However, contrary to Diane’s secretly hoped-for reaction, Nerys didn’t show any signs of amusement. She just looked at it with a calm gaze, as if listening to a natural story.

In the end, Diane became a bit cautious. She gathered her hands in front of her mouth and confided in a whisper.

“I find it somewhat refreshing to see Alekto being teased.”

Nerys responded immediately without raising an eyebrow.

“Me too.”
“Really?”

Diane’s eyes sparkled.

She knew how Alekto talked about not only the McKinnon family but also herself and Nerys. Alekto didn’t hide it much, openly speaking in front of the parties involved.

“Hey, guys! Do you know who attends school according to their status, and who barely attends because of money?

Hey, guys! Honestly, if you didn’t have to go to school because of your status, wouldn’t you not go? You wouldn’t want to say sorry to distant relatives, right?”

Even though it was winter, the dorm where Diane stayed had a warm fire. The two girls covered themselves with a woolen blanket and were doing homework together. Nerys was doing the homework for the subjects she was taking, and Diane was doing the homework for the subjects she was taking.

Nerys suddenly spoke to Betty, who was happily watching the two girls.

“Betty, I have a favor to ask.”

“Yes, Miss Nerys. Please tell me anything.”

“You said you’re from Malsoz, right? It’s about homework, but can you talk about Leteron?”

Leteron was the name of a large region that included Betty’s hometown, Malsoz.

Betty, the third daughter of a large family, had come to the McKinnon family through an introduction from a sister who married a far-off land. As she was introduced so distantly, Leteron was far from the McKinnon viscountcy. Diane also became interested, and her eyes sparkled.

“I’ve heard about it once! Leteron is famous for herbs, right?”

Betty smiled and replied.

“Yes. Vista Grass, in particular, is known to be more effective than herbs from any other land, so even distinguished people use it. The most famous thing in Leteron is Bias Grass, as popular as the herbs mentioned in the Bible. And the Thistle Pouch, which is spread out like a carpet in the Kinea Village, is not found elsewhere. It’s good for neuralgia…”

Some herbs are good here, and in some villages, children have been picking herbs since they were three. In some villages, only certain herbs grow. Betty’s explanation was a bit scattered, but Nerys, as always, listened patiently with a mature patience. And after the explanation was over, she quietly said.

“Leteron is really amazing. But as I listened, I became worried. Does Kinea Village rely only on Thistle Pouch, not farming or raising livestock? If the amount of Thistle Pouch suddenly decreases, it could be difficult for them to make a living.”

“Oh, there’s always more than enough to pick. It’s like a weed in that village.”

Betty, who sent her younger brother to work in Kinea Village, thought it was no big deal and answered without much thought. Nerys smiled.

“Well, that’s a relief.”

Although her words were calm, Nerys’ heart was in a state of excitement. It seemed that her purpose in asking Betty about Leteron would be achieved sooner than expected.
Homework was just an excuse. Nerys needed funds that she could use freely, in addition to the tuition provided by the Elandria family and the money sent from home. After all, money was needed for training.

However, for a twelve-year-old academy student, the official things she could do were helping with odd jobs for the teachers and receiving a small sum under the pretext of a scholarship. Asking Claude for pocket money seemed unreasonable.

Money that could buy more than flower seeds. Money that could be earned quietly without becoming an unnecessary target.

While looking for such a thing, Nerys remembered one of the things that happened in her previous life. It was during the time when she was the crown princess, lifting the spirits of Lady Meraire.

The original reason Lady Meraire evacuated wasn’t her joints, but as she was getting older, there were times when her joints would hurt for no reason. One of the doctors she had with her was from Leteron.

He boasted about using special herbs, and indeed, his medicine was effective.

However, he never revealed what the ingredients were, claiming it was a trade secret. Nerys distinctly heard the complaint of another doctor, who also worked for Lady Meraire and disliked that doctor, while drinking.

“The lunatic who flaunts his assistant’s discovery as if it were his own! If I had an assistant from Lantville…”

Reporting the words she heard like passing by, Lady Meraire burst into laughter.

“Oh? Lantville, you say?”

“Yes, Auntie.”

“I knew there was a woman from Lantville for him. I could roughly guess.”

Nevertheless, the doctor from Leteron, taking advantage of the excuse that only people from his hometown knew about the herb, was demanding more and more money from Lady Meraire.

Since Lady Meraire was originally cold to everyone, the oblivious doctor didn’t realize it. However, Nerys, who was always at her side, spreading rumors about the doctor, knew that Lady Meraire was looking for a replacement.

Later, the doctor from Leteron was expelled when he was caught using a small pretext. His place was taken by a boy who was his illegitimate child and assistant.

He trembled with fear as he confessed the truth. Although he didn’t like his father, at a young age, there was no place for him to rely on other than his father in the status of an illegitimate child.

To Nerys, it seemed pitiful how scared he was when his father was suddenly driven away.

“Although it has been more than fifteen years since Thistle Pouch disappeared, with only that, the joint pain in the elderly can be relieved in an instant… My father, in search of Thistle Pouch, combed the area near Kinea Village as if possessed. He managed to find a few roots, but they were dead… I happened to mix them with Hallergress from my mother’s hometown, and they grew healthily, with much better efficacy.”

The Thistle Pouch, which is now growing in the field, is expected to disappear soon due to a sudden illness.
The people of Kinea Village quickly brought in and started cultivating different herbs, so there was almost no damage to the villagers. However, Thistle Pouch became an artifact of the ancient era.

At that time, Nerys became interested and investigated. According to the current standards, the disease was expected to start within about six months. Then, what if she used Hallergress before that doctor from Leteron?

It hadn’t been long since Betty revealed that she was from Leteron. Nerys saw this as an opportunity.

Where else would an elderly person with joint pain go other than Lady Meraire? How expensive were the clothes worn by the doctors at Lady Meraire’s mansion, and how arrogantly did they behave?

Nerys found it difficult to grow plants that could be sold. Her experience with flowers from her previous life was the extent of her floral knowledge. However, Betty might be able to introduce someone trustworthy.

Someone who could grow a ‘new’ herb that could change the landscape of the medical world in high society.

“Thank you. It’s been a great help.”

In response to Nerys’s sincere gratitude, Betty innocently replied, “No problem, miss. If you ever need my help, just let me know.”