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Chapter 4
“Hm? Your… first love?”
Gray looked at her in surprise.
“What? Am I not allowed to look for my first love?”
“Ahem… Well, of course you are. Could you describe this person’s appearance?”
He discreetly covered the corner of his mouth with one hand, suppressing what looked suspiciously like a smile.
Although something about his reaction bothered her, Roselia proceeded to describe Kardian’s appearance. She also told him that he was currently a commoner and that he likely lived with his father and older sister.
Gray pulled out a notebook and carefully wrote everything down.
“I understand. Now then, what information did you wish to trade with me?”
“Before I tell you, I’d like you to look over an addition I’d like made to our contract.”
Roselia handed him a sheet she had prepared in advance.
It proposed that any profits earned from the information they exchanged be split fifty-fifty. It also stipulated that if either party deliberately provided false information, they would pay double the agreed penalty.
Gray skimmed through the document before placing it on the table.
“You may be young, but you’re remarkably thorough.”
He smiled.
“Very well. Before I draw up the official contract, why don’t I hear this information first?”
“All right.”
Roselia nodded.
“The information I’m offering is this: purchase as much hibiscus herb as you can—not just around here, but throughout the Ortia Empire.”
“Hibiscus?”
Gray frowned.
“You mean the herb that’s so common most herbalists practically throw it away?”
“That’s the one.”
She smiled.
“It’s common now, but it won’t stay that way for long. Trust me, and buy as much as you can within the next week.”
Gray looked at her with obvious curiosity.
Roselia simply smiled in return.
“And this is both the commission fee and some additional money to help purchase the herbs.”
She placed a leather pouch onto the table.
It contained sixty gold coins—the remainder of her savings after giving Mary her reward.
Gray picked up the pouch, opened it, glanced inside, then set it back down.
“I understand.”
He chuckled softly.
“It certainly sounds unbelievable, but I doubt Lady Roselia Hailen would come here just to lie.”
Roselia blinked.
“H-How did you know who I was?”
“I’ve known for quite some time that the Hailen Count’s family has a beautiful young silver-haired, blue-eyed daughter.”
Gray smiled calmly at her astonished expression.
As expected of the head of an information guild.
He really does know everything.
“If you already knew who I was, then somehow I trust you even more.”
She smiled.
“In that case, shall we sign the contract?”
And so…
Roselia officially entered into a business agreement with Gray, the guildmaster of the Golden Whale Information Guild and owner of its merchant company.
* * *
“We’ve received a letter from the Golden Whale Guild.”
Just as Roselia was about to head out for a walk, Mary handed her a plain envelope.
Exactly one week had passed since she met Guildmaster Gray.
“Oh?”
Roselia accepted it.
“Then I’ll read it while I’m walking through the gardens.”
“Very well. I’ll prepare some refreshments and bring them to the gazebo shortly.”
“Thanks. I’ll see you there.”
Unlike her previous life, when she had practically imprisoned herself inside her bedroom, Roselia now spent much of her time wandering through the estate’s gardens.
When she reached the arched gazebo deep within the grounds, she glanced around.
After confirming no one was nearby, she sat on a white bench and took the letter from her pocket.
The outside of the envelope simply bore the letter:
G
Opening it, she found handwriting that was barely legible.
“We’ve purchased large quantities of hibiscus from herbalists throughout the Empire at low prices and stored them in three large warehouses.”
Oh.
They work faster than I expected.
Though… his handwriting is absolutely terrible.
She nodded to herself.
But as she continued reading, she frowned.
“Also, I believe we’ll find your first love very soon.”
Ugh…
I shouldn’t have called Kardian my first love.
I should’ve just said he was a friend.
Regretting it now wouldn’t change anything.
Surely Gray won’t actually find Kardian and start telling him nonsense about me searching for my first love… right?
With a quiet sigh, Roselia carefully folded the letter and tucked it back into her pocket before standing.
Mary won’t arrive with the refreshments for a while.
I might as well continue walking around.
Leaving the gazebo, she strolled leisurely along the neatly maintained paths, admiring the fresh green leaves and flower buds just beginning to bloom.
A pleasantly warm breeze carried the scent of flowers and fresh grass.
