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Episode 121

Normally, Velfia tea was harvested and drunk when the leaves were fully ripe and slightly yellowish.

'But to use Velfia as medicine, it's better if they're a bit less ripe.'

According to the original work, harvesting the leaves while they were still green and making medicine from them would yield better efficacy.

Besides——

'Viscount Knox is definitely suspicious.'

It was clearly suspicious that he was specifically targeting the Velfia field.

According to Connor, the viscount wasn't threatening him to harvest quickly because he needed the land.

He was threatening to destroy the field entirely.

'As if he was targeting the Velfia specifically.'

So she had to harvest the Velfia leaves as soon as possible.

Though the viscount had retreated, if he truly was targeting the Velfia, he might do something overnight.

So she'd asked Kendrick to hire some people to harvest all the leaves during the night.

Sure enough——

"Vice-Captain. As you ordered, we checked the field."

"Yes. What did you find?"

"There were signs of intrusion. And some of the Velfia trees were found withered."

One of the Illinia subordinates she'd assigned to investigate reported on the intruders at the Velfia field.

"The Velfia trees were withered?"

"Yes. Only a few trees had blackened stems from the roots and died. It seemed unnaturally——"

"Poison?"

"Yes. That appears to be the case."

After the subordinate left, Janet and Kendrick quietly exchanged glances.

"Kendrick."

"Yes, Janet."

"Could you investigate Viscount Knox in detail? Who he's met recently, his financial situation—things like that."

At Janet's request, Kendrick's eyes sparkled.

"Of course."

"Thank you."

"Don't mention it. More importantly, what are you planning to do with those Velfia leaves?"

At Kendrick's question, Janet curled the corners of her mouth.

---

Recently, an unknown epidemic had begun spreading rapidly across the Empire.

It was an illness that ordinary doctors couldn't cure—only divine power could heal it.

The cause and exact symptoms hadn't been fully identified yet, but it was highly contagious and had a high chance of developing into pneumonia.

People were gripped by fear and avoided going out.

Whenever a plague like this started, it would devastate a few villages before subsiding.

Since the number of priests who could heal with divine power was limited, the temples were always crowded with people.

In the end, the Academy had also issued a suspension order starting yesterday.

"How ridiculous. If I'd known this would happen, I would have followed Janet!"

At Julietta's grumbling lament, Rosina glanced at her and let out a deep sigh.

"Exactly. If I'd known, I would have just gone with Janet too."

Then she could have postponed the café opening.

"Who knew a plague would break out so soon after we opened?"

Sigh.

A sigh naturally escaped.

Café <Blossom> had been doing quite well.

Not long after opening, many customers had visited, word of mouth spread smoothly, and daily sales were breaking records.

The 'tea bag' business was also drawing people's interest and contributing to Blossom's success.

At this rate, success was all but guaranteed, but……

"Ahem. So, is Blossom going to close temporarily……?"

"Yes. With everyone staying home, what can we do? For now, we'll just continue selling bottled milk and tea bags."

Sigh.

"At this rate, I won't have the face to see Janet."

"Janet's not the type to blame you for that. Besides, who could have predicted this outbreak?"

At Julietta's awkward comfort, Rosina let out a soft laugh.

It was still surprising, looking back.

That she had become close enough to sit side by side with Julietta—someone she'd never thought she'd get along with—drinking tea, sharing complaints, and receiving comfort.

"You're right, Julietta. There's no point stressing over things we can't control."

Stretch. Watching Rosina stretch, Julietta smiled faintly.

Just then—

"Lady Rosina. Lady Julietta. A package has arrived."

A maid brought in the mail and handed them the parcels.

After the maid left, the two checked their mail.

"One is from the main house, and the other is……"

"Janet?!"

"Indeed. It's from Janet."

Smiling as she confirmed Janet's name, Rosina's eyes narrowed.

She wanted to open Janet's letter immediately, but the other one was too distracting.

"Fine. They say you should take the bad news first."

"I'd rather not take any bad news at all."

"Shh, Julietta. Just do as your sister says."

At Rosina's smiling words, Julietta pursed her lips, regretting having comforted her earlier.

In any case, the two sisters put their heads together and opened the letter from the Ludwig estate first.

"It's from Head Butler William."

The sender was Head Butler William.

'Why would the Head Butler himself send a letter?'

Had something happened to the family?

Suppressing her worry, Rosina read the letter.

Julietta did the same.

"……"

"……"

Quietly reading, the two were holding their breath without realizing it.

Only after reading the entire letter did they gasp.

"Good heavens."

"……How could this be."

To summarize the letter briefly:

The epidemic that had been spreading rapidly across the Empire had finally reached the Ludwig territory.

And——

"I never imagined Father would fall ill too."

The Grand Duke of Ludwig had also contracted the epidemic.

His condition was deteriorating rapidly, and though they'd called in several priests for treatment, nothing was working.

So the letter instructed all children to return to the Ludwig estate immediately in case of emergency.

"If they're calling us back urgently, his condition must be really bad?"

"Indeed."

Even if he was a father without affection, he was still their father.

The two couldn't help but feel heavy-hearted.

Above all, the Grand Duke was not only their father but the pillar and master of a great house.

'With no proper successor named, if the Grand Duke's seat becomes vacant……'

Just imagining it made their heads throb.

Pushing aside the headache-inducing thoughts for a moment, the two reached for the remaining package.

"What did Janet send?"

What Janet sent wasn't just a simple letter.

From the packaging, it seemed she'd sent something along with it.

Carefully unwrapping it, the contents were revealed.

"……Tea leaves?"

"Did she find some good tea in the North?"

Tilting their heads, they read the letter Janet had enclosed.

Then——

"……?"

"……!"

The two, who had been downcast over the Grand Duke's situation, began to brighten.

---

"It really works! How did you discover this?"

At Cardinal César's admiring question, Janet rolled her eyes.

"I just…… happened to?"

"By chance?"

"Yes. There's a tea farm I invested in before, and the owner said he enjoyed drinking Velfia tea. When someone nearby caught the plague, he gave them this tea as a gesture of comfort……"

"And they recovered?"

"Yes, that's right."

"Oh, I see. Truly a blessed coincidence."

Watching César seem to believe her excuse wholeheartedly, Janet felt a small sense of relief.

'I attracted too much attention at the hunting party.'

And on top of that, the Ortega family had officially announced her as their biological daughter.

As a result, the intense interest in Janet showed no signs of dying down.

If word got out that she'd discovered a cure for the plague that was plaguing the Empire……

'Then it wouldn't just be a spark of interest—it'd be a flamethrower of attention.'

Just thinking about it was exhausting and troublesome.

So she'd prepared an excuse in advance—that someone else had discovered Velfia's efficacy.

'Anyway, I have something to gain from this.'

Namely, money.

Now it was time to recoup the investment she'd put into the Velfia tea business.

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