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Translator: penny
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: What If I Drink Your Saliva Directly?
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"...Miss?"
Sierra, who had come to wake me from sleep, gazed at me with eyes full of worry.
Her fingertips hovered uncertainly near my eyes, as if wanting to wipe them, but knowing my condition, she hesitated without ever touching down.
"Were you crying yesterday?"
"No?"
I answered in as calm a voice as I could manage.
But Sierra's narrowing eyes brimmed with suspicion, as if she couldn't believe me.
"Miss, have you looked in the mirror?"
Of course I had.
Puffy eyes. The skin around them still stung, the soreness not yet faded.
At a glance, it might look like I'd been crying, but I shook my head and held out the vial of medicine I'd prepared in advance.
"Some medicine I was making yesterday splashed. A little got in my eyes by accident."
"Ah... Are you okay?"
Understanding my explanation, Sierra looked even more concerned as she asked after my well-being.
"I'm fine. It just stings a bit."
"If anything happens, you have to go see a doctor right away."
"Hehe, don't worry. I know more about this stuff than you do, Sierra."
At that, Sierra finally let go of her worry and nodded.
I sat up in bed and rubbed my stinging eyes with the back of my hand.
Around the bed, unfinished circuit diagrams were scattered thickly across the floor.
I should have at least cleaned up before bed. My face heated up at the thought of looking so childish in front of Sierra.
"Sierra, I made this... Want to take a look?"
To divert her eyes from the messy room, I pulled out one of the diagrams from the desk.
"Huh? You made it, Miss?"
Sierra asked back in a genuinely surprised voice.
I poked a small hole in the diagram. With a puff of smoke, a small, clear spark floated up above my palm.
"...This kind of thing—couldn't you call it magic, in a way?"
I cautiously gauged Sierra's reaction as I revealed my inner thoughts.
Sierra's eyes went wide, and she was speechless for a moment before nodding with a faint smile.
"Of course. You're truly amazing, Miss."
Her unexpected praise left me blinking for a good while. Amid her pleased smile, I cleared my throat and tried to play it cool again.
Even so, a smile unwittingly bloomed on my lips. Her single compliment lifted my spirits a little.
'Wicked Camilla.'
Can't even give me a small compliment like this?
I swallowed her name inwardly, stuffing down a heavy grudge.
But it didn't matter anymore. I'd resolved not to waste any more feelings on her.
I'd live exactly like the boy she wanted. No matter what she said, I wouldn't let it get to me anymore.
Of course, I'd still have to pretend to be sisters in front of Roselia, but otherwise, we wouldn't even cross paths, so it was fine.
"Miss. Madam Roselia asked me to tell you she wants to see you."
"The Countess?"
"Yes, she said she has something to discuss."
There was no reason to refuse. The one I didn't want to see wasn't Roselia—it was only Camilla.
I quickly washed up. I soothed my puffy eyes with cold water, dressed in the clothes I'd brought from Binhel Village, and headed straight to Roselia's study.
A quiet space enveloped in stillness. At its center, Roselia sat in her usual noble posture.
"You wanted to see me, Madam?"
"You're here."
Roselia's red eyes held a deeper gravity than usual. They seemed to carry traces of profound contemplation.
She rose from her chair and moved to the sofa, gesturing to the seat opposite.
"It's nothing major. I just wanted to check a bit more about your Divine Power."
"Check?"
I sat across from her on the sofa.
Without a word, Roselia held out a slender plant stem in front of me.
At first, it didn't stir much feeling, but the moment I saw the red spots dotting the stem, I was greatly startled.
"This... is it a Life Herb?"
"That's right. You know a lot about plants too?"
It felt strangely familiar.
The Life Herb was a material I'd handled countless times in the game Kairen Chronicles.
The most basic herb for recovery potion crafting, it faintly retained nature's energy and the soil's vitality.
By itself, it could only make low-grade potions, but combined with rare ingredients, it became material for far more potent alchemy.
"From what I can guess, your saliva seems to have the power to maximize certain components. Is that right?"
"Yes, it seems so."
There was no reason to hide it now that I'd already shown her the Divine Power.
I'd never sensed hostility from Roselia, and right now, I was clearly in her debt.
"And one more thing..."
In that case, while we're at it, it might be better to come clean about making flowers bloom too.
"Actually, my Divine Power—"
It was the moment I opened my mouth. A sharp pain suddenly stabbed into my head.
A normal headache I could have endured, but the unexpected agony twisted my face.
"Are you all right?"
Roselia reached out to me with worried eyes. Her fingertips didn't quite touch, but strangely, a warm energy flowed in.
