A Contract Marriage with My Child’s Father Chapter 27

Chapter 27

“My tongue is blue. Did you swallow poison?”

“What? N–no! Ah—!”

Startled, I immediately covered my mouth.

Right. I forgot…!

I had been so focused on Jaden that I completely forgot my tongue was bright blue.

I wanted the floor to swallow me whole.

“Move your hand.”

“N-no!”

But Kain pried my hand away with alarming ease, his expression grave.

I clamped my mouth shut.

“Open it. Let me check.”

“Mmph mmph.” (It’s nothing!)

“I can’t understand you at all.”

“Mm-mm!” (It’s really nothing!)

I wanted to cry.

Aren’t you dragon-blooded? Where did that legendary hearing go now?!

“Is your tongue paralyzed?”

Of course not!

His large hand cupped my jaw, tilting my chin upward.

His thumb brushed lightly against my lower lip as if preparing to force it open.

“You can’t open your mouth?”

No, I won’t open it!

I stared at him desperately.

He only grew more serious.

“Are you in pain?”

He leaned closer.

Far too close.

If my tongue weren’t blue, I might have appreciated the view.

“There’s a sweet scent,” he murmured.

He inhaled faintly.

“Did you eat Stevian Grass?”

No!

Stevian Grass ranked fifth among assassins’ favorite poisons.

It left a sweet scent and stained the tongue blue—

But this wasn’t that!

“Did you request Sweet Reaper Grass to eat it yourself?”

He looked genuinely horrified.

I was the one horrified!

Finally, I burst out—

“It’s candy!”

He froze for a fraction of a second.

That was enough.

I pushed him away and scrambled backward.

“It’s just candy!”

“Candy?”

“Yes!”

“They sell candy made from Stevian Grass now?”

“Not that!”

Flustered, I dug into my pocket and pulled out the remaining pieces.

“It’s color-changing candy!”

He stared down at the tiny sweets resting in his large palm.

Humiliation washed over me in waves.

“I’ll be going now!”

And before he could say anything further—

I fled.

Unfortunately, I ran straight into Conrad.

“Lady Viola? You seem to be in quite a hurry.”

“Ahaha! I just remembered something!”

He didn’t question it.

“Oh, by the way—the Sweet Reaper Grass you requested has arrived.”

“Already? Thank you!”

“Is something wrong?”

“No! Nothing at all!”

I bolted into the pharmacy.

Finally alone.

On the table lay the carefully sealed container of poison.

House Ashellen truly moves fast.

I checked my reflection in a polished flask.

My tongue had finally returned to normal.

Too late.

I remembered Kain’s calloused fingers brushing against my lips.

Warm. Rough.

I nearly combusted from embarrassment.

I am never eating that candy again.

I forced myself to sit and focus.

Sweet Reaper Grass.

Deadly to ordinary people.

But for Jaden’s Tamutur Disease—

In precise amounts—

It would become medicine.

Focus.

Handling poison required absolute discipline.

One careless touch.

One absentminded lick of a fingertip—

And it could be fatal.

I carefully ground the Sweet Reaper Grass and began combining it with Spike-Leaf Herb.

Measured.

Controlled.

Exact.

Just then—

Knock knock.

Before I could respond—

The door swung open.

Celia Dorn.

And judging by the triumphant curve of her lips—

This was not going to be pleasant.