Anything But Study - Chapter 53

Catherine’s face brightened as she faced Anastasia, who delivered the news with a radiant smile.

A gift? Again?

To be honest, she was starting to grow tired of the hairpin that decorated her head every single day.

The Russell count family was fairly wealthy, after all. Obtaining accessories like that wasn’t difficult for them.

Still, it was special because it had been bestowed by the Emperor, and more than that, it was a gift from her queen, Anastasia, so she wore it happily.

Filled with anticipation for a new present, Catherine asked excitedly.

Was it another imperial gift this time?

Or perhaps something from the Duchy of Morain.

“What is it? A necklace? Or a ring?”

Anastasia slowly shook her head. “No. Something much better than that. More precious.”

Something better than that could exist?

Catherine’s eyes sparkled. She couldn’t help wondering how valuable it might be.

But what Anastasia took out wasn’t a glittering jewel or ornament. It was a small vial.

Inside, a clear liquid sloshed gently.

“…What is that?”

Disappointment flickered across Catherine’s face when she saw it wasn’t the accessory she’d imagined.

The liquid in the vial looked like water.

But it couldn’t possibly be just water, which made it even harder to guess what it was.

Anastasia wore a relaxed expression, as if she understood that reaction perfectly well.

“Hmm. A medicine that makes someone a little stupid?”

Catherine’s eyes widened at the answer.

“…Stupid?”

“Yeah. It’s not harmful to the body. It just makes them a bit dumb.”

Of course, it wouldn’t be just a bit dumb.

She didn’t bother saying that part out loud.

The liquid was undiluted, the pure extract itself. If administered properly, it might even reduce someone to an imbecile.

Anastasia was already excited.

Would Hailon still dote on a brainless girl? Probably not.

His interest would drop instantly.

Just as anticipation swelled in her chest, Catherine’s question interrupted.

“But why is this a gift?”

“What?”

A pitiful light flickered in Anastasia’s eyes as she looked at Catherine, who genuinely seemed not to understand why she was being given this.

How could she be this oblivious?

Does she only understand if I spell it out for her?

Swallowing her irritation, Anastasia raised the hand that wasn’t holding the vial and placed it on Catherine’s shoulder.

She wanted to press down hard right then, but she restrained herself.

She needed Catherine Russell.

In a gentle voice, Anastasia asked, “Think about it, Catherine. If that girl becomes stupid, who benefits the most?”

Stupid. And that girl.

“…No way….”

Only then did Catherine realize what the gift meant.

Yes, that’s right.

Hiding her pleased smile, Anastasia patted her as if she felt sorry for her.

“My friend Catherine. It must’ve been frustrating, always being second place.”

At this point, it was practically spelled out for her.

If the top student became stupid, then she, the runner-up, could take first place.

Reading the realization in Catherine’s eyes, Anastasia slipped the vial into her hand as if she were granting her a favor.

“You’re my friend. That’s why I’m giving this to you. A gift.”

“This is… a gift.”

Gulp.

Murmuring as she stared down at the vial, Catherine swallowed unconsciously.

‘If I use this, I can be first.’

Greed stirred inside her. Perhaps it was only natural, with such an easy method placed in her hands.

But it meant ruining someone’s life.

She’d bullied people countless times before, but never on this kind of scale.

Is this really okay?

The scale of hesitation wavered, unable to tip easily to one side.

“You’re not actually hesitating, are you?”

At that moment, Anastasia’s voice cut in.

Catherine snapped back to her senses.

“Huh? O-of course not.”

…Becoming stupid isn’t such a big deal, is it? It’s just Melia, after all.

If it doesn’t show on the surface, no one will know who did it.

They might just think she somehow turned dumb.

Wouldn’t they assume she’s been neglecting her studies lately?

Not knowing how strong the drug’s effect truly was, Catherine accepted the vial and nodded.

Anastasia’s lips curled upward as she watched her.

“You know I’m always cheering you on, right?”

“…Of course. Thanks, Anastasia.”

Greed pooled in Catherine’s eyes and practically dripped down.

