Chapter 67
“With this much, can we grow a lot in that field next year?”
“Absolutely, Miss.”
“You grow them by collecting seeds from this pot?”
The only time Nerys had ever personally grown anything was in her past life, with those flower seeds.
After Rhiannon, who had been sending fake letters, discovered Nerys’s secret place and ruined all the flowers, she hadn’t grown anything since.
“You can do that, Miss. But with something like nettle pouch, you can just cut the side shoots and plant them—then they grow in no time.”
To Rob, Nerys’s question sounded like something his youngest sibling might ask, and he found it endearing, though he didn’t dare say so.
She was a noble lady as precious as a princess. It made sense if someone like her only knew about fragile flowers raised with great care.
Nerys was very pleased by his answer.
“Good. That’s great. Sir Gavin, isn’t this wonderful? I’m glad I introduced you to such a capable person.”
Aidan barely responded, to the point where it was unclear if he’d even heard, but he nodded at just the right moment when Nerys called his name.
While Rob returned the flowerpot, Nerys looked over the field, feeling satisfied.
Since it was her first time doing this kind of work, she had braced herself for a few failures. Yet, they’d already sprouted, and when it came to nettle pouch, the best expert she could possibly get had made a confident claim.
In business, the hardest part usually wasn’t sourcing goods—it was selling them. But as long as the supply was stable, Nerys had no worries about sales.
After all, Joan Morier—who had built a remarkable merchant group even under constant interference from that villain Angelo Rayling—was under her wing.
Joan was currently working for House MacKinnon. And it had been Nerys herself who had recommended her there in the first place.
But before Joan had begun working, Nerys had added a condition.
That she had something she wanted to do—would Joan help her? She’d have to give up the highly coveted position at the MacKinnon Merchant Group, at least temporarily, but if she was willing…
Ever dependable, Joan had promised that she would come running and give it her all whenever Nerys called.
Nerys had no intention of simply meeting the existing demand for nettle pouch. She planned to reshape the entire landscape of medical treatment in high society.
Everything she needed to do that was already prepared. Now, it was only a matter of time.
* * *q
“You’re completely useless.”
At that cold assessment, Isabel felt a surge of irritation.
Not only did a mere thirteen-year-old boss her around like she was some servant, but she also evaluated and criticized her. No matter how she looked at it, there was nothing likable about Nerys Truydd.
But protesting was pointless—as Isabel had already learned over the past few days. She bowed her head to Nerys and apologized.
“I’m sorry, Miss. I’ll make it again.”
“Forget it.”
Even sitting in the narrow dorm room on an old chair, Nerys’s hand as she sipped her tea was elegant. Though she had just given a scathing review of the very tea Isabel had brewed.
Isabel clenched her mouth shut, annoyed that such a young girl could appear so perfectly composed down to her fingertips.
And it was true—she hadn’t put much care into brewing the tea. What would a girl who’s probably never had expensive tea know anyway?
Nerys silently pushed the now-empty teacup aside. Isabel, who had learned by now that standing idle after that meant a scolding, quickly took the cup.
As Nerys opened her book to prepare for a quiz, Isabel hesitated and then asked,
“Um, Miss… you told me not to come yesterday, so I didn’t, but I was wondering if something happened… If you ever need help with anything, I was told to do my utmost to assist.”
Yesterday, the start of the weekend, Nerys had told Isabel that she’d be out for business and not to bother coming. Isabel had tried asking a few times what that business was, but Nerys never answered.
In the end, Isabel went off to report to Delma, only to be harshly scolded—‘You should’ve at least found out what it was!’
So today, when she came to Nerys’s dorm, she had been ordered to find out, no matter what. Now, she desperately watched for any clue from Nerys.
Was that question subtle enough? What if this cunning girl sensed something?
If she felt like she was being monitored, she might complain to Young Master Nellusion. And if that happened, Isabel would take all the blame.
“Yesterday?”
Of course, Nerys already knew that Isabel was spying on her, but she found Isabel’s behavior quite entertaining.
In her past life, she’d been watched by Isabel plenty. But this level of groveling—this, she had only ever seen Isabel show to the other members of the Elandria family, not to her.
Tonight, Isabel would need something to report back with when she returned to the Elandria siblings’ dorm. And Nerys already had something suitable prepared.
She gave a soft smile.
“It wasn’t anything troublesome. I was just too busy yesterday to put up with your stupidity. I had to go do some research for class with a senior, and I knew I’d be exhausted.”
Every word dripped with thorough disregard. Isabel ground her teeth inwardly.
That arrogant brat. Bossing her around like it was nothing, and now talking about ‘tolerating’ her? The one doing the tolerating here was me!
“I see.”
But that was all she could say aloud. Nerys inwardly chuckled at Isabel’s twitching brow that failed to fully hide her frustration.
Anyone could have seen that she had left Carten yesterday in a carriage with a senior who stood out in appearance. Countless eyes passed through Carten Station, where she met Aidan.
In that case, it was better to leave behind just enough information to make it seem not worth investigating.
And if she could slip in the details she wanted others to hear, all the better.
Nerys let out an exaggerated sigh from her small lips that sounded far too grown-up.
“Someone like me can’t afford to be lazy, you know. It may be hard for you to understand, but attending school isn’t easy.”
Ha. Desperately clinging to school by shamelessly borrowing money from some distant relative?
Isabel believed that if she’d been given the same opportunity, she would’ve done far better than this brat.
They were both daughters of knights. Both born into poverty. So why was she the one enjoying a happy, carefree school life, talking as if she were burdened by privilege?
She was jealous.
The thought suddenly surged through her. Isabel genuinely felt that she wanted the thirteen-year-old in front of her to just drop dead right then and there. Only then would she feel at peace.
Before Isabel’s hand could move and act on that impulse, Nerys quickly continued in a voice laced with self-pity.
“Last semester, I even… no, never mind.”
Isabel believed she had fully grasped Nerys Truydd’s personality.
A bratty girl who didn’t know her place, thinking herself some noble figure, always whining with idiotic complaints.
A girl that arrogant would surely spill a bunch of sob stories if gently coaxed—stories that might reveal a weakness Lady Valentin could exploit.
Confident in her own interpretation, Isabel asked exactly the question Nerys wanted.
“Did something happen, Miss? If you’ve gone through anything difficult, please tell me. I may be older than you, but perhaps I can offer some helpful advice?”
How predictable.
Nerys blinked innocently, as if just realizing Isabel was older than her. Then she slowly opened her mouth, as if recalling a painful past.
“Last semester…”
* * *
Watching Valentin’s face turn red and pale in turns, Isabel was certain that the ‘hard-earned’ information she had brought back was worth every effort.
Mulling over what she’d just heard, Valentin suddenly exploded like thunder.
“Delma! How could this happen? That lowborn girl, so brazen! How dare she flirt with His Highness the Crown Prince?”
“Goodness, Miss. Please calm down. We don’t even know for sure yet.”
The girl Valentin referred to as ‘lowborn’ was in fact from a high noble family—one of the most distinguished in the empire—but neither Delma nor Valentin cared about such details.
Anyone from a family lower than House Elandria was considered lowly in Valentin’s eyes.
Despite Delma’s attempt to calm her, once enraged, Valentin couldn’t contain her fury.
“At least Natasha is the daughter of a duke, so it’s understandable. But Megara? She should be keeping her mouth shut and lowering her head, given her status! Shameful!”
Of course, there were few places in the world where Megara Lykeandros needed to bow her head, but no one pointed that out.
Delma still didn’t fully trust the rumor Isabel had brought back from Nerys today.
She knew full well that Megara and Nerys didn’t get along. It was entirely possible that Nerys had made up the story about ‘Megara visiting the Crown Prince in her nightclothes to charm him.’
But Isabel, eager to win Valentin’s trust, eagerly chimed in.
“Exactly, Miss. Even if she’s young, she should know the difference between what’s appropriate and what’s not. Just like you do, Miss!”
“Right!”
Valentin fumed. She knew exactly why she was so angry, even if it wasn’t something she could admit out loud.
Since childhood, Valentin had been told by her family that the highest position a woman could attain in this nation was meant for her. By the time she was old enough to understand what that meant, she already had a sense.
Empress.
By age, Natasha Grünehals was a better match for Crown Prince Abelus. But even though the Grünehals were also a ducal house, they lacked the bloodline of the Three Heroes, unlike the Elandrias.
As the daughter of the most prestigious noble house among the unmarried noblewomen, Valentin had always believed she would one day marry Abelus and rule over Bistor.
Long ago, when Valentin had felt uneasy upon learning of Abelus’s courtship with Natasha, her brother Nellusion had smiled and reassured her.
If she remained patient and didn’t reveal her feelings, the position would be hers when the time came.
Her brother always kept his promises. So Valentin chose to wait calmly. She would wait for the day she blossomed into a beauty—and the day her brother would fulfill his promise.
And now… Megara dared to wedge herself in and steal everything?
Grinding her teeth, Valentin leapt to her feet.
“Where are you going, Miss?”
If Nellusion found out about the relationship between Isabel and Valentin, it would be disastrous. That was why the three of them—Valentin, Isabel, and Delma—were locked inside Valentin’s lavish room in the Elandria siblings’ dorm.
When Delma asked, Valentin answered with blazing eyes.
“I’m going to Megara! I’ll ask her directly if she really acted so disgracefully. And if she did, I’ll scratch her face off!”
Had it been any other girl saying that, the people around her would’ve sighed. But for Valentin, that was already showing restraint. At least she said she’d ask first.
If Nellusion found out, things would get complicated. And if Valentin really laid a hand on Megara’s pretty face, the Lykeandros family would not take it lightly.
Megara hadn’t even snuck into the Crown Prince’s bedroom. She was still just a child.
As Delma hesitated, not knowing how to stop her, Isabel encouraged Valentin.
“That’s right, Miss. You’re you! You should do whatever you please!”
Delma shot Isabel a look of disbelief. Isabel ignored the sharp glare.
Valentin then commanded in a voice that brooked no refusal.
“Come with me, Delma. We’re going to find Megara. Right now!”
