The sweet venom Chapter 31: 30

Read chapter 31 of The sweet venom by aspa201 on NovelPedia.

After her visit to the clinic, Helia went directly to the imperial palace, where the convoy awaited her. As soon as the carriage came to a halt, she stepped down, her gaze sweeping over the surrounding bustle. The palace’s forecourt hummed with activity. Everywhere, knights were loading carts with provisions, weapons, and medical supplies, while others adjusted the horses’ harnesses and ensured the mounts were fit for travel. One of the knights in charge of the escort approached and issued his instructions to the four guards assigned to Helia’s protection. Meanwhile, she observed her surroundings absently, her gaze wandering unconsciously in search of a familiar figure. When she realized she was looking for Prince Arthur, she stopped herself abruptly, startled by her own thoughts. Then, a voice behind her suddenly pulled her from her reverie. "If you are looking for Mister Cédric Belmont, I regret to inform you that he will not be joining us on this journey." She flinched slightly before turning to discover Doctor Caisus, accompanied by Elyes. Noticing her searching look, Caisus assumed she had been seeking Cédric, which, indeed, she ought to have done as a priority. "I received a letter from him last night. He is unwell," the doctor explained calmly. Helia frowned, intrigued. "Unwell? Is it serious?" "He claims to have been bedridden for several days with a severe bout of influenza." A shadow of doubt crossed her face. Cédric Belmont was not the sort to miss an opportunity so crucial, least of all a project he himself had helped to develop. Regardless of his condition, he always found a way to mitigate his symptoms and present himself, no matter the cost. His absence was strange. Could it be connected to the incident during the presentation? But after a brief hesitation, she dismissed her suspicions. Perhaps this time he truly was too weakened to rise. Without further delay, she followed the knights and took her place in the carriage alongside Doctor Caisus and Elyes. The journey was long, stretching over several hours through landscapes that alternated between wooded stretches and open plains, dotted with villages already lulled by the close of day. Unlike the previous journey, no ambush disturbed their progress, though the knights’ vigilance never waned. At times, she exchanged a few words with Caisus regarding the organization of the project in Cédric’s absence, but for the most part, silence reigned within the carriage, rocked by the monotonous roll of the wheels over the packed earth. Each of the three occupants was absorbed in their own thoughts or reading. By the time they finally reached the encampment, night had fallen, and military activity buzzed beneath the flickering glow of torches and lanterns. Upon their arrival, they were guided to their respective tents. Helia returned to the one she had occupied during her previous stay, while her four knights were settled nearby. No sooner had she set down her belongings than she headed straight for the infirmary tent, eager to see Lord Bellair again. She found him bent over a soldier, skillfully binding a fresh wound. When he looked up and saw her, his expression immediately softened. "Lady Helia, it is a joy to see you restored to good health," he said with a sincere smile, wiping his balm-stained hands on a clean cloth. She inclined her head slightly. "I am glad to see you as well, Lord Bellair. How are the victims of the venom faring?" He sighed as he tightened the bandage around the soldier’s wound. "We are doing all we can. Those who received the remedy in time are stable; some are recovering more slowly… But fortunately, few have succumbed to the venom." "At the clinic, the situation is much the same," Helia replied, placing a bandage and an anti-inflammatory salve on the table beside him, a gesture so instinctive it betrayed how accustomed she was to working at his side. "However, the first patients treated with the remedy are beginning to recover gradually. Sir Le