Chapter 490: The Tour
After that, during dinner, we all enjoyed our meal together, forgetting about work and the new product. Tomorrow, I’ll visit the Heine Trading Company too. Of course, I’ll bring Fabienne along—it might even feel like a little date.
No, this won’t do. I need to take her on a proper date sometime soon. I’d be in trouble if she thought I was neglecting her. I should consult Nero about this.
After dinner and bath time, everyone gathered in the salon. Of course, Rosalia and Mira were there too. They seemed to dislike being left out. I kind of get how they feel. But still, Mira is obviously just after the dried fruits on the table, right?
“It might be a good idea to actually go see the Baron of Amber’s estate to check the effectiveness of the plant nutrient solution Fabienne-sama improved.”
“That’s true. I’d also like to pay my respects to Baron Amber,”
Daniela, my sister-in-law, agreed with sparkling eyes to my brother Alex-niisan’s suggestion.
This is bad. At this rate, the Baron of Amber might get an ulcer. I’ll need to bring my secret stash of stomach medicine. I can’t believe this is happening because of me.
“What do you think, Julius? How about we go together when you pick up Fabienne-sama tomorrow?”
“I don’t mind at all, but please make sure to send a message to the Baron of Amber first thing in the morning.”
“Of course,”
Alex-niisan said with a smile. With that, we could avoid the worst-case scenario—so I thought. But then, Father stroked his chin with a serious expression. I had a bad feeling about this.
“Hmm, in that case, why don’t we go too? We owe Fabienne a lot, after all.”
“I think it’s a good idea, but… are you sure?”
Mother raised her elegant brows slightly at Father’s proposal. It seemed she understood the emotional state of the Baron and his wife quite well. In other words, they were on the verge of developing ulcers too. I agreed with her. Having a princess visit is already a big deal, but if the lord and lady of the region come along too…
“Um, Father, wouldn’t it be better to reschedule? I don’t think the Amber family is prepared for something like this. In many ways.”
“Hmm. You may be right. Then let’s just inform them we’d like to visit sometime soon.”
“Understood. I’ll make sure to let them know myself.”
Father finally agreed. That was close. But I couldn’t completely deter him. The Amber family will likely become more closely tied to us in the future, so perhaps it’s good for them to get used to this now.
The next morning was hectic right from the start. Originally, only Alex-niisan and Sister-in-law Daniela were supposed to visit the Baron of Amber’s estate, but then Rosalia and Mira insisted on coming too.
Mira clearly assumed she would be going as well, and when I told her she had to stay home, she clung to me with her claws out. Of course, she cried.
I should have talked to her properly beforehand. Assuming she understood without actually telling her was a mistake.
And so, we ended up heading to the Amber estate with more people than usual. I made sure to explain clearly to Rosalia that this wasn’t a fun outing.
“Good morning. We’ve been expecting you.”
“W-welcome, it’s a pleasure to have you.”
“W-welcome…”
Fabienne greeted us with her usual smile, while the Baron and Baroness of Amber were stiff with tension. Normally, their emotional states would be reversed, but I guess it couldn’t be helped.
After exchanging polite greetings with Alex-niisan and the others, we quickly got down to business.
“We’ve come to see the garden today. We’ll leave right after, so please don’t go to any trouble.”
“Understood. This way, please.”
Baron Amber, now more composed after the greetings, guided us to his prized garden. Just like before, it was beautifully maintained. Though smaller than the garden at the Heine Frontier Count’s Estate, it was thoroughly cared for.
Fabienne had said she was managing it, but it’s possible the Baron and his wife also had a hand in it. Their expressions were full of pride.
“Wow! It’s so beautiful!”
“Right? I was amazed when I saw it yesterday.”
Rosalia seemed to like it instantly. She walked between the flower beds with Mira. Sister-in-law Daniela also appeared to be quite pleased—her face was glowing with joy.
“It’s such a beautiful garden. Is this where you’ve used the potion Fabienne made?”
“Yes. I used a modified version of the plant nutrient solution Julius taught me. I tried to enhance the flowering and improve the color and luster.”
Now that she mentioned it, the leaves did look more lustrous, and there were a lot of flower buds. Even the grass at our feet seemed extra green. Alex-niisan seemed to have noticed as well.
“Baron Amber, have you perhaps used the nutrient solution on the grass too?”
“Just as you guessed. Applying it helped the roots grow deep, resulting in healthier turf. It does grow a bit faster though, so maintenance is tough.”
Despite saying it was hard, he was smiling. He probably believed it was worth the effort. Looking at this fine lawn, I’d say the same.
I never expected they were using it on grass too. This nutrient solution is more useful than I thought.
“Have you ever used the nutrient solution Fabienne made on crops?”
Apparently, Alex-niisan was thinking the same thing as me—whether it could be used on crops. The Baron’s eyes widened slightly at the question. It probably hadn’t crossed his mind. Understandably, he hadn’t ventured into agriculture.
“I haven’t tried that, to be honest. Do you intend to use it on crops?”
“Yes, I’m thinking it might lead to better yields.”
We’ll need to test that somewhere. From the looks of it, it might indeed increase crop productivity. If we can prove that it works on crops too, the improved plant nutrient solution will undoubtedly sell even better.