However, their expectations didn’t last terribly long. One of the senators—notorious for being what one might charitably call a ‘boomer’—furrowed his brow in the most disapproving manner imaginable. “More importantly, Lady Giselle, why are you here? I was planning to speak with you later.”
“Yeees~!”
Her words… weren’t making the slightest bit of sense?
“This isn’t a place for you!”
“Huh~? Why ever not~?” Giselle tilted her head with such innocent bewilderment that the senator who’d scolded her looked positively flummoxed.
Usually, when one was scolded in such a fashion, people would depart in tears…? But Giselle continued quite unabashedly.
“Anyway, I know precisely how to cultivate Hallones Grass! I read about it last night in the romance novel ‘Why Did the Countess Call the Duke at Night?’ It said there’s always a reason for everything! That’s where I got my hint!”
A romance novel! Wasn’t she deliberately employing the most unreliable source possible to utterly undermine her own credibility?
Agnis, thoroughly deflated, released a most exasperated sigh. “Ha! Come now! You need to make sense! How does one grow grass?”
“Oh, why must there be so much talking? Simply invest two hours, and you’ll witness the absolute miracle of Hallones Grass multiplying like mad!”
Giselle didn’t hesitate even when faced with the senator’s intimidation, but the senators openly displayed their complete disinterest by standing and murmuring amongst themselves. They had absolutely no intention whatsoever of investing two precious hours.
However, Senator Hennessy—who had been observing her with considerable attention—was rather different. Having previously benefited from her assistance, his keen observation skills were now operating at full capacity.
It’s perfectly clear. She knows something significant. She’s simply keeping her knowledge tucked away for the moment…!
“Do go ahead and speak.”
It was precisely at that moment when Agnis—who had been rolling his eyes most theatrically—added his opinion to Hennessy’s words. “Did you say two hours? Will Hallones Grass truly appear?”
At that very moment, Giselle’s eyes positively sparkled. She seemed like an entirely different person from the cheerful creature of mere moments ago.
“Yes indeed! Shall we give it a proper try?”
Giselle produced a rather suspicious-looking potion bottle and some weeds from her pocket, flashing the brightest of smiles. With an air of delicious anticipation, she placed the weeds into the steaming potion bottle. The weeds within the mysterious vessel began to bubble most furiously.
Agnis swallowed hard—almost involuntarily, one might say.
* * *
“I-It’s done! We’ve created Hallones Grass!”
The startled senators blinked at one another in utter disbelief.
“What on earth just happened?”
“It was definitely a different plant entirely, but after two hours, it truly transformed in the blink of an eye!”
“It’s genuinely Hallones Grass! I thought it had vanished completely, but how…?”
In [Will You Regret It When I Die?], there had been a remarkably similar incident involving Marquis Berto. Marquis Berto—struggling with the most dreadful financial difficulties—had visited Duke Kalinos and quite by chance acquired a lost medal from a servant. While dismantling the servant’s medal, he’d accidentally discovered Hallones Grass tucked inside.
The truth he’d uncovered about how Hallones Grass was cultivated proved delightfully simple. The seeds or grass of Majenka, combined with water and the spice Kamendaum at precisely the right temperature, would transform into Hallones Grass.
Why there happened to be spice inside the servant’s medal remains an absolute mystery, but it was probably some contrived plot device for the male lead’s heroics.
Eventually, Marquis Berto had struck a deal with the Kalinos family and prospered magnificently… but… I simply cannot stand that damned fellow benefitting. If there’s a protagonist buff, I’ll take it all for myself.
The only thing I hadn’t known was the exact location of the servants’ quarters that supported the Senate. Thanks to the map sent by Duke Kalinos, I’d been able to find it with remarkable speed.
As I smiled with perfect contentment, the senators approached Agnis, positively showering him with flattery.
“Ooooooh…!”
“Finally, our research laboratory has seen the light! Congratulations, Senator Agnis!”
Agnis and Hennessy exchanged glances, their faces displaying the most curious mix of emotions.
“Uh… why is everyone quite so excited?”
“Because we’ve obtained Hallones Grass! It’s an absolutely joyous occasion!”
I tilted my head with genuine curiosity. “How did you manage to get it?”
“Well, Lady, you shared the secret method…”
“Huh? Giselle never said she’d reveal how to make Hallones Grass.”
