Chapter 28

‘Poison was found in His Highness’s dinner!’

The shocking news stirred up an uproar in the Fifth Prince’s Palace late that evening.

Every attendant working in the palace was gathered in one place.

From the lowly workers who cleaned the latrines to Chief Attendant Marcellus, not one person was absent.

“Your Highness, Your Highness!”

Tang Yuwon, who had arrived earlier and was seated at the head of the table, looked up as Marcellus came rushing in, flustered. Though his heavy frame hardly lent itself to speed, he had still managed to arrive quickly, perhaps because of the urgency of the situation.

“Your Highness, are you unharmed? I was about to retire for the night when the news reached me, and I was so startled I could hardly stand!”

“Don’t make such a fuss, Marcellus. As you can see, I’m perfectly fine.”

“Whew… that’s a relief indeed. But is it true that there was poison in Your Highness’s meal? Even after hearing it with my own ears, I thought perhaps the servants must have been mistaken.”

“It’s just as you’ve heard.”

“Haah… how could such a dreadful thing happen… Still, it’s fortunate Your Highness was not harmed.”

“Fortunate for me, but rather unfortunate for those who aimed to kill me.”

“Your Highness, how can you say such a thing?”

“Well, it’s the truth, isn’t it? They must have wanted me dead, yet here I am, alive and well. Whoever those assassins hiding in here are, I doubt they’re resting easy right now. Hahaha.”

Yuwon’s smiling expression pierced straight through Marcellus.

‘So, you were involved after all.’

From the Chief Attendant, Yuwon could smell the same poison that Yurion had long been ingesting.

“Ah, no, no, Your Highness, don’t say such things, even as a jest. It is enough that your noble body remains unscathed.”

“Such words won’t help us get anywhere, so let’s leave it at that. I’ll be stepping out for a moment—take care of the rest.”

“Yes, Your Highness, I shall carry out your orders faithfully.”

Yuwon left his seat and made his way to a nearby empty room.

Drawing on his inner energy, he confirmed that no one was nearby before reaching into his robe and pulling out a glass bottle.

Without hesitation, he uncorked it. Even the brief moment the lid was open was enough to release a sharp stench of poison into the air.

‘Ugh, that smell… Yurion, you were eating this without realizing?’

To others, it would have seemed colorless, tasteless, and odorless—but to Yuwon, it was more distinct than any spice.

Even he hadn’t been this sensitive before. It was a change that came after the venom of the Dragon-Scaled Serpent had fused with that of the Black Serpent a few days ago.

The day the serpent-shaped mark appeared upon his chest—the very image of the Dragon-Scaled Serpent’s fang—Yuwon, already a master in toxins, had transcended even his own expertise.

Just as a carnivore reacts instinctively to the scent of blood, Yuwon, who now hunted poison itself, could feel its presence clearly.

Before, he had merely known poison; now, he felt it.

In that sense, the Dragon-Scaled Serpent was without question the divine creature Tang Seogyeom had spent his final years searching for.

“You both felt it too, didn’t you? The scent of this poison is the same as the one that came from that man earlier.”

Yuwon’s words, which seemed to be spoken into empty air, were met with a nod from the Black Serpent coiled around his heart.

The Dragon-Scaled Serpent, resting in the inner pocket of his chest, raised its tail like a brush and drew a small circle.

Though Yuwon had already reached his conclusion, their confirmation drove the final nail in.

‘From the start, I didn’t like you… and sure enough, you haven’t changed. Marcellus. For a so-called Chief Attendant, you’re nothing more than a lackey.’

The most important matter of the night had been verified. It was time to move on to the next.

Clack—

The sound of a doorknob turning echoed eerily through the silent room.

‘Marcellus… I’ll let you live for now since you’re still useful. But I’ll start by cutting your fingers and toes one by one.’

Murderous intent flickered in Yuwon’s eyes as he left the room. He carved Marcellus’s name onto his kill list.

After the commotion that evening, dawn came as though nothing had happened. Yuwon remained alone in the prince’s sleeping quarters.

