Chapter 553: Like a Phoenix Reborn
“I’m terribly sorry to have kept you waiting.”
With Fabienne beside me, I took my seat at the table that had already been prepared. The fact that tea had been poured and was gently steaming meant I must have arrived a little later than intended.
Well, I had been strolling around outside the castle. I needed to make sure my clothes weren’t dirty, after all.
“I don’t mind at all,” she replied graciously. “One of the servants mentioned earlier that you went to see the gardeners. Is that true?”
It seemed the servants were carefully observing our movements. Had Sophia-sama brought it up now to avoid arousing suspicion toward me? Or perhaps she was simply curious about what we had discussed with the gardeners.
“Yes. I spoke with them about restoring the greenery in the mountains. They said the request came from you, Sophia-sama.”
“Indeed, it did,” she said with a gentle nod. “They keep the castle gardens in such magnificent condition at all times. When it comes to plants, I thought there was no one better to rely on than the gardeners.”
Sophia-sama truly did seem to be thinking deeply about this country, using every resource available to her. Perhaps that included us as well.
But that was proof of how much she loved the Raven Kingdom. I couldn’t find fault with that. On the contrary, it earned my respect. One misstep could easily turn into a stain on the royal family’s reputation.
“I was thinking the same thing,” I said. “That’s why I spoke with them—to see if there was any way I could help.”
“Then…!” Sophia-sama leaned forward, her eyes shining. “Do you have some kind of good idea?”
She was clearly under the impression that I had already come up with a solution.
I do have one, but it feels too early to reveal it. At the very least, I need to complete the improved plant nutrient first.
If I raise her hopes now only to say ‘Actually, it didn’t work’ later, the disappointment would be crushing. As tempting as it is to say there’s a solution, I have to pretend I don’t know yet.
“Well, not exactly…,” I said carefully. “For now, we decided to keep exchanging ideas and think it through together.”
As I spoke, a shadow passed over Sophia-sama’s face, and I hurriedly added my words. I hadn’t expected her mood to shift just because I met with the gardeners. Isn’t her reliance on me a bit… high? Is she going to be okay? Now I’m genuinely worried.
After that, Sophia-sama formally asked me once more to cooperate in restoring the greenery. As she did, she bowed her head apologetically, saying that although I had originally come to purify the tainted land, she was sorry to burden me with additional work.
At that point, how could I possibly refuse?
“All right, of course. Leave it to me,” was the only answer I could give.
That said, if I’m going to do this, then I might as well do it properly. I don’t get up empty-handed when I fall. That’s the iron rule of being the third son.
“Sophia-sama, I believe we’ll need to develop a new magical potion,” I said. “To strengthen our cooperation with the gardeners, would it be possible to use one of the rooms in their resting area as a compounding room?”
“Understood,” she replied immediately. “If that is what you wish, Julius-sama, I shall have it prepared at once.”
Oh—this went through far more smoothly than I expected. I was sure she’d say something like ‘Don’t you already have a compounding room?’
Perfect. With this, I can research magical potions in secret, without Giovanni-sama and the others finding out. And once the results are ready, I can attribute them to the gardeners…
After the tea gathering ended and we returned to our room, Fabienne dropped a bombshell.
“Are you sure that was wise?” she said. “It’s completely obvious that you were involved, Julius-sama.”
“Huh? Ah—n-no, wait—oh nooo!”
I collapsed to my knees in despair, and Fabienne and Nero hurried to support me. Right. I was supposed to keep my involvement out of sight. It’s far too late for that now. Careless doesn’t even begin to cover it.
“Please don’t be discouraged, Julius-sama,” Fabienne said gently. “From the beginning, it was impossible to completely hide your involvement.”
That may be true, but making the effort still matters. Even if it was pointless in the end. Giving up from the start would have been far worse.
“Well, if that’s how it is, then the only option left is to develop it together with everyone—and make my presence as inconspicuous as possible.”
“…You still haven’t given up, have you?”
“Hm?”
Did Fabienne just mutter something under her breath? Maybe it was my imagination. Whatever. This time, I’ll do it right. Like a phoenix, I’ll rise again—no matter how many times it takes!
“Of course, I’ll need your help too, Fabienne. And yours as well, Nero. Lionel too.”
“I’ll cooperate, naturally, but…”
“Huh? Me too?”
“Julius-sama, isn’t it a bit much for me to be involved?”
“It’s fine. You just need to be there. Just a little. That’s all.”
And so, after somehow securing everyone’s cooperation, I finally felt at ease enough to begin improving the plant nutrient.
I already understood the flaw in the nutrient we created at the Heine Marquis household: it accelerated growth too quickly. But this time, slowing things down too much would also be a problem. Finding the right balance would be incredibly tricky.
Perhaps a different approach was needed. Even purification powder alone was enough to restore plants’ vitality to the point where new shoots would sprout. From there, all we needed to do was gently support their growth.
That’s it.
I’ll summon the forest spirit.
If I do that, plant growth might accelerate naturally.
Then, I’ll provide the plants with a special fertilizer infused with the components of the plant nutrient. If I make it a slow-release fertilizer—one that gradually seeps out over time—it should maintain its effect over a long period.
At the same time, it should suppress overly rapid growth.
This is it. This is it. This is it!
Victory is mine!
“Julius-sama, did you think of a good magical potion?” Fabienne asked.
“Huh? Was my face really that obvious?”
Sharp as ever, Fabienne. Is that because she’s my fiancée? Or am I just the type who wears everything on my face? Was I the only one who thought I had a proper poker face?
Looking more closely, I noticed that Nero and Lionel were also watching me, their eyes slightly narrowed.
“You were making that kind of face,” Fabienne said with a smile. “Would you mind telling us what you’ve come up with?”
“Y-yeah… sure,” I replied. “I guess I’ll explain it to everyone.”
For some reason, Fabienne’s smile felt… scary.
Where did the Fabienne who smiled like the sun go?