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Chapter 29
Phew—ha…
Clémen stepped out of the room and took several deep breaths.
Pretty. That face.
Even when expressionless or frowning, it was beautiful. But the smile, with just the corners of the lips lifting and dimples appearing on the cheeks, was striking—almost radiant enough to cast light behind her for a moment.
So why did she run away?
‘Because he kept saying embarrassing things.’
What did he mean “all thanks to me”?
It was Zephyrus who was working hard right now. She was just observing and adding words here and there.
Once her heart calmed from the embarrassment, she noticed the paper in her hands.
At the top, in neat handwriting, it read: “Things I Like.”
‘Things I like…’
She decided on the first item.
Pretty things!
Clémen wrote it down in wobbly, childlike handwriting. The paper fluttered in her hands as she moved. She planned to find more things she liked.
**
The greenhouse division office, doubling as an herbal research lab.
Clémen entered the office, holding Zephyrus’s report, and blinked at the argument she heard inside.
Everyone seemed so excited that their words came out too fast to understand clearly, but it sounded like a long debate of “I’m right, you’re wrong!”
“I’m heeeere!”
“From the beginning, absolutely not—ah, Clémen.”
Ameti, the head of the greenhouse division, raised his voice in frustration but sighed in relief when he saw her.
“I really don’t understand why you think it’s impossible. Are we growing just one plant? Of course not. Then isn’t it right to say that the temperature and humidity need to be adjustable from the start?”
The speed of his words left one breathless.
“You’re not asking for it to be so hot we grow Lavaba, or so cold we grow Snois, are you?”
Opposite him, Airit was passionately firing back with a calm face, not even glancing at Clémen. Ameti looked at him, exasperated, and replied.
“I don’t know what Snois is—”
“You don’t know Snois?! I can’t believe you live in the North! It’s a rare herb even in the North—”
“Enough! Doctor, you’re too excited.”
Clémen stepped between them with a bright smile.
“Let’s talk slowly. I can’t understand what either of you are saying at this speed.”
“Oh. Then I’ll ask for your opinion. Here’s the situation—”
Airit spoke first.
His logic was simple.
This greenhouse is for growing herbs. Herbs are diverse and each has its own growing conditions. If the greenhouse has a single temperature and humidity, it won’t work. It must be adjustable at all times!
Clémen nodded. That seemed reasonable.
“Clémen! Listen to me too!”
Ameti countered.
A temperature-controlled greenhouse? Magic could do it, but the cost isn’t small.
And in the North, snow keeps falling. First, you need a way to prevent snow from piling up outside. That also has to be solved with magic. There isn’t enough energy to control the environment inside the greenhouse too.
That seemed reasonable as well. Clémen crossed her arms, nodded lightly, and responded.
“To me, both seem correct. If you keep arguing, go ahead—both of you.”
“Huh? Clémen. Don’t you know how important this is? Can’t you just melt the snow yourself?”
“Sir, make sense. Even if Clémen has a special constitution, that’s not something a person should say.”
“Or how about using Clémen’s room as a temporary greenhouse? A small garden or… Hmm, actually that could work. The ideal herbs would—”
“Sir…”
Airit had drifted into his own world. Ameti shook his head as if nothing would get through to him, then looked at Clémen.
“Anyway, what is it you need?”
“Rosia asked how much of my power I could use.”
“And?”
“How strong, and how many times?”
Thanks to Ameti’s glass research, the greenhouse could be made without needing Clémen’s power.
But Airit didn’t want her unique power left unused. He didn’t care why she had such a constitution. Clémen could see his excitement at the thought of growing herbs that normally couldn’t be cultivated.
He wanted to grow Katarang, which only grows in the desert. It needed a consistently high temperature that only the desert’s night dew environment could provide.
He hoped Clémen could maintain that heat.
“Don’t worry about what he says. Herbs are important, but Rosia said food comes first. Once the glass that melts snow immediately is invented, it’ll probably only be needed once a week.”
Ameti smiled gently and added.
“We won’t know exactly until we see it.”
Clémen nodded.
“Clémen, decided. A flower called Balun, good for colds. Since it needs sunlight, don’t forget to keep the lights on.”
Airit interjected. It seemed a small herb garden in Clémen’s room was already a foregone conclusion.
“Yes. It can be grown in your office, doctor.”
Clémen rejected the idea outright.
“Of course not! I would do it myself if I could!”
Airit looked frustrated. He really seemed to love herbs.
‘…Things I like.’
Clémen suddenly became curious.
“Doctor, why do you like herbs?”
“Because there’s no reason to dislike them.”
“…?”
Clémen thought she might have misheard and glanced at Ameti. His expression suggested he had understood correctly.
“Isn’t there a reason? Like the scent is nice—”
“Of course they’re fragrant. But the only reason I like them is that there’s no reason to hate them.”
Airit and Clémen looked at each other as if they couldn’t understand one another. Clémen looked away first.
“Ah, Ameti? You like research, right?”
“If I didn’t, I wouldn’t have done this much… but it’s complex. Multiple feelings—sometimes irritated, sometimes pleased. That’s it.”
“I’ve never thought of herbs as irritating. You really do like research?”
“…I hope not everyone is crazy like you.”
Ameti’s words grew harsher. It seemed the two might start arguing again. Anyway, his glass research wasn’t finished yet, so the greenhouse would only be made afterward.
“Hmm. Then I’ll go! I’ll tell Rosia that you two aren’t getting along, so don’t worry!”
Two people who don’t get along won’t be efficient together. If Clémen told Rosia, she’d figure out a way.
As she turned to leave, Ameti grabbed her with a panicked face.
“R-Really going to say that?”
Seeing his shocked expression, she felt a little guilty.
“Just joking. But I think results will be better if you stay apart.”
“…I’ll handle it. Whatever happens, I’ll do it, so Clémen, don’t show off.”
“I’ll do that.”
“Thank you…”
Clémen patted Ameti’s shoulders silently and turned away. Airit’s sarcastic voice reached her ears.
“Clémen didn’t say anything wrong. Why are you so surprised? Isn’t it good to tell her?”
“…sigh.”
Even Ameti’s sigh.
**
Rosia looked over the documents that had passed through Zephyrus’s hands.
They were instructed to quickly determine when this Nightmare of the Snowy Mountains would begin, and to prepare for the upper echelon’s stay.
Originally, the upper echelon would have already come and gone by this time.
It would be better for them to return before the Nightmare of the Snowy Mountains began.
But this time, the only road to the North was blocked by a massive rock, so the carriage couldn’t move.
It was unavoidable—they had to wait while a mage was found to remove the rock.
As a result, the upper echelon had no choice but to stay in the North with them.
This meant more firewood would be needed than usual. Rosia asked that as much firewood as possible be prepared. How much would arrive was uncertain.
‘I hope a lot comes.’
Rosia rubbed her forehead and turned to the next report—one from an informant observing the Northern sector.
