Helena frowned in displeasure. "I don't have time to listen to you speak in riddles! What exactly is going on?"
Finch glanced at the countess, who was already on the verge of exploding, then gave Earl Ster a look of apparent sympathy that was actually filled with provocation. "Ah, the reason this flower mutated was because someone had watered it with Silk Spider venom for years.
There had clearly been no poison when it was tested before! So it only became a problem when combined with this material.
Tsk~"
Earl Ster's expression turned ugly. "Helena only started raising Silk Spiders after I returned."
"But this soil started mutating over a decade ago." Finch drifted toward one corner. "The soil here is much more heavily contaminated. Even the ground beneath the stone path five meters away has been tainted."
Helena gave a cold laugh. "There used to be a pavilion there. When I was pregnant with Linde, I liked working there.
Later... after I had no choice but to lead people to defend the harbor, I was severely injured and nearly died in childbirth. Although the priests saved me, they also told me to avoid leaving my room as much as possible.
Then... someone ordered this place demolished.
Right, darling? This should have been the last order your mother gave before her accidental death.
Because~ hmm~ she fell and injured herself in that pavilion?"
Earl Ster rubbed hard at the space between his brows with one hand. "So my mother discovered the truth here.
But what she knew definitely wasn't the truth. She only guessed that someone had harmed you in that pavilion.
Otherwise... Helena, don't look at me like that.
You should understand that although my mother was dissatisfied with you, she had always treated the three children well."
"No,