I shook off the eerie feeling and left the place.
(Lord Lucien is fine as long as Liliana is there, so I can just leave him alone. I still have time before going to the royal palace. Let’s go back to my room for now.)
At that moment, a voice echoed again from the garden of the Duke of Valentia’s estate.
“Lady Snowbell~. Come on, please pick me. Aren’t you going to go eat with the Crown Prince? If so, please boil me down and make me into tea for him to drink.”
Even though I was confused, I picked that grass, boiled it down, and filled a water bottle with it.
Even I did not know why, but I could truly trust that voice.
(Why did I come to be able to hear a voice like this?)
Questions kept coming. Even so, I decided to take that water bottle with me. Soon it was time, and I headed to the entrance. Liliana was all dressed up and about to get into the carriage with a basket holding champagne. Lord Lucien also got in together and sat down right next to Liliana with a natural motion.
(Now that I think about it, this is weird too… sitting right next to my sister.)
I sat across from them and cast a cold gaze at Lord Lucien, who was sitting next to Liliana. But he did not even notice my look of contempt. As always, his eyes were following Liliana. At the same time I let out a small sigh, a voice spoke out once more from the champagne Liliana was holding.
“Oh my, this girl named Liliana is way too foolish. She put way too much of me in here. If you drink this, you won’t be able to get up for a while. You won’t die, but… well, something unfortunate might happen, you know.”
(Huh…? That voice just now… the voice of the aphrodisiac from earlier? And what’s more, coming from the champagne…?)
A chill ran down my spine. However, now was not the time to show it on my face.
When we arrived at the royal palace, we headed to the courtyard. Lord Lucien is the third son of the Marquis of Crocode and a school friend of the Crown Prince. Currently, he serves as an Imperial Guard assigned to the Crown Prince. This light meal gathering—a picnic-style meeting—was also made a reality by his proposal.
We joined up with the Crown Prince, spread a picnic mat in the royal palace garden, and the lunch party began in a warm atmosphere. I did not miss the chance and handed the water bottle I had prepared to the Crown Prince. Of course, this was a development that did not happen last time.
“I have prepared a drink that is just right for the Crown Prince. Here it is. Please, go ahead and drink it. You have often said that you cannot get rid of your fatigue, right? I heard about it from Lord Lucien.”
“Yeah, you cared about it for me. Thank you.”
The Crown Prince said that, took a sip, and immediately relaxed his expression.
“It’s easy to drink, and somehow my head feels clear. This is good. I like it very much. If possible, I’d like to drink it every day. Will you make it for me from now on?”
“Fufu. Of course!”
The Crown Prince’s smile as he happily drank the tea was undeniably radiant. Seeing that, my feelings naturally softened.
However, a voice broke in to disturb that mood. It was Liliana.
“Crown Prince, please don’t just drink such boring things, please drink this champagne instead. I brought the finest champagne from the Duke of Valentia’s house.”
Last time, Liliana had similarly recommended the champagne to the Crown Prince.
(Liliana, this time I will not let you have your way. I will protect the Crown Prince!)
“Crown Prince, it is better not to drink alcohol today. Please drink this tea for a while and see how you feel.”
“Ah, that’s right. I think so too. It’s better to quit drinking for a while.”
The Crown Prince nodded and did not reach out for the champagne glass.
“Don’t say such things. Such a waste of champagne…”
To my younger sister, who kept persisting stubbornly, I stated clearly.
“If you are worried about the Crown Prince’s physical condition, stop trying to force champagne on him! You are the one who loves champagne, right? Why don’t you just drink it yourself?”
The air tightened sharply, and that was when—
“I am her fiancé, so why did you only bring tea for the Crown Prince? I am a little sad. I want to try that tea too.”
Lord Lucien broke in with a light tone.
“We nobles are all in a position to support the Crown Prince. Isn’t it natural to care about the Crown Prince’s health? Please stop saying foolish things. For the position of an Imperial Guard, it is far too pathetic. Besides, this tea is adjusted to the Crown Prince’s body, so it won’t have any effect even if Lord Lucien drinks it.”
At that, I intentionally turned my gaze toward Liliana’s champagne.
“More than that, the champagne Liliana is stubbornly recommending is surely more delicious than my tea. Why don’t you drink it, Lord Lucien? You liked champagne too, didn’t you?”
“Ah, that’s right. Today is pretty much a day off. Lucien is an Imperial Guard, but it’s fine for him to drink. I allow it. Come on, drink. Excellent champagne is delicious, you know? Drink it in my place.”
The Crown Prince smiled at Lord Lucien in a cheerful tone. Of course, the Crown Prince did not know that aphrodisiac was mixed in that champagne. Pressed with well-meaning force that left no room for refusal, Lord Lucien could not make any excuses and had no choice but to drink the champagne down.
Liliana stared at Lord Lucien drinking the champagne with a disappointed look. That was only natural, since she had wanted the Crown Prince to drink it. Since Lord Lucien knew that it contained an aphrodisiac, his hand holding the glass was shaking.
(Even though you tried to make the Crown Prince drink it without a care, you are scared to drink it yourself? What a cowardly person. Since it is completely better compared to when I drank poison, hurry up and drink it.)
And then, a little while after that, Lord Lucien—