Emmett had investigated almost all drugs that induced infertility and sent them to the court physician in prison to compare with the drug given to Liv. However, no completely matching drug had been found yet.
What if that drug was only used to make them feel anxious?
'...It might not actually be a drug that induces infertility.'
As Liv had said, her physical condition was originally poor, and she said there was a high possibility she couldn't conceive even without taking that drug. The organs governing life were particularly tricky, and Liv, who hadn't grown normally, hadn't developed her organs properly.
He recalled the doctors who had seen Liv. Before the court physician currently imprisoned, there had been a doctor who had briefly seen Liv, but he quit after only a few weeks due to personal circumstances. But perhaps if that person had been on the Emperor's side and reported Liv's infertility, and then the doctor who came after administered the drug...
'It makes perfect sense.'
The moment he sensed his defeat, he tells lies until the end to interfere with their happiness. It was a trick August would definitely use.
He decided to look into the whereabouts of the previous doctor. Of course, there was something else he needed to do first.
* * *
"So what do you think?"
Sitting across from Emmett was Liv with her hair tied up. Since Emmett had come to see Liv during work hours for official business, Liv was dressed somewhat differently than when she faced him at night.
Liv became serious after hearing Emmett's words, seemed to think for a moment, then nodded.
"If that's what you think... it might be good to check."
"Yes, so I'm looking for the previous doctor. We should be able to find him soon."
"Well, I'm fine whatever the result is. I've never dreamed of having children like others anyway."
Liv explained again so Emmett wouldn't misunderstand.
"My standards for happiness are a bit different from others. I know that for others, having children and making a family is the typical and happy way of life. But I just... think it's a sufficiently happy life if I receive love back from you, who is more precious than anyone. Other conditions aren't important."
"I completely understand. I've never thought I needed children to be happy either."
With this, their opinions seemed to converge into one.
"Then we're happy as we are now."
"Yes, no matter what happens, we'll continue to live happily in the future."
Those words reminded her of the last line in fairy tales where the protagonists lived happily ever after. A smile naturally appeared on Liv's face.
At that moment, she opened her mouth with a face that seemed to have remembered something.
"Oh, come to think of it, Elena reported something today."
"You mean your Head Maid?"
"Yes. Elena said that among the items presented by the temple, there's a sacred object that can break all curses."
"Is there such an object?"
"The book that came with the sacred object recorded that it could break all kinds of poisons and curses, but in my opinion, it doesn't seem to be a Holy Church artifact. Although the priests believe so."
Liv whispered in a lowered voice as if telling a secret.
"If it really works... we could use it to find out if you were poisoned or if it's another problem."
"Yes, exactly."
Once they had a conclusion, they wouldn't need to search for an antidote anymore, so their minds would be at ease.
"Hilda apparently dropped hints for the temple to offer it to me, but actually, Hilda probably had a different purpose. I had mentioned before that I suffered from August's ancient sorcery."
"Are there still traces left? Are you still in pain...?"
"No, there's no problem at all. It's a way of branding the soul, but as long as the gods love me, it can't have any effect on me. But Hilda seemed uncomfortable about my soul being branded, so she made it possible for me to use that sacred object."
"Either way, it should be helpful to you. Then let's try using it."
"Yes, considering the work schedule... tomorrow is Sunday. Shall we try it during our free time tomorrow?"
"Let's do that."
Their conversation was much more natural and uninterrupted than before. Liv smiled slightly, feeling like she understood Emmett better after their recent conversation.
* * *
The Sunday Liv mentioned. Where they stood was the Crystal Room, where entry was strictly forbidden except for the Emperor's closest confidants. The room was modest as there was no need to show off to many people, but the furniture in the room was by no means cheap.
In the elaborate and clean room, Emmett and Liv stood with the sacred object placed on the table.
What the temple had offered to Liv as a sacred object was a purple jewel. The unrefined raw stone with its rough surface emitted an iridescent light mixing purple and green, and anyone could see it was no ordinary object.
Next to it was a book written in Garcia language. Liv slowly scanned its contents with her eyes.
[Oh, our god bestows blessing.
All poisons and curses shall return to emptiness through this.
Only emptiness is order.
All negative things shall lose their power.]
"It's from the Cluhid religion."
"The Cluhid religion?"
"Yes, it's an almost extinct religion of minority peoples from the old Garcia Empire. They believed that only emptiness is order and worshipped the state where nothing exists. Looking at the content here, it's definitely that religion."
"The priests must have mistaken a different religion for the Holy Church Religion."
"Yes, actually it's a common occurrence..."
Liv slowly grasped the sacred object in her hand. She could definitely feel a full power within it. It was clearly a different god's power, distinct from the main gods'.
My child, I am glad you discovered that sacred object.
The voice of 'Void', the god of the Cluhid religion, was heard from the air. A gentle smile appeared on Liv's face as she heard the voice filled with love for her.
It was something I used with a bit of power for my children who believed in me, but it finally came to your hands.
"May I use this?"
Of course, for you are also my child.
Liv's hand holding the sacred object tightened. With her eyes closed, she gradually tried to accept the sacred object's power into her body.
The powerful presence revealing itself in her hand crossed over to her palm and gradually spread throughout her body through her blood vessels. As the blood vessels carrying the power heat up, her whole body becomes hot. It feels like her blood vessels are burning, as if driving out something impure. And...
"Hah!"
When it became too hot to bear anymore, Liv's eyes flew open. As she felt the sensation that everything was over, the sacred object in her hand fell to the floor. What had clearly shone with an iridescent light was now ash-colored, having lost its color.
"Liv, are you alright?"
"Yes... it's done now."
Liv slowly repeated opening and closing her hand. She definitely felt like something inside her body had been purified.
"...Has the brand disappeared?"
When she asked that towards the air, a familiar voice was heard.
My beloved child, that brand never had any meaning for you to begin with.
"Still, I thought it would be meaningful to not have it."
You no longer need to worry about the brand.
Those words meant that the brand had disappeared from Liv. At the news that the brand that had secretly bothered her had disappeared, Liv smiled brightly.
"Ah, I should thank Hilda..."
"Liv, shall we go see the court physician now?"
They now needed to confirm her fertility status again with the court physician. If they heard again that pregnancy was impossible, that would be an unavoidable issue, and if it was possible, that would be evidence that August had poisoned her.
Actually, Liv thought her infertility was a physical issue separate from August. The physician she met in the Ashur Kingdom had talked about her underdeveloped uterus or irregular body condition, which seemed unrelated to poison.
However, they needed to confirm, so Liv called the court physician again. The court physician whose lips were tightly sealed so that information about her health condition wouldn't leak outside. And...
"Your Majesty, I don't know how I dare to say this, but..."
"That's enough, I understand what you mean."
Hearing that news again wasn't even shocking. Liv was so calm that only the court physician seemed flustered, but she waved her hand to dismiss the physician.
"This proves it."
"Yes, it really does. We don't need to worry anymore."
Although it was news that would make others worry and feel heartbroken, Liv and Emmett were composed. For them, just having each other was enough.
August's scheme to drive a wedge between them had somewhat succeeded, but even that became useless now. They had discovered August's scheme, and before that, they had resolved their conflict through conversation.
The two now knew the importance of communication, and they would never have conflicts like before again.
Holding trust in each other in their hearts, Emmett and Liv looked at each other and smiled.