At those words, the festive atmosphere among the senators instantly cooled to positively arctic temperatures. I smirked, lifting my chin in the most defiant manner imaginable.
“L-Lady is going to be the duchess, aren’t you? It’s only proper to share such discoveries with the Senate for the public good.”
“Huh? But Giselle isn’t the duchess yet, right?”
“…What?”
I blinked most innocently, tilting my head in that perfectly bewildered fashion. I have absolutely no intention whatsoever of becoming the generous and terribly clever future duchess who benevolently provides Hallones Grass to all. Besides, I simply must conceal my abilities rather strategically to achieve my delightful goal of being the most vexing nuisance imaginable.
“Giselle isn’t stupid, you know! It was merely a fortunate discovery, and if Giselle simply hand it over willy-nilly, Giselle will lose absolutely everything!”
“…”
Finally confronting the rather inconvenient reality of the situation, Agnis and the senators scrambled most desperately to persuade me.
“If you share the method of creating Hallones Grass, all the senators will be eternally grateful.”
“Indeed! Everyone requiring potions will be healed thanks to your generosity, Lady Giselle!”
“It’s truly the most honorable of deeds!”
Oh, how perfectly delicious. If I reveal the method of creating Hallones Grass, they’ll forget my kindness faster than one can say ‘botanical breakthrough.’
“But Giselle doesn’t wish to share!”
“…?”
“Isn’t it rather splendid for Agnis, though?”
Agnis’s face turned the most alarming shade of pale. I reminded him—with considerable relish—of those frightfully insulting remarks he’d made during his tedious lecture.
“Agnis called Giselle stupid. Giselle is dreadfully upset. It makes me want to weep buckets! So I absolutely refuse to share!” I shamelessly revealed my delightfully petty nature, prioritizing my own interests over the so-called greater good with magnificent aplomb!
The senators, who had seemed to bask in the glory of their anticipated success, suddenly frowned most thunderously. But… I’m the one holding all the cards here, aren’t I? I gave the subtlest of nods in their direction, implying they should apologize whilst I was still feeling magnanimous.
Agnis quickly approached me, acting as though he were attempting to appease a particularly temperamental cat. “I’m terribly sorry! I didn’t realize precisely who you were. So please—do share the research results…”
“Hmph.”
“I’ll apologize most properly! I’ll do it with utmost sincerity, in the sacred name of my family!”
An apology in one’s family name is rather like a rare celestial event—perhaps five times in a lifetime—so he must be absolutely desperate. Yet I remained silent, arms crossed in the most dignified manner, maintaining my perfectly regal stance.
Oh, come now. You know precisely what must be done. I chuckled most wickedly, feigning distress whilst mumbling delicately behind my hand. “Show some proper sincerity, won’t you…”
“…?”
Good heavens, why can’t they comprehend the obvious? I shook my head inwardly at these utterly clueless senators who seemed far too obsessed with their dusty research to grasp the situation.
“Apologies are made with sincerity and money, aren’t they?”
“Uh…”
“You should give Giselle money! That’s absolutely perfect, isn’t it?”
Are they truly that hopeless? I meant royalties, naturally.
Hennessy—who had already been squeezed for royalties once before—spoke with eyes wide as saucers. “Very well! We’ll provide ten percent of the net monthly sales!”
“Hmm, Giselle doesn’t know about that.”
“Fi-Fifteen percent?”
“Oh… Giselle is feeling rather weary…” I tilted my head with perfect innocence, and a rather alarming vein bulged on Agnis’s forehead.
“Twenty percent! Anything more and we’ll be operating at a loss!”
I smiled with the most radiant brightness and nodded approvingly. “Splendid! Do bring the contract.”
To prevent any amusing attempts at trickery, I’ll ensure the contract includes the most thorough clause for transparent bookkeeping. I hummed a delightful little tune, perfectly ready to sign.
Agnis’s face—which had been scrunched up like a thoroughly deflated balloon—stretched into an expression of pure happiness. He must be absolutely thrilled to secure those precious potions rights. But then again…
“By the way, Giselle~ doesn’t really trust Lord Agnis~ at all!”
If he attempts to trick me again, I’ll simply have to return his trick twofold. My eyes flashed with the most delicious intensity.
