Step by step, step by step.

How long had we been walking?

As we moved away from the rest area, another scene unfolded.

Under the wide dome-shaped ceiling, an arch-shaped structure, adorned with vibrant patterns, reflected the sunlight, sparkling even more brilliantly in golden hues. Nearby, large and thick-trunked trees and plants, unseen outdoors, created a feeling of being in a different world.

I peered my head out, looking further into the distance. I spotted a red chair surrounded by a giant butterfly-shaped sculpture. It was another resting area.

Seeing how they had placed resting areas seamlessly throughout the greenhouse, it was clear that Jeff and Hecate were indeed huge doting parents. I still found that peculiar, but considering my body was not yet completely healthy, I trusted their judgment.

It was good to have plenty of places to rest your legs. If I ever felt a bit tired while walking, I could casually suggest taking a break, conveniently improving the situation in my favor. How great was that?

“Wow, look at all those avocados!”

Inwardly relieved and maintaining an indifferent expression, I continued to walk without showing any signs of concern. However, in the midst of this, Beris, who suggested taking a closer look at a tree she had never seen before, shouted enthusiastically with a bright face.

“That’s not an avocado; it’s a banana.”

The name banana sounded unfamiliar, but it seemed like I had heard it somewhere before. Listening to Ronowe’s correction of Beris’s misinformation, I perked up my ears and, placing my hands on my hips, looked up at the tree.

‘Ugh, my neck.’

Poppy, standing next to me, opened her mouth wide, staring blankly at the banana tree.

‘I hope she’s not drooling.’

Thinking that Poppy’s appearance was somewhat foolish, I grumbled inwardly and looked back at the banana tree.

I had been walking at the front for a while, so I could scrutinize its appearance up close. The large, long, and intricately split outer leaves, the unique appearance of the trunk, and several fruit, entwined together and hanging down, gave an overall foreign feel.

‘I should stop looking.’

Continuing to stare might cause my shoulders to stiffen, or I might feel a sudden pain in my neck. Leaving the chatterbox kids to their own devices, I stepped back. Someone approached me from the side.

It was Kallail.

“It’s fascinating to see bananas in the imperial palace.”

Smiling faintly and stopping a couple of steps away, Kallail, looking down at me, exclaimed.

“I’ve only seen them in books, so seeing them in person is a first.”
Hmm, I see. I nodded my head, attentively listening to the story.

Somehow, Kallail seemed very pleased with my attitude and joyfully questioned me, not hiding his happy expression. It was like watching a dog wagging its invisible tail enthusiastically.

“Have you ever tried bananas, Your Highness?”

“No? You can eat those?”

Though I had lived for centuries, unfortunately, I had never encountered bananas. In my past life, I conquered several nations, saw similar trees, and received them as gifts. Still, I delegated the care to my subordinates without paying much attention.

Due to this, I never knew if the tree was a banana tree or if the hanging fruits were edible. It was only now, thanks to Kallail’s excited revelation, that I became aware.

“Yes, Your Highness. In the Nesia region, people eat them fresh and use them in various dishes.”

Ah, Nesia. Suddenly, a fragment of a memory, which had been sinking beneath the surface of my consciousness like a salmon jumping upstream, resurfaced.

In my previous life, after Ulrica, I continued the lineage and became a king, engaging in small-scale skirmishes followed by immediate surrender declarations.

“Besides, ripe bananas that are yellow are said to be sweeter than honey and as smooth as cream.”

“This one is green, so I guess it’s not ripe.”

Anyway, Kallail, that guy, claimed to have read plant-related books when he was learning flower language. Now, he was reciting information as if he had memorized an encyclopedia of living organisms.

“Perhaps, if you harvest bananas now and leave them for a few days, they’ll turn yellow. But if you overripen them, black spots will appear on the peel.”

Honestly, I didn’t want an in-depth understanding of bananas as if I were an expert. However, Kallail’s fervent effort and genuine concern for me, his sovereign, made me endure the rambling till the end.

Actually, sticking to this attitude was partly due to my weariness of him constantly misunderstanding and complaining based on a single expression or word. So, I intended to avoid seeing his sulking expression.

“So, in Nesia, if there’s an excess of harvested bananas, they soak some in honey and make tea. They discard the fruit and brew the fermented liquid in hot water to drink.”

I can’t imagine soaking the pulpy flesh of the elongated fruit in something and brewing it like tea because I’ve never tasted it.

“You know a lot, don’t you? Thanks to you, I’ve learned that the fruit of this tree is delicious.”