A body inexplicably weakening with no discernible cause—having watched more than her share of palace intrigue dramas and inner-court soap operas, Wei Wei's first thought was poison.
After all, wasn't this the most classic trope? In practically every palace drama, there was always some secret poison—colorless, tasteless, and undetectable even by the royal physicians—that slowly sapped someone's life away. It was an overused cliché, yes, but one grounded in reality, especially in a world like this.
And given that this was Europe in a pre-modern era, where medical science lagged far behind what she knew, and Western medicine without diagnostic instruments was notoriously poor at identifying subtle illnesses, her theory made sense. If the king had been poisoned with something mild that only caused general weakness and no other symptoms, it would explain why no one could find a cause.
Still, this was just a theory. She would have to see the patient before making any conclusions.
But the moment Felix heard her suspicion—that the king might have been poisoned—his face darkened. His first thought went to Duke Romanov. After all, if anything happened to the king right now, he was the one with the most to gain.
Of course, poisoning monarchs was hardly unheard of in Europe. It was one of the oldest assassination methods. Duke Romanov wasn't the only suspect—far from it.
The sea voyage to the royal capital's harbor typically took about a week. However, the king's attendant had been urging the rowers to pick up the pace nonstop. Since the ship was traveling light, with no cargo to weigh it down, they arrived two full days ahead of schedule.
A carriage was already waiting for them at the harbor, and the moment they disembarked, they were swept off toward the palace.
Wei Wei originally planned to hand little Anthony over to Penny, so the maids could take him directly back to the count's mansion. But the child still hadn't recovered from the emotional trauma of being separated from his mother. Right now, he needed her by his side to feel safe. After the nonstop travel—first by sea, now by carriage—Anthony was exhausted, and Wei Wei feared that if he started crying again in his fragile state, he might fall ill. Given how serious the situation in the palace could be, she might not be able to return quickly once inside.
After weighing everything, she ultimately decided to bring her son with her.
In addition to Anthony, she also brought Penny, Kama, Mona, and two other young maids—five attendants in total.
The king's attendant was originally opposed to letting her bring so many maids. While it wasn't unusual for noblewomen to bring servants into the palace, usually one or two was the limit. Bringing five was excessive. Without permission from the palace steward, he couldn't approve it.
But before boarding the carriage, Wei Wei gestured toward the maids and the medicine chests they carried. "These are all medical supplies, and the girls are my assistants. If I have to treat His Majesty without proper help, it could hinder the process."
The maids cooperatively opened the chests, revealing their contents. The attendant peeked inside and saw that they were indeed filled with various herbs and materials.
After thinking it over, he relented and allowed them all to accompany her to the palace.
They entered quietly, the carriage taking a side entrance rather than the palace's main gate. Before entry, they were searched—not excessively, just enough to ensure they weren't carrying any dangerous items. As a knight by background, Felix was still permitted to carry his weapon.
The one who had arranged the carriage was none other than the Palace Steward. When he saw how many people Wei Wei had brought, he showed no visible reaction. He merely glanced at the sleeping child in her arms and then led them without a word toward the king's quarters.
The atmosphere within the palace was tense and unnatural. Normally, in addition to the royal family, many noble ladies and favored courtiers would reside in the palace, fulfilling various duties. The hallways would be alive with their comings and goings.
But now, as they walked through the palace, they saw not a single soul aside from the stationed guards.
"The king ordered all of them out after he fell ill," the steward explained without turning around as if sensing their confusion.
Once His Majesty realized something was wrong and no cause could be found, he began suspecting everyone around him. The once-crowded palace had been emptied in one sweeping purge. Every noble—even his mistresses—had been expelled. Now, only the king, queen, and the two princes remained in residence, along with a handful of servants who worked the palace. Royal Knights had sealed off the surrounding area, and no one could enter or leave without express permission.
Even more astonishing, the queen herself was not permitted into the king's quarters. The only people allowed to approach His Majesty were his doctors, a few personal attendants—and the two princes.
When they finally reached the king's chambers, the steward halted the group. Everyone else was ordered to remain outside, and only Wei Wei was permitted to enter.
"My apologies," the steward said gravely to both Wei Wei and Felix. "His Majesty previously ordered that no one may see him. Only the lady may go in."
Wei Wei found this statement a bit odd, but given the circumstances, she didn't question it. She gently passed the sleeping Anthony into Felix's arms.
"Take care of him."
