Contender #1 - The Chief Herbalist

“Gehehe, I’ve got dried earthworms in this jar here, perfect for bringing down fevers and curing poison. This one has empty cicada shells in it. It’s also good for reducing fevers and helps reduce itching from hives. Oh yes, this one! I just got a resupply of this yesterday. It’s a type of snake called the Hundred Flower Snake. You cut it open like this and let it dry out. Works wonders on joint pain for old folks like me,” the old man explained.

Any other noble lady hearing such painstaking and grotesque detail would faint on the spot, but the girl standing there instead looked thoughtful as she examined each vial with great intrigue. “Is this one bear’s bile?”

“Smart girl! You’ve got a good eye. That’s right, this is a bear’s gallbladder. Very valuable. Helps strengthen the heart.”

“I read a book before, Spring in the North, that mentioned bear bile in a story about the region’s development,” said the young noble lady. “It went into great detail about hunting and mentioned that, when dissecting a bear, one should be sure not to overlook the gallbladder because of the high price it could fetch.”

“Oho, quite diligent with your studies, hm? Ah, this is from a sea lion, supplied by the Miseral Dukedom. A young lady like you doesn’t have to worry about your lover needing the effects of that any time soon.” The old man snickered.

The young lady tilted her head, bewildered, her fluffy hair sweeping to the side. “I don’t have a lover.”

“Oh?” He grinned with amusement.

I had to clench my jaw to keep from bursting out in laughter as I watched their exchange.

We were in a remote part of the inner palace. Sunlight rarely reached this area, and people kept their distance from the department located here. The old man had a number of medicinal supplies lining his shelf, safely tucked away to keep them hidden from the light. The vials and jars were crammed full of dead insects and various animal parts. Adding to the ominous atmosphere, there was a shadow hanging from the ceiling—something that had likely once been a living creature.

Strange smoke spilled out from a nearby pot as something simmered inside of it. Combined with the rancid smell that hit your nose the moment you walked in, it only served to cement one’s ill impression of this place.

The only person to enter the room without compunction and timidly request knowledge about herbal medicine was the aforementioned noble lady. She had arrived at the palace recently, as the fiancée of Sauslind’s crown prince. The name of this fourteen-year-old girl was Lady Elianna Bernstein. She had fluffy, platinum-colored hair and ashen gray eyes that shone with innocence. Her doll-like facial features were adorable but generally lacked emotion.

Lady Elianna showed no disgust or approval at what she saw or heard in this room. In fact, curiosity burned in her eyes as she listened intently to the old man’s words. You could tell with just a glance that she was a different breed from the other noble ladies who had been pampered from birth.

I had a general idea about what type of person she was from all the reports the prince had received on her, but she was even more entertaining than I’d imagined. It took great effort on my part to stifle my amusement.

The old man seemed to share my sentiments. He was famous, a leading figure in herbal medicine and the chief herbalist at this research department. As he watched Lady Elianna, he chortled. “Quite the tough one you are, milady. That golden colt of ours may look flawless, but he’s a clumsy boy. I’ll enjoy seeing whether he can win you over or not.”

She cocked her head, bewildered by his mutterings.

As he proceeded with his lecture on herbal medicine, the old man kept his eyes on her, watching her like she was a highly intriguing lab specimen.

I hummed under my breath, fascinated. Currently, I was disguised as a lowly researcher from this department so I could keep an eye on her.

My employer, the prince, was renowned not only throughout Sauslind but the surrounding countries as well. He was noble and wise, with a promising future ahead of him. He was handsome, charismatic, and a perfect gentleman with the ladies. All of the women of the court stared longingly after him, affection in their hearts. He conducted himself with grace, his every movement polished to perfection. To top it all off, he was even strong enough with the sword to best Lord Glen of the imperial guard in one round out of three in a sparring match. The crown prince, Sauslind’s pride and joy, truly was beyond all reproach.

Except...that was all just a facade he wore for the public. Only those of his inner circle knew his true face beneath that mask.

Despite how few knew the prince intimately, this old man had accurately seen through the ruse, calling him clumsy. Just as this bizarre young lady had captured the prince’s interest and proven to be amusing in her own right, I had a feeling this keen-eyed old man would prove entertaining as well. My intuition on things like this, much like my ability to sense and avoid danger, was highly accurate.