Chapter 100
“This is the room where you will be staying, Lady Anaka.”
The maid stopped before an enormous door adorned with gold leaf. Only then did Anaka take in her surroundings. The palace was a monochrome of golden hues, as if flaunting the Empire’s wealth. Even the small reliefs decorating the walls were entirely gilded.
‘If they’ve gone to this much effort for a guest palace, the main palace must be even more staggering.’
Anaka felt the ease she’d regained during her conversation with Zrot sink away again. But he made no outward show of it.
Hiding his stiffened lips behind his fan, he gave a slight nod. The maid, quick to catch the gesture, immediately opened the door. Anaka walked straight toward the bed.
“Ah… I’m exhausted.”
After glancing back once, he staggered as if he hadn’t been walking perfectly fine just moments ago, then crumpled delicately onto the sheets. The exaggerated motion made the maid, who had been about to leave, flinch.
“…Lady Anaka? Are you all right?”
“No. I’m not. The journey here must have been too much for me.”
“Shall I call for a physician?”
Anaka, his face buried in the pillow, allowed himself a faint smile. Even as a beastfolk, he was still human. It was impossible not to feel weary after such a long journey. But if asked whether he needed a physician, the answer was no. This level of fatigue would vanish after an hour’s nap.
Yet there was someone he had to meet—the kingdom’s spy, who was dutifully playing the role of a physician.
“Does the guest palace have its own physician?”
Despite the sly question, the maid remained earnest.
“Since these quarters are usually unoccupied, there is no resident physician. But the Dawn Palace is very close by. It won’t take long to summon one.”
“How fortunate. Go and bring one, then.”
“Yes, at once.”
The maid bowed and hurried out. The moment the door closed, Anaka immediately sat upright. Leaning against the headboard, she stretched a hand toward Zrot.
“Give it to me, Zrot.”
“Yes. Here.”
Zrot pulled a thin, elongated vial from his coat and handed it over. Inside was a colorless liquid.
At first glance, the liquid could easily be mistaken for water. But this was a lethal poison capable of killing a person within an hour.
“Do you know how this poison came to be?”
“No. I only know it was artificially created by the royal family.”
“The truth is, this isn’t poison. It’s a virus.”
“Are the two different?”
Are you serious? This seemingly ordinary liquid was a bacteria that parasitized its host.
This was the problem with his warrior. Physically capable, but a little lacking in the thinking department.
“The host for this bacteria was one of the hostages.”
“Wait, Anaka. I don’t want to hear any more.”
Zrot’s face turned deathly pale. He shook his head and took a step back. While knowledge was power, some truths were better left unknown. And in Zrot’s opinion, the royal family’s secrets fell squarely into that category.
“The kingdom has been conducting human experiments on hostages. All to create a weapon the Empire knows nothing about.”
“Aaaah! Why are you telling me this?! You’re not planning to kill me now that I know the royal family’s secrets, are you?”
“What nonsense, Zrot. How hurtful. You and I share everything—no secrets between us.”
Anaka spoke warmly before turning his head. Zrot followed his gaze with his eyes.
“You’re talking to me, so why are you looking over there?”
Grumbling, Zrot’s eyes suddenly widened. His cow-like black pupils shimmered with alarm.
‘When the hell did he get here?’
At the edge of the prince’s line of sight stood a man. A herbivore trembling like a leaf by the doorway.
He had been so utterly devoid of presence that no one noticed. That was the problem with herbivores—they were too skilled at erasing their presence. Even a seasoned warrior would struggle to detect them.
But of course, the royal family was an exception. They were born hunters. And the fifth prince, claws sheathed though they were, was no different.
“Long time no see, Wayne.”
“It is an honor to stand before the fifth son of His Benevolent Majesty—Anaka.”
Anaka pulled a hair from inside her jacket and uncorked the bottle in his hand. He dropped the hair inside before sealing it again.
“You’ve received your orders, haven’t you? This will be your weapon. Come and take it.”
Wayne staggered toward Anaka. The moment he reached the bedside, his knees buckled as if collapsing.
“A-Anaka… I-I have something to say…”
“…Hmm. Somehow, I don’t think I want to hear it.”
“Please… Please rescind the order!”
“I knew this was coming.”
Faced with such a desperate plea, Anaka scratched his cheek with an awkward expression.
Wayne flattened himself against the floor at Anaka’s feet. Whether he was crying or not, the tips of Anaka’s shoes grew damp.
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