Chương 59: Chapter 58

As Ronin heard the footsteps approaching from the hallway, his sharp senses immediately told him that the person had arrived. Both he and the Empress Dowager knew that their guest was finally here. Ronin clenched his fist. He did not want to meet this person face-to-face. If they were in such close proximity, he feared that the strange influence she seemed to have would once again override his emotions and force him to feel a sense of protectiveness toward her.

Therefore, he kept his hostility high, hoping that maintaining his suspicion would counteract whatever effect she might have on him. However, when the variable finally entered the room after being guided by the servants, the strange sensation he had felt during the banquet was no longer there. He felt nothing. And when his eyes met Nina's, what he saw was not someone manipulating those around her. Instead, he saw someone who appeared completely disconnected from worldly affairs.

While Ronin was lost in thought, he noticed Nina look away before performing a commoner's bow toward the Empress Dowager. That action caused both Ronin and the Empress Dowager to freeze before exchanging glances. Ronin knew that Nina understood much about nobility. He had seen her actions during the banquet and knew she was not ignorant of noble customs. Yet this bow... It seemed strangely inappropriate for the situation. But knowing Mrs.

Roosevelt, there was no way she would have revealed their true identities to Nina. There was no way she would have told her that the people standing before her were the Crown Prince and the Empress Dowager. So why had Nina performed such a stiff, formal commoner's bow? As they waited for her to rise, the silence stretched on longer than expected. The atmosphere slowly became awkward. It was only when the Empress Dowager seemed to realize the reason that she finally spoke.

"You may rise." Only then did Nina straighten herself. After that, everything proceeded as expected. The Empress Dowager looked at Nina and began speaking with her. However, when she started her test, she quickly realized something unexpected. The person in front of her was not asking for wealth, power, or any other reward. She only wanted her clothing returned. Ronin watched the interaction carefully.

He noticed Nina's slight stiffness when the Empress Dowager grabbed her hands, as well as the almost subconscious frown that appeared on her face. It was a strange reaction. Someone else might have considered it disrespectful, but Ronin noticed something different. Nina did not seem uncomfortable because of the Empress Dowager's status. She seemed uncomfortable because of the physical contact itself. When the Empress Dowager asked about the clothing, Ronin watched silently.

The moment he saw Nina extend her hands and the clothing slowly materialize before her, both he and the Empress Dowager were stunned. The girl simply handed the clothing over as if what had happened was completely ordinary. The Empress Dowager carefully examined the item before passing it to her servants. She gave a subtle signal, instructing them to test the clothing thoroughly.

They needed to confirm that there was no hidden poison, curse, or other abnormalities, and that the clothing was truly her ordinary outfit. While the servants examined the item, the Empress Dowager decided to bring everyone to the dining hall. It would give them time to complete the inspection while allowing them to continue their conversation and bring this matter to a proper conclusion.... In the dining room, Ronin received his food.

As he waited for the hot towel to be brought over so he could clean his hands before eating, he watched Nina place her spoon into the soup. However, just as she was about to taste it, her movements suddenly stopped. Her eyes became unfocused, and for a brief moment, she seemed as though she had fallen into a daze. Then, in the very next second, she returned to normal and calmly placed the spoon back down. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

The movement was not forceful. But because the room was currently silent, the sound of the spoon touching the plate echoed throughout the dining hall. Beatrice looked toward Nina.

"Something wrong?" After hearing her response, she immediately instructed the servants to remove the food. Then, she turned toward Nina.

"What would you like instead?" While waiting for her answer, Ronin looked toward his grandmother. He understood that she was currently acting as a wealthy noblewoman, but even he had to admit... His grandmother was playing the role a little too well. As he waited to hear Nina's response, Ronin found himself questioning his own judgment. However, after thinking about it carefully, he understood. This person truly possessed mastery over multiple abilities. The first was barrier creation.

