I Faked a Pregnancy, but My Husband Returned - Chapter 22

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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What Judith asked Master to do wasn’t anything major. She simply wanted him to infiltrate near the Marquis’ chamber and inform her when he drank Bart’s tea. She needed to time her entry with her own tea accordingly.

Of course, she thought it would take some time to learn Ben Meius’s daily patterns as a marquis. But Master surprisingly found out very quickly.

‘He drinks it after breakfast while handling official business.’

‘Oh my, how did you find out so quickly?’

‘I overheard the maids talking while walking around the manor.’

‘Oh, good.’

‘But what are you planning to do?’

‘Fortunately, there’s one more physician here.’

Judith winked at Master as she spoke.

‘And a very capable physician at that.’

She figured that Hugh, who was praised as such a genius, would surely discover something. Even if he couldn’t, she could at least give Bart some kind of warning.

‘Judith.’

‘Yes.’

‘Don’t tell me you suspect Bart? Bart is a skilled person who has been loyal to the Marquis’ household for a long time. I can vouch for his devotion to the Marquis’ household.’

‘What?’

‘His loyalty alone is remarkable…’

‘Hmm.’

Judith clicked her tongue while looking at Master.

‘Master. You really don’t know anything about the Meius Ducal House.’

‘Excuse me?’

‘Just do what I asked you to do.’

‘…’

That morning, Bart examined Judith half-heartedly and then served her some tea. It was obvious he had no interest in her. He seemed to think she was someone who would leave in a few months anyway.

Judith didn’t drink that tea, and as soon as she received Master’s signal, she called a maid and visited the study suggesting they have tea time.

“This… seems a bit strange.”

After finishing her tea, Judith opened her eyes wide and said.

“Something’s odd. Marquis, please don’t drink that tea for now… Call the other physician, Hugh.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Marquis.”

Judith spoke calmly.

“I’ve been working as a visiting tutor here and there because of debts my parents left behind. Among them was a household that ran an herbal medicine shop.”

It was an excuse she had thought of in advance.

“I worked there for a long time and became quite close with the shop owner, so I picked up various bits of knowledge. Herbalists often know more about medicinal herbs than doctors do.”

Ben’s eyes sharpened.

“But this tea… has the scent of a poisonous herb I vaguely learned about back then. I can’t quite remember the name… If you’ll excuse me, let me smell your tea as well, Marquis.”

Judith brought Ben’s tea over and sniffed it. Then she muttered with a serious expression.

“Definitely this scent… it’s a poisonous herb. I heard it’s a plant that might make your body feel better at first, but can eventually lead to death.”

At Judith’s words, Ben no longer hesitated. Since it was a matter of health, he naturally couldn’t just ignore it.

He pulled the bell cord to call the young physician Judith had requested, Hugh.

Hugh, who was suddenly summoned, rolled his eyes in confusion and muttered.

“A poisonous herb, you say.”

Judith’s tea was already finished. So Hugh had to analyze Ben’s remaining tea.

“First of all, poisonous herbs don’t enter the Duke’s Mansion. Of course, if several medicinal herbs are mixed, they could produce effects similar to poisonous herbs, but…”

Interrupting Hugh’s muttering, Judith asked.

“Can’t we see Bart’s prescription?”

“That would be extremely rude. Especially since Bart is my senior by far.”

Hugh tilted his head and muttered. Judith looked at Hugh and asked as if more curious.

“But you know, they said this tea would improve complexion and give energy. But Prince Karl didn’t seem to experience that at all, did he?”

“What?”

“Just yesterday he seemed completely drained. I heard he’s even losing weight.”

Hugh showed a confused expression. Judith opened her eyes wide and said.

“If his condition was really going to improve, why would he take stomach medicine every day?”

That’s when it happened.

“…Ah.”

Hugh showed an expression of realization.

“Wait a moment. Ah, I think I missed that. Could I possibly get some of the lady’s tea as well?”

