Episode 9
The original heroine, Iris, suffered from homesickness after the shock and sorrow of her homeland’s destruction. Wanting to support her, Karsian sought out a flower that grew only in Iris’s country. However, when it refused to bloom no matter what he tried, he racked his brain—then remembered the Gruan Merchant Guild.
Even if the guild had collapsed, they still possessed extensive know-how in cultivating various plants.
Around that time, Seltron’s younger sister had finally succumbed to her illness. Unable even to give her a proper funeral, Seltron fell into despair and became a broken man.
Hearing his circumstances, Karsian cursed the Gladelis Marquisate right along with him and arranged a funeral for the deceased sister.
And in the process, it was revealed that Seltron was a descendant of druids.
The reason Gruan’s herbs had always been exceptionally effective and of high quality was because an ancestor of the Gruan family had been a druid.
Druids were a non-human race with extraordinary abilities to manipulate plants. A story dismissed as nothing more than a family legend turned out to be true.
And after that, the rest was predictable.
Karsian made the flower bloom, gifted it to the heroine, their love blossomed… and out of gratitude, he invested in the Gruan Merchant Guild… and so on…
Anyway, I planned to do everything future Karsian would have done. Namely, revealing the existence of druid abilities and helping rebuild the Gruan Guild.
“First, I’ll tell the guildmaster in advance about the transactions my father will make. Gruan can intercept the deals and supply herbs of much higher quality.”
“B-but… will that really bring business back? We lack competitiveness…”
Even with me volunteering as an industrial spy, Seltron couldn’t stop worrying. Understandable, of course.
Cheap but weak herbs VS pricey but highly effective herbs—a battle without a clear winner.
But what if the Gruan Guild could say that their herbs were cultivated by a *druid’s descendant*?
It was said that herbs raised by druids carried special properties beyond basic efficacy. Seltron was bound to cling to that hope.
I grinned.
“Don’t worry. I have a plan for that part, too.”
I’ll bring in the customers—your only job is to grow the plants.
If the guild doesn’t fall, Seltron’s sister won’t die. And for Karsian, who would later come seeking a rare flower for Iris, this path is far better for him too.
Meanwhile, if I create an alias account and quietly save all the salary the guild pays me?
A happy ending for everyone!
Unaware of my noble intentions, Seltron continued to stare at me with trembling eyes, as if unable to grasp the true nature of this young lady.
Time to drive the point home.
“You can think it over slowly. If you’re still doubtful… fine. I’ll give you a preview.”
I asked Susan to bring me the amethyst necklace my father had given me.
“This necklace was crafted by Graham Jewelry Shop. Their signature gemstone is amethyst. But that’s about to change.”
“C-change…?”
“A while ago, my father purchased shares of the Zireol Amethyst Mine. They produce bicolor amethyst—stones with two blended colors. And my family has a long-standing relationship with Graham Jewelry.”
“……”
“At most, in a month, Graham’s signature gemstone will change. You can check for yourself.”
I spoke confidently.
“And I’ll buy all the herbs you brought today with this necklace.”
“Huh…!”
“With this, you can secure your sister’s medicine for the next six months. Or purchase new seedlings. Just sell it quickly—once bicolor amethyst comes out, the price will drop.”
I even gave him a wink.
Still staring at me in disbelief, Seltron eventually reached out with trembling hands to accept the necklace. But even as he held it, his voice wavered.
“C-can I… really accept this? Truly?”
“Hmm?”
“Well… it’s just…”
He mouthed the word *‘bastard’*.
My eyes widened.
Was he… worried about my position?
Realistically, once I took a good look at myself, I was little more than an unwanted bastard within the family—so worthless I didn’t even own my own belongings. It was strange I hadn’t realized earlier.
But, well—before regression, I had only been a slightly sharp ten-year-old craving my mother’s affection.
In any case, I smiled at Seltron as if to show everything was fine.
“What does it matter? To society, I am the Gladelis Marquisate’s first daughter, Ratia Gladelis.”
In short, I wasn’t completely without jewelry or dresses. Even if every one of them was something Ellene threw away once she got sick of it. Still, it let me see Seltron’s kind heart, which made me happy.
I told him calmly:
“Please consider hiring me at the guild—in a positive light.”
“Ah…”
“We’ll discuss the exact employment terms later.”
Seltron nodded.
