[Part 2/4]
At the depths of the forbidden area, within the secured zone of boundaries, the Onitsuki group proceeded to the third, fourth, and now the fifth area. So far, there had been no casualties among the team members. No one had yet learned the fate of the Hidden Group members who had left the expedition midway.
"Let's go for a drink once this job's done, alright?"
"Hehehe, with the earnings this time, we can live it up for a while."
"I'm heading back to my hometown. Buying land. No more tenant farmer life. I'm going to be a landowner... or better yet, a landlord!!"
Therefore, the group was filled with unmatched optimism. Especially the laborers, who were engaged in a festival of casual conversation.
For them, the orders to collect spiritual herbs at various locations were a godsend. It was an unexpected source of income for them, as they came from a background of poverty. Despite not receiving it yet, their mind was preoccupied with plans and a rosy future thanks to this supplementary income.
"…"
The princess, looking around from the ox cart, was the only one with a pale face. She took deep breaths repeatedly, sweat streaming down her forehead. Her heart was pounding, and she felt queasy. A headache was forming. It was painful, so painful...
"Princess. Your orders?"
"...Same as before. Have the laborers collect them."
With an effort to maintain composure, Aoi gave her orders arrogantly. The laborer humbly nodded and left. After confirming that they had moved a sufficient distance away, she let out a heavy sigh.
"What went wrong...?"
Her physical condition was deteriorating. It was anything but normal. Why? She didn't understand. Was she under some sort of curse? But this sensation...
"I'll just get some fresh air. No need to look for me."
Aoi got off the ox cart and declared confidently to her subordinates. She couldn't stand having someone accompany her.
Inside the forbidden area, the boundary created an unexpectedly peaceful atmosphere. The young princess silently wandered deeper and deeper into the area.
The refreshing breeze and sunlight painted the forest vividly. Aoi began to feel better as she soaked in the atmosphere. She sat down right there. It was like a forest bath.
"Maybe I pushed myself too hard?"
Had she been too greedy? She chided herself. It was dangerous, very dangerous. She acknowledged her failure openly, which she could afford to do now.
Her great achievement, the profits gained, the praise she would receive from her father... For Aoi, these were all sources of excitement, and even in her discomfort, her lips unconsciously curled into a smile.
"Hehehe..."
Even in her painful physical state, Aoi began to sing, her young voice delivering a sweet melody. The lyrics, composed in an ancient language, were an old song penned by a poetic sage expressing the love between a father and daughter. It perfectly captured her current state of mind.
Yes, this was the supreme joy. The person who made her feel loved unconditionally. It wasn't her mother. Nor was it the rest of the family. The servants were the same.
Her father was different. He had been this time too. He had taught her sincerely, entrusted her with this crucial task, and now she was on the path to glory...!!
"...Huh!? What?"
How long had she been singing? The song stopped abruptly. Aoi got up and turned around, frowning at the unwelcome presence.
"...Why?"
Aoi, filled with suspicion, confronted the beings emerging from the shadows of the forest. It was absurd. Unbelievable.
"Why are the likes of you here?"
Several young youkai and small youkai emerged and rushed towards Aoi with all their might. In an instant, they turned into pieces of flesh.
It was a flash of her fan. Aoi's technique, using the fan and wind attacks, was not a trump card or her specialty, but it was the technique she used most effectively due to its portability and convenience.
Young youkai and small youkai approached one after another. But they were killed by whirlwind dance.
"Begone!"
Young youkai and small youkai approached one after another again. And they were killed by whirlwind dance again.
"Begone!! Foul creatures!!"
She waved her fan intensely. Trees splintered. The ground was gouged. Youkai were torn apart.
After doing that, everything went quiet all of a sudden. The impure monsters were all obliterated and the only one standing there was the peach-colored princess.
"Huff, huff... Hm!! W-why, though?"
Just as she was about to raise a triumphant shout, Aoi's trembling knees buckled. The young princess, unable to comprehend the situation, sat on the spot, bewildered.
"W-what's this...? Suddenly, I feel... weak...?"
Frantically trying to regain strength in her legs, she couldn't stand up no matter how hard she tried. She just collapsed miserably.
"Eh, eh? What in the world...?"
"I believe you're finally starting to see the effects, yes? Impressive, Princess. All the shikigami I had entrusted have been eradicated."
A voice from behind called out to the bewildered Aoi. She immediately sensed who the voice belonged to, given its distinctive tone.
"Medic? What are you... saying?"
Numbness and a vague sense of feeling overwhelmed Aoi's body. She managed to turn her head and questioned with difficulty. Her complexion appeared drained of color, and faint traces of fatigue were visible around her eyes. Sweat had formed on her forehead.
Clearly, something was amiss.
"What do you mean... As the wise and knowledgeable Princess, you should understand. But, I'm surprised. That lethal dose... your young body would never have survived it. You are a Princess, indeed. A monster. Our plan would have failed without your advice."
The medic responded with admiration, almost in awe. However, those on the receiving end of his words couldn't afford to be complacent.
"Lethal dose? That's... impossible? When did this happen? If I were poisoned, I should have noticed!!"
"Do you know the term 'prohibited mixture'?"
In response to Aoi's increasingly agitated questioning, the medic calmly inquired. Faced with this unexpected question, the young princess involuntarily let out a silly-sounding voice.
"Well? In this case, should we call it 'prohibited co-administration' or 'prohibited medication'?"
And then he explained further. He explained that certain substances, harmless or beneficial when taken individually, could become harmful when synthesized within the body. This scheme was an application of that concept.
"Princess is indeed wise. Truly, exceedingly wise. However, you are not all-knowing."
A prodigy who could perfect any skill or memorize any book with just one look or read, that was Onitsuki Aoi. But that ability was limited to things she had seen or heard.
She couldn't deal with the unknown. That was a simple fact. She had read numerous books on pharmacology, but that was all.
She didn't delve into the depths of the subject. She had no intention of doing so. After all, she believed that she could overcome anything with her own power, and if necessary, she could learn at that time. It was her arrogant belief, which was indeed a fact, but it wasn't necessarily correct.
And that belief had led to this conclusion. The herbs mixed into tea and sweets had concealed their presence with intense sweetness and coldness. The paralyzing agent concocted in her stomach gradually dulled her five senses. Bitter nutrients further numbed her tongue, making it easier to administer the actual poison... and now, here she was.
"Wait... Tea? Sweets? What is going on?"
In response to the medic's words, Aoi reacted. Words of confusion spilled out. The answers were needed immediately.
"Oh, Medic, you're here at last?"
Another figure emerged from behind the apothecary. Seeing the attire, Aoi's face lit up with a look of hope.
"You, you've come! Capture that frog-faced traitor right now! The one who betrayed the Onitsuki... the wretched conspirator!!"
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