TPGV Ch# 10

As soon as Lexius and Calix left the room, Elliche collapsed. She remained ill for five more days.

Thanks to Cecil’s devoted care and endless herbal teas, she finally recovered. Her body had weakened so much that her recovery was much slower than before.

“How’s the greenhouse, Cecil?”

It was the first thing Elliche asked as soon as she felt a little better.

“I took care of it exactly the way you taught me, ma’am. It should be fine.”

Cecil responded eagerly, as if she had been waiting for the question.

“No one tried to buy Chorupeng’s antidote?”

“No, ma’am. No one.”

“Let’s go check the greenhouse first.”

After a quick grooming, Elliche headed to the greenhouse with Cecil.

The greenhouse was located near the northern wall, which bordered the Cherné Forest. Since the soil was poor and sunlight was scarce, the area had been largely neglected, so when Elliche proposed building a greenhouse there, even Venshu had not opposed.

They ran into Lexius in front of the greenhouse. He appeared to be overseeing repairs to the wall, likely due to the increasing attacks from mutated wolves.

Workers were stacking bricks to raise the height of the wall. Lexius was observing the work with Calix.

In the bright daylight, Lexius looked different than usual. Standing in the sunlight, the tall man resembled a mystical statue.

His glossy black hair contrasted sharply with his pale white skin. His sharp features and ruby-red eyes were strikingly beautiful. His body, hardened by years on the battlefield, was the very image of strength.

“Are you heading to the greenhouse, Princess?”

Calix greeted her upon noticing her. Lexius turned around at his words.

“Yes. I haven’t been able to tend to it while I was sick.”

Elliche replied briefly and quickly made her way toward the greenhouse.

Calix followed behind her with long strides.

“Would you mind if I took a look inside?”

“What are you so curious about? There are many toxic herbs—it’s not easy for someone unfamiliar to stay in the greenhouse for long.”

Elliche looked puzzled, but Calix shrugged casually.

“I heard something strange from Cecil. That you’ve got Kamalantis flowers, Mugyeolcho, and even Saurka in here. Is that true?”

“Yes. I’ll show you if you’d like.”

As Elliche opened the greenhouse door, Calix entered, and Lexius followed without a word.

“Oh! Incredible!”

Calix exclaimed, a bit exaggeratedly. His eyes sparkled with interest.

The size of the greenhouse was impressive, but more than that, it was packed with over a hundred kinds of herbs growing densely.

Lexius, however, seemed unmoved. He didn’t glance at the herbs—his gaze was fixed solely on Elliche.

“Are you fully recovered, Princess?”

Though his tone was businesslike, Elliche was taken aback that he was even concerned about her health.

He had been a cold husband for three long years. For him to suddenly care about her was an unmistakable sign—something had changed.

She suspected it was the black magic of seduction tied to the powder once attached to the emperor’s bracelet. It must have begun to affect him.

“I’m fine now.”

Elliche replied simply and picked up a trowel. There were herbs she needed to dig up.

“Would you be willing to sell me a few of these herbs?”

Calix, who had been looking around, suddenly asked. As a grand mage, he seemed to know at least a little about the rare herbs’ properties.

“Sure, as long as you pay a fair price.”

Elliche answered without hesitation. She had to sell everything she could if she wanted to save up a large sum.

Calix walked around the greenhouse, then named the herbs he wanted.

“I’d like to buy Kamalantis flowers, Mugyeolcho, and Saurka. If possible, also Pennepin and Holenella.”

Elliche nodded lightly.

“All right. I’ll give them to you for 1,000 shuttels each.”

“What? Did you say 1,000 shuttels?”

Calix, who had been speaking calmly, suddenly frowned. Elliche wondered if she had priced them too high.

“Yes. Is something wrong?”

“Very wrong. These herbs should go for at least 10,000 shuttels each.”

Elliche was shocked. She hadn’t realized the herbs were that valuable.

“Really? Are you serious?”

“You must have lived in the imperial palace too long to know market prices. These herbs are so rare, they’re practically priceless.”

Calix shook his head, looking at her with pity.

“I’ve never sold the herbs as they are—only the medicine I made from them. And no one ever paid more than 1,000 shuttels.”

Elliche’s explanation made Calix frown even more.

“Then the doctor you’re dealing with must have been robbing you blind. That’s just ridiculous.”

His disgusted tone made her uneasy.

Could it be… had Mice been deceiving her all this time?

She had considered the possibility before. But he was the only doctor willing to buy from her. Others had all turned up their noses, refusing to touch unknown medicine.

“Anyway, I need these herbs for something important. I’ll pay you 10,000 shuttels per root. Of course, Lexius will cover the cost.”

With a casual air, Calix nodded toward Lexius.

Lexius, showing no sign of surprise, gave a silent nod.

“I’ll send 50,000 shuttels through Venshu.”

Elliche was stunned.

She knew her husband was wealthy, among the richest in the empire—but to pay 150,000 shuttels for herbs without batting an eye?

It was astonishing. But still, it was a windfall for her.

With that much money, she might be able to hire the Information Guild. If more was needed, she could always sell Chorupeng’s antidote.

Smiling to herself, Elliche began carefully harvesting the herbs Calix had requested.

“This section uses thermal stones, and that side has cooling stones.”

Calix continued to comment as he looked around. It had taken a lot of money just to buy the magic stones to regulate the greenhouse’s temperature.

Back in her childhood home, now abandoned, her mother’s greenhouse might still exist. But since the emperor had ordered the estate sealed, she couldn’t access it. If she could have salvaged the plants and stones from there, things would’ve been much easier.

That greenhouse was probably a ruin by now. After all, it had been left untouched for 13 years.

“How about joining me for dinner tonight, Princess?”

Lexius spoke suddenly, catching her completely off guard. Elliche slipped, slicing through a root with her trowel.

The plant’s leaves were used for medicine, so the roots weren’t critical—but she had never made that kind of mistake before.

“Dinner… tonight?”

Elliche asked, trying to keep her unease hidden. The very thought of eating with him made her stomach turn.

“I’ll be returning to the north soon. I’d like to have dinner with you before I leave.”

Lexius said it with a neutral expression.

“Returning to the north? I thought you’d stay in the capital until the crown prince’s investiture.”

Elliche was confused.

Surely he needed to attend the crown prince’s ceremony. If he left now, he wouldn’t make it back in time.

“Things aren’t looking good up north. I’ll return in time for the investiture.”

“How? It takes two weeks to travel to the north.”

“Haven’t you heard about the portals? All my territories have them. I can be in the capital in five minutes.”

“What?”

Elliche stared at him, dumbfounded.

That meant he could have visited her at any time. But he hadn’t.

Venshu, his steward, must have known. And he hadn’t told her.

It felt like an insult—not knowing something so important.

“So, will you join me for dinner?”

Elliche glared at him. She wanted to tell him to shove his dinner invitation—but she couldn’t.

“Bear the Duke’s child. That’s the only way to save that slave boy.”

The emperor’s terrifying command echoed in her mind.

“…Fine. Let’s have dinner.”

She had no choice.

Lexius looked at her with a strange expression before nodding silently.

“Then I’ll see you at seven.”

Elliche said nothing more and focused on harvesting the herbs to hand over to Calix.

Calix accepted them with awe and delight, then left the greenhouse with Lexius.

Elliche watched her husband’s retreating back with a heavy sigh.

Dinner was going to be awful.