(Asher’s POV)

Baron Constance was known for wearing extravagant outfits and jewelries to show his riches, and he would always style his hair backwards, making him look cunning. The sight of him letting his hair loose and wearing only a simple outfit of white tunic tucked into a pair of black trousers felt very unfamiliar to me.

“I am sorry for looking this slovenly while meeting you.” He bowed.

My eyes twitched. Unless I am blind, I think that simplicity suits him better than any level of extravagance. Just a sight of him looks beautiful.

          That idea caused me to think, that the Baron had changed outwardly, which no words could describe how he looks like right now. The only words that I could think of when I see him is...

Strangely, beautiful.

I cleared my throat when I realized that I had stared too much.

“Worry not. It is our fault too for coming so suddenly without any notice. I apologize if we disturb your busy time.”

          That was the excuse that we planned to come up with if we were asked, because the original plan is to catch them off guard if they ever planned on doing something suspicious. Though, it seemed like nothing is suspicious so far.

          As he stood straight, his amber eyes pierced straight through me. Might be because of the afternoon sun, but they shone brighter than before, as if he had lost all of his uncertainties that had clouded that beautiful eyes of his. How brave of him to stare at a royalty, I don’t dislike it though. After we exchanged introductions, he pardoned himself to sit after us.

“So, may I know the reason of this sudden visit?”

He asked after seated himself on the antique chair across both of us.

“It was for no reason, really. We were just on our way to visit the town up north, so while we’re on it, we might as well visit your town. I heard it’s getting colder these days.” I answered, hoping for him to be baited by my lie.

The Baron suddenly chuckled. “I have to agree with that. Just this morning it was so cold I almost caught a cold. I have to apologize again for making your highness wait as I was asked to consume a medicine for cold by my servants earlier.” He spoke simply and smiled again. I had this feeling that he wasn’t baited to it but he also looked like he don’t mind being lied to.

“I see. Your servants must really loved you.”

The Baron giggled in response, his hands unconsciousfly fiddled which caused me to notice his hands that were put on his crossed legs were trembling.

“Your hands are trembling. Are you alright?”

          He looked slightly surprised by my sudden question, but soon realise that his hands were shaking when he looked at them. He clenched his hands into a fist.

“Nothing much. I might have been overworking myself this past few days. After a plentiful rest, I will be fine.”

He smiled again.

“...I see.”

I returned his smile.

I guess something suspicious really had happened, because there is no way a noble could tremble like that if they did not do anything.

          After some discussion, we managed to get permission to stay in the Constance household for 3 days in a guise for becoming a temporary staying place for us to return to and fro after surveying the northern territory. 

“To be honest, I am really surprised when Baron Constance showed up not wearing extravagant clothes. I thought he would suck up to you earlier. He looks like a different person now.”

Aran spoke out his shock in seeing the different person Baron Constance had became after we were brought to the guest room. I too am shocked by his appearance actually. He looked so humble and kind, that it was hard to discern him with the terrible Baron that I knew.

“Though, he looked slightly pale. Was it the effect of the poison that he consumed?”

          I muttered. The poison that Baron Constance consumed to kill himself is by any means lethal and resulted in instant death after consumation. But he managed to withstand the poison even after taking a huge dose of it. Just who actually is Lancelot Ral Constance?

“We only have 3 days to investigate. Use this time wisely.”

I said to Aran.

“Yes, your highness.”

(Lancelot’s POV)

That surprised me.

          I held my breath while hiding behind my bedroom door after meeting the first prince. Yes, he is the first prince. Asher Sol Tristan, the crown prince of Tristan Kingdom, the capital of this continent. His features were exactly like the novel said. Shining silver eyes and wavy black hair. His tall stature is also as exactly as the novel said.

“Guh....”

He’s so....

...Handsome.

“What am I, a virgin?!!!”

          I shouted to myself and started to mourn at the corner of the room. Damn you, virgin old man. Not only you were old, you are also a simp for handsome guys that are your types. But what should I do, the first prince is exactly my type!

          I continued to wail. After finally managed to somehow stop myself from swelling my eyes because of too much crying, I called Taylor to meet me.

          While waiting, I remembered the prince said something about my hands trembling. Was it because I did too many heavy liftings this past few days?

          After I went out to town on the day I reincarnated, I asked Taylor to call out merchants from the Bivorak trading company to sell some items and clothes to them. Luckily, a troop were nearby when I called them so they reached the estate by the next day. And by successfully discussing with them about the prices of the sold items, we managed to obtain 54 million gold!

“There are some rare jewels, flowers and fabrics in the items list, so thats why the price are that high.”

          The merchant said while grinning. Then, for the next few days, we helped them haul all the sold items back to their teleportation devices that they set on the middle of the garden. The items will immediately be transferred to the headquarters of the company in capital without having to bring them back manually. Now that’s handy.

          Luckily, the process finished right before the day the first prince came. If they saw me hauling things from my mansion they would think I was running away or something.

“You are calling me, Master?”

          Taylor called from the outside. “Come in.” I answered and proceed to sit on the bed. After Taylor had came in and closed the door, I immediately asked, “Taylor, do I look pale to you?”

          He was startled for a second there, before he answered. “Yes. To be precise, your complexion does’t look too good after you drank that poison.” My eyes twitched. This is the second time I heard about poison, what is it actually?

“That poison?” I reconfirmed.

          The butler dithered for a bit. “...Yes, that poison. The Miragela poison.” He informed, though his tone is a mixture between reluctance and worry. At that moment, my heart skipped a beat.

          Wait, I am poisoned? Won’t I die because of bleeding due to being stabbed by the first prince? I have reread this novel several times before, did I miss something?

          Wait, so does that mean that even if by chance the plot changed and the prince didn’t kill me, I would still die from poison?

My jaw dropped. Whoa, that sucks.

I breathed a chuckle and massaged my head. This is ridiculous and just donwright mean. If the divinity really dislikes me then what’s the point of a reincarnation? “Taylor, does Miragela poison have an antidote?”

“I’m afraid.... not...” Taylor answered hesitantly.

I scoffed.

          Right, I am not even surprised anymore by this cliche, shoujo-like setting where the princess would either contact an incurable disease or getting poisoned and as always, in one way or another, there is ALWAYS no cure for them.

          I pursed my lips.

I am not even a female though?!

          As I raged within myself while silently lamenting, Taylor spoke out of his kindness. “Sire, even if there is no cure, we are still be able to prolong the time before the poison kills you by consuming medicine. Would you like to try it?”

“...How much is my time left?”

          Taylor was about to open his mouth when he fell in a daze, as if he just realized something. “Sire, by you not living long, do you mean by death for poisoning?”

          The corner of my mouth twitched. I didn’t mean it like that but be it from stabbing or poisoning, won’t either way kills me?

          “That... Is probably the cause.”

          Taylor gaped.

“But sire-”

“For your information, I won’t take any pills even as preventative measures. That is why, I’ll try my best to search for the antidote and heal myself. But if I failed, well...” I tried to muster a grin. For someone who relied on pills after suffering complications of my lower body surgery, I can say I’m sick of pills, because of that, it’s either to be or not to be now.

“...I’ve worked hard.”

          For a moment there, I could see Taylor’s eyes glinted before returning back to his usual color.

“Yes... That’s why I too, will serve you until the end.” The old butler said.

I smiled to him as a response. Really, what did I do to deserve a butler like him?