Following Akkad to his lab, Pristin’s eyes were all over the huge glass booth in the distance.
It seemed like a place where the herbs were grown.
‘I want to go in there.’
However, she only thought about it and didn’t say it aloud. It was because it could have been a rude request. In particular, scientists often had a closed and sensitive attitude toward what they research.
Pristin decided to just quietly get treatment and go.
“This is it.”
The familiar scent that Pristin first detected from Akkad was much stronger now, welcoming them. It was then that Pristin realized that Akkad’s smell was a mixture of various herbs.
“Please sit here for a moment.”
Pristin sat down, as Akkad said, in a simple chair beside his desk. After a while, Akkad brought an unknown ground herb in a bowl.
He sat down on one knee in front of Pristin, and for a moment looked embarrassed. Pristin, who saw the figure, asked with a questioning look.
“What’s wrong with you, Your Grace?”
“…Well.”
He hesitantly asked Pristin, his face still filled with embarrassment.
“If you will excuse me, would you roll up your dress, Your Ladyship?”
Ah.
It was only after hearing those words that Pristin realized her lack of sensibility. She nodded quickly and pulled the hem of her dress up to her knees.
Only then did Akkad spoon some of the herb mixture he had brought onto Pristin’s wound, being careful not to cause any more pain. The herbs quickly seeped into the wound, creating a sensation of discomfort. A small whimper escaped Pristin’s lips.
“Ah…”
“Please endure a little, even if it hurts.”
“Yes.”
Narrowing her brows, Pristin replied quietly.
And Akkad put all the herbal mix in the bowl he brought on top of Pristin’s wound.
The pain felt at first gradually eased over time. Pristin sat down calmly and received Akkad’s treatment.
“It was fortunate that there was a mix that I made yesterday. I didn’t know it would be so useful.”
“What were you going to use the mix for?”
“I was looking for the proportion of herbs that worked best to heal wounds. The mix used in Your Ladyship’s treatment now is the sample predicted to work best.”
“It’s an honor. But I’m not sure if it was necessary to use it on me instead of for your research.”
“There’s no need to consider it as ‘unnecessary’ since it turned out to be far more useful in this context. It’s even better because it truly helped someone.”
Akkad reassured her.
“I find treatment to be more rewarding than research. After all, the purpose of research is also treatment.”
“You have a cool perspective. Thank you for saying that.”
With their conversation coming to an end, Pristin attempted to stand up. However, suddenly, Akkad gently held onto Pristin’s wrist and guided her back into her seat. Startled by his sudden action, Pristin looked at Akkad with widened eyes.
“Please sit down for a moment. If you go to Camer Palace in this state, the herbs’ effectiveness will run out and it won’t be effective. You’ve come this far, so it would be a shame to leave without the full benefit.”
“Ah…”
Pristin nodded at the logical reasoning.
“That’s true.”
“If you wait just twenty minutes, I will remove the herbs and apply the ointment. You can get up then.”
“Yes, Your Grace. I understand.”
“And…”
Akkad hesitated for a moment and then spoke again.
“If you don’t mind, would you like to take a look around the herbal greenhouse?”
Unexpectedly, Pristin opened her eyes wide without realizing it. Even stammering and asking Akkad.
“I,Is that really okay?”
“Of course. Technically, outsiders are forbidden from entering, but…”
Akkad smiled softly and continued.
“I will make an exception for you. After all, you are the benefactor of the princess’s life.”
“Thank you, Your Grace.”
“I’m actually quite pleased that you’re eager to see it. I noticed your interest in the greenhouse from the moment you entered, so I asked you just in case…”
“Oh, was I that obvious?”
Pristin asked, smiling awkwardly as if embarrassed.
“I guess I’m not good at hiding facial expressions.”
“I noticed you were constantly looking towards the greenhouse. I couldn’t pretend not to notice.”
Akkad, who laughed low, went on.
“In fact, I also noticed that you only selected books related to herbs in the library.”
When did he see that?
Pristin stared at Akkad with a slightly flustered expression.
“It seems like you have a strong interest in herbs.”
“Oh, yes.”
Pristin nodded and then shyly confessed.
“I used to gather herbs every day. As a result, I naturally became more interested.”
“Then you must know a lot about herbs.”
“I just like them a little. It’s embarrassing to say I know a lot about them.”
“If you gathered herbs every day, you must have naturally gained knowledge and insight. It’s humble of you to downplay your skills.”
“It’s not humility, my skills are really nothing special.”
Pristin insisted, making an effort to deny Akkad’s praise.
“To hear such words from someone who has become the head herbalist of the palace herbal garden at such a young age, it’s embarrassing.”
“Hmm…”
Akkad paused, appearing lost in thought for a moment. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, he spoke up.
“Come to think of it, I didn’t even serve a cup of tea to the guest properly.”
“Oh, that’s all right, Your Grace. I’m grateful for the treatment you’ve provided.”
“Still, you have come all this way. It wouldn’t be proper to offer nothing in return.”
Akkad insisted, getting up from his seat.
“Please wait here for a moment.”
.
.
.
After a while, what Akkad brought into the lab were two cups of chamomile tea.
‘Chamomile tea, a medicinal plant in the Asteraceae family…’
Thinking that it was a herbalist’s choice of tea, Pristin cautiously accepted the cup that Akkad handed to her.
“Thank you.”
