Please get me out of this BL novel...I'm straight! novel Chapter 121

Chapter 121: ’The King’s Poisoning’

The silence in the room was suffocating, heavier than the air before a storm. Alexandria’s fingers hovered above the two sheets of paper on the table, her hands trembling faintly as her gaze darted between them. Her lips moved silently, whispering a prayer under her breath.

Florian could see the faintest sheen of sweat on her brow, her usually composed expression crumbling under the weight of the decision before her.

She glanced up at Heinz, searching for reassurance, but the king’s expression was as impenetrable as stone. His red eyes held no warmth, only an eerie calm, as though this situation—a gamble with his own life—was nothing but a casual afternoon pastime. He was the picture of unshaken confidence, a man who had faced death too many times to fear it anymore.

Alexandria swallowed hard, her voice barely above a whisper. "Your Majesty... how am I supposed to know which one is correct?" Her fingers twitched over the papers, the weight of the moment pressing into her chest like an iron fist.

Florian’s eyes snapped to Heinz, hoping for some kind of hint, some explanation, but all Heinz did was lean back in his chair, the faintest of smirks tugging at his lips.

"You’ll know," Heinz replied smoothly, as if the answer were obvious.

’What kind of answer is that?’ Florian’s hands clenched into fists at his sides, his jaw tightening. He glanced at Lucius, who stood beside him, calm and composed as always, but there was a flicker of uncertainty in his usually unreadable eyes.

Lucius leaned closer, his voice low as he whispered to Florian, "Do you know anything about this?"

Florian shook his head, his voice equally hushed. "No. He didn’t tell me anything about this test. Did he tell you?"

Lucius’s gaze didn’t leave the scene unfolding before them. "No. He’s always been the one to prepare it himself. I’ve never seen anyone else do it."

Florian frowned, his unease deepening. ’Hah. Seriously?’

He glanced back at Alexandria. Her lips had stopped moving, her whispered prayer replaced by a nervous silence. Her hands remained suspended over the papers, her brow furrowed in concentration, her breaths coming faster. The ornate tea set gleamed beside her, mocking her hesitation with its polished elegance.

"You’re telling me there’s no trick here? No safety net?" Florian muttered to Lucius.

Lucius’s expression hardened. "As far as I know, it’s real. The tea can kill him if it’s prepared wrong."

Florian’s stomach dropped. ’What the hell is he thinking? This is insane, even for Heinz.’

He could hear the soft rustle of fabric as Alexandria shifted in her seat. She was staring intently at the papers now, her fingers brushing the edges of each one as if trying to feel for an answer. The sweat beading on her temple betrayed her growing panic.

"She’s nervous," Florian whispered.

Lucius nodded subtly. "She should be. One wrong choice, and..." He didn’t finish the sentence, but the implication was clear.

Florian’s chest tightened. His mind raced, recalling every interaction he’d had with Alexandria so far. She was smart—he had to believe that. He had to trust that she could figure this out.

"Be smart," he had told her earlier. The words echoed in his mind now, louder with each passing second.

’Please, Alexandria. Be smart. Figure this out.’

But as the minutes ticked by, her nervousness only seemed to grow. Her hands began to shake, her breaths coming faster. She glanced up at Heinz again, desperation creeping into her expression.

"Your Majesty, are there any clues? Anything at all?" she asked, her voice trembling.

Heinz’s smirk widened ever so slightly. "There are clues," he said simply. "You just need to see them."

Florian resisted the urge to groan aloud. ’I swear, he’s a jerk.’

Alexandria’s gaze dropped back to the papers, her brows knitting together as she scrutinized the instructions. One was written in elegant, flowing script, the other in blocky, precise lettering.

Both contained similar steps, but there were subtle differences—different steeping times, varying measurements of the ingredients, and one mentioned a particular sequence for brewing that the other did not.

Florian leaned toward Lucius, his voice barely audible. "What do you think? Is there anything in there that stands out?"

Lucius shook his head, his expression grim. "I don’t know. But if His Majesty says there are clues, they’re probably there. You just have to know where to look."

Florian bit the inside of his cheek, frustration mounting. His eyes flicked back to Alexandria, who was still staring at the papers as if willing the answer to reveal itself. Her earlier confidence was fading fast, replaced by a growing sense of panic.

’Come on, Alexandria. Think. Don’t let him get to you.’

Then, almost imperceptibly, her hands stilled. Her eyes widened just a fraction, and Florian thought he saw a spark of realization flash across her face.

’Did she figure it out?’

Heinz tilted his head, watching her with an intensity that made Florian’s skin crawl. "Then proceed."

’Please be right. Please.’

’She did it... Didn’t she?’