The Protagonists All Love Me

Chapter 3 Changing The Plot

"You can't eat that, what if you get sick Young Master Frederick?" Frederick carrying the fruits in a handkerchief, a trio of pink and sweet-smelling plums.

"What is all this commotion?" The duchess asked flustered as she sat by the roaring fire, discussing treatment options with the attending doctor.

Suddenly her son Frederick came in and hid something beside her, stubbornly attaching himself like a koala. Hiding away from the butler that came after him.

Chuckling she stroked his hair and asked him softly, "Whats the matter darling?"

"Mother... maybe it was a Nymph or a winter sprite, she gave me fruits because my stomach growled." Spending most of his time after sword practice, trying to know who or what she might have been in the library.

"Fruit?" She asked bewildered.

Nodding with urgency. "The butler keeps trying to take it from me saying it will make me sick, I know he just wants to eat it himself."

"Oh?" She smiled and looked at the doctor apologetically. "Why don't you ask Doctor Barnes?-I'm sure he can tell you if it can be eaten or not."

Watching as her son played with her long strawberry coloured plait, with a sparkle in his eyes.

"Can you do it?" He asked coldly.

"I'm certain I can young master." Bowing nervously at the similarities of the two, father and son who both treat the duchess with such care and tenderness.

The rest, like ants or people that owe you money or something disgusting that daren't be touched.

"Since your confident." His blue eyes gleamed with a chill, placing the handkerchief on the table between them.

Pushing down his glasses he looked at the fruits, which appeared to be a handful of ordinary plums except the bright pinkish hue that they had.

Opening up his case he placed on a clean pair of gloves and sterilised a long and thin needle, that he usually used to take samples of potential poisonous food for the members of royalty.

Wiping the needle with alcohol he lightly tapped away the excess and waited for a while for the liquid to dry down, he pierced all three plums which revealed the bright green flesh. An intoxicatingly sweet smell like a freshly baked tart abruptly assaulted his senses.

"Excuse me." Removing his gloves he rummaged for a thick leather bound book and flicked across the pages.

'A medicinal fruit used in the war by the allies of war, Elves who treat it as a delicacy rather than for the health preservation effectiveness it has on the body.'

'It has a beautiful, vivid pink outer appearance in contrary to the green flesh. It is deliciously sweet and is especially known for being able to heal most ailments.'

'Bulbs of Peony, as the fruit is said to grow in tandem with the flower, a parasitic plant that uses the intoxicating smell to lure in small animals which gets captured by the beautiful flower of a similar colour.'

'The flowers stewed have a similar effect but less potent than the fruit.'

"Young Master the fruits are edible..." He looked at his happy face with difficulty, he looked at the duchess for help.

"Thats good!" He smiled about to get up when Duchess Sylvia's hand rested on his lap, urging him to stay seated. "Mother?"

"But?"

"It's a precious medicinal fruit that will completely cure madam, but the fruit belongs to the young master." Uncertain of what to do.

In awkward silence, he decided to gamble. "If the duchess eats the fruit, she will recover and there won't be problems in the future."

"Then Mother, you should eat them and live longer okay?"

"...Alright, but let's talk to the duke first."

"Yes duchess."

***

In the original novel the duchess, former princess and sister of the current king dies of ill health. Causing a small butterfly effect where the Grand Duke starts to despise and treat his son coldly because of the loss of his beloved, the emperor in contrast treats him warmly and becomes a fatherly figure for him.

Growing up he has a hot and cold relationship with the young emperor, who is known for his cold indifference and irritable personality. Though despite that he was quite close to his aunt the former princess.

Unknowingly and probably uncaring too, Eira didn't think too much about how she was already changing the events of the novel she had read.

Especially now, considering she had inadvertently saved the life of the Grand Duchess.

I wonder how things will play out in the future?