Fortunately, the child was still asleep. Had he been awake in this unfamiliar setting, he would've refused to be separated from his mother.
Felix gave her a nod and a glance of silent warning—be careful.
Guards were stationed outside. The steward opened the door just a sliver—just enough for Wei Wei to slip in—shielding the room's interior from view. Once she was inside, he followed and closed the door behind them.
The room was dim and heavily scented with herbs. Though it was broad daylight, all the curtains had been drawn. The bed's canopy was lowered, fully shielding the person within from view.
A lone attendant sat quietly in the corner near the bed. If he hadn't risen to greet them, Wei Wei might not have noticed him at all.
She moved toward the bed and bowed respectfully. "Good day, Your Majesty."
But the king did not respond.
Instead, the steward's voice came quietly beside her. "Madam, His Majesty is currently in a coma."
Wei Wei's heart jumped. "How long has he been unconscious?"
"Two full days."
At that, Wei Wei put aside all etiquette and stepped forward immediately. "Please open the curtains—I need to examine him."
The steward complied without hesitation, moving with the attendant to pull the curtains aside. They'd kept the room dark to prevent outsiders from peeking in, but with His Majesty unconscious for two days and the royal physicians still at a loss, Wei Wei was their only real hope.
Whether she was a last resort or not, no one would say aloud.
With sunlight now filling the room, Wei Wei moved to the opposite side of the bed and lifted the canopy. Finally, she could see the king.
He had visibly lost weight since she last saw him—though not to a critical degree yet. Still, if he remained unconscious much longer, his life would indeed be in danger. This wasn't the modern world; without machines or IVs, there was little that could sustain a comatose body for long.
Wei Wei began her examination—first checking his eyes and mouth, then pulling out one of his hands from under the covers to feel his pulse.
The process took some time. She even switched hands partway through. The room remained silent, everyone anxiously watching her every move.
Finally, Wei Wei let go of his wrist and stood up. Her expression was grave.
"His Majesty's condition is currently stable," she said to the steward, "but if it's delayed any longer, that could change. I need to prepare some medicine immediately. Could you provide me with a room with a fireplace? I'll also need clean water and a pot."
Given the sensitive situation, the palace kitchen wasn't an ideal location—too many eyes and ears. If she were seen going there, it could easily leak that she had entered the palace. For secrecy's sake, the fireplace was the best option.
The steward was quick to understand her intentions. "Yes—there's a fireplace in the adjoining chamber. You can use it. I'll have the items brought at once."
Then, he hesitated a moment before asking, "Madam… do you know what caused His Majesty's condition?"
Wei Wei glanced at the steward and the attendant and replied vaguely, "He likely consumed something he shouldn't have."
In truth, the situation was just as she had suspected—the king had been poisoned with something that sapped his strength over time. And it hadn't been a one-time dosage.
She suspected the poison had been administered in repeated small doses. Each time, the amount was minuscule—too little to provoke immediate symptoms, which was why it had gone unnoticed. But over time, the cumulative effect weakened the king's body bit by bit, until he collapsed into a coma. If the king hadn't begun suspecting something was wrong, it could've easily passed for a natural decline, followed by death from illness.
Thankfully, the toxin wasn't particularly aggressive. With the right antidote, the king could wake up. Recovery might take time, and there could be lingering effects, but he could be saved.
Of course, if she used acupuncture, she might be able to rouse him immediately—but that wasn't a treatment method people here understood. If she suddenly pulled out needles and stuck them in the king's head, they might accuse her of trying to murder him.
So she chose the safer, more conservative route—medicine. It was slower but less risky, and wouldn't put her in danger.
The steward, a seasoned court veteran, instantly picked up on her implications. His face darkened, and he turned to look sharply at the attendant.
The man turned pale under the gaze and quickly shook his head. "Sir, it wasn't me! I swear it wasn't me!"
The steward wanted to say, If it wasn't me, then it had to be you—who else is even allowed in here?
But then Wei Wei added, "His Majesty was likely poisoned long before his symptoms appeared—well before the first signs of fatigue."
At this, the attendant sighed in relief, and the steward stopped staring at him.
If the poisoning began even earlier than two months ago, then many had the opportunity.
It would need investigating. But for now, the most urgent matter was saving the king.
"Madam, please follow me."
Like most noble estates, the king's chambers had a master and mistress bedroom suite—though in this case, the queen did not live in the same palace. The adjoining room had remained unused, and now the steward led Wei Wei there to serve as her makeshift apothecary.