Since Bart might deny everything, they decided to proceed with this matter secretly.

Fortunately, Isabella hadn’t drunk her tea yet either. Isabella hurriedly brought her teacup and entered the study.

“Hmm… surely not…”

While Judith explained the situation to Isabella, Hugh took out several reagents from his bag. Then he began conducting various experiments with the tea remaining in both people’s cups.

And before long.

“…Good heavens…”

He said in a trembling voice.

“Marquis, it is indeed poison…”

“What?”

“With this combination, it would be a very slowly manifesting poison. This tea contains dandelion root, which neutralizes the scent, so I missed it too.”

Among the three people, no one could understand what Hugh was saying. They didn’t know what he meant, but everyone could tell he had discovered something.

“Initially, you might feel like your body is improving. But if taken long-term for more than 5 years, it would definitely be dangerous.”

“Good heavens…”

Isabella trembled all over.

“So Judith was right?”

“Yes.”

Hugh said in a devastated tone.

“The exact combination that creates that poisonous herb is in both the Marquis’s and lady’s tea. It’s strange since you both have different temperaments and conditions.”

“Ha…”

“But Prince Karl probably wasn’t affected much by the medicine. Because the stomach medicine I prescribe contains an antidote.”

“An antidote?”

“Yes. It’s a rare desert herb discovered in recent papers, so people unfamiliar with the latest research don’t properly know its effects. That herb is excellent at neutralizing the poison in this combination.”

Then everything made sense. The reason the Marquis and Marquis’s wife felt better, the reason only Karl continued to be weak.

‘And the reason the two of them die suddenly later!’

Ben gritted his teeth. Then he tried to forcibly maintain his composure and asked Hugh.

“Then… are we already in a poisoned state?”

“Since there are no abnormal symptoms in your bodies yet, it’s not too late to detoxify.”

As soon as Hugh said that, Judith unconsciously let out a long sigh of relief.

Even while stirring up this situation, that was actually her biggest worry.

Whether she was already too late. Whether the two people were irreversibly damaged.

“So… so fortunate.”

Judith muttered in emotion.

“I was really worried… I’m so relieved. To think detoxification is possible…”

Ben quietly observed her expression filled with emotion. Then he sighed softly and said.

“Thank you.”

His voice was still cold, but his eyes weren’t as chilly as before.

“…Thank you.”

He muttered in a choked voice and slowly stood up.

“I’ll give proper thanks… after interrogating Bart first.”

Ah, good. Judith could finally let go of her anxious heart.

That night, Ben entered Isabella’s room. Isabella, who had been pacing the room restlessly, ran to him.

“Honey! What did he say? Did he confess?”

“No.”

Ben shook his head.

“But when I presented the evidence, he didn’t even deny it.”

“…Oh my…”

“The attempted poisoning was indeed true.”

Isabella’s legs gave out and she collapsed to the ground.

Good heavens. The longtime family physician they had trusted without question had tried to poison them.

And this was between people who had no grudges whatsoever. This meant there was someone behind him pulling the strings.

“We need to dig deeper.”

Ben muttered in a weary voice. Isabella let out a deep sigh and pressed her forehead.

“By the way, it would have been a disaster if it weren’t for Judith.”

“That’s right.”

Ben murmured quietly.

“Actually, since we’ll be strangers in a few months anyway, there was no need for her to cause controversy by sharing information that wasn’t even entirely certain.”

They weren’t particularly close, and she wasn’t even a doctor. She had made a big issue out of knowledge she’d heard at an apothecary shop long ago.

If she had been wrong, she would have been the one in trouble.

If Hugh’s skills hadn’t been that good, this incident could have actually backfired on her.

“She’s an upright child.”

Isabella said quietly.

“We’ve already received so much from that child.”

“…Indeed.”

Ben muttered while stroking his chin.

“Even if she divorces Ekian, we should take responsibility for her until the end. We should arrange a match with at least an earl’s family, not just some baron’s house.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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