Filed To Story: Queen of the Battlefield Her Return to Glory Novel Online Free
If the punishment that awaited him was death, Sophie would face it with him.
The following day, she made her way to Arcane Sanctum herself. As soon as Sebastian heard her question, he knew exactly what she intended.
“This is too dangerous. It’s not worth it,” he commented as he led her into the back room, his expression somber.
“It’s worth it,” Sophie replied with fierce conviction, her eyes shining. “For the Southern Frontier, it’s worth it.”
Sebastian sighed. “The consequences are too severe. Even if Prince Rafael returns victorious and isn’t punished, His Majesty will find a way to get rid of him.”
“I know,” she replied quietly. “He doesn’t have an official edict and he’s not a marshal, but he can still take the lead. That, alone, is a threat to the king. His Majesty won’t kill him outright, but he’ll make sure he is removed, one way or another.”
“Then, why let him go? What about the dukedom? What about Ryan?” Sebastian asked, his voice tight with frustration.
“I’ll make sure Ryan is taken care of.” Sophie took a deep breath. “There’s nothing really left of the duke’s household anyway.”
“Ryan isn’t the only one left of the Devin family,” Sebastian reminded.
“His Majesty won’t hold it against them. As long as he acknowledges the contributions of my dad and brothers, he won’t touch the Devin family. Ryan might not even be in danger.”
Sebastian shook his head. “The king’s heart is unpredictable. I can’t let you two take such a risk. Why should you? Time and again, he’s willing to throw away his own throne, and yet you expect others to risk their necks for him?”
“We’re not doing this for his throne,” Sophie said, shaking Sebastian’s arm gently. “Help us just this once. I believe my dad would support this decision if he were still alive.”
Sebastian fell silent for a long moment, clearly weighing her words. He thought about his late friend’s character and whether Hector would have supported this choice.
The answer came swiftly: he would have, without a doubt. He had never concerned himself with the question of what was ‘worth it’ or not. As a soldier, his duty was to protect the kingdom, even at the cost of his life.
However, Sebastian was clearly still worked up and grumbled, “I’m not helping you two idiots. You’re both fools.”
Sophie flashed a charming smile, trying to lighten the mood.
“Someone has to be the fool, right?” she said playfully. “I promise, just this once. After this, I won’t be foolish again.”
Clearly not impressed, Sebastian continued to grumble, “I’m afraid you won’t have a chance to be foolish again. Who knows what’ll happen when you get back? Whether your heads stay on your shoulders is another matter.”
“If it comes to that, I have my ways. You don’t have to worry,” Sophie assured him confidently. Sebastian knew that her promises didn’t guarantee much, but he couldn’t help but agree with her someone always had to be the fool. The common people needed fools like them. Still, a part of Sebastian wished the fools weren’t Rafael and Sophie, but someone else.
He walked over to a dusty shelf and pulled down a small wooden box. Blowing off the dust, he wiped it with a cloth before carefully opening it. Inside was a small, dark pill, about the size of a peanut.
“Remember this. It’s poison. When taken, it’ll cause a disruption in the pulse, making it seem like an acute illness has struck, with an immediate effect on the heart. This isn’t a false symptom-it will really happen. It will last for three days, and after that, he must take Snowdrop Pills. If he doesn’t, his heart will suffer permanent damage,” Sebastian explained.
Sophie hesitated, looking at the pill in the box. “Is it really dangerous?”
“Of course it is. It’s poison.”
“Then, after taking the Snowdrop Pills, will everything return to normal?”
“No, not immediately. He’ll need to rest for several days. After you’ve deceived the king, he can’t leave right away. Understand?”
The idea of causing such harm to Rafael’s body made Sophie hesitate.
Instead of taking the pill, she asked, “Is there anything else? After deceiving the king, he’ll want to head to the Southern Frontier immediately. He can’t afford to actually be poisoned or sick.”
“He can take half a pill. It’ll only last for 72 hours, but he’ll need to take Snowdrop Pills right away.” Sebastian rummaged through the medicine cabinet, pulling out several porcelain bottles. “These are for restoring strength, replenishing energy, and fortifying the body. Have him take one a day until they’re finished.”
Sophie took them all in one sweep. “One type a day, or one of each a day?”
“Take at least three different kinds every day. He can mix them together. He can’t skip even a day. With his temperament, once he’s on the battlefield, he’ll throw himself into the fight without holding back. If he doesn’t recover properly, it’s a death sentence,” Sebastian warned.
“I understand,” Sophie replied.
Still concerned, she asked one more question, “The half dose won’t cause that much harm, right?”
“A half dose means half the poison, so the symptoms and damage will be reduced by half. With two Snowdrop Pills, his heart will be protected, and the rest can be dealt with through gradual recovery. There shouldn’t be any major issues. You still have Snowdrop Pills, right?”
“I do!” Sophie answered quickly.
She knew Snowdrop Pills were in short supply. She had enough on hand, so she didn’t need to ask for more.
Sebastian nodded. “If you have them, then I won’t give you any. I’ll keep them for someone who truly needs them. Two of the ingredients for those pills are becoming harder to find.”
“Thank you, Sebastian,” Sophie said sincerely.
Just as she was about to put the pills away, Sebastian took the poison from the small box. He cut the pill in half and handed her one of the halves.
“If the king sends someone to guard Prince Rafael for 72 hours, then the plan will have to be canceled,” he said, putting the other half away. “When will he take it? I’d better leave the city first.”
Whenever someone from Hell Monarch Estate fell sick, they rarely called for a royal physician, instead usually choosing to go to Arcane Sanctum for treatment. So, Sebastian needed to give them a legitimate reason to call for a royal physician.
“Tomorrow morning. Ideally, it should happen when he’s at work,” Sophie said.
Sebastian frowned. “I have a dinner appointment tonight. Never mind, I’ll manage.”
He called out, “Ivy, prepare the medical kit and carriage. You’ll accompany me out of the city for a few days.”
That evening, Sophie handed Rafael the pill and explained its potential dangers.
Noticing the hesitation in her eyes, he smiled and said, “What’s a little harm? There’s medicine to counteract it. After the royal physician examines me, I’ll immediately take Snowdrop Pills. On the road, I’ll follow Sebastian’s instructions. I’ll take the medicine daily to build up my strength.”
“It’s still poison,” Sophie countered, her brow furrowed. “Maybe we should think of another solution.”
“I think this plan is fine. Sebastian is just being cautious. If the poison was truly dangerous, he wouldn’t have given it to me,” Rafael reassured.
Sophie looked up at him. “Should we talk to Jacob about this?”
“No need.” Rafael set the medicine down and pulled her into his arms. “The fewer people who know, the better. When I collapse at the Supreme Court, Matthew can use my emblem to summon a royal physician. If the royal physician accompanies me back to the estate and sees everyone in a panic, there won’t be any suspicion.”
Sophie rested her head against his chest, feeling a strange sense of vulnerability. She had always been decisive, but now, her worries clouded her thoughts.
“I’m just worried. If you don’t fully recover before you set off for the Southern Frontier despite taking the medicine, and then don’t get proper rest on the journey, how will you be able to fight when you arrive?” Her voice trembled with concern, but Rafael’s heart warmed at the sight of her care for him.
He smiled and reassured her, “I may not even replace Marshal Prince. I’ll just look for General Quinton and blend in with the army. If Marshal Prince is reliable, I’ll just treat the Southern Frontier trip as a little vacation.”