Chapter 9: Now, make your choice

She cautiously pushed the carriage door open, but saw no figure of the bandits.

As she is now unarmed, Rishe skirted to the center of the commotion while paying attention to her surroundings. The screams and curses that erupted in the front gradually subsided.

The reason was quite plain to see.

(…. They are….)

Dozens of men, who were probably the bandits, were either rolling or strung on the ground,

Standing in the middle of them was Arnold, who kicked one of them to his back. He drew and thrust his sword in his throat while frowning in boredom.

“This is all you’ve got? I even took the trouble to let my knights back off and meet you alone. You’re so boring…..”

“Uh…!”

Arnold’s face turned grim and he stomped on the bandit’s belly.

The terrifying coldness that settled on his face wasn’t from the trouble brought by their attack, but more of disappointment from failing to meet his expectations.

Even the knights who were supposed to be his subordinates were trembling at the coldness his whole body was emitting. Holding the sword dripping with blood on his hand, Arnold slashed it in the air and started to clean it.

Are the bandits to be slaughtered helplessly in the end?

Despite the danger, Arnold wiped his sword on the bandits clothes before sheathing it.

On closer inspection, almost all the bandits lying on the ground were knocked out.

(Oh, no one’s killed!…. Is it because we’re still in another country’s territory?)

Indeed, he has enough reason not to start with such a meaningless step.

Or, at this point in time, Arnold is still restrained and won’t kill anyone indiscriminately.

While I was inspecting him, Arnold seemed to have sensed my eyes and looked in my direction. Then there was a surprise. It was an honest reaction, a far cry from the murderous glint in his eyes just moments ago.

“How did you get out of the carriage?”

“It’s a secret. You’ll only remedy it once I disclose it.”

“Ha, you never fail to surprise me.”

She hoped he’d mellow down from his ferocity just now, he’d age quickly if he keeps on with through the years. Just as she decided to shrink back, a man came down from inside of another carriage.

“Your highness! You’ve gone out of your way again!”

The man who was bristling in anger was no less tall than Arnold. With short silver hair and elevated eyebrows, he was no other than Arnold’s squire, Oliver.

“What do you think the knights are following you for? Not only did you let the knights back down, you just had to engage these bandits by yourself!”

(As I was saying, you’ve hit the nail on the head….)

Oliver wasn’t cowed by Arnold at all. Rishe got to know him five days ago and before leaving the country, he said, “I’m looking forward to making your acquaintance, Your Highness.”

Towards Oliver’s rebuke, Arnold was somewhat helpless rather than angered as when he put on his Crown Prince’s face.

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“I’d rather protect the national interests on my own, than let them fight and cause irreparable damage. Whatsmore, those who engaged first in the battle are already injured.”

That being said, several knights leaning on some trees swayed. Arnold instructed the others to lay them down.

“First squad, tend to the wounded! Second squad, bound these bandits!”

“Hai!”

“That’s entirely only your conjecture, Your Highness! Lucky you are that there was no accident. Look, even Rishe-sama was dragged out from the carriage. How is a woman supposed to defend herself left all alone in the carriage?”

“Nobody dragged me out of the carriage.”

Rishe corrected then swept a look around quickly.

She’s more concerned about the conditions of the knights. Their bleeding shows that their injuries weren’t fatal, but they look too weak.

“Uhm, let me help you.”

The moment Rishe spoke, the head of the knight helping a wounded jerked up and looked at her in fright.

“I wouldn’t dare! Your Highness Crown Princess, please go back to the carriage and take a rest.”

(…?)

There was nothing wrong with the way the knight refused her.

But the way he looked was more like unwilling to let her get close to a close friend.

(He’s more wary than unwelcoming….)

“Uh…”

When one of the knights groaned, another helped him him.

“Hey, what’s wrong? Are you okay?”

“No, my body is getting numb…”

“What did you say?… Hey….”

The knight hurriedly picked up a sword that fell under his feet, but the moment he checked the blade, he paled.

“Your Highness! Please take a look. The bandits seem to have smeared poison in their weapons.”

“…. Damn!”

Arnold merely arched a brow and added instructions to the knights.

“Quickly ascertain where the wounds are. If it is close to the heart, try to purge the poison out.”

His instructions were brief and precise. Rishe looked around, and approached a bandit already tied up.

She pulled his dagger out of its sheath, and its blade was coated with a glistening liquid just as the knight has said.

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(The fluid was smeared aplenty. This must be cheap poison and is readily available in large quantities.)

When she fanned with her hand to catch a sniff of it, there was no pungent odor. This time, she directly tipped her nose closely for a better analysis.

(It smells sweet, like an overripe apple…. It’s a mixture of sheer grass and ear stone mushroom, for sure. It’s also largely consistent with the Knights’ symptoms.)

Rishe stood up quietly and headed for their carriage.

