Saved Him, Now I'm Obsessed - Chapter 19

Although I ran a pharmacy, I couldn’t store all the medicinal ingredients in the world. When needed, I would obtain materials through other herb dealers. Since each store specialized in slightly different herbs, I had to visit several places.

I arranged for the costs to be billed to the family, but I worried if Ileana would scold me when she found out about the enormous purchase amount. But what’s done is done. Soon I’ll receive a title and territory, so I can repay it with that.

Lastly, I stopped by Jerome’s herb shop to buy Pleirina root.

Uncle Jerome had a swindler-like impression due to his usually lackadaisical tone, but he was a sociable person who got along well with people in the alley.

Thanks to that, the shop had many regular customers. Today too, there were quite a few customers, so I had to wait in line for a moment. When it was my turn, I ordered Pleirina root.

“Pleirina root… It’s curious that a young lady asks for an ingredient not many use.”

He kept muttering to himself, finding it interesting that I came to buy medicinal herbs, while searching for the Pleirina root.

He rummaged through a corner for a while, picking this and that, then quickly put the roots in a paper bag. Even with his swift movements, I could see that the color of the roots was not good at all.

‘Could it be that I’m being taken for a fool?’

Come to think of it, I was indeed a perfect target for being fooled right now.

A young noble lady who looks wealthy, seeking Pleirina root that others rarely ask for. He seemed to be trying to hastily sell off spoiled herbs that had been stored for too long.

‘To think he sees me as a fool, how absurd…’

“It’s 78 blue coins, but since a pretty young lady came as a customer, I’ll give you a discount. Let’s make it 70 blue coins.”

Hearing the price he quoted, I was certain. Today, Uncle Jerome intended to take me for a fool. I raised my hand to stop him.

“Just a moment.”

I opened the paper bag to check the condition of the Pleirina roots. There was no need to examine them closely. At a glance, I could see that the condition of the herbs was not good at all.

“As I thought, I knew it…”

As I muttered, he rolled his eyeballs around, looking sheepish. He seemed to know he had done wrong.

I took out the herbs and placed them squarely on the counter. He looked flustered and glanced at the other people. The customers seemed curious about what was happening and peeked over my shoulder.

I spoke loudly so that all the customers could hear, pointing out each issue one by one.

“Pleirina roots are originally characterized by their pure white color, aren’t they? The fact that they’ve turned this dark means the roots have spoiled from being stored in a damp place with poor ventilation.”

He stammered, flustered by my words.

“Th-that… That’s because you don’t know well, young lady. The expensive P-Pleirina roots are originally like this!”

“What do you mean originally like this! Who do you really take for a fool? I thought the Pharmacists’ Guild paid attention to herb management. This won’t do. The shop next door is run by Pharmacist Michael, the guild leader, right?”

At my words, his pupils shook as if there was an earthquake.

Five years ago, herb dealers gathered to form a guild. It was created following the example of the Perfumers’ Guild, focusing on promoting the rights of herb dealers and also striving for quality control of products sold in guild-affiliated herb shops.

If it became known to the guild that he had sold spoiled goods, he would face disadvantages through the guild.

Especially since Jerome was putting in considerable effort to aim for the next guild leader position. If circumstances were revealed that he tried to sell spoiled herbs, and even at an inflated price, to fool a single customer, his chances for the guild leader position would be gone.

Pharmacist Jerome hurriedly apologized to me.

“No! I mean, I made a mistake. Maybe it’s because I’m getting old, my eyes are dim, so I made an error.”

“What do you mean error… Isn’t it too much to store roots until they spoil like this? Oh my, there’s even blue mold on the end of this root. I suppose expensive roots bloom mold flowers too?”

As I mocked him thoroughly, his face turned red and blue with embarrassment. Other customers were also whispering and watching, so he covered the spoiled roots with his whole body and said to the customers.

“It’s nothing. It was just a small mistake. You must all be busy, so please go about your business.”

It was a pitiful sight, but I was upset that he tried to sell spoiled herbs, so I continued speaking.

“And why are you trying to charge 70 blue coins for one bundle of Pleirina roots? Even 38 blue coins would be considered generous. Doesn’t the guild have price management guidelines?”

“Well, that…”

“You know that leaving something this spoiled can negatively affect other herbs too, right? You should dispose of these quickly, were you keeping them until you could fool someone?”

“No, really, it was a mistake. I really did wrong. Young lady, please forgive me just this once.”

Uncle Jerome quickly removed the spoiled Pleirina roots from the counter. Then he rummaged through the drawers behind the counter and brought out something in bulk.

“I truly feel sorry. Not many people ask for Pleirina roots, and they’re difficult to store… Even after searching the entire warehouse, this is the only decent bundle left.”

Well, he wasn’t wrong. Pleirina was a tricky herb to store. It wasn’t used much either. Since it wasn’t a profitable herb, this was the only shop that handled it.

Ian’s medicine, especially the one to change eye color, used many rare ingredients including poisonous herbs.

It was the same with this Pleirina. Since it wasn’t frequently used as an herb, not many herb dealers sold it. In fact, I was grateful just for them selling this herb.

I was angry that he tried to take me for a fool, but knowing he wasn’t just a bad person, I tried to pay. But he shook his head and refused to accept it.

