Chapter 8 Stopping The Conspiracy Of The Demon Race
I had treated the mother of Duke's daughter Priscilla.
There was suspicion that her mother had been poisoned by someone.
Thinking that even if she recovered, she would be targeted by the culprit again, I decided to play a trick.
On the night we arrived in the capital city,
I was in the dining hall of the Duke Graham's mansion.
"Today is a celebration party for my wife's recovery! Everyone, please eat to your heart's content!"
Seated at the head of the dining hall was Cipher-san, also known as Duke Graham.
To his right was his wife, Dianne-san. Priscilla was on his left, and I was beside her.
It was a party gathering all the maids and cooks who worked in this mansion.
"Your Excellency Duke! I apologize deeply for being late!"
"Oh, Walduke! You're late."
The one who entered was a gloomy man with a slender figure.
"...Priscilla. Who's that guy?"
"...He's the head butler of this mansion. He also serves as Father's assistant."
"...Oh, I see."
Walduk looked at Priscilla's mom and exaggeratedly showed surprise.
"Oh! Dianne-sama! When I heard, I couldn't believe it at first! You've really recovered from your illness!"
"Yes, Walduke. Thank you. I'm sorry for causing you so much worry."
"No, no, it's nothing! When I heard that Madam had collapsed, I felt like my heart was about to burst! Madam, you saved me when I was lost without a job. I'm relieved that my benefactor is safe!"
Walduke said with a smile on his face.
"Well, today is a celebration! Walduke, you should join us for the meal!"
"Yes, yes, I would be honored to."
Duke Graham glanced at me.
I [sniffed] and nodded.
Duke Graham nodded back and said,
"Hey, Walduke."
"What is it, Your Excellency?"
"How about grabbing a meal together sometime?"
I was about to sit at the lower end of the long dining table, but Duke Graham motioned me to come closer.
"...Sure thing. I'm okay with that. Let's eat at the lower end once in a while,."
Dianne, Duke Graham's wife, nodded and stood up.
"...Come over here. I'll have your food, so, Walduke, you can have [what was meant for me]."
"What...!?"
He was taken aback. Walduke's eyes widened in surprise.
It seemed like things were going just as I expected.
"Um, no, no! Someone as lowly as me, dining so close to Your Excellency..."
"...Forget it, Walduke. Here, try this meal that I was supposed to eat."
"No, no! I really couldn't!"
...He strongly refusing.
It's pretty certain now.
Look at Duke Graham again.
I nodded. He nodded back, seeming resigned.
"Hey, you. Walduke-san."
"...Yes? Or rather, who might you be?"
"I'm Leaf Chemist. A pharmacist from the countryside. Sorry, but I see through all your scheming."
"Hmph, what nonsense... Scheming? Me?"
Seems like he's going to play dumb.
Just as expected.
"Actually, the dish you're about to eat is Dianne-san's."
"What!? Why would you do that!?"
"No deep reason. Just eat it. Try it quickly."
Walduke had a blue face and was looking at the plate in front of him.
"I-I'm full! I'll pass on the meal..."
"Don't be shy!"
I approached and picked up the grilled chicken on the plate.
I forcefully shoved it into Walduke's mouth.
"!? Mmm, ugh, eww!"
Walduke immediately spat out the grilled chicken.
"Y-you idiot! What if I had died...!"
He had been forced to swallow poison, so of course, he would spit it out and react like this.
"You won't die. Because I didn't switch the dishes."
"What!? Y-you! Are you lying? Why would you do such a thing!"
"To expose the fool."
"Ah..."
...Yes, with this reaction, it's like I understood.
"You're the one who poisoned Dianne-san's plate, Walduke. It was you. And you're the one who made Dianne-san sick."
"N-no... that's... not true! I didn't do anything!"
"Then why did you eat Dianne-san's food and then spit it out? Didn't you know it had poison?"
"G-guh... th-that's..."
Can't argue, Walduke is trembling.
"Ugh, dang it!"
Walduke puts his hand into his pocket.
He pulls out a gun and points it at Dianne-san.
I quickly activate my Divine Healer Staff on him.
"[Prescription: Paralyze]"
"Ughhhh...!"
The paralysis medicine I made numbs Walduke's body.
He collapses right there.
"Why... did you realize... the food was poisoned..."
"It's simple. I tasted the food for tonight's dinner party."
"Tasted...?"
