Fejin, feeling the limp body of the young officer on his back, rushed out of the mansion and set him down on the porch.
“Wake up!” he shouted sharply to revive him. As he did so, a policeman who hadn’t gone down to the basement approached Fejin.
“Shall we move him to a warmer place?”
“No, it’s fine,” Fejin replied, refusing and pressing firmly on the officer’s chest. His actions were confident and assured.
Fortunately, the Lunos mansion was close to the city center, and a doctor arrived in less than thirty minutes. After examining the officer, the doctor said, “It appears to be poison.”
“Poison?” Paul asked incredulously, his expression tightening.
The doctor nodded. “I don't know where he ingested the poison, but it’s best to get him away from this place.”
“Hey, get a carriage…” Paul started to order the officers but trailed off. The policemen who had inspected the pipes were all sitting down, clearly affected even if they hadn’t lost consciousness like the officer.
Paul turned to Fejin. “Didn’t the Lunos couple send poison to the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess?”
“That was made from mushrooms. There was nothing like that in the basement,” Fejin replied firmly.
The colorless, odorless poison made from boiling toxic mushrooms was a traditional method used by the seafaring people of the right island. It was an extreme poison sent to men who betrayed their daughters. Sometimes, those who consumed it died, but most recognized its deadly nature and only pretended to drink it, then went to sea. They used the profits from their dangerous voyages to buy the lives of their loved ones and their honor. The left island people considered this barbaric, and the practice was banned by law under new leadership.
A hundred years ago, having a mistress wasn't severely criticized among the nobles of the right island because men frequently died at sea, making eternal promises impractical. Even then, permission was needed, and the official partner had strong authority over the mistresses. Miller, hating April's control over his true love, had broken off their engagement under left island law, while the Lunos couple retaliated with right island traditions.
Regardless, it was unreasonable to think April, even if she were a witch, had poisoned the police in a basement she hadn't visited in seven years. Yet no one present doubted her. Even the doctor glanced nervously at the Lunos family crest on the mansion door.
The Lunos family crest, featuring scales, symbolized their pride in trade and fairness, claiming they never resorted to plunder. Despite this, the Lunos family lost almost all their wealth to plunder. The right island people still saw plunder as a means of survival, but a bigger problem was that many sailors in the Lunos territory were descendants of pirates, making their plunder more professional and ruthless.
However, in the past seven years, the right island people's mindset had changed significantly. Fejin thought that with April under house arrest, plunder had probably decreased.
When Fejin descended into the basement, April was nowhere to be seen. Convinced she had gone further down, he climbed down a ladder to a deeper level. In the distance, he could faintly see the light from April’s lantern. Despite strong young men stumbling out after only a short stay, April walked deeper without issue. After feeling the cut pipe, Fejin frowned and moved towards April. Despite his usual robust health, he felt a wave of nausea that nearly blacked him out.
“April, come out.”
“I need to go further in,” April replied calmly, pointing her finger deeper inside. The space was too vast for one lantern to illuminate, and her lamp seemed too bright for its size.
“Is she a witch?” An officer following Fejin murmured, and April indeed looked like one with her glowing lamp, golden hair like sunlit fire, and red eyes ablaze with determination. An officer, unable to overcome his fear, rushed at April but collapsed clutching his chest before reaching her.
Fejin, helping the fallen officer, told April, “It seems no one else can go further inside but you.”
Despite being under house arrest for seven years, April knew she was suspected. The only certain thing was that she was the healthiest in the basement, despite the nausea and faintness she felt.
“You're right. No one else can come here,” she said, feeling relieved she wasn’t collapsing like the others.
The nearly unconscious officer gripped Fejin's arm and muttered, “Witch... She must be a witch. The doctor said it was poison! We need to burn her...” He fainted before finishing his sentence. Fejin, clicking his tongue, dragged him out.
Outside the basement, most of the police were recovering to some degree but hadn’t fully regained their strength. Fejin surveyed the devastated police force, clicking his tongue again.
Paul approached and reported, “The doctor said breathing the fresh outdoor air saved their lungs from serious harm.”
“That’s a relief.”
An officer from the Grand Duchy, overhearing, asked Fejin in astonishment, “Did you suspect poison?”
Paul laughed loudly before Fejin could answer, “How would he know? He’s not a doctor. It was a coincidence.” He waved his hand dismissively. Once out of earshot, Paul asked Fejin, “We've done enough investigation for show. Should we close it off again?”
“No,” Fejin replied, nodding towards the basement. “We need to find out why April Lunos isn’t affected down there.”
“Ah, right,” Paul agreed, shifting his gaze to the basement door. “We can't say there's no connection between that fog and April Lunos.”
“Then you should arrest me first,” Fejin said with a bitter smile. “I'm the one neglecting the fog's cause.”
“Inspector...”
“Am I wrong?” Fejin smirked. “I'm the one who knows about the fog but leaves it unchecked.”
