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Chapter 39
“Kitto herbs…? You’re saying you grew that expensive stuff? It can’t be easy to cultivate. Just getting the right nutrients and fertilizers is a challenge.”
“There’s a way to manage it all. Anyway, I want to sell the herbs we’ve just harvested, but the local market is extremely hostile to newcomers.”
I let out a discouraged sigh.
“Well… the market people often collude with each other, after all.”
“Exactly. So, I was thinking—what if we sold the Kitto herbs ourselves?”
“Ourselves?”
“Yes. Let’s open a small herb shop. One that specializes only in rare herbs.”
“…You’d need a solid supply to make that work. Otherwise, you might not even make enough to cover the rent.”
“Don’t worry about that! With what we’re already growing at the estate, we’ll be able to meet the demand just fine.”
“Wait, are you saying you’re cultivating herbs across that entire huge property?”
“Pretty much. We open the herb shop, sell the herbs we bring in, and then the Aros Viscount family takes a commission from the profits.”
“…So you’re suggesting I launch the business under my name, and we split the revenue?”
“Yes! That way, you wouldn’t be directly supporting the ducal house, so there’s no risk of getting caught. As long as no one finds out where the herbs come from, we’re safe.”
“…It does sound like a good idea.”
Viscount Aros replied with a serious expression.
“But we’d do better to offer a wider selection. Kitto herbs alone won’t cut it.”
“We’re thinking of adding Rops and Nefra. That’s as far as the plan goes for now.”
“What?”
Viscount Aros jumped to his feet.
“Rops and Nefra too? You can harvest them already?!”
“How long would it take to get a herb shop ready?”
“I’ve got a few vacant shops in the market. Fixing one up should take about a week.”
“Great. I’ll have the Nefra and Rops ready within that time.”
“…If you can really pull that off.”
His gaze wavered. I held up my pendant in front of him.
“Don’t believe me. Believe in Katieron, Viscount!”
At that, I saw determination settle in Viscount Aros’s eyes.
“By the way, Viscount… Would you mind lending me some money?”
It was our first meeting, but I had no choice. Hider’s been looking so weak lately—I had to step up.
“…Money?”
“Yes. Just enough to buy some meat. I can’t run a full-scale farm with what I have. But I’ll bring the Kitto herbs tomorrow.”
I also planned to use the leftover money to buy seeds for Nefra and Rops.
Viscount Aros handed me a few gold coins.
Wow, it’s been ages since I touched real money!
I’d already spent every last coin I had—so I spun around in joy.
Hider, we’re having meat tonight!
After the maid named Lani left, Viscount Aros couldn’t shake the feeling that he’d been bewitched.
A maid from Katieron?
“…Was I scammed?”
Kitto herbs, of all things.
Top-grade Kitto herbs were so prized, people paid extra to get their hands on them.
What on earth had happened in the duke’s estate while it was sealed off?
All Lani left behind was a lighter coin pouch.
Viscount Aros rubbed his face.
Just when he felt like he was going to collapse from dealing with Kiera’s outrageous demands, a maid from Katieron had come and breathed life into him.
His heart hadn’t raced like this in a long time.
Besides, this was a field the duke’s family had never even tried before—rare herbs. There was a lot to explore.
If it was real, that is.
“…She said Young Master Hider is behind all this, right?”
Rumor had it that Taibern, before returning to the north, had doted on the boy the most. Trained him personally in swordsmanship, even.
If that were true, the boy must be exceptionally capable. Taibern wasn’t known for going easy—not even on his own son, Herdon.
“…Did he also inherit a sense for business?”
Taibern was known for being fair and a good listener, but his talents lay in the sword. Business wasn’t really his forte.
“Must’ve taken after his mother, then.”
Viscount Aros nodded thoughtfully. It wasn’t a massive investment, so it was worth a try. And he could still make the final call after seeing the herbs tomorrow.
Maybe it was the meat from yesterday—I was full of energy as I carried two baskets to the Aros estate.
Viscount Aros greeted me with a different expression than yesterday.
“…You really grew these inside the ducal estate?”
“Yes, Viscount. Do you think they’re fit for sale?”
“If they’re this high quality, of course! Did the young master say how much he wants to sell them for?”
“He said that since the quality is good, we should ask for above the standard market price. And since rare herbs are usually handled by wealthy families, having private sales channels would also help. That’s what he told me.”
Of course, Hider had no idea what was going on. All of this was my idea.
A VIP service, essentially. I’d seen something like this in media—rich people sometimes summon vendors to their homes to shop.
“The young master is truly wise!”
“I think so too!”
“At this rate, we could even hire a professional herbalist.”
“A herbalist?”
“Yes. A familiar face helps build trust. People are more likely to buy if they know and trust the seller.”
“That’s true!”
Wow, this guy was easier to talk to than I thought. I already liked him.
“So what you’re saying is, with this level of quality, those kinds of strategies are viable?”
“Exactly! And some herbalists specialize in turning herbs into specific remedies—like powders, or ointments.”
“Or even drinks!”
You know how diet supplements are usually in drink form? Like apple cider vinegar diets and stuff.
“If we can make it taste decent, we could even sell it diluted in a café-like setting!”
“Brilliant idea!”
“Then, Viscount—besides Rops and Nefra, are there any herbs that help with weight loss?”
There was only so much I could learn from the library.
“Weight loss herbs…?”
Now that would be a jackpot product.
“Yes!”
“Of course there are! But they’re notoriously hard to grow.”
“Don’t worry. Just get me the seeds—I’ll handle the rest. That’s what the young master said.”
I made sure to tack that on at the end.
“Alright. Sounds like this is going to be a bigger operation than we first planned. I can get you those seeds today. Just wait a moment—I think I still have some left.”
“Yes, Viscount!”
Viscount Aros, now visibly excited, added:
“Ah, I’ll need to prepare properly for this. Could you ask the young master if we could have about ten days to get ready?”
“Of course! I’m sure he’ll agree.”
He wouldn’t care either way. Hider was the type who’d be happy just to survive selling herbs.
“I’ll also give you a bit of money today, using the Kitto herbs you brought as collateral. But this will come from my own purse…”
“The ducal house has never received any support from you, Viscount.”
“You…”
Viscount Aros looked at me with an emotional expression.
“No wonder you’re the maid serving Young Master Hider—you’re incredibly smart.”
“Of course. A servant is a reflection of their master, after all.”
We clicked so well that we kept chatting for a long while.
Now I understood why Sir Hilden had said Viscount Aros should be our first stop.
He didn’t fear new challenges, and he didn’t hesitate to invest.
Just as we were wrapping up, Viscount Aros cautiously brought something up.
“Since the young master is so business-savvy, I think it’s time I told you something.”
He let out a sigh.
“The duchess is trying to sell off the entire merchant guild.”
“What?”
What kind of nonsense is this now?
