“Yes. We are recently looking to expand into the pharmaceutical business. And we happened to discover your supplements. It was astonishing. There have been medicines to treat diseases, but none to prevent them. I saw the future of the pharmaceutical business in this new concept of health supplements.”

In the situation as if she had invented something grand, Lea gave a slightly awkward smile.

Thinking, ‘It’s not exactly disease prevention, but it is indeed a health supplement.’

“Therefore, we at Magnolia Consortium would like to have exclusive selling rights for your supplements, Miss Lea. Right now, you are selling to private households and villagers, but if you make a contract with us, you can sell your supplements anywhere in the empire.”

‘Anywhere in the empire?’

With Berun’s words, what seemed like an enormous sum of money began to ring in Lea’s head.

Magnolia was an emerging consortium that did trade beyond the empire and between nations.

To supply supplements to such a consortium. Though she tried to remain calm, Lea’s heart was pounding.

“All the details are written here in this contract. Please review it carefully and contact our consortium……”

“I will.”

“Pardon?”

“I will do it. This contract!”

There was no need for any second thoughts. This was a gift from heaven!

[This is a time separator.]

After the person from Magnolia Consortium left, Lea couldn’t stop smiling all day.

The money she would receive from the supplement supply contract was substantial. It seemed she could send money to the orphanage and still have some contract money left over.

So perhaps that was why. Lea was happy to get up at dawn to brew the mountain herbs.

‘It seems the peace of mind comes from a heavy purse. Despite being sleepy, I’m alright.’

Despite the long queue of people looking for Lea, she never seemed to get a chance to feel tired.

Even now, she was being called by a few servants and maids on her way to deliver the brewed herbs to the Count.

Finally, she entered the Count’s bedroom.

For a moment, fatigue shadowed Lea’s face, but it quickly brightened. After she gave the herbs to the Count and finished the morning treatment, she would have a small break.

‘I should go back to my room and catch a wink.’

Lea placed a steaming cup of tea in front of Akiya.

“Sir, here’s your tea.”

Akiya looked at Lea, who seemed unusually cheerful today. Thinking about her upcoming rest, she was smiling so brightly it was as if a screw had come loose.

‘What’s making her so happy.’

Despite her exhausted face, she was laughing foolishly. Watching Lea, the Count’s brows furrowed.

“Drink it before it cools down.”

At Lea’s urging, Akiya unfolded his crossed arms. As if to drink the tea, he put down the cup without even taking a sip.

“You seem busy all day.”

“…….”

“Even though you’re so busy, it seems you’ve had some good news? You’ve been laughing so much.”

It seemed like he’d heard about the many people looking for Lea.

“Me? Oh. Is it that obvious?”

“Yeah. You seem lacking.”

“Even you, sir, joking like that. Ha ha.”

Usually, Lea would have snapped at being told she looked lacking, but now, she just laughed.

That, too, must have been obvious.
“‘A good thing indeed.'”

Even so, it wasn’t just once or twice that she had been troubled by the overbearing behavior of the Count, which was nothing short of tyranny. After all, it was the Count who had threatened her each time saying, ‘I’ll give you the contract money depending on how you work.’

“‘But there’s no money, after all.'”

If she had such a large sum of money to pay the contract fee, the Count’s mansion wouldn’t be so dilapidated. After making a fortune from selling nutritional supplements, she needed to quickly pay the penalty for the pharmacist and leave.

“‘The hard life is almost over!'”

The days of her returning home and leading an idle life were not far off. The thought of this made Lea unable to stop laughing.

“No kidding. Your dark circles have reached the end of the earth. You look even uglier because you’re laughing while looking so haggard.”

At being told that she looked ugly, Lea’s laughter abruptly stopped.

“‘Do I look that haggard?'”

Lea touched her face, which had become hollow in just a few days, with both hands. After people had been to the Magnolia top floor, Lea had been practically living in the pharmacy room.

If she wanted to supply to Magnolia in the future, she had to finish the existing order in advance. So she was pushing her production schedule ahead in a rush.

“‘Well, I did stay up all night yesterday, so it’s no surprise I look tired.'”

She only wanted to finish the morning work and get some sleep.

Lea glanced at the teacup that was now empty and turned her head toward the door. Noisy conversations could be heard from outside the bedroom.

“[Dash] Pharmacist, are you in there?

[Dash] Yes. It’s time for the Count’s examination, isn’t it? Is there something wrong?

[Dash] My stomach has been feeling bad since a while ago. Do you know when you’ll be out?

Without going out to see, she could tell it was a servant who had come to find her.

“‘I guess there’s no rest for me today.'”

She never expected them to follow her all the way to the Count’s bedroom.

“‘I hope I’m not the one who gets hit by a stray spark.'”

Every time Lea dozed off while developing a treatment in the annex, she looked uncomfortable.

Lea glanced at the Count, examining his expression.

“Count, it seems you’ve finished your tea, so I’ll take my leave now.”

It seemed better to leave before the Count had a chance to say anything. Lea quickly tidied up the surroundings.

Seeing Lea rush to collect her bag that she had brought, the corners of Akkia’s forehead wrinkled. And just as Lea, who had turned around, was about to head for the door.

“Just a moment.”

The Count’s voice, calling her to stop, could be heard.