# 16
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She turned her body and pushed Sertin's face with the palm of her hand. Her heart was beating fast. She felt her tension begin to ease as she saw his face flatten like a piece of steamed bread.
"Oh! You scared me!"
"Haha. Looks like I scared you. I'm sorry about that."
said Certin in a voice utterly lacking in remorse, then he took the book from my hand and began to open it.
“The blonde princess?”
This was the first time I had seen Cyretin in such a simple appearance, and yet everything he wore seemed to suit him perfectly.
She had to go to great lengths to avoid looking at what was visible between the open buttons of his shirt, let alone his moist eyes or his attractive lips.
Today's sertain was looking extremely dangerous.
I looked cloy and answered quickly
"Yes! She's a princess with very long hair!"
"Are you going to read this book to me? Wasn't I supposed to be the one reading to you?"
“No, I'll read it myf!”
“Why?”
“Because my husband is afraid!”
She said this with her eyes wide open and in a clear tone, then hugged the book and smiled happily. Sertin raised the corner of his mouth in a smile.
"I?"
“Yes, husband! So let's sleep together...”
At that moment, thunder roared as if the sky split open. I shivered without realizing it.
No, I was really surprised.
As she swallowed, she began to hiccup uncontrollably.
"Hack! Huck!"
Syrtin covered his mouth with the back of his hand and laughed softly.
While my eyes were on his smiling face, Sertin took the book from me, who was suffering from the hiccups.
He waved the book slowly.
There was no tension at all in the way he looked at me. It was so natural that my heart relaxed completely.
I was the only one who was aware of his biography and who thought of him that way.
Of course, this is normal.
And even though I know that, it's annoying.
“It seems that the person who is afraid is not me, but Evelyn. I think I am the one who should read this book.”
She stared at Sertine expressionlessly. Well, what might happen at this time?
I always seem to show Sirtain all my embarrassing sides. I feel like my dark past is unfolding before his eyes.
I hold two quilts in my arms.
“What, what are you doing?”
"Aren't you going to sleep? I'm tired. It's time for bed, Evelyn."
“Huh?”
After putting me on the bed, he wrapped the blanket around me like a food wrap, then pushed me against the wall and lay down next to me, resting his hand on his face.
I looked like a small caterpillar with only its head visible. All the distracting thoughts I've had since coming here have disappeared.
I felt respected.
Sertin turned off the light.
It wouldn't be easy to be this respectful while sharing a bed with a man, and a man more handsome than my ideal type.
I just moved my head like a caterpillar.
There was a dim lamp on the bedside table, barely enough to see the words in the book. When their eyes met, she felt that he seemed deeper thanks to the shadows cast on his features.
I swallowed hard. Looking at that face, I felt like I was looking at a rice cake in a painting. Am I the only one who thinks this way?
Certain put the book on the bed and began reading.
His voice was deep and inviting to listen to.
Is this what a man obsessed with a heroine looks like? What kind of good sound is this?
It is said that people with good faces usually have bad voices.
I was wrapped in the blanket and listening to him read a book...and I fell asleep alone.
Then I really slept.
Seriously, this is crazy. I'm not even a child.
Cyrtain stuck his finger into Evelyn's cheek, who was fast asleep.
He didn't think he'd actually end up reading the book to her, and he didn't think she'd fall asleep to the sound of him reading a book like that.
He pushed the book aside and looked at her carefully.
The results of the analysis came out quickly. The poison in the cup was a poison that slowly poisoned people and eventually caused them to vomit blood and die.
When they die, the symptoms are so similar to pneumonia that few doctors can tell the difference.
“You knew, didn't you?”
Of course, Evelyn did not answer, as she was fast asleep and her lips were trembling.
asked Certain in a low voice.
“You drank it despite knowing everything, didn't you?”
When Evelin drank the wine, she didn't show any hesitation. She drank it as if it were a normal drink, showing no sign of fear.
Even her sleeping face was incredibly peaceful. As if she had never drunk poison. Perhaps it was because the amount was too small to cause any harm.
Judging by her calm demeanor, maybe…
“Maybe...it doesn't affect you at all.”
He had heard of rare cases of people having a natural immunity to poisons. Could it be that Duke Spindel was planning to exploit this advantage?
He couldn't guess the true purpose of Evelin's actions. If she had been working for the Duke, she would have let Veronica drink the poison without moving a finger.
But instead, she took the cup for herf, drank it, and then threw it away.
No one suspected her, not even Spindel himf.
“What are you aiming for…?”
Sirtain gently squeezed Evelin's cheek again. Her soft cheeks were wrapped around his finger like whipped cream.
Evelin's eyelashes twitched slightly.
She pursed her lips and whispered
“Candy...I don't like it...”
Sirtain froze for a moment, expecting her to wake up, but he watched Evelyn go back to sleep. He looked at her silently and covered his mouth.
“Huh...”
He burst out laughing without realizing it.
Soon the morning dawned, and the events of the previous night seemed as if they had never happened. Certain left Evelyn asleep in bed and left the bedroom.
Evelyn showed no reaction to the poison throughout the night. While he was thinking about it, Mortega followed him and asked him
"Where did this cup come from? Was it made by Spindel?"
Mortega followed Certin with a face that said he would never back down. Just like in the past, when he was stubbornly clinging to Sirtain who was pushing him away.
Certin glanced at Mortega and answered vaguely.
"maybe."
“Are you sure you didn't drink what was in the cup?”
"Yes."
"Ha, really. We have to find out who the culprit is behind this. You won't let it go like this, right?"
Certain smiled coldly at Mortega's words.
He had already sent his secret agents to investigate. It turned out that the maid who added the poison to the cup had disappeared.
Temporary people were employed at such parties, making it difficult to trace them. When they followed the maid, they found her cold corpse.
Spindle's methods have always been brutal and clean. Unlike his uncle, who was less precise and less professional.
The real problem is how Evelyn got involved in this.
I thought about the woman who slept in my bed yesterday with an innocent, childish face.
“The evidence has already been disposed of.”
Mortega was angry, but his facial expressions reflected all his feelings. He couldn't utter insults in front of Sirtain, but it was quite clear.
That's why Certin kept Mortiga at his side. He was brutally honest, unlike those around him who were deceptive.
Of course, he was easy to fool, so if Rosalina was in front of him, he would act like a puppy chasing a snack.
But Evelyn was the complete opposite.
Evelyn was full of secrets, and more than that, she was suspicious.
"So, what do we do? Do we have to go through this again?"
Mortega asked with a face full of resentment.
"maybe."
Sertin smiled coldly, then narrowed his eyes and spoke in a low voice:
“Didn't you say Duke Roger would be back soon?”
Mortega was surprised by the sudden question and answered quickly
“Yes? Ah, yes. He may have passed the capital by now. He is expected to enter the palace tomorrow and report on the situation at the border.”
“Then invite the Duchess and his son to a dinner tomorrow as a tribute to his efforts.”
While Sertain was on the battlefield, Duke Roger was protecting the north and the nearby borders. He used a diversionary strategy to counter attacks targeting two regions at once.
Roger was a distinguished knight and trusted war hero, making him the perfect person to take on this responsibility.
It could be said that he had been Sirtain's training companion since childhood and his closest friend.
Roger had a six-year-old son, born when Roger was nineteen.
This seemed like the perfect opportunity, since the son was now just the right age to be Evelin's companion.
Certain was curious to know how Evelyn would act upon meeting Roger. When will she reveal her truth?
Sertin smiled wryly, having carefully worked out his plan.