Chapter 09
In my previous life, Clain had conquered numerous territories by force. Even Karnai, which had no contact with the rest of the empire, was no exception.
The reason I briefly kept a Karnai maid was because of that. On the first day, she served food made with the yellow-green herb and explained its root’s efficacy to me in surprise.
Not only did it prevent poisoning, but it could also cure those already poisoned.
By boiling the root or steaming the leaves, it became a potent antidote neutralizing various poisons, including those of the yellow-green herb.
And as proof, she showed me a picture book.
Because the herb was rare in the empire and its root looked grotesque, it remained largely unknown.
Theon’s poisoning was probably due to accidentally eating a flower that bloomed on a rare day or mistakenly consuming a cursed item.
A brief silence passed. I tried to look as innocent as possible as I met his gaze.
From the blank expression he eventually spoke with, it seemed he wasn’t easily fooled.
“…Even if I asked how you knew, Miss Harper, you wouldn’t answer, right?”
“…”
“Very well.”
Theon slowly stood up. We silently descended the remaining stairs.
Could I leave now?
Although I’d surprised Theon somewhat, the matter was done.
Just as I took a step or two toward the heavy door and bowed,
“I’ll come again… day after tomorrow at noon…”
“Come at seven.”
“Huh?”
Startled, I turned around and saw Theon looking at me seriously.
“I will teach you how to interpret the map. Don’t be late, come at seven in two days. If you are late, your punishment will be copying scripture one hundred times.”
I was speechless for a moment, then understood the meaning.
He had accepted me. Theon Arpen!
Even for a short time, he would be my teacher.
Slowly, a smile spread across my face.
“Answer me, Miss Harper.”
“Yes!”
I answered loudly, unable to hide my joy.
Even as I pushed the door open and ran down the hall, I couldn’t contain my excitement.
I would learn the true shape of the continent from the most accurate map system in the world.
This life would be different from the last. I would make it so.
“…Crazy. The root of the yellow-green herb.”
In the empty library, Theon murmured.
The cough that had plagued him for almost half his life began when, at age twelve, his poor mother unknowingly picked and fed him yellow-green herb leaves.
The raw throat pain had become so familiar he couldn’t remember a time he was healthy.
He’d never had a good night’s sleep because of the day-and-night coughing.
After getting some money, he’d tried medicine and doctors but no one knew the cure.
Half of them didn’t even know the herb’s name.
“It can be cured so easily?”
I gave a hollow laugh. But the book’s contents were clear. There was no reason to make a false educational picture book.
“Miss Harper, you really are…”
I recalled her reading the ancient magic book fluently earlier.
Learning it alone—was that even possible?
While the ancient language the empire’s magicians used shared patterns with Imperial language, discovering those differences and learning naturally was incredibly difficult.
You needed a unique sense and immense magical power.
Even the empire’s first prince Clain lacked the sense to interpret ancient texts easily.
“So it’s truly Luferne,” Theon smirked bitterly. Harper Luferne had great talent but acted unaware.
Where she learned about the yellow-green herb was unknown. Did she know how valuable this knowledge was?
Suddenly, Theon’s eyes fell on the water bottle dangling from my hand—he’d forgotten to give it back after I used it during his coughing fit.
The pale blue bottle with little flower patterns suited my childish tastes.
Theon smiled without realizing it, thinking of little Harper running to get the picture book with her short legs.
“Such a pity, Miss Harper.”
Theon murmured softly.
“If only you weren’t born as Lady Callista’s sister…”
“Look closer. If a person moves from Benan to Luten, what’s the fastest route?”
“Hmph.”
I stared at the map, eyes wide.
“You must embody the ability to comprehend multiple dimensions mentally. This is not just theory.”
It was the fifth day. Theon had dragged me to the map from dawn.
He made me study the map until my eyes hurt, then spent hours making me memorize place names. Now I felt I could recall the continent’s geography with eyes closed.
“From Benan to the Richen territory by horse, then find a portal in this forest connecting to Barid, and then…”
When I hesitated, Theon gave a small hint.
“You’re in a rush, with about a thousand gold on the line.”
A thousand gold!
“In that case, you have to jump off the Kanayan Falls! It connects to Luten’s coast via portal!”
A thousand gold was worth breaking a leg or two.
Having had my runaway funds taken by Clain in my past life, I was sensitive about money.
“That’s correct.”
Theon nodded as if our values matched. Though he tried to hide it, a slight smile showed.
“Well done. Now you can read it alone.”
“Really?”
I asked excitedly—rare for Theon to praise me.
Indeed, I’d learned enough. The one-month warning was probably to intimidate me.
I could now visualize the continent and understand how portals formed and linked.
Finally done, just before Callista’s return.
Theon stopped smiling and stared at me. He had a habit of watching me every time I learned something.
He opened the sky-blue bottle and took a sip of tea.
Inside floated an ugly plant root.
“Theon, do you cough less now?”
“Thanks to Miss Harper, almost cured. Boiling the root worked.”
He looked amazed as he gazed at the tea.
His improved complexion and smoother skin from more sleep suggested his words were true.
“Then…”
“Any other requests? If it’s a payment for curing me…”
“Return my health.”
Cough!
Startled by my unexpected request, he coughed and spat water.
That bottle was from Jena. When I didn’t care for my illness the first day, Theon quietly took it and had been drinking tea from it ever since.
A tiny child’s water bottle.
“I didn’t know you valued it.”
Theon set the bottle down with a controlled expression.
Seeing his face redden from coughing, I felt a bit sorry.
Even grown-ups get greedy when they see cute things.
“If your bottle is pretty, should I give you one too?”
“I don’t want such things. And this bottle is tacky.”
He quickly answered as if ashamed at my suspicion.
What?
What’s wrong with pink flowers?
“…Also, I’m not ‘sir.’ I’m far from marriage.”
Theon paused then added with resolve, seeming to want to clear up misunderstandings.
“Please just call me Theon, Miss Harper. That’s how you address your butler.”
“Theon…”
I said his name like calling a friend.
Behind his glasses, a rare gentleness flickered in his normally stern eyes.
“Miss, get up quickly.”
Jena woke me in the morning.
“Ugh…”
Finally, after a week, classes were over. Couldn’t I sleep in a bit?
“Hurry, Miss. The carriage arrival time has been moved up.”
“The arrival time?”
“It’s for the eldest Miss.”
“Gasp!”
That woke me up completely. I threw off the blanket and got up.
Today was the day. Callista was coming back to the manor.
