The Poisonous Princess Who Successfully Infiltrated the Enemy as an Employee - Chapter 49

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 49.

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After discovering the Mana Stone Mine, we hurried out of the cave.
I would have liked to explore further, but the potion’s limited duration left us no choice.
Besides, the mine wasn’t going anywhere.
Fortunately, finding our way out proved far easier than getting in.
I’d memorized the path on the way down, and besides—
With time running short, I’d had no choice but to let him carry me on his back.
At least I was being carried properly rather than slung over his shoulder like cargo.
It certainly made a difference—riding on his back rather than walking side by side cut our travel time significantly.
My dignity had taken a small blow in the process, though.
And so we barely managed to escape the Lacrion Mountain Range.
Elated by the mine’s discovery and heedless of our exhaustion, we reunited with Roan’s group in Desitodd Village, then rode through the night before arriving at the Grand Duke’s Residence.
Once there, I bathed in warm water and collapsed into a soft bed, sleeping like the dead.
When my eyes opened again, a full day had passed.
I drank the Sedative that Glen had left for me, and with body and mind refreshed, I made my way to Barkan’s study.
I walked toward the sofa and offered a light greeting.
“Did you manage to get some rest?”
Barkan nodded slightly.
“Yes, I’ve rested as much as necessary.”
…….
But why did it feel that way?
His words—that he’d rested as much as necessary—sounded to my ears like he’d done nothing but work all night.
Indeed, I could see deeper exhaustion lingering in his eyes than usual.
I clicked my tongue inwardly and took a seat on the sofa. Then Barkan, who had been reading a stack of documents, stood and walked toward me, setting the papers down on the table between us.
He settled into the seat across from mine, the documents resting on the table before him.
“I intend to begin earnest development of the Lacrion Mountain Range.”
It was good news to hear.
Now that we’d discovered the Mana Stone Mine, there was no reason to hesitate.
The only problem was…….
I rested my chin in my hand and spoke.
“The Toxic Fog will be the biggest obstacle, then.”
“Yes.”
But inside the mine itself, the Toxic Fog hadn’t penetrated. When I expressed confusion about this, Barkan explained.
“It’s likely due to the Mana Stones within the mine.”
“The Mana Stones repel the Toxic Fog?”
“Rather than repel, I’d say they push it away—much as my Aura does to the surrounding mist.”
Barkan said that individually, each Mana Stone doesn’t possess particularly strong repelling power against the Toxic Fog.
But because the mine contains a concentrated mass of high-purity Mana Stones, their collective repelling force becomes much stronger.
“So until we find the source of the Toxic Fog, we’ll need Poison Resistance Potions.”
“That’s likely. I’m planning to move with minimal personnel, but since we don’t know how long it will take……”
Minimal personnel.
‘Those would probably be the few people Barkan trusts most.’
While it would take longer than if we sent a larger force, we needed to be cautious since we hadn’t yet properly secured the Mana Stone Mine.
I nodded, then clapped my hands together sharply with a bright smile.
“Wonderful! Then let me start brewing Poison Resistance Potions in large quantities right away!”
Then I handed him a note on which I’d already written down the necessary ingredients.
“Please procure the medicinal herbs listed there. And—set up a space where I can prepare the potions discreetly.”
A place no one could enter freely, where no one would know I was going in.
A hidden chamber where no one would know what I was making or doing inside.
My conditions seemed rather demanding, for Barkan’s brows furrowed slightly.
I quickly added more.
“If the Mad Princess openly comes and goes from an apothecary, it would be quite suspicious, wouldn’t it?”
…….
“Delmar still believes I’m mad. If it becomes known that I was pretending, it will cause no end of problems. I’d prefer my role in creating these potions remain secret for now.”
If it were revealed that I had herbal knowledge and had been making potions to help the Grand Duke’s house, the truth about my sanity would spread just as quickly.
If that were the case, the Delmar Kingdom would be problematic enough, but the fact that Barkan had discerned I wasn’t mad would inevitably reach the Guild’s ears as well.
