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~Chapter 5~
Shariette began making a living with the only skill she had.
Without a license, she couldn’t open a clinic or pharmacy, so as a second-best choice, she opened an herbal shop.
The “unofficial” side business began when a joint remedy she gifted her landlord gained popularity.
Supply and demand matched perfectly, so this gray-area trade had been tolerated—
up until today.
Shariette quickly pointed out the flaw in her opponent’s threat.
“This isn’t Rubenshire!”
“Ah, that’s true. I can’t enforce authority in another territory. Fair point.”
Noxian nodded, then pulled out a land deed from inside his robe and waved it.
As if he knew she’d say that.
“Eight hours ago, Willow Hill became Rubellot land. I paid well for it, so the original owner, Viscount Casha, should be satisfied.”
Shariette’s eyes shook wildly. What is this…?
“If you’re hoping there’s no proof—”
Noxian dragged his words leisurely.
Shariette no longer wanted to hear whatever was coming out of his mouth.
“Do you prefer the charge of attacking the heir of the lord in the lord’s territory? That one starts with a prison sentence.”
…Plan 4 clearly failed from the start.
Damn demon bastard.
Should’ve never saved him…!
Accepting the reality, Shariette clasped her hands and explained in a suddenly polite tone:
“It wasn’t an attack, it was self-defense.”
Noxian gave a small laugh at her quick change in attitude.
“No one calls knocking someone out with drugs ‘self-defense.’”
“You were acting suspicious, so I reacted instinctively.”
“Oh? That makes it sound like you’ve attacked people plenty of times before.”
Tsk. Shariette looked away, unable to recover her dignity.
Her silence stretched on, and Noxian tapped the table.
“I’d like you to make your choice now.”
With nothing but unfavorable “choices” laid out, Shariette snapped back.
“This is blackmail.”
Her tone was back to raw and unrefined.
It actually suited her better, Noxian thought absently, watching her pout and slightly puffed cheek.
“Think of it as me making it easier for you to decide.”
Backed into a corner, Shariette blurted out:
“What I sprayed wasn’t just a sleeping potion—it was an anesthetic. Even if it wasn’t me, anyone would—”
“Do you think I’ve never tried anesthetics? I could list every type for you.”
Fail.
If anything, trying all of them is the strange part!
Shariette thought, even though she wasn’t exactly “normal” herself.
Her medicine hadn’t used any rare or special ingredients. She was starting to wonder why it worked only on him.
She searched desperately for an escape.
“You could just buy it regularly. I have customers who do that.”
“I’d bet less than a month before rumors spread that Rubellot’s madman is making regular purchases. That wouldn’t be good for you either. I have a lot of enemies.”
Does he even mean ‘sorry’? Shariette looked annoyed.
Smiling as if he wasn’t sorry at all, Noxian continued:
“And why would I let the only person who can incapacitate me be outside my watch? Who knows whose hands your drug might end up in?”
“…”
Another failure.
With answers prepared like an iron fortress, Shariette was on the verge of losing her mind.
“If you’re that cautious, how can I trust you? I wouldn’t know if what you’re taking is a sleeping potion or poison!”
She even threatened him with the possibility of poisoning him. Noxian only smiled lazily.
“I doubt you could. It surprises me that you think I’d offer the position of personal physician to someone untested.”
Before he could finish, the shop door opened.
When she saw who entered, Shariette realized this scheme had started long before today.
“Hello, Crow. We meet again.”
Red hair, sea-blue eyes, and a lively expression. The man stood behind Noxian and greeted her.
It was the same man who had come two weeks ago, wanting to secretly buy poison—
though his appearance was different now.
I’ll pay whatever you want, please.
I still won’t make poison.
But medicine can be poison if used incorrectly, right?
Food can make you sick too, but adding poison is a different matter.
Despite her refusal, the man had persistently clung to her.
Ordinary poison won’t work on my target.
Too bad. I still won’t make anything to kill someone.
If there’s something you want, I’ll give it to you.
Then get out.
He’d been so annoyingly persistent that she’d thrown him out and salted the ground—
apparently, that had been a pre-interview.
So “ordinary poison won’t work” wasn’t just talk.
Shariette glanced at the half-empty spray bottle. She’d made that anesthetic for going into the Shadow Forest, but it worked far better on troublesome humans than monsters.
Normal people, unlike Noxian, collapsed after one or two sprays.
I’ve thought it before, but his resistance is ridiculous.
Truly fitting for Rubellot’s heir.
While Shariette shook her head, Noxian gestured to the red-haired man.
“This is my adjutant, Sir Joseph.”
“I apologize for last time.”
Joseph gave her a polite bow.
Shariette could bet today’s sales that this man had investigated her and even done a “customer satisfaction” check.
At least Willow Hill’s people didn’t know much about her. She’d half-intentionally let them call her White Crow or Black Crow as they pleased.
“Any more excuses?”
After breaking all her arguments, Noxian asked.
Shariette made her decision.
“Then I’d rather—”
“We’re saved, my lord. We’ve found exactly the right person.”
Joseph cut in eagerly.
Shariette stopped and looked at him. Meeting her gaze, he smiled and explained:
“You’ve saved more than one life—us included. When our lord can’t sleep, the men below him suffer terribly. They say it’s like endless daylight in the castle at night.”
“….”
Shariette’s eyes wavered under the weight of guilt.
Joseph, unaware, went on cheerfully:
“Of course, the one most fortunate is our lord. He’s human too—”
“That’s enough. You talk too much, Joseph.”
“Yes, sir.”
Joseph fell silent at the soft but cold rebuke.
Noxian quietly watched the way her teal eyes trembled, as if she were about to jump into fire.
“…How long do I have to do this? You’re not saying forever, right?”
Ah.
So that was the real weak point.
He had prepared many angles, but in the end, what worked was that inexplicable kindness.
Compared to the previous year, annual deaths in the area dropped sharply. During last year’s epidemic, Willow Hill had no casualties at all.
When they’d searched the kingdom and finally found this small-town apothecary—
By now, it should’ve been widely known. Healers are scarce as it is.
They say it wasn’t any special medicine or magic. People just lived as usual, eating the same herbs.
Check if those herbs grew there two years ago as well.
From the way she saved lives without revealing herself, it was easy to guess.
Compassion must be part of her profession.
Noxian gained certainty in his suspicion and smiled in satisfaction.
“Until this wretched curse is lifted. It won’t take long—I’m desperate too.”
Even though things were going his way, he felt uneasy.
Maybe because she kept reminding him of someone—
Someone who couldn’t let others die, even at the cost of themselves.
Someone who would knowingly step into danger.
Even though back then, and now, he was the one exploiting that weakness.
“Alright, then sign here.”
Joseph, excited at how smoothly things were going, brought out the prepared contract.
Damn, my handwriting will look bad next to his. I need to write extra neatly…
Shariette carefully wrote her name under “Noxian Rubellot.”
It had been a while since her hands—once ruined—had to move with precision.
Not even reading the terms…
Noxian felt almost guilty, like he was scamming someone naive.
—Noxian Rozen Rubellot
—Shariette Verdette
“…Your name was Shariette?”
Noxian muttered, only now realizing they had exchanged names through a contract.