Was it because of that warmth? The sharp pain began to slowly subside.
'...Sleep really is important.'
This was the worst headache I'd ever had.
The only cause for such a headache had to be fatigue.
Last night too, I'd pulled an all-nighter analyzing and organizing magic circuits. I knew it was too much for a child's body, but Camilla's words to give up kept echoing, fueling my stubborn refusal to close my eyes.
But after the hallucinations last time, now a headache. It felt like my body was truly warning me.
For the time being, I needed to avoid overdoing it and go to bed earlier.
"I'm fine. More importantly... let me tell you about my Divine Power."
"Yes, go ahead."
Roselia still looked worried, but she carefully pulled back a step and waited for my words.
"To be precise, my Divine Power makes flowers touched by my saliva purer, one level higher."
After a moment's thought, I decided not to mention the flower-blooming ability. There was no need to say it now.
If she asked directly someday, I could be honest then.
Besides, Roselia herself had said it could cause trouble if the Divine Power became known, so she'd understand.
"Makes flowers purer?"
"Yes."
Of course, what "purity" meant exactly wasn't clear yet.
For now, it was more practical to think of it as maximizing the flower's efficacy.
"Could you apply it to this Life Herb once?"
Roselia's suggestion.
Honestly, I didn't want to drool in front of someone.
But I couldn't shatter the serious atmosphere by saying I was too embarrassed.
"...Yes."
In the end, I nodded quietly and brought the Life Herb cautiously to my lips.
I parted my lips slowly. A drop of saliva gathered at the tip of my tongue and fell onto the stem. The droplet soaked into the center of the Life Herb, leaving a gentle sheen.
I spread it evenly over the untouched parts with my fingertips, then placed the Life Herb back on the table.
"...Here."
I tried to act nonchalant, but my face burned at the fact that I'd shown my saliva to someone.
Roselia silently picked up the Life Herb.
And without any hesitation, she drew the pen nib across her arm, creating a wound.
Her skin tore, and red blood soon welled up.
"Ma-Madam?!"
My heart plummeted. My mind went blank at the sight of blood flowing from her arm.
But Roselia herself was utterly calm. As if it were nothing, she calmly rubbed the Life Herb over the wound.
"It's nothing, so don't go pale like that."
Her eyes calmly watched the wound.
Soon, changes began. The blood gradually lessened and slowed to a stop.
The wound hadn't vanished completely, but it had visibly healed.
Roselia, who had been staring at the wound, shifted her gaze to me.
"Bella."
"Yes?"
"As I said last time, keep your Divine Power hidden from now on."
"...Yes."
Was it to monopolize the medicine, or out of concern for me?
If it were the Director, I'd have instantly thought the former without hesitation. But sometimes Roselia's smile made it seem like genuine worry.
"...Hmm."
Roselia tapped the table with her fingertips, staring at me intently. Her inscrutable gaze felt a bit burdensome.
"Madam...?"
"Ah, I was just thinking for a moment."
"Thinking?"
She elegantly crossed her legs, a sensual smile playing on her lips. With a slight curve to her eyes and her chin propped on her hand, she looked at me.
"I was thinking, what if I drink your saliva directly?"
"...Pardon?"
Her unexpected words left me blinking blankly.
As I gradually grasped her intent, heat surged over my face.
"Wh-what do you mean?!"
"Your saliva might break my curse."
"M-my saliva only reacts to flowers...!"
What on earth was this woman saying?
Drink saliva directly? Could there be anything so brazen and impure?
"I'm joking."
Roselia, who had been gazing at my lips for a while, shrugged lightly with a seductive eye smile.
"Now, back to your business."
"My business?"
"You can't make and sell medicine without using your Divine Power, right?"
I narrowed my eyes, wondering if it was a joke, but her expression remained serious.
"Th-that would be a problem. I couldn't sell it for 50 runes then..."
"...Right, I suppose so."
She probably warned against using the Divine Power because she was wary of Divine Power-infused medicine spreading into the world.
If it caught the eye of high nobles, it would bring all sorts of headaches.
"I have no intention of blocking your path. Do as you wish."
Roselia accepted my position.
Even knowing about my Divine Power, she allowed my business freely, on the condition that Sierra accompany me.
"Bella, but in return, promise me one thing."
"Yes. What is it?"
"If you sense anyone buying up your herbs with malicious intent, tell me right away."
Her blood-red eyes gleamed ominously for a moment.
Was that a glimpse of killing intent in them, or just my imagination?
"Can you do that?"
"...Yes, sure."
Malicious intent.
As if I were selling poison herbs or something.
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