“I hope you like it.”
“I do. Chamomile is known for its many benefits, right?”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. It’s widely known as a good tea for insomnia, so many people drink it when they can’t sleep.”
Pristin continued in a quiet voice.
“It’s also effective for skin conditions such as eczema and acne. And if you put chamomile flowers in your bath, it cleanses and smooths your skin. It also helps to relax the mind, so I occasionally enjoy it myself. By the way, chamomile tea is also good for mild colds.”
“You seem to know a lot about it.”
Only then did Pristin, who realized that she had said too much in front of the expert, blushed with shame.
“Ah… This is not a big deal. It’s something that anyone can know.”
“It’s not something that anyone can know about. You tend to underestimate yourself.”
At that time, Akkad, who had put down the tea he was drinking on the table, moved his hand over Pristin’s lap. Startled at first, Pristin soon realized that he was doing it to remove the herb mix that had been stuck there. She relaxed her body.
Akkad removed the herbal mix from Pristin’s lap with a soft touch. Maybe it was absorbed quite a bit, but there was not as much moisture as the first time.
“More importantly, I wonder if the tea suits your taste.”
“Yes. It’s delicious, Your Grace. Thank you.”
“Now I’ll apply the ointment and bandage you.”
Akkad said, taking out something from the box. Pristin unknowingly moved her lips.
“What’s that?”
“It’s an ointment that I developed myself. It’s great for wound healing. It’s mainly made of marigold.”
“Marigold… you mean calendula?”
“Yes, Your Ladyship. In addition, I made it by mixing other herbs that help heal wounds.”
“Wow…you’re well-versed in herbs as well. Being the head herbalist is certainly not an easy task for just anyone.”
“It’s not a big deal.”
Upon hearing the answer, Pristin thought that perhaps the answer she had given to Akkad was in the same vein as she had now heard.
‘I can’t believe it’s nothing.’
Pristin shook her head and said as if he were not.
“You’re modest.”
“It’s really nothing extraordinary.”
Akkad responded with a nonchalant smile as he carefully applied the ointment onto his finger. As he gently spread it onto Pristin’s knee, she immediately felt a pang of pain. Caught off guard by the unexpected pain, Pristin let out a low whimper and clenched her teeth.
“Ugh…!”
“Please bear with me, Your Ladyship.”
Akkad’s expression was also embarrassed by Pristin’s groan. He then proceeded to touch Pristin’s knee much more delicately and cautiously than before.
In reality, there was hardly any difference in the level of pain compared to earlier, but Pristin forcibly held back her cries as much as possible, so as not to worry Akkad.
“Thank you for your hard work, Your Ladyship. It’s done now.”
After wrapping the bandage, the treatment was finally complete. Pristin let out a sigh of relief without even realizing it. Seeing her like that, Akkad let out a low chuckle.
“You seemed to be in quite a bit of pain.”
“I did my best to endure it, though.”
Pristin spoke in a slightly embarrassed tone.
“Thank you, Your Grace. Thanks to you, I think the wound will heal quickly.”
“It was no problem. I was glad that I could help.”
Akkad, who had arranged the ointment and bandages, asked Pristin.
“Then shall we go now?”
He was referring to the herb greenhouse. Pristin nodded eagerly, her expression filled with anticipation.
───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────
“Wow…”
As soon as they entered the greenhouse, Pristin couldn’t help but utter exclamations.
“It’s really spacious.”
The herb greenhouse was even larger than Pristin had imagined from the outside. She looked around with a fascinated expression, not even fully stepping inside yet. Seeing her lost in admiration from the entrance, Akkad couldn’t help but smile with pride.
“Let’s go inside and take a look, Your Ladyship. There is a wide variety of herbs being grown.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
Pristin slowly entered the greenhouse with a trembling expression. As Akkad said, there was a real variety of herbs growing. Some Pristin recognized, while others were completely unknown to her.
“What kind of herb is this?”
“It’s artichoke. It’s an herb that grows near the seaside. It might be unfamiliar to you since it doesn’t grow in Limburg.”
“Wow, yes. It’s my first time seeing it. What is it used for?”
When Pristin asked in a slightly excited voice, Akkad replied with a smile.
“It is an herb that helps stimulate bile production, aids digestion, and strengthens liver function. It also helps lower blood pressure and is effective against vascular diseases.”
“It’s amazing. You must be growing a lot of herbs that do not grow in Limburg.”
“Yes, you never know how they might contribute to research.”
“Oh, is that a graviola over there? It seems to be separated.”
“Graviola has to grow up in a hotter place than here.”
“I see. I didn’t know that. Interesting.”
“You’re familiar with graviola too? That’s another herb that doesn’t grow in Limburg.”
“Yes. I’ve seen it in a book. It’s amazing to see it in person.”
Pristin continued to show great interest in each and every herb inside the greenhouse, exclaiming in awe.
Observing her with a watchful eye, Akkad spoke up as Pristin’s exploration of the greenhouse was coming to an end.
“You seem to have a great interest in herbs.”
“I used to make a living by gathering herbs until recently.”
Pristin replied, carefully examining a hibiscus.
“And naturally, that led to my curiosity about them. Of course, I’m far from being an expert, but…”
“Well, I don’t see it that way.”
Hearing his words, Pristin straightened her posture and looked at Akkad.
“Would you like to come join our herbal garden?”