Yes, Catherine.

Turn Melia Anderson into a brainless idiot. With your own hands.

“Try applying it over a wound. The effect should be better that way.”

The business Ribelline ran in the Duchy of Morain was a pharmaceutical company.

On the surface, it appeared they were expanding the business and contributing to medical advancement, but behind the scenes they had no qualms about making all sorts of dirty money.

Of course, they hadn’t shut down their operations in Morain, so Ribelline intended to continue the business in the Empire as well.

The half they’d offered to the Emperor was nothing more than a smokescreen. The real profits remained in Morain, still in operation.

Considering the money they would earn in the Empire anyway, what they gave the Emperor was nothing.

Drugs from this kind of shadow world brought in huge profits.

The drug in Catherine’s hand was undeniably illegal.

It left no trail, making it difficult to trace.

And even if it were discovered, Catherine Russell would take all the blame.

Anastasia Ribelline could continue to exist as a noble, virtuous saint.

How could she not feel satisfied?

Catherine looked adorable to her.

“I can’t wait to see my friend take first place.”

Anastasia’s gentle voice whispered in Catherine’s ear.

***

“As expected, not a single thing deviates from my predictions.”

“That’s correct.”

After arriving in Cheskan, Hailon began his investigation.

And he was able to draw exactly the conclusion he’d anticipated.

The Marquis of Cheskan.

As expected, there was someone behind his death.

After confirming the identities of the servants who’d quit following the marquis’s death, Hailon tracked them down and succeeded in capturing them all.

“If you want to live, answer properly. What orders did you receive from Morain?”

“M-Morain? I… I only gave him food that was said to be good for his health, for the Count’s sake!”

Most of the answers were similar.

“It was simply out of concern for the Count…!”

They’d given the marquis drugs said to be beneficial to his health.

Sometimes by putting them in tea, sometimes mixing them into food.

In some cases, it was even something like a fragrance applied to the body.

Truly believing they were doing it for his sake.

Without knowing what these substances really were.

“They said they owed the Count a debt of gratitude, but didn’t want to reveal themselves openly….”

At the suggestion that they too wanted to help the Count, they accepted without much thought.

But the marquis died, and with no Count to serve, they had no reason to remain and so they quit. Without ever realizing that they themselves had driven him to his death.

“Now that I think about it, their speech didn’t sound like it was from the Empire.”

“The Duchy of Morain. That’s where they were from, right?”

“Y-yes! That’s right.”

In the end, he was able to uncover that they had been instigated by someone from Morain.

It was painfully obvious that the one behind it, the mastermind, was the Marquis of Ribelline.

From that point on, everything moved swiftly.

After securing all the evidence, including the drug vials still in their possession, Hailon let out a dry, incredulous laugh.

Judging from the circumstances, Ribelline’s next target had been Alfred.

After the death of the Marquis of Cheskan, one trading company’s transactions had abruptly been cut off.

And that company was one that had recently signed a contract through Alfred to supply goods to the capital.

They must have intended to worm their way into the Empire, make their daughter part of Alfred, and then gradually take control.

But it ended here.

Evidence that they had disguised themselves as an ordinary trading company while distributing drugs that funneled black money.

On top of that, the drugs that caused the death of the Marquis of Cheskan. Even testimony related to it.

With this, he could immediately drive out the Marquis of Ribelline.

Naturally, the engagement would be nullified as well.

There was no way the Emperor would remain still after seeing all this evidence.

“Let’s return. We’ll present the evidence to His Majesty.”

“Yes, understood.”

Hailon turned his gaze toward the capital, where Erpen Academy was located.

They had traveled far to reach the territory of Cheskan. It would take about a week to return to the capital from here as well.

It had already been well over two weeks since Hailon left the academy. Which also meant it had been just as long since he’d seen Melia’s face.

Even if he returned as quickly as possible, it would be nearly three weeks without laying eyes on her.

‘Is she doing well?’

After treating her so roughly, the fact that his last memory of her wasn’t her smiling face weighed on his mind.

I miss you terribly, Melia. How about you?