Marcellus, having confirmed the poison by testing it on a live chicken, had been beside himself with panic, insisting that personal guards be stationed at Yuwon’s side day and night. But Yuwon refused.

Now that he had confirmed the Chief Attendant’s true nature, it was almost amusing to even see his face.

A month ago, on the day Yuwon had first met the Emperor in person, the poison that had been slipped into Yurion’s meals suddenly vanished overnight.

That was the turning point—the moment the Emperor’s attention had shifted toward him. Yet, the infiltrators had not been removed. They still roamed freely within the Fifth Prince’s Palace.

At the time, Yuwon had decided to let them be, believing it wiser to first strengthen his own defenses. But now that he had the power—his silence ended. Yuwon drew his sword.

‘My guess was right. There’s no way they would discard the spies they went to such lengths to plant.’

Being able to smell the poison was an invaluable ability when identifying the culprits.

When everyone gathered together in one place, Yuwon could instantly distinguish his enemies.

Even without checking every single one, he knew that at least a few key figures had been left behind—and those exact people fell neatly within his gaze.

There were four of them.

Out of the thirty attendants working that day, four carried the same scent of poison Yurion had been fed.

And that was only for the current shift. Once he checked the others who had rotated through the palace over time, the number would surely grow.

‘The poisoners stopped their actions the moment the Fifth Prince met with the Emperor—a meeting he’d never sought before. But now, suddenly, the same poison reappears. They must be on edge. After all, they themselves didn’t administer it this time.’

They say a guilty conscience betrays itself. For years, they had poisoned the prince without fail, only to stop a month ago.

Now, with no memory of using it again, the same poison surfaced—and the once-passive Fifth Prince was drawing his blade. There was no way those spies could stay calm.

‘Four lackeys among thirty attendants… If each of the princes has placed his own people, then there are at least ten spies altogether.’

Back when Yurion had been branded a wastrel, attendants had been replaced weekly, sometimes more.

Even from Yuwon’s perspective now, the Fifth Prince’s Palace had been defenseless enough to tempt any infiltrator.

‘At least fifteen… meaning half the attendants in this palace are spies.’

Realizing that, he couldn’t help but laugh.

“Ha, haha… Yurion, you really lived without a single thought, didn’t you?”

Once more, the notorious reputation of the wastrel prince rang true across the continent.

‘Still, I suppose I should be grateful. Thanks to you, I’m alive again… I’ll repay the favor.’

Yuwon rose abruptly, donned a mask, and armed himself.

Not just the mask—he had already changed into black clothing.

He had found his prey. It was time to hunt.

2 a.m.

At that late hour, someone was slipping out of the Fifth Prince’s Palace in secret.

Her face was hidden by the deep hood of her robe, but her small frame made it clear she was a woman.

As expected, she had no intention of using the main gate. She soon arrived at the tall outer wall of the palace.

Drawing close, her pace quickened. Her silent, cautious steps shifted into swift strides as she took her running start.

Tap-tap-tap—

Her speed rivaled that of a knight strengthened by magic.

From where such strength came from her small body, no one could tell—but she vaulted lightly over the wall. The motion was fluid, nimble, and utterly precise.

‘I must deliver this news quickly. By tomorrow, it might already be too late. No… by tomorrow, I might not even get the chance. Tonight’s incident was brushed aside because it was late, but tomorrow—they’ll act in earnest.’

She was one of the spies planted within the Fifth Prince’s Palace.

Having crossed the wall, she scanned her surroundings in nervous haste. She had checked several times to ensure she wasn’t being followed, yet unease still gnawed at her heart.

‘I’ve climbed this wall countless times, but tonight it feels different… Once I deliver this message and return to the Fifth Prince’s Palace, will I ever cross this wall again…?’

For years she had served the Third Prince with absolute loyalty, yet never before had she felt such unease.

She was the head of the attendants in charge of cooking within the Fifth Prince’s Palace. It had been nearly ten years since she had been intentionally placed there, so her anxiety was understandable.

She was the one who had played the most crucial role in poisoning Yurion’s meals.

‘Now’s not the time to cower. I must deliver this news quickly.’