“Your Highness, Lady Rishe is returning to the carriage.”

“Let her be. Let her do what she wants.”

“Well, although she’s trained in swordsmanship, she has never been to the battlefield. This horrible sight must be traumatizing for a young lady.”

(This must be it. And this one, and this too….)

While listening to Arnold and the others talking, Rishe searched for what she needed.

“The poison is probably some kind of numbing potion. I’m told there is something that hunters around here use to weaken their larger prey.The amount coated on the blades shouldn’t be nearly as lethal, though.”

“Nonetheless, this is too troublesome. The fastest we can arrive in Garkhain is estimatedly in two days. Coupled with caring for the paralyzed knights, it would require more than that.”

“We’ll have to look for the settlement of these hunters. If we can get the antidote….”

“Excuse me!”

Rishe, who returned carrying some items, swiftly raised her hand.

“I have the antidote.”

“— Say what?!”

All eyes centered on Rishe at once.

***

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Arnold’s views were generally in line with Rische’s own speculations.

This sweet-smelling poison is one that is used by hunters all over the continent. It’s made from ingredients that can be harvested in the springtime, and it’s prized because the toxins disappear when heated by flames.

“A glass of wine is the lethal dose for an adult male. Less than a hundredth of that have poisoned the knights.”

“……”

While letting the wounded knights lie down on their sides, Rishe explained to Arnold. Meanwhile, her hands didn’t stop from doing some certain steps….

“But it’s better if they don’t lie on their backs, as it can worsen the movement of the tongue and other parts of the body. The base of the tongue will fall towards the throat and block the airway.”

“I see…. I get what you’re saying, so what next?”

Arnold asked, peering at Rishe’s hands.

“What are you, what are you doing?”

“What, can’t you see? I’m making the antidote?”

Rishe informed with all seriousness as she kneaded the herbs in the bowl.

The white soup bowl was filled with the flowers she had just picked in the morning.

Crush those flowers with the back of a spoon, and when it’s ready, add another herbaceous flower and pestle it again. Although a mortar would have been more efficient, this luxury cannot be said in a place without tools.

“The reason this poison is so highly prized by hunters is because it’s cheap, readily available, and the antidote is easy to secure.”

Throughout her life as a pharmacist, she had treated a few patients who suffered from this poison.

The poisons produced by spring wildflowers can also be detoxified by those herbs thriving in the same forest.

The hunters, who have discovered that a deer which ingested a stone ear mushroom remained alive after eating certain wildflowers, took them as their test subject.

“In fact, boiling this would be more effective. But let’s use this for now, there’s no time to lose.”

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Adding a small amount of water to the crushed medicinal herbs and straining it through a cloth, Rishe then stood up with the bowl filled with green medicine in her hands.

Then she finally noticed that everyone was actually looking at her with incredulity.

“…….?”

She was baffled by this united front and so looked at Arnold without thinking.

Aside from Oliver’s gaze, Arnold seemed deep in thought. Treatment should be administered as soon as possible.

Rishe thought worriedly, then it came to her.

(Ah, perhaps they’re doubting me.)

Come to think of it, it’s a no-brainer.

(I wouldn’t want to drink medicine concocted by a stranger out of the blue, either. But the longer the poison stays untreated, the harder it will be to get rid of their paralysis….)

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At the very least, she’d like to put their fears to rest. Rishe made her mind up and faced Arnold.

She rolled up the sleeves of her own dress, and next, pulled his sword halfway out of its sheath.

“I have to borrow this, Your Highness.”

“Na —-!”

After declaring her intention, she pressed the inner skin of her arm against the blade. There was a slight pain, but it was nothing compared to the loss of a knight’s life.

“What are you doing!”

Arnold was astounded by the red streak on Risch’s arm. He almost grabbed her arm and instantly drew her body back.

Rishe didn’t expect that he would react so strongly. But there was not time to deal with him, she picked the bowl brimming with the antidote then glanced at the knights.

“Please be assured. This liquid is no poison.”

She scooped medicine with a spoon and applied it into the self-inflicted wound. The fact that it stings a little is a sign that the ingredients of the herb have been extracted.

“It’s a mixture of licorice grass, lucua flowers, and crushed curry berries. If you’re still dubious, I can take a sip.”

Truth is, it’s too bitter so she wants to avoid tasting it as much as possible. Hiding her true feelings, she looked down at the knight who was closest to her.

“Your poison will last for a few days, so make your choice.”

“Err… but…?”

“Would you take a chance on this antidote or suffer from this paralysis all the way to Garkhain? Well, you can also ask His Highness to find a hunter settlement and obtain the antidote they’re using….”

Rishe smiled broadly while repeating their options.

“What about you, Your Highness, what say you?”

“……”

Arnold looked at Rishe with a complexity he had never shown before.