down at the small piece of paper in his hand. However, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Despite the war profiteer’s mocking gaze, Ashler suppressed his shame and looked up, his eyes still showing confusion. Seeing this, the war profiteer kindly explained.

“You said that Kin is the only one who knows about my family, so why didn’t I hide them from him? No, hiding them is even more dangerous. Because there’s no safe place. That’s why I asked him to protect my lands as well.”

“From what?”

There was no longer any mockery held on the war profiteer’s lips. Instead, he spoke wearily.

“From what else? The salt, of course.”

⊹˚. ♡.𖥔 ݁ ˖ ⊹˚. ♡.𖥔 ݁ ˖

The last place.

Once he placed the commanded item here, all his tasks would be completed. For Roster, sneaking in had now become second nature. Moreover, since most places had similar structures, it was easy to find the things that he needed.

Usually, he could find them by searching near the altar. Although it was considered sacred, it was poorly guarded, which made the claim of its sanctity seem hollow. Roster approached the altar silently and lifted the lid of a round jar. Then he carefully pulled out a leather pouch and poured out its contents into the jar.

Rustle—

As the fine grains fell like sand, Roster pulled out a prepared stick to stir the new substance thoroughly with the contents of the jar. Once the lid was closed, his task would be complete.

Click.

With this final action, Roster had done all the tasks Karas had commanded and now his mission was over. He let out a low sigh for the first time. He was now planning to ride his horse to the capital without stopping. He wanted to hurriedly reach the palace and report to the emperor because he wanted to ask him something

The reason behind this incomprehensible mission.

Why did they have to enter the temples of the King’s Heart across the country, except for a few places, and mix an unknown substance with the salt?

⊹˚. ♡.𖥔 ݁ ˖ ⊹˚. ♡.𖥔 ݁ ˖

Salt.

Salt mines, the King’s Heart, holy relics of the temples, and poison.

How had he not seen the connection so easily?

As self-reproached flashed across Ashler’s face, the war profiteer provided an answer.

“His Majesty gave each of you commanders only a piece of the truth. The Commander of the Royal Guards, who procured a large amount of poison and knew the facts, was sent on other tasks to prevent him from paying attention. Kin, who also knew about it, was also kept busy elsewhere. You, who knew only of the poison’s existence, were kept close to His Majesty so you couldn’t think of anything else. That leaves the 2nd Battalion Commander, doesn’t it? By now, he’s probably spreading the poison without knowing anything. And as for me, I knew the most but gave my life in return.”

The war profiteer paused, staring blankly into space, then lowered his eyes down at Ashler.

“But do you know what’s the most unsettling?”

His voice, cracked and hoarse from their long conversation, reached Ashler’s ears. It now turned into a fearful whisper.

“The most important truth is that no one knows His Majesty’s true intentions.”

⊹˚. ♡.𖥔 ݁ ˖ ⊹˚. ♡.𖥔 ݁ ˖

Leaning against the wall, he sat on the floor with a slumped posture. An open book lay beneath his raised-up knees, however there was no sound of pages turning all night long. It was strange that his body, so limp as if he was drunk, did not completely collapse.

If it weren’t for his half-open eyes, Karas, who remained motionless, could have been mistaken for someone asleep. However, his unfocused, hazy eyes did not close. The candle, which was almost burnt out flickered its flame, causing the shadows to dance, as if in a final struggle.

Ever since drinking Truyde’s new black potion, he had been in this state, unable to exert any strength. Because of this, people keep murmuring. At the dinner two days later, Karas would not be able to kill one of the King’s Hearts, they said.

The whispers spread quickly everywhere.

The emperor has now become a puppet who can’t do anything.

Testimonies from the Prince’s Palace covered the palace. Indeed, he had been sitting like this the whole time. However, before dawn’s light broke, a small change occurred in his body.

Unfortunately, the last candle went out completely, leaving only smoke, and the change was buried in darkness. Thus, when the first light of dawn began to fill the room, there was no significant difference from his appearance a moment ago. However, the previously dull eyes sharpened like those of a snake, shining briefly with intensity. It was as if he was satisfied that something he had been focusing on for days was finally resolved.

⊹˚. ♡.𖥔 ݁ ˖ ⊹˚. ♡.𖥔 ݁ ˖

When Norhox came to his senses, both of his hands were covered in dripping red blood. The house was a mess, filled with bright red blood and mangled corpses. As if waking from a dream, reality slowly seeped into Norhox’s mind, yet he still couldn’t understand the situation.

