Chapter 551: The Perfect Plan I Devised

After finishing lunch and finally allowing ourselves a moment of respite, I decided it was time to bring up something important—the topic I had been avoiding until now: the plant nutrient solution.

“I’ve been thinking about it from various angles, and I truly believe we need a proper plant nutrient solution,” I said.

“I agree with you wholeheartedly,” Fabienne replied.

“I think it’s necessary too,” another voice chimed in. “Seeing how well the purification of the tainted soil went, everyone’s faces have brightened considerably. That alone proves it’s worth doing.”

I nodded inwardly. Yes, seeing those hopeful expressions… it was impossible to ignore them. Before the light of hope could dim, we had to restore the land. If the regrowth of greenery were to take two or three years, that light might fade away before it ever fully flourished.

“In that case, Julius-sama, we shall proceed with creating the plant nutrient solution. However, I think it would be wise to regulate the growth rate of the plants,” Fabienne suggested carefully.

“Right. What if we just say Fabienne made it?” I teased.

She hesitated. “Well… that’s a bit—”

“Exactly,” I affirmed with a grin.

Her eyes drooped in confusion. She looked utterly distressed. Was she worried about taking credit for my efforts? I didn’t mind—it was fine by me. But there was no way I could offer my sweet fiancée as a sacrifice.

Should I speak to Giovanni-sama in secret? Or perhaps inform Sophia-sama, and attribute it to the royal alchemists of the Raven Kingdom? Either way, a new plant nutrient solution would be needed first.

For now, the plan was set. The next challenge would be finding a suitable scapegoat to stand in for me. And, of course, creating an improved nutrient solution would require proper materials and equipment—another problem to solve.

For now, it was time to head to the indoor training grounds. There, I could briefly explain to everyone how yesterday’s field test had gone.

Returning to the site where we had been breaking magic stones, I asked everyone to pause their work briefly so I could recount the events of the previous day.

I felt a twinge of guilt for interrupting their labor, but it would also serve as a much-needed break. I made sure to ask whether they had eaten properly, too. It seemed they had taken turns having their meals—like some kind of assembly-line workers, it seemed.

“Thank you for sharing this with us. Hearing it directly from you stirs the heart,” one of them said earnestly. “If there’s anything else, please do tell us.”

“Of course. None of this would have been possible without your tireless efforts,” I replied sincerely.

Though a substitute for the purification powder would have been ideal, none existed yet. They simply had to continue their work.

Perhaps because I kept checking on them out of concern, I was told that once they had broken a fair amount of magic stones, they would head outside for some exercise. It was a smart idea.

“Right now, we’re running along the inner perimeter of the castle walls. It’s full of greenery, and it feels wonderful. Julius-sama… well, of course, we wouldn’t make you run,” one of them said with a smile.

“That’s alright. I’m glad to hear it. Whether I run or not, I’d like to take a walk sometime,” I said.

“You absolutely should. You’ll be able to see the gardeners’ artistic creations,” came the reply.

Gardeners… plant nutrient solution… it clicked. This was exactly the lead I needed. Gardeners, by nature, had the knowledge and skills to nurture plants. If I subtly slipped the nutrient solution into their work… yes, I could make it happen. Not a miraculous powder from the gods, but a miraculous fertilizer.

A perfect plan. And the gardeners would naturally spread it. Victory was in sight.

“Julius-sama?”

“All right, Fabienne, let’s go for that walk immediately.”

“Eh? A-All right,” she stammered, her confusion evident.

I led a puzzled Fabienne out for a stroll, expressing gratitude to the magic stone-breaking team as we left. Later, I would attend a tea gathering with Sophia-sama, so today’s outing would only serve as a preliminary reconnaissance. I also wanted to gauge the gardeners’ personalities.

I met up with Lionel and followed him to the suggested walking route. As described, greenery lined the inside of the castle walls, creating a serene circuit. There were not only flowers but various types of trees as well—perfect for my purposes.

“So, this place exists? I hadn’t noticed it before,” Fabienne remarked.

“Nor had I. I’d only ever passed through the castle gates,” I admitted.

“This area was designed by the gardeners so that members of the royal family could enjoy a variety of landscapes without leaving the castle,” Lionel explained.

As expected, Lionel had clearly scouted the castle thoroughly, including the gardens. I was certain he also knew every dangerous spot by heart.

“Lionel, do you think we could meet the gardeners?” I asked.

“Most likely, yes,” he replied.

“Julius-sama, do you have business with the gardeners? Could it be…”

Fabienne abruptly stopped walking. It seemed she had guessed what I was thinking, her mouth slightly open, eyes wide in astonishment.

“As expected of you, Fabienne. You figured it out?”

“Julius-sama… are you plotting something unusual again?”

“Well… yes. I’m looking for a stand-in.”

Lionel sighed deeply, shaking his head. He seemed unconvinced. Fabienne and Nero also recoiled at my mention of a substitute.

I hadn’t expected such strong opposition. Apparently, I was the only one who thought it was a good idea. But I wouldn’t give up. Once they heard my plan, I was certain everyone would understand.

I decided to postpone the detailed explanation for later and focus first on meeting the gardeners. After all, it would be pointless if the gardener couldn’t grasp what I intended.

We wandered along the castle walls toward the gardeners’ base under Lionel’s guidance.

“So, this is it. Quite a large building. Do they live here?” I asked.

“It seems some of the gardeners reside here. Clearly, they have the king’s immense trust,” Lionel replied.

Given the scale, they probably needed to start work very early each day. Commuting from the capital might not allow enough time.