‘How did the time pass so quickly?’

Lea, who had been preparing the nutritional supplement for a while, finally looked up to find the sun had already set. She leaned back in her chair, gazing at the crimson sky.

Once her busy hands had stopped moving, the events of yesterday abruptly flashed through her mind.

‘Fortunately, it seems the Count wants to keep that matter under wraps…’

He didn’t question Jacob and Bayern, maybe believing her statement. As the Count had overlooked it without a word, they would likely not take any further action either.

“But who could it be?”

Someone powerful enough to use the Emperor’s doctor for an assassination attempt on the Count.

‘Could it be… His Majesty the Emperor?’

Suddenly, the Parchia Market crossed her mind.

All of the Count’s goods come through the Parchia Market. Also, his servants were all sent from the royal family.

The most plausible assumption was that the Count had incurred the Emperor’s wrath…

‘No way. Would His Majesty really have targeted the Count?’

Lea shook her head at the recurring thought.

“It’s complicated.”

Let’s just leave others’ family affairs alone. Looking at the piles of corn starch and herbs in front of her, Lea regained her focus.

‘I can’t afford to waste time like this.’

She needed to make as many supplements as possible before evening.

When night fell, she had to work with the Count in the outbuilding to develop the antidote.

The supplement production was going smoothly, and she was finishing it quickly. What’s more, the revenue from the sale of the supplements was more than satisfactory.

‘How much is all of that?’

Looking at the stack of orders in front of her, Lea grinned. She would make at least as much as this month’s pharmacist’s salary.

‘Should I stop being a double agent and just sell supplements?’

If she made and sold supplements all day, she could quickly make up the pharmacist’s penalty. Plus, if she supplied to the Market and sold them in various cities…

‘It would be a hit!’

The bottles of supplements in front of Lea started to look like gold coins.

‘Yes, let’s quickly make the supplements, earn money, pay the penalty, and then leave with dignity!’

While Lea was engrossed in supplement production and daydreaming about her happy future, she heard a short knock. Before she could give permission, the door swung open.

Who on earth comes in so arbitrarily?

Lea lifted her head quickly to see who had so casually disregarded courtesy. Then she jumped up from her seat.

“Co, Count?”

A look of surprise spread across Lea’s face. She had not expected the Count, whom she had thought she would only meet in the outbuilding, to visit the pharmacy.

“What brings you here?”

As the Count stepped inside, the sound of the door closing echoed.

“I expected this.”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

He glanced over the cluttered table.

“You’re making those strange supplements instead of antidotes.”

“Strange? There are so many people looking for these!”

“Really?”

“Yes! Not just people in the mansion, but the villagers also approve of these supplements!”

The supplements that were initially sold only in the mansion had gradually gained popularity, and she had started selling them to the villagers as well.

The supplements give a surprising amount of energy to the body. The Count, seeing Lea’s confident face, slightly curled the corners of his mouth.

“Well, let’s assume that’s true.”

Then he took a chair and sat down behind Lea.

“……Are you going to sit there?”

“Who knows if you’re going to goof off again while you’re supposed to be making the antidote?”

So he was here to monitor her. Lea grinned at the man sitting there in such a dignified manner, gritting her teeth.

But what could she do? The landlord was sitting right there. Eventually, Lea resigned herself, cleaned up the supplements she had been making, and started preparing the antidote.

How long had it been since she started making the medicine? The Count, whom she thought would leave soon, showed no intention of leaving at all.

‘It’s rather distracting.’

It felt as if a boss was standing behind her, watching what she was doing.
For that reason, Lea was mumbling to emphasize that she was diligently making more antidote.

“I have to try mixing Moonflowers and Corals first.”

Corals, like Moonflowers, had effects that opposed that of Silverbell flowers.

Moonflowers alone could delay the side effects of Porarium, but they could not fundamentally neutralize the poison.

So, she planned to make a remedy based on Moonflowers.

Lea began to eagerly mix the medicinal herbs she found from a shelf tucked away in a corner.

The initial steps seemed to go well.

Like a lie, the herbs exploded. The smell of the burnt herbs vibrated throughout the room along with the thick smoke.

“What is this…! Cough, cough.”

Before she could stop gasping, the toxic smoke that dug into her made Lea cough continuously. The bitter smell made her eyes burn. Was the mixture wrong?

Looking at the herbs that had exploded too easily, Lea showed a hollow smile.