I go to Dianne-san's seat, pick up the grilled chicken, and come back.
I eat it in front of Walduke.
"You fool... you'll die from poison!"
"That's right. This one's tasteless and odorless instant-death poison. But... it doesn't affect me."
"You're a fool... why not?"
"Because I have [Poison Immunity]."
Priscilla asked about it.
"Does that mean you have a body that's immune to poison? Is it... a skill?"
"No, it's just my body's natural condition. When I was little, as part of my training, I ate small amounts of poisonous plants and toxins, so I ended up with a body that's immune to poison without even realizing it."
When dealing with medicines that could also be poisonous, it's important to understand their effects correctly.
Following my master's teachings, I've been conducting experiments (or training) with poison on my own body since I was little.
As a result of gradually ingesting small amounts of poison, I've developed a body that's immune to all kinds of poison.
By the way, I can do some interesting things with this [poison immunity] trait, but... well, that's a story for another time.
"B-but... but! Just because there was poison, where's the proof that I put it there!?"
"It's the smell."
"The smell!?"
I point to my nose.
"I have a good nose. I've been smelling various herbs and poisonous flowers since I was little."
In judging poison, smell is important, so I've trained to distinguish scents.
As a result, I've gained a keen sense of smell.
"Foolish! It's an odorless poison, you know!? There's no smell!"
"Oh, right. But hey, it was left in the dining hall. I smelled the pomade in your hair."
I heard from Duke Graham that this head butler had just been out.
Why would someone who just went outside appear in the kitchen before greeting the master?
It's because he secretly put poison in Dianne-san cooking.
"You have a sensitive nose from another dimension...immune to poison. You...are you Cipher's hired poison taster!?"
"No, just a simple pharmacist from the outskirts."
"I won't stand for a pharmacist like you!"
So, Dianne-san's assassination was stopped before it happened.
With that, everything's settled.
Duke Graham looks sadly at the fallen Walduke.
"Walduke... why did you do this?"
"Kuku, kuku�kuhahahahaha!"
Walduke smirks evilly.
"Hehehe... Because I'm... the enemy of humans!"
At that moment, a bruise appears on Walduke's face.
And his body starts to bulge.
A horn sprouts from his temple.
"That bruise... a horn... No way! You are... a demon!"
Duke Graham looks at Walduke with disbelief.
This growing creature... a demon?
'Hahaha! That's right! I was planning to infiltrate the kingdom from within, but it looks like things turned out differently!'
Walduke was getting bigger and bigger.
"Oh no...! The demons infiltrated the kingdom as spies!"
"Run away, everyone!"
The female swordsman Lilith drew her sword and pointed it at Walduke.
But... it was shaking. She was trembling.
It's like when facing the Dragon King. Maybe she has trauma from battles.
'Hahaha! Useless! My fighting power surpasses humans (apes) by far...'
"[Prescription: Sleep]"
'Ugh...'
With a thud, Walduke collapsed on the spot.
""""Huh?""""
"[Prescription: Death Poison]"
Sizzle...! Walduke melted into a gooey mess on the spot, leaving nothing behind.
"""Huh...?"""
"Huh? Was that bad? He seemed like an enemy, so I defeated him."
Basically, the enemy talks too much for someone he's fighting against.
It's like he's practically asking to be defeated.
So, I made him sleep with "Sleep" and then added a lethal poison to my sword, and BAM! I struck him down.
And that's how I defeated him.
"Wow, that's... that's incredible... taking out a demon with just one hit...?"
Lilith, who was gaping in shock, said with a trembling voice.
"Well, it's not exactly one hit. It was more like a surprise attack. If they're that wide open, anyone could easily defeat them, right?"
Lilith, who had been gaping with her mouth wide open, eventually said with a voice shaking with anger.
"Who in the world can take out a demon with just one hitttttt?!"
"Um, I'm right here."
"You're abnormallllll!!!"
"Why am I being scolded?" I wondered aloud.
Then Duke Graham took my hand, tears streaming down his face as he bowed repeatedly.
"Thank you, Leaf Chemist-kun! You're not just the savior of my wife's life, but also the hero who saved the kingdom!"
I was taken aback by such extravagant praise.
A hero?
Haha, what nonsense.
"What are you talking about? There's no way I'm a hero."
The term 'hero' is reserved for folks like Old Man Arthur, Granny Merlin, and the elders of Dead End Village.
Compared to them, I'm just a novice at best.
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