It was enough to soothe both body and mind.
Then—
She heard something strange.
What’s that sound?
She looked around, trying to locate its source.
After listening carefully, she realized it was someone’s voice coming from a secluded corner of the gardens.
Curious, Roselia quietly headed in that direction.
As she approached, she spotted the back of someone’s gray-haired head between the trees.
It looked very familiar.
“How many times do I have to tell you?!”
Oh no…
That’s Sven.
What’s he doing here?
Roselia quickly ducked behind a nearby tree, cautiously peeking around the trunk.
After watching for a moment, she noticed something odd.
What’s that?
Narrowing her eyes, she saw a brown rabbit sitting about two paces away from Sven.
Its long ears drooped sadly, and one of its hind legs appeared injured.
Hovering directly above the rabbit was Sven’s lower water spirit.
“Heal it already!”
Forget it.
I should just leave.
If he sees me, it’ll ruin my entire day.
Thinking that, Roselia slowly began backing away.
Then—
“The rabbit’s hind leg is too minor? Then should I injure its front leg so you’ll heal it?”
She froze.
…What?
Is he seriously planning to hurt the rabbit on purpose just to force his spirit to heal it?
Horrified, she hid behind the tree again and watched more closely.
Despite Sven’s repeated commands, the little spirit simply floated quietly above the rabbit, refusing to move.
“You stupid spirit!”
Sven shouted.
“So you’re really going to disobey me? Fine! Then I’ll just wound the rabbit’s front leg myself!”
He reached down and grabbed a thick branch lying beside him.
Roselia immediately rushed out from behind the tree.
“Stop!”
She spread both arms wide, standing directly between Sven and the spirit.
Startled by her sudden appearance, Sven instinctively flinched.
But the moment he realized it was Roselia, his expression turned to disbelief.
“What are you doing here? Since when do you get to tell me how to train?”
“Training?”
Roselia glared at him.
“You call deliberately injuring a perfectly healthy rabbit so your spirit can heal it ‘training’?”
“Hah!”
Sven sneered.
“What would someone as useless as you know about spirit training? Stop getting in my way and move!”
Even under his fierce glare, Roselia refused to budge.
“Don’t you feel sorry for the rabbit? Or for your spirit?”
“What’s there to feel sorry about?”
He scoffed.
“This is part of its training! Now get out of the way!”
“Oh, please.”
Roselia folded her arms.
“Don’t call that training. I’m not moving.”
“You little—!”
Furious, Sven raised the thick branch high into the air.
It looked as though he intended to strike her with it.
Roselia instinctively shrank back and squeezed her eyes shut.
“…Lady Roselia! Lady Rose…lia! Where are you?”
A voice suddenly echoed nearby.
Mary.
“Damn it!”
Sven cursed under his breath and immediately lowered the branch.
Roselia slowly opened her eyes.
He was glaring at her with murderous hostility.
“You’re lucky today.”
His voice was ice cold.
“But next time… I really won’t let you off.”
Throwing the branch far into the bushes, Sven turned around and stormed away.
His lower water spirit followed after him.
Then…
Just for an instant…
A faint, gentle voice echoed inside Roselia’s mind.
Her eyes widened.
Wh-What was that?
It had been far too faint to understand clearly.
Yet somehow…
It felt as though someone had whispered,
Thank you.
She quickly searched for the spirit.
But it had already disappeared after Sven.
Roselia carefully picked up the injured rabbit and walked toward the direction where Mary had called from.
Soon, Mary’s voice grew closer.
“Lady Roselia! Where have you—”
She stopped abruptly.
“Oh my! Where did that rabbit come from?”
“I happened to find it with an injured leg.”
Roselia gently stroked its soft fur.
“Is there anyone at the estate who could treat it?”
Mary thought for a moment before answering.
“I believe Hans, the stablemaster, could. He takes care of the horses, after all.”
“In that case, could you take the rabbit to him?”
Roselia smiled.
“I need to hurry to the library in the main manor.”
“Of course.”
Mary carefully accepted the injured rabbit.
“I’ll take it to Hans right away.”
With the rabbit cradled in her arms, Mary hurried off toward the stables.
