Kays Translations

Chapter 91: Testing Begins

While Rosalia and I were working on magic tools, a servant reported that the greenhouse beds were ready.

“Rosalia, I’m going to the greenhouse. Are you coming?”

“I’m staying here to make magic tools.”

“All right. Be careful not to hurt yourself.”

I had expected that answer, yet the rejection still stung. Rosalia truly had no interest in potions. Was there no one nearby willing to become my assistant?

“Lord Julius, I hear you’re going to the greenhouse,” Mars said. “May I accompany you?”

“Kyu.”

“Of course. You’re welcome to come.”

Mars volunteered in Rosalia’s place, and Mira clearly intended to join us. I left Rosalia in a servant’s care and headed outside with them.

“So this is House Heine’s greenhouse,” Mars said, nodding repeatedly. “It’s enormous, and remarkably well maintained.”

It had resembled an abandoned building until yesterday, but saying so would spoil his admiration. I answered with a vague smile.

Warm, humid air enveloped us when we entered. The new greenhouse air blower was functioning perfectly. The bare ground had been formed into long raised beds, ready for planting.

“Lord Julius, who’s this gentleman?” Lionel asked.

“I should have introduced you sooner. This is Master Mars, a scholar who studies holy dragons. He’ll be staying here while he observes Mira.”

“I see. I’m Lionel, commander of the Heine knight order. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

The two exchanged greetings. In one corner, the knights had already gathered medicinal-herb and poison-dispelling-herb seedlings. Their preparation was excellent.

“Let us begin planting,” I said. “These are medicinal herbs, and those are poison-dispelling herbs. Leave about two handspans between each seedling.”

“That’s much wider than usual,” Lionel observed.

Most people planted them only a fist apart.

“I want to compare their growth when they have more space. The greenhouse is large enough, so there’s no reason to crowd them.”

“Lord Julius,” Mars said, studying the soil, “why are the beds raised like this?”

“These are ridges. Raising the soil improves drainage, gives the roots more room to develop, and generally encourages stronger growth.”

“Fascinating. Did Lady Margaret teach you this?”

“Yes. I learned it from Grandmother.”

That was a lie, of course. If I claimed to have invented the method, Mars might decide that I was as interesting a research subject as Mira. I silently urged the knights to support my story. They responded with solemn nods.

I felt rather guilty, although this wasn’t entirely my fault.

While Mars continued murmuring in admiration, we planted the seedlings at even intervals. Afterwards, we watered them thoroughly with cans filled from the nearby water reservoir.

The process was inefficient. A sprinkler system would save a great deal of labour.

I would make one.

“Watering all these beds will be troublesome,” I said. “I’ll develop a magic tool to make it easier.”

“That would be very helpful,” Lionel replied, “but have you already thought of another new magic tool?”

Why did he emphasise ‘already’?

Mars immediately noticed.

“What do you mean by ‘another’?”

Lionel pointed towards the unit suspended from the ceiling.

“Lord Julius only developed that device this morning.”

Mars blinked at the greenhouse air blower as if seeing it for the first time.

“There was nothing like that in the royal greenhouse. Warm, humid air is coming from it.”

“Correct,” Lionel said proudly. “That hot-and-cold air blower heats the greenhouse and regulates its humidity.”

“Such a magic tool exists?” Mars exclaimed. “No, it can’t have existed before. Are you saying Lord Julius made it?”

“He began after breakfast and finished before lunch.”

Lionel was openly boasting now. Mars’s eyes had acquired the same unsettling intensity they showed whenever he studied Mira.

“And you’ve already conceived another device?” Mars asked.

“I suppose so.”

This was dangerous. I would have to build and install the sprinkler quietly, before Mars could turn the entire process into another research project.

We somehow finished the planting without further incident.

“I’m back, Rosalia.”

“Welcome home, Big brother. What happened? You look exhausted.”

“I’ve had a great deal to think about. Your work seems to be going well.”

She was already assembling a third household air blower.

Was that not extraordinarily fast? The sun was beginning to set, but even so, her pace was exceptional. I watched more closely—and froze.

Rosalia was using Craft.

When had she learned that?

“Rosalia, when did you become able to do that?”

“Do what?”

She tilted her head innocently.

Without explaining, I used Craft to bend a nearby iron plate with my bare hands, then passed it to her.

“This.”

Rosalia stared, then unconsciously restored the plate to its original shape. Her eyes widened as she looked down at her hands.

“I never noticed. Big brother, what’s this?”

“Some kind of special magic, perhaps.”

Rosalia looked worried.

I had never heard anyone in this world openly discuss skills. Perhaps such abilities weren’t widely understood. If so, we would need to investigate very carefully.

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