She steadied her trembling heart. Though the memory of the Fifth Prince’s cold, predatory gaze—so utterly changed in the past month—still haunted her mind, she resolved to see her mission through to the end.

Just one more turn around the corner, and she would be safe. Beyond that point was her sanctuary.

‘Phew, thank goodness. Nothing happened.’

The safe zone was just ahead. With a lighter heart, she turned the familiar corner.

“You’re here.”

“…!”

A masked man stood where safety should have been. In that instant, she moved to flee at full speed.

There wasn’t a trace of hesitation. She wasn’t a weak woman by any means, but every instinct screamed that this man was death itself. Her decision took less than half a second.

Attack wasn’t an option. Exposed and desperate, she bolted.

She became like the wind as she tried to escape—but the masked man was faster.

“Where do you think you’re going, you rat?”

His rough hand seized a fistful of her long hair. The hood of her robe slipped back from the speed of her sprint, sealing her fate.

“Kyaaak!”

Her frantic dash was cut short in an instant. If she was the wind, he was lightning.

‘How can a person move so fast…?!’

Though she currently posed as a palace attendant, that was merely her cover. She had once been favored personally by the Third Prince himself—a capable agent by all standards.

Yet now, she couldn’t even run away.

“You little rat. Where were you scurrying off to in the middle of the night?”

“Keuk, kkh…!”

The masked man’s grip tightened, wrapping her hair around his hand as though he meant to rip it all out by the roots. At that rate, it wouldn’t be strange if her entire scalp tore free.

She had no choice left but to fight back. With only her head restrained, she gritted her teeth and drew a small throwing knife from her sleeve.

But he was faster. Still clutching her hair, the masked man slammed her face into the ground with brutal force.

Crack—!

“Kkyaagh—!”

Her head rang, her nose broke, and blood gushed freely. The single blow shattered several front teeth, grinding her face against the ground until it was ruined.

Through the haze of pain, she heard his chilling voice.

“Well, I didn’t expect you to cooperate from the start.”

Only one thought crossed her mind. Suicide.

‘I can’t win against him. If I live, I’ll only be tortured to death. Better to die now.’

The Third Prince’s favor had allowed her to support her entire family. To betray him now would be unforgivable. As a trained spy, she made her choice without the slightest hesitation.

She thrust her tongue forward. Her front teeth were shattered, but if she bit down with all her strength, it would be enough to end it.

Crunch.

Thud—!

“Keuhh—!”

But instead of the sound of her tongue crushing, there came the dull thud of impact and a gasp of agony.

The moment she tried to bite, the man kicked her viciously.

His kick was so powerful that a clump of her hair tore free, and she rolled across the ground before finally stopping.

Step, step—

The sound of footsteps drew closer—slow, deliberate, merciless. To her, they sounded like the tolling of her death knell.

“Trying to kill yourself, are you…?”

Just then, salvation arrived.

Whish—!

A sharp throwing knife flew out of nowhere, aimed straight for the masked man. He cut himself off mid-sentence and twisted aside, narrowly avoiding it.

He turned toward the direction the knife had come from.

“Tch… so she had company?”

Men dressed much like the masked man emerged from the darkness, closing in from every direction.

“You’re surrounded. Drop your weapon and surrender.”

They tightened their formation, each gripping a gleaming dagger. Even at a glance, they were well-trained.

At that critical moment, the masked man responded not with fear—but with laughter. There was even a hint of excitement in his voice.

“You should’ve stayed where you were and watched quietly… but this works out. I’ve been meaning to test something anyway. I’ll keep one of you alive—her or you, doesn’t matter.”

With a flash, the masked man drew his dagger.

Fwoosh—!

A blue blade light flared, making the dagger glow like ghostfire.

Then again—darkness surged. A black, venomous energy welled up from his heart, following the same path his internal energy had taken moments ago.

Fwoosh—!

The dagger’s aura turned shadowy and grim, darkness spreading over the blue light until the blade itself became pitch-black.

The masked man—no, Tang Yuwon—held a dagger wreathed in both sword aura and poison.

Beyond the palace walls, in the small courtyard behind the Fifth Prince’s Palace, a scene of carnage was about to unfold.