Imperial Affairs (Levi X Reader) AU

71. One Vial Of Poison

Levi's POV

The prince didn't say another word and turned around to walk in the same direction we were walking in before I stopped due to shock.

He walked faster and faster every second and I was struggling to keep up with him because I wasn't used to lagging around all those heavy clothes on my person.

Soon enough, we reached a place that wasn't as quiet as the rest of the palace. I could see people busily working from behind the pillars the prince and I were standing behind.

He ushered me over to the pillar he was behind and I begrudgingly went to him. He then shed his cape and gave it to me to hold. He took the vial of poison in his hand and took a heavy breath before silently walking toward the trays with the food for the Imperial dinner.

Two seconds later, when he saw someone walk out of the kitchen to put something on the trays, he hurried back behind the pillar.

"I can't dispose of that many people without alerting the Emperor," He breathed to himself before talking to me, "And some of them might be too loyal to be bribed if they see me. Do you have any ideas, Levi?"

"Yes. I can do it," I suggested.

"Huh? But you're also a person who can be seen. You don't turn invisible, do you? How is that any better than me doing it?"

"Experience," I muttered, "Sneaking about is something Your Highness has never done in your life. At least, I'd assume so. However, I have done this for as long as I can remember and there are certain tricks to the trade that come with that experience."

"I see," The prince nodded as he handed me that vial, "Very well. Put this in the Empress's meal."

"And how exactly am I supposed to know which one is hers?"

"Take off the cloches and try to figure out which is the second best prepared dish. It's more likely than not that it'll be hers."

The fuck is a cloche?

"What is it?" The prince seemed confused, "We don't have much time. And remember to put the cloches back properly so that no one suspects that anyone touched it. If there is even a slight suspicion that someone did then I will most likely die tonight."

Seems like a cloche is that glass dome thing on top of it.

Seriously...these aristocrats and their fancy words.

Without another word, I began my move. I handed the prince's cape back to him as well as the coat I had been lent as well to which the prince looked rather offended but accepted nonetheless. I skillfully snuck over to the trays, hiding behind the nearest pillar in the blink of an eye whenever any staff came into sight as I felt the prince's restlessness in my blood telling me that he had his sword drawn just in case. I wanted to make sure no one saw me because if they did, either the prince would lose his life at the hands of the Emperor or all these people at the hands of the prince and both the outcomes were ones I wanted to avoid.

I finally reached the trays and lifted the dome like objects to see a variety of dishes prepared as...how do I say it...regally as possible?

I didn't have words to explain the dishes. The dishes looked grandly prepared, coated with things that looked like edible gold, silver and even tiny gems. The entire menu tonight was worth ten times than all the money the Underground was given by the empire to survive on for multiple years.

All the dishes looked extravagant and it became hard for me to decide which one to poison. It was hard for me to see which one was the most extravagant because all the dishes weren't the same and I definitely wasn't knowledgeable enough to know their names and worths.

I just had to pick one. The second best one if possible. If someone else got it then they would simply die. It wasn't like the prince was fond of anyone who could be served the food anyways.

But the problem was the chance that the prince could get it. If he did then he would die.

And I didn't want that.

Because...because of Isabel. Yes. That's the reason. There is no other reason for me to care about his safety.

But there is a low chance of that happening because there are plenty of people attending that dinner.

Wait a minute, how many of them are there again?

Tch. Whatever.

I made the best choice I could and left the domes exactly how I found them. I had OCD so that was the easiest part of this job.

"Did you do it?" The prince questioned as he hung the coat he hand lent me over me and patted out the slight wrinkles.

"I did," I nodded while the prince fixed his own cape.

"Good work," The prince praised before turning around and walking in the direction we came here from. Then we walked into the bigger hall we had watched the Empress disappear into earlier.

"Tell me when you see the dish you poisoned so I know who's eating it. Touch my foot with your toes and subtly nod in the direction."

"Understood, Your Highness."

"And as I said before," The prince's voice turned serious if it already hadn't been before, "It will hurt when you step into that room. Your blood reacts to people other than me. Too many of them at the same time and it will hurt. There is nothing you can do to relieve the pain other than distract yourself. Not to worry, it is nothing life threatening."

I was quiet. Because I didn't quite understand how the annoying feeling in my blood that was slowly subsiding day by day could ever hurt me. And I couldn't have understood. I couldn't have understood it until I felt it.

I knew we were getting close to the dining room. Not because I saw the door. I couldn't focus on the surroundings. Not with my heart beating that hard and blood pumping that fast. It was hurting. It was hurting badly. I would have screamed if I could. I let myself trust the prince and accept that this wasn't life threatening. But that didn't take the pain away. I forced myself to walk in the direction my instincts were telling me to run away from.

Beads of sweat rolled down my forehead because of the extreme pain I was made to bear without even permission to change my expressions and the uncomfortable attire I was made to wear. I felt something soft wipe that sweat off of me.

"Do you wish to leave?" The prince wiped my sweat with my extremely soft handkerchief right outside what I assumed was the dining room, "I won't make you stay if the pain is intolerable."

"I'm fine," I took the handkerchief from the prince's hands to properly use it.

I felt my other hand being taken into the prince's gloved, thin, fragile and gentle hands as he squeezed it in affirmation. It was hard to believe that those same hands could wield a sword that could lay waste to any enemy by only depending on the wielder's skill. It was hard to believe that the prince's worried face looking at me now could be filled with pure anger and so much hatred to burn the world to ashes.

"I'll excuse you to leave when it gets too much," He gave my hand another gentle squeeze, "Tell me anytime."

The prince let go of my hand and his worried look changed into a fearful and pained one as he turned around to face the doors. It was stupid of me to wonder why after seeing that look so many times and seeing why right after.

I pushed the doors of the dining room open as the prince entered first. He was ignored. Everyone except the guards and servants focused their gazes of surprise and shock on me. I assumed they could feel the disturbance too.

They were astounded by my entrance.

A/N = What is a math teacher's favourite dessert? Pie.

October 24, 2023

- Heliaxa