The second was an identity-changing ability that allowed her to completely alter her appearance and persona. The third was a powerful spatial ability. There was also another potential ability that he had not yet fully confirmed. The ability to cause people to instinctively trust her without consciously realizing it. From the information he had gathered and the testimonies of those who had interacted with her, Ronin had noticed a strange pattern.

When people recalled the incident that nearly placed Rosa Roosevelt, or rather Nina, who had been impersonating Rosa at the time, in danger, their memories were strangely affected. If they had not discovered that she was the person responsible for the barriers and witnessed her protecting everyone from countless attacks, they would have truly believed that she was nothing more than a fragile person who naturally caused others to want to protect her. This must be a support ability. Ronin thought carefully.

When viewed together, all of these abilities seemed to revolve around support abilities. It was a strange combination. A support ability combined with an offensive ability powerful enough to influence the outcome of a calamity.

"Fruit" … After hearing the variable's answer, Ronin carefully observed Nina, trying to determine what was happening. Although he had no intention of lowering his guard, he could not deny that his curiosity had begun to grow. Before he could activate his Eye of Truth to inspect the soup himself, the servants had already moved. With remarkable efficiency, they cleared away every dish on the table before replacing them with three different varieties of fruit.

Even the decorative centerpiece was replaced with another arrangement of fruit. While the servants carried over the pre-cut fruit, Ronin quietly activated his ability. His gaze swept across the food. No poison. Finding nothing unusual, he relaxed slightly and deactivated his ability. Surely no one would be foolish enough to attempt something so crude in front of the Empress Dowager. As the servants finished preparing the table, everyone wiped their hands before beginning to eat.

Out of the corner of his eye, Ronin noticed Nina completely ignore the fruit placed before her. Instead, she reached toward one of the decorative fruits arranged at the center of the table. His eyes twitched. Why would she ignore the food prepared specifically for her? There is clearly nothing wrong with it. Choosing not to dwell on it, Ronin picked up his own food and took a bite. Then he noticed it. Nina had finished peeling the decorative fruit. Just as she was about to eat it, her body suddenly froze.

Her eyes became unfocused once again. The same dazed expression from earlier appeared on her face. A heartbeat later, she returned to herself and quietly set the fruit aside. The Empress Dowager, who had been quietly eating her meal, soon noticed the subtle change in Nina's behavior. She saw Nina set the peeled fruit aside, placing it noticeably farther away than before. A thoughtful look crossed her face. Setting down her utensils, she turned toward Nina.

"Is the food not to your liking?" As she spoke, she carefully observed Nina's expression, trying to understand what had caused the sudden hesitation. When Nina gave no clear answer, the Empress Dowager gestured toward one of the servants.

"Bring me one of the fruits from Miss Nina's plate." The servant immediately obeyed. Taking the fruit herself, the Empress Dowager calmly placed it into her mouth and ate it without the slightest hesitation, silently demonstrating that the fruit served on Nina's plate was safe. While the Empress Dowager attempted to understand what had happened, Ronin had already shifted his attention toward the discarded fruit. Activating the Eye of Truth once more, he examined it carefully. A faint poison.

It was not particularly powerful. Among the great noble families, most descendants possessed enough resistance that such a poison would cause little more than temporary discomfort. However... An ordinary commoner would likely die from it. Ronin slowly narrowed his eyes. Even if she were a commoner... If those abilities truly belong to her, then such a poison should not have frightened her. Another possibility entered his mind. Could the one controlling this body be an ancient spirit... or perhaps a demon?

There were records of such cases. When a body under external control consumed certain specially prepared poisons, the connection between controller and vessel would become unstable. Necromancers, in particular, had to avoid them. A body contaminated in that manner could become unusable for months before another attempt at control could be made. Remembering the way Nina's eyes had briefly lost focus before she reacted, Ronin found his thoughts drifting further down that path. Could my hypothesis be correct?

He frowned. No... not yet. Before reaching any conclusions, there was something he needed to verify. Was the soup poisoned with the same substance? If it was... Then perhaps Nina was not truly the owner of the body standing before him. After everything here was finished, he would personally inspect the discarded soup and determine exactly what poison had been used.