“The money is fine. I’ve added some extra things as an apology. I didn’t know what you needed… These are items perfumers often seek these days, so they’ll surely be useful. I’ve specially prepared only top-quality goods. Even if you don’t use them directly, you can get a good price if you take them to the perfume street over there.”

“You really don’t have to do this…”

He shook his head with a heavy expression.

“It was a mistake made in a moment of greed. As if I was possessed by something… Maybe I was possessed by a money spirit. I absolutely never do this normally. It’s an item so rarely sought that I didn’t realize it was being mismanaged.”

I nodded. Although I wasn’t without resentment, I could understand his feelings.

Because the raw material prices are high, they can’t add much profit when selling, and if they mismanage and the herbs spoil, they only incur losses.

Moreover, knowing that Uncle Jerome I had known wasn’t such a bad person, I reluctantly accepted the package he was eagerly handing over.

“I’m sure you won’t do it again, but even if a customer who seems like an easy target appears, don’t overcharge them. The guild sometimes sends people for inspections, you know.”

I don’t know if the herb dealers’ guild does that, but I’ve heard that other guilds do.

Hearing my words, Uncle Jerome narrowed his eyes and looked at me.

“Then perhaps you…”

“It’s not me. Anyway, please store your herbs properly. No matter how much profit you add, if you mismanage herb storage, it’s worse than not doing business at all.”

“I know, but Pleirina root storage is particularly tricky.”

“If that’s the case, try wrapping each bundle in paper and inserting charcoal between them. It’s good for storing herbs that are weak to moisture.”

At my advice, he scratched the back of his head, seeming embarrassed, and muttered.

“You look like a young lady from a noble house, but it’s surprising that you know about these things…”

I gave a bitter smile at his words.

‘I was the best at managing herb ingredients in 17th Street…’

I left the shop with Uncle Jerome seeing me off.

The coachman who was waiting for me rushed over in one breath and took the paper bags from my arms.

“If you have this much to carry, you should have called me… So, is this herb shop the last one? Shall we return to the mansion?”

I couldn’t answer right away and stared at the end of the alley for a long time.

The pharmacy where I lived existed at the end of 17th Street. It’s become past tense, not present tense. I thought about visiting the pharmacy since I was already out.

But I didn’t have the courage yet. I wasn’t ready to face that place, which would have only traces left after burning so terribly. Since it burned to the point where my body couldn’t be found, it didn’t seem like there would be anything recognizable left either.

‘I need time to make the medicine for Ian too… Later. Let’s go after a little more time has passed.’

I nodded to the coachman and said.

“I’ve bought everything I needed. Let’s return to the mansion now.”

I got into the carriage with the coachman’s help, and looking at the herbs I bought today, I muttered.

“I hope there won’t be a need to use the emergency medicine…”

Returning to the mansion, I asked Ileana if she could provide a space suitable for work.

She wondered why such a space was needed, and I explained that I had become interested in perfumes and wanted to try making them myself.

It seemed strange to say it was for compounding medicine. Of course, a noble young lady making perfumes herself doesn’t quite fit either.

Male lead is a Destined Young Husband (Female-dominant)

One-sentence summary: Wife-master, listen to my explanation!

Li Ruantang, a young lady from a prestigious family, stumbled and fell. When she woke up, she saw a noble and beautiful young man sitting by her bedside, wiping away tears.

The young master had slightly reddened eyes, and his every move exuded charm.

The sight made Li Ruantang’s eyes hot and her heart flutter. After all, she had made a bet with the young master Meng from the neighboring family. If she couldn’t marry a husband before the end of the year, she would have to admit defeat and give up the jade she had worked so hard to obtain.

Outside the window, the flowers were in full bloom.

Rather than losing the bet, the jade, and her face, Li Ruantang calculated that it would be better to seek marriage with the young master in front of her, killing three birds with one stone.

…

Meng Jun never thought that an accident during a spring outing would lead to them rolling down a cliff and into a river, yet still survive.

Now they were trapped in an unknown village, and Meng Jun had overheard that the family who had rescued them had their own intentions.

After all, it was Li Ruantang who had lost her mind and sought marriage first. He was only trying to protect himself!

Glancing at Li Ruantang, who was listing her own merits, the young husband’s voice softened, and he blushed as he lied, “W-wife-master, Wife-master, don’t you remember me?”

The young husband’s voice was clear and handsome, coaxing Li Ruantang’s heart to be soft and sweet, and she spared no effort to protect him.

It wasn’t until they returned to the capital that Li Ruantang suddenly remembered.

When they had fallen off the cliff, in order not to implicate Wei Yunruo, whom he secretly admired, the young husband had instead pulled her, who was slightly farther away, down the cliff with him…

Short summary by Yuushi L: Initially, the male lead (ML) liked another girl, while the female lead (FL) liked the ML. Both fell off a cliff. The FL temporarily lost her memory, and the ML, fearing others might take advantage of him, claimed FL was his wife while they were staying in a village. Later, when they returned home, the FL regained her memories and remembered that the ML liked someone else, so she kept her distance from him. However, during their time living together in the countryside, the ML’s view of the FL had completely changed. From this point, his pursuit of the FL begins.

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