Chapter 6 The Poisoned Tea

The next morning, the bright sun spilled through the windows of Rudy's room. He sat at his newly scorched desk, rubbing his sore arms. His body still ached from the magic training, but he didn't have time to rest.

A heavy knock sounded at his door.

"Enter," Rudy called out, keeping his voice cold.

The door pushed open. An old, gray-haired man named Thomas stepped inside. He was the head servant of the estate, a man who had served the Vance family for over twenty years. Behind him stood a younger maid holding a silver tray with a steaming pot of morning tea and a single cup.

Rudy recognized the maid instantly from his memory of the book. Her name was Mina. In the original story, she was bribed by a rival noble family to slip a slow-acting poison into the young master's drinks.

Rudy watched her closely as she approached the desk. Her hands were shaking so much that the porcelain cup made a tiny clicking sound against the tray.

"Your morning tea, Young Master Rudeus," Thomas said, his voice flat and professional. He gave a slight bow.

Mina carefully placed the cup on the desk, right next to the black burn mark. She quickly stepped back, her fingers twisting the edge of her apron.

Rudy looked at the tea. It was a rare, slow-acting muscle paralytic. It wouldn't kill him right away, but it would make his body weak and helpless over the next few weeks, ensuring he would fail completely during the Prince's visit.

"Mina," Rudy said softly.

The young maid flinched, her shoulders tightening. "Y-Yes, Young Master?"

"You look incredibly nervous today," Rudy said, leaning back in his chair. He tapped his fingers on the desk. "Your hands are shaking. Did you sleep poorly?"

Mina swallowed hard, her face turning pale. "I am perfectly fine, sir. Just a bit tired from the morning chores."

Rudy let out a low chuckle, but his eyes remained cold. In the original book, the old Rudeus was a monster to the servants. He had beaten Mina’s younger brother a year ago for accidentally spilling water on his boots, leaving the boy with a permanent limp. Mina hated Rudeus with every bone in her body.

"Are you sure?" Rudy asked, pushing the cup an inch forward. "Because you look like you just committed a crime."

Thomas frowned, stepping forward. "Young Master, is there a problem with the service? If Mina has displeased you, I will punish her immediately."

"No, Thomas," Rudy said smoothly. He picked up the cup, swirling the warm liquid inside. "The service is fine. In fact, the tea smells wonderful today. I feel generous."

He held the cup out toward Thomas.

"You have been working hard to prepare the estate for the Prince's arrival," Rudy said, his voice completely calm. "Drink it, Thomas. Consider it a reward from your future lord."

Thomas blinked in surprise. He looked at the cup, then at Rudy's unreadable face. "Young Master, I cannot drink your personal tea. It is against the rules."

"I am the master here, Thomas. I make the rules," Rudy replied, his tone dropping to a low, commanding whisper. "Drink it. Unless, of course, you know there is something wrong with it."

Mina let out a small, terrified gasp. She took a step back toward the door, her eyes wide with horror.

Thomas looked at the maid's reaction, and a sudden realization flashed across his old face. He knew about the rival family's plots, and he had intentionally turned a blind eye to Mina’s actions, wanting the arrogant young master to fall. But he didn't want to die himself.

"Young Master... I really must refuse," Thomas said, his voice trembling now. His professional mask was completely breaking.

"Drink it, Thomas," Rudy repeated, his eyes narrowing. "That is an order."

Thomas stood frozen for a few seconds. He looked at the tea, then at the door, realizing he was trapped. With a shaking hand, he slowly reached out and took the cup from Rudy. He brought it to his lips, his eyes darting around the room in pure panic. He took a small sip, his throat moving as he forced himself to swallow the liquid.

The moment he set the cup down, his legs buckled.

Thomas crashed to his knees, his hands gripping the edge of the desk. The slow-acting drug worked fast in concentrated amounts. His muscles began to stiffen, his breathing turning shallow and rough. He couldn't even speak, his jaw completely locked in place.

Mina fell to her knees as well, crying out in terror. "I am sorry! I am sorry, Young Master! They gave me gold... they said it would just make you sick! Please don't kill me!"

Rudy did not scream. He didn't call the guards to execute them on the spot like the old Rudeus would have done. He just sat there, watching them with a calm, detached expression.

The door to his room suddenly clicked open. Bella stood in the doorway, her eyes instantly taking in the scene. She saw Thomas paralyzing on the floor and Mina crying at Rudy's feet.

"What did you do?" Bella asked, her voice dropping to a low whisper as she stepped into the room. She looked at Rudy, her suspicion reaching an all-time high.

"I didn't do anything, sister," Rudy said, looking up at her. "Mina here tried to give me a little morning gift from our rivals. I just decided to share it with Thomas instead."

Bella walked over to the desk, sniffing the spilled liquid on the tray. Her expression turned grim. "It's a heavy paralytic. If you drank this, you wouldn't be able to stand during the banquet."

She looked back at Rudy, her mind spinning with questions. "How did you know? You never pay attention to the servants."

"I have eyes, Bella," Rudy said, standing up from his chair. He walked over to Mina, looking down at the shaking girl. "Get up, Mina. Pack your things and leave the estate before my father finds out. If he catches you, you won't survive the night."

Mina looked up, completely stunned that he was letting her go. "You... you are letting me live?"

"Go," Rudy said coldly. "Before I change my mind."

Mina didn't hesitate. She scrambled to her feet and rushed out of the room, running down the hall as fast as her legs could carry her.

Bella watched her leave, then looked down at the helpless Thomas on the floor. "And what about him? The guards will find him like this."

"Let them," Rudy said, walking back to his desk. "He stayed silent while a servant tried to poison his master. He got exactly what he deserved."

Bella stepped closer to Rudy, her silver hair catching the morning light. She looked at him for a long time, trying to find a single trace of the brother she used to hate.

"You are becoming very dangerous, Rudeus," she whispered.

Rudy met her dark eyes, letting out a small, tired sigh. "I am just trying to stay alive, Bella. And if you are smart, you will help me do the same."