Chapter 90: Chapter-90

Murmurs rippled through the crowd.

“We have identified the contaminated ingredient and removed it. All other food has been tested and verified safe.” She paused. “However, out of extreme caution, all food court operations are suspended for three days while we conduct a complete safety review.”

“What about the people who got sick?” someone shouted.

“They will receive full medical care at my expense. Additionally, each affected customer will be compensated one hundred gold for their distress and inconvenience.”

The crowd stirred. One hundred gold was substantial—more than most of them earned in several months.

“Furthermore,” Elara continued, “I’m offering free physician examinations to anyone who ate at the supermarket in the last three days and is concerned about their health. Present your receipt at the medical office and the examination cost will be covered.”

That changed the tenor immediately. People stopped shouting accusations and started talking among themselves—some heading toward the medical office, others dispersing.

Dimitri appeared at her side. “Your Highness, that’s extremely expensive. Eight people at one hundred gold each, plus free medical examinations for potentially hundreds—”

“It’s cheaper than letting the rumors destroy the supermarket’s reputation.” She watched the crowd thin. “And it establishes that I take customer safety seriously.”

“But Carver did this deliberately. You’re essentially rewarding his sabotage—”

“I’m mitigating the damage while I prepare proper retaliation.” Elara turned back toward the building. “Carver made a mistake. He struck at my business but left evidence of his involvement. The poisoned spices came from his supply company. That creates a trail.”

“You’re going to prove he did it deliberately?”

“I’m going to destroy his entire commercial operation.” She walked back inside. “Gregor, I want every transaction record between Carver Trade Goods and this supermarket. Every delivery, every payment, every invoice. Compile it within two hours.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Dimitri, contact the Shadow Guild. I want a complete dossier on Merchant Lord Carver. All business interests, all assets, all partnerships. Everything. Cost is irrelevant.”

“Your Highness, that could be very expensive—”

“He just tried to destroy my business and sicken my customers. Expensive is appropriate.”

Dimitri bowed and left.

Elara stood in the empty supermarket, looking at the closed food court, the concerned staff, the lingering smell of illness.

Carver had struck hard. Professionally. With precision designed to maximize damage while staying below the threshold that would trigger imperial intervention.

But he’d made the same mistake Kessler had made.

He’d assumed she’d react defensively. Scramble to protect her reputation. Waste resources on damage control.

Instead, she was going to eliminate him completely.

Not arrest. Not negotiate. Eliminate.

Remove him from the market so thoroughly that his name would become a warning to others who considered sabotaging the Fourth Princess’s operations.

The fox knight approached carefully. “Your Highness? What are your orders?”

“Maintain security here. No one enters the kitchen except authorized personnel. All food is disposed of—we’re starting completely fresh.” She pulled off her gloves. “And send a message to Merchant Lord Carver. Tell him Princess Elara Blackwood requests a meeting. Tomorrow morning. His residence.”

“He won’t come, Your Highness. He’ll know it’s about the poisoning—”

“I’m not asking him to come to me. I’m going to him.” Elara’s voice was cold and flat. “And I’m bringing evidence, guards, and a very simple choice: voluntary dissolution of all his business interests, or criminal prosecution for attempted mass poisoning.”

“Will he accept either option?”

“No. Which is why there’s a third option I won’t mention until he refuses the first two.”

The fox knight’s ears flattened. “Which is?”

“Complete destruction. Business, reputation, family legacy—everything.” Elara walked toward the exit. “I’ve been patient with these local nobles. I’ve offered reasonable terms. Baron Kessler was given a choice and took it. Viscount Marrs will be offered the same tomorrow afternoon.”

She stopped at the door and looked back.

“But Carver poisoned my customers. Made them sick deliberately. Put them in danger to hurt my business.” Her expression didn’t change—still calm, still clinical. “That crosses a line. So he doesn’t get reasonable terms anymore. He gets an example.”

She left.

Behind her, the fox knight stood very still for a moment. Then he turned to the other guards.

“You heard Her Highness. Secure everything. And prepare for tomorrow—I think we’re about to see what happens when someone makes the Fourth Princess actually angry.”

One of the younger knights whispered, “I thought she didn’t get angry?”

The fox knight’s tail twitched once. “She doesn’t. That’s what makes it terrifying.”

Elara arrived at Carver’s estate at nine o’clock the next morning, exactly as promised.

She brought ten beast knights, Dimitri carrying evidence folders, and a city magistrate she’d summoned with imperial authority.

The guards at the gate looked uncertain when they saw the entourage.

“Inform Merchant Lord Carver that Princess Elara Blackwood is here on imperial business,” Elara said. Her voice was calm, flat. “He has five minutes to receive us or I enter by force.”

The guards exchanged glances. One ran inside.

Three minutes later, the gates opened.

Carver’s estate was impressive—three stories of pale stone, manicured gardens with imported flowering trees, a marble fountain in the courtyard depicting some historical scene Elara didn’t recognize. The kind of wealth that took generations to build. Old money dressed up in new architecture.

Elara walked through it without looking around, focused on the main entrance where Carver himself stood waiting.

He was in his fifties, broad-shouldered, well-dressed in dark blue merchant finery with gold threading. His face was carefully composed—polite concern mixed with subtle condescension. His eyes were calculating, already trying to figure out her angle, what she wanted, how much this would cost him.

“Your Highness,” he said, bowing just enough to be respectful without being submissive. “This is unexpected. If you’d sent word ahead, I would have prepared proper—”

“I’m not here for hospitality,” Elara interrupted. “We’re going to have a conversation about the poisoned spices your company delivered to my supermarket three days ago.”

Carver’s expression didn’t change much. A slight tightening around his eyes, maybe. “I heard about that unfortunate incident. Terrible business. But I’m not sure what you think my company had to do with—”

“Stop,” Elara said.

She gestured to Dimitri, who pulled out the first folder and opened it.

“This is a complete record of all deliveries from Carver Trade Goods to the Central Market Supermarket. Dates, contents, delivery personnel, payment receipts.” Dimitri’s voice was steady, professional. “Cross-referenced with kitchen inventory logs and usage patterns.”

Carver glanced at the documents without reaching for them. “I’m sure everything is in order. We maintain excellent—”

“Second folder,” Elara said.

Dimitri opened it. “Analysis from the city physician. The contaminated spice jar contained nightshade derivative mixed with paprika. Professional preparation, precise dosing—enough to cause severe illness but carefully measured to avoid death.” He looked up at Carver. “Not accidental contamination. Deliberate poisoning.”

“Your Highness, if one of my suppliers compromised the ingredients, I assure you we had no knowledge—”

“Third folder.”

This one was thicker. Dimitri pulled out multiple pages. “Testimony from dock workers who observed Merchant Lord Carver’s personal assistant visiting the spice warehouse the day before delivery. They confirm he personally inspected and approved the specific containers sent to the supermarket.” He set the papers on a nearby table. “Including the jar that was later found to be contaminated.”

Carver’s jaw tightened slightly. “That doesn’t prove intentional—”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep