“What?”
“I scoured the city to find you.”
“You… why?”
“Didn’t we agree to meet once a week as part of our contract?”
Well, technically, it was more about delivering medicine weekly than meeting.
His words felt oddly twisted.
I tilted my head. “You were out earlier, so I left the medicine with the butler. You said that was fine…”
“Next time, don’t leave, even if I’m not there. Make sure to see me.”
His low, flat voice sounded as casual as asking about lunch.
“See you?”
Stunned, I asked, but Claude folded his arms and closed his eyes, leaving no room for debate.
He saved my life, so now he’s planning to work me to the bone?
I stared, dumbfounded, at the immovable prince.
The city’s nightscape flashed by outside the window.
We arrived—not at the castle, but at the Rondinella ducal manor.
“I’ll have a servant send your dress tomorrow.”
With that, Claude rode off in his carriage.
The black carriage faded into the dim gaslight.
He said we were going to the castle, so why here?
Erhardt is close to the city—why take the long route?
And what’s with gifting me a dress?
The more I thought, the stranger it seemed.
That prickly prince wouldn’t do this out of kindness.
He’s probably laying groundwork to exploit me fully.
What am I, a pony to be tamed with carrots and whips?
Wow, he’s crafty.
Shaking my head, I opened the manor’s door and stepped inside.
Summer’s lush greenery marked over a month since my regression.
I’d been busy reorganizing Pierre’s factory, thanks to Claude’s help.
His letter included the factory contract and a note: Pierre sold it eagerly when offered a hefty sum.
Since then, Pierre hadn’t returned, likely squandering the money.
He’d probably come crawling back once it was gone.
But with one nuisance gone, I smoothly prepared for my wedding with Alex and revamped the factory.
Most workers followed me, except the foreman and a few loyal to Pierre.
After finalizing the factory’s overhaul, I lived in the lab, developing a plague cure.
I was down to the final step.
“Done! Just need to filter it.”
I placed ground Rubus fruit powder on a sieve and poured cooled herbal water through.
Drop, drop. Pale green liquid collected in a glass vial below.
I tasted a drop on my hand—bitter at first, then pleasantly sweet.
The Rubus added a fresh aroma, making it feel like fruit juice, not medicine.
Perfect.
Smiling, I nodded.
In my past life, the plague remedy’s bitter, charcoal-like taste made it unpopular.
I’d insisted taste mattered for medicine, but Pierre stubbornly claimed, “Women should be feminine, and medicine should taste medicinal.”
His obstinacy led to our medicines being outdone by Marquis Spiegel’s guild.
Ours piled up unsold, and Pierre raged, blaming me for not stopping him.
Spiegel’s medicines sold well but failed to stop the plague’s spread due to weak efficacy.
Starting in the capital, the plague killed hundreds of thousands across the empire.
Shaking off those grim memories, I capped the pale green vial.
I packed boxes with green and yellow remedies, noting their formulas and dosages.
This would prevent countless deaths.
With strong efficacy and good taste, it’d outshine Spiegel’s guild.
This time, I’ll rake in all the gold!
Good deeds and profit—two birds, one stone.
Grinning, I hefted my heavy medicine bag and headed to my path to riches.
“Lady Aselin, you’re here?”
At the factory entrance, Luan greeted me brightly.
Nodding, I set down my heavy bag, and he remarked, “Your bag looks heavier than usual.”
“I won’t be back for a while, so I brought a lot of medicine.”
“Oh, your wedding’s next week, right? All set?”
“Absolutely.”
Ready to send Rachel and Alex to hell.
Smirking, I wiped a dusty table and placed the medicine box on it.
Luan’s eyes widened. “Is this the new medicine you mentioned?”
“Yes, the pale green one is the plague cure.”
I handed him the paper with the formula and dosages.
Luan, excited, exclaimed, “How did you think to use Rubus fruit? It’s usually for cooking.”
“It’s sweet, so it counters the bitterness. Plus, its antiseptic properties help preserve the medicine.”
Luan nodded eagerly, memorizing the formula.
“Two Rubus fruits, five Lestelan roots, and Targan mushroom enzymes… to boost absorption, right?”
His accuracy impressed me.
“Exactly. For now, work with the foreman to prepare these ingredients. We need to start production by fall.”
“Yes! I’ll have everything ready by your return!”
Luan’s eager reply was like a soldier heading to battle.
Smiling, I patted his shoulder and inspected the factory.
Luan was discussing ingredient purchases with the new foreman.
While the foreman handled machinery, I entrusted Luan with final decisions on ingredients.
At sixteen, he was young but sharp enough.
Smiling warmly, I noted the factory’s improved cleanliness.
After the wedding, I’d start plague cure production to stop the outbreak early.
Opening the factory door, I stepped out, hoping to see my medicine mass-produced next time.
Time flew, and Alex’s wedding loomed.
Today was my last visit to Claude’s castle before the ceremony.
I packed the medicines carefully and headed to Erhardt.
What once felt forced now felt familiar.
The ripened summer brought lush leaves, green lawns, and sparkling river waves.
Enjoying the scenery, I felt like I was on a stroll.
At the castle, a guard, not the butler, opened the gate.
A polished path stretched through the green garden to the manor.
Humming, I froze, eyes wide.