‘A dog that won’t listen gets eaten.’
That dog was me.
The Guild had already prepared a substitute to play the role of the fake princess in my place.
‘Right now they’re leaving me alone only because I’m obedient on account of Helbain.’
If it were ever revealed that I wasn’t following their control, they would certainly deem me a liability and move to eliminate me.
‘So this fact can’t come to light until I’ve removed Helbain from my belly.’
I looked at Barkan and spoke.
“I’m asking again, but I’d very much appreciate it if the fact that I’m not mad remains thoroughly secret for a while. Of course, it’s fine if you judge it appropriate to tell Roan or Alexis—they’re tight-lipped enough.”
“Certainly.”
It felt refreshing for once, actually!
I nodded with satisfaction.
I actually wanted to wheedle my way into being allowed to visit the medicinal herb shops in the Grand Duchy’s bustling districts freely, but I held my tongue.
If I were to leave the Grand Duke’s Residence safely in the future, I’d need to quietly gather foraged herbs and secretly prepare potions to sell, building up a decent emergency fund.
It was a bit awkward to do such things openly in a princess’s guise.
‘I should do that part quietly, after all.’
In any case, the important thing right now was that I’d proven to Barkan I wasn’t mad.
Then, suddenly, the incident at the Lacrion Mountain Range came to mind, and I leaned forward, asking in a hushed tone.
“But Your Highness, what was that explosion? The sound from the mountain’s entrance, before I fell into the mine.”
“I’ve already sent people to investigate. I’ll tell you once we learn something.”
“Yes, please do tell me.”
“And.”
Barkan, who had been nodding, continued.
“The workspace you mentioned—I’ll have it prepared in the room right next to your bedroom. The proximity should make it more convenient for you to move about.”
“What! Really? That would be perfect!”
I even clapped my hands in delight.
“Eat, sleep, work! The perfect work-from-home setup! But…….”
A cold premonition suddenly brushed across my mind, and I cautiously probed, watching his expression carefully.
“When Your Highness says ‘bedroom,’ you mean the third room from the end of the hallway that I’m currently using, yes? Not the room next to yours that you told me to move into a few days ago?”
But despite my earnest gaze,
“Of course,”
Barkan answered firmly, his expression unwavering and blank.
“My adjacent room.”
“What?!”
I sprang to my feet with a cry.
“No, wait—why?! The misunderstanding’s cleared up, hasn’t it? You know I wasn’t actually mad, that I was just pretending, and we found the mine, and I can make potions, and I’ve proven my usefulness! Haven’t I?”
At that, Barkan crossed his long legs and answered calmly.
“The clearing of a misunderstanding and that matter are separate things, as I see it.”
“……I’m sorry, separate? What do you—.”
Barkan tilted his head slightly as he spoke.
“Aren’t you the one who jumped through a third-floor window to see me?”
“That was only because Your Highness wouldn’t see me!”
“What sort of princess would climb through a window merely because someone refused to meet her.”
“No, that’s—I had my own calculations for acting the part of the mad princess—.”
“I don’t think so.”
“……I beg your pardon?”
“Not only the window-crossing that day, but most of the actions you’ve taken since arriving at the Grand Duke’s Residence don’t seem like an act to feign madness at all.”
“…….”
I felt a pang of guilt and began to nibble my lip.
Barkan’s piercing gaze bore into me.
But I wasn’t the type to wilt here.
Instead, I grinned broadly and answered with brazen confidence.
“Your Highness, think about it. As you said, what sort of princess would do such things? Naturally I didn’t want to either, but reports could reach the Delmar Kingdom at any moment, so I was simply doing my best to appear mad.”
“Ah, is that so.”
“Of course!”
“Then the princess intends to continue such dangerous behavior in order to deceive the Delmar Kingdom and the outside world going forward?”
“Well, of course—.”
“…….”
“……”
Ah—I realized my mistake in that instant and quickly clamped my mouth shut.
But he was a step too late.
Barkan’s eyes narrowed further.
“Indeed, for the safety of the Princess, I’m afraid she must remain within my sight for some time.”
……
“I take it you’ll be moving her today.”

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