“Susan, please escort Seltron out.”
“Yes, my lady.”
Susan smiled kindly as she left with Seltron. I watched from the window as they exited the mansion and walked through the garden. She was no doubt doing her utmost to convince Seltron to hire me.
On the way back to my room, I had told Susan about another part of my plan.
*‘If I work at the guild, I’ll have more ways to find out how Karsian can contact his father.’*
*‘My goodness, young lady—so you had everything planned!’*
She had promised to support me with all her heart.
When Susan returned after seeing Seltron off, she flashed me a bright grin—apparently he had agreed to consider it positively.
I beamed back and waved at her. Then I turned my head without thinking—and bang, locked eyes with Karsian, who was standing in the corner of the garden.
H-he’d been watching me?
My heart leapt in shock. Karsian stared at me with those crimson eyes, then abruptly turned away.
A week later.
Graham Jewelry Shop unveiled a new line of earrings and necklaces made from bicolor amethyst. And I met with Seltron to sign the employment contract.
“Please take good care of me from now on, Lady Tiana Amethyst.”
“I’ll be in your care as well, Guildmaster.”
“Please, just call me Seltron.”
“That wouldn’t do—you’re my employer.”
Seltron and I smiled warmly as we shook hands.
Tiana Amethyst—my forged identity. I prepared it in case Father, who repeatedly fails at business, became suspicious and investigated.
Before regression, I had helped Father run an illegal fighting ring and fabricated fake identities for gambling nobles. Who knew that experience would come in handy?
Funds for my future—no, for the future where I escape the original story—would steadily fill the Tiana Amethyst account. Just thinking about it made my heart swell with excitement.
That night, Karsian finally came to see me.
—
These past few days, Karsian’s mind had been completely dominated by one thing—Ratia Gladelis. From the moment he opened his eyes in the morning until he closed them at dawn, she was all he thought about.
*‘Please… stop popping into my head.’*
It was agonizing. Every time he had even a second of idle thought, her voice echoed in his mind.
*‘Yeah, I believe you.’*
That voice was driving him mad.
He knew exactly how the mansion viewed him—how desperate everyone was to torment him.
*‘No one believes me.’*
More than the abuse or neglect itself, the utter lack of anyone on his side made the isolation unbearable.
He had already resigned himself that day as well. Just as Bill said, no one would ever believe Karsian’s words.
But then Ratia appeared.
*‘I said I believe you—your words, Karsian.’*
She was smaller than he was, yet her voice was so steady. Without the slightest hesitation, Ratia believed him.
She even drank filthy water just to protect him.
*‘Is that all? “Water of Reconciliation”? That’s it? Then I’ll drink it instead. Then you’ll reconcile, right? This matter ends here.’*
Afterward, she helped him receive an apology from Bill and Ron.
*‘Why… why go that far for me… Susan said she took medicine after that—is she really okay?’*
He worried endlessly that she might have harmed her health.
But aside from that, the way she appeared like the wind, saved him, then disappeared without flaunting it—she was like a hero.
Lately, whenever he thought of Ratia, his ears grew hot. His heart thundered, and his breath quickened—clearly a grave illness.
And a week ago, he saw her helping someone else as well.
*‘Didn’t you hear him say he needs highly effective herbs?
And I don’t recall giving you permission to speak.’*
Her voice, rebuking the knights who embarrassed the Gruan guildmaster, was sharp and clear. Cold, yes—but only to protect the weak, not out of rudeness like the knights.
Ratia then spoke gently to the crestfallen guildmaster.
*‘Let’s go inside and talk slowly, shall we?’*
Even from that brief scene, Karsian knew she had rescued the guildmaster. At the same time, he remembered how she had shared food with him—and the troubling thought he’d been harboring returned.
*‘…Ratia is strange.’*
Even Karsian, who had been trying to see her in a bad light, could see her sincerity. Afterward, she led the guildmaster to her room and exchanged a short conversation with Susan.
*‘I didn’t mean to eavesdrop.’*
He just happened to be outside the window of the corridor Ratia passed through.
*‘If I work at the guild, I’ll have more ways to find out how Karsian can contact his father.’*
*‘Goodness, young lady, you really think of everything!’*
Shock upon shock.
She not only helped the guildmaster with his troubles—she was worrying about *him* too!
There was no longer any reason to deny Ratia.