The heat that had been sweeping through his body subsided for a moment. However, his pounding heart and burning thirst warned that the heat of his longing would soon take over his body again. Therefore, the time of his sanity that had barely returned would not last long. Norhox knew this better than anyone else, but his mind was still slow, just like how his eyes slowly scanned his surroundings.

It was as if his memory had been completely cut off. Within those lost memories lay the reasons why his servants were lying dead all throughout the room and hallway. No, in fact, the answer could be easily inferred by looking at the sword in his own hand.

The problem was why he couldn’t remember. The fact that he had killed someone was less chilling than the fact that there was a time when he couldn’t remember anything at all. His frozen thoughts naturally returned to the last memory he could recall.

“When did I become like this?”

The question that had come to mind at that time still lingered, spinning around in his head. And the salty taste. The salt the cook had run off with. There was something in the salt. Something that was driving him crazy.

The withdrawal symptoms that made his hands tremble with craving and burning thirst…

Withdrawal?

Norhox’s bloodshot eyes widened.

How had he not realized it until now?

All of this was akin to addiction symptoms from some drug. Mixing his fury with the heat that filled his body once again, Norhox gritted his teeth.

Truyde, you b*stard. How dare you feed me the black potion.

However, by the time he started staggering outside, his rage had already been overtaken by his thirst.

I must go to the palace.

If the poison was mixed into the dinner for the emperor, then the palace would have what I need.

I must go to the palace.

Without realizing he was stepping on puddles of blood and corpses, he moved his body in a daze, having lost his sanity once more.

⊹˚. ♡.𖥔 ݁ ˖ ⊹˚. ♡.𖥔 ݁ ˖

His subordinate’s report fell short of expectations.

“Before Melmond entered the palace, he was someone no one had ever seen around him. No one knew where he suddenly appeared from. He just appeared with Melmond, as if he had risen from the ground.”

Truyde, resting his chin on his hand, stared crookedly at his subordinate. His lack of response only made the subordinate break out in a cold sweat and cleared his throat nervously. Despite deploying many people to investigate Melmond’s surroundings, nothing came up about that servant. However, to conclude the report with just this, who knew what severe punishment would follow. The subordinate bit his lower lip and lowered his head further.

“Right now, we are thoroughly searching the area around Melmond’s house. If Your Grace gives us just one more day…”

“Leave.”

Truyde coldly cut off his words and looked down at his subordinate who raised his eyes in surprise.

“I said, get out.”

The tense subordinate barely swallowed his saliva and stood up, straightening his knees that had been on the floor. Expecting a severe punishment, he was astonished that he was only ordered to leave, and he bowed his head in gratitude.

“Thank you, Your Grace.”

Then, he quickly disappeared outside the door, worried that Truyde might change his mind. Truyde watched the door close with a blank expression and then gave orders to the remaining subordinate.

“Get rid of that guy immediately. Now, what do you have to report?”

The remaining subordinate swallowed nervously as he glanced at the door.

“There has been no contact from the Duchess for over a week. We sent someone, but he has also lost contact. However, in the last letter the Duchess had sent before losing contact, she said that she would stop contacting him if the Duke did not come in person.”

The hesitant subordinate was at a loss for what to do. Truyde had previously ordered not to report any communication from his wife, making this report even more cautious. As expected, Truyde immediately frowned upon hearing about the duchess.

“She dared to threaten me?”

Her obedience had been her only redeeming quality, and now even that was gone. Truyde decided to cast her aside without a second thought.

“Bring my son immediately. And confine that woman so she cannot take a single step out of the mansion.”

Under normal circumstances, he would have gone to fetch his precious son himself, but now he could not take his eyes off the emperor for even a moment. Tomorrow was the day the emperor was to engage in his childish bet. It would be a chance to see how much the poison had affected him.

So, he had no time to care about a wife stubbornly insisting he come to her. After all, her purpose had ended once she gave birth to his son. Thus, while the subordinate accepted the order and rose from his seat, Truyde’s mind was already filled with thoughts of someone else.

The servant with the unusual black hair. As he recalled those vivid green eyes widening in surprise, heat rushed downwards. It was definitely strange. Truyde decided to confirm it. He would know once he embraced him. Whether this longing would disappear or would grow deeper.