I’m in the Arms of the Cursed Grand Duke - Chapter 19

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 19

The monster of prophecy.

She didn’t know if she was truly the person mentioned in the prophecy.

But being different from ordinary people was enough to be treated like a monster.

“No, what does it mean to be born borrowing the body of the desert?”

At Rossia’s question, Clemente shrugged her shoulders.

“Well, it doesn’t matter now. It’s not like I’m going back to the desert anyway. Oh, is that a problem in the Northern Region?”

That was her biggest worry. However, Rossia firmly grasped Clemente’s shoulders and said.

“Not at all. What happens in the South has nothing to do with the Northern Region.”

“That’s a relief… I was wondering if I should go somewhere else.”

“Somewhere else? Where to?”

Rossia’s eyes widened as she pressed Clemente. Her determination that it absolutely couldn’t happen was palpable.

“I haven’t thought that far ahead?”

“Clemente. If anything disappointing or unpleasant happens, you must tell me.”

“I understand. Don’t worry about that.”

Clemente, having reassured Rossia, said “Ah,” and playfully raised the corners of her mouth.

“Come to think of it, you’re not avoiding me anymore?”

“…What? Who? Who said I was avoiding you? Really now. I never did that? Isn’t Clemente mistaken? I was just busy!”

Rossia denied it while fanning herself with her hand. Seeing Clemente giggling, Rossia also burst into laughter.

“I’m going to see His Grace, want to come with me?”

“Yes. I can only see his face if I go anyway.”

The two walked along making light conversation.

But after just a few steps, they heard the physician’s shout from behind.

“Don’t go!”

Rough breathing sounds came as a bonus.

“Please wait, huff, wheeze.”

Watching the physician who had run over and was catching his breath, Rossia and Clemente confirmed each other’s intentions with eye contact.

“Fine. Go ahead and speak.”

Rossia stepped forward in front of Clemente and said.

“Let’s do the herb business. Phew, it wouldn’t be bad news for the Northern Region either.”

Rossia frowned.

“You do know what the Northern Region’s weather is like when you say that, right?”

“Of course. Look, if we grow herbs with Miss Clemente’s power. Don’t you think there’s potential?”

**

Physician Airite.

He was a man who traveled back and forth to the desert, called an oddball in the Empire.

So why did he go to the desert?

Because Airite was an herb enthusiast who loved rare herbs.

Herbs easily found in the Empire were boring.

Herbs that only grew in the South or North, or those that could be called panaceas after receiving special power. He was someone who practiced medicine to find those kinds of herbs.

His medical skills were good enough to hold their own anywhere, so he had been able to see and obtain many rare herbs until now, but Lavaba was different.

It was an herb that would wither quickly after harvesting if there wasn’t enough heat to begin with.

But he had seen such an herb in the Northern Region, and had even personally ground and boiled it.

His mood these days was soaring through the sky.

But now the Dowager Duchess’s energy would soon return to normal.

The Duchy would no longer need to keep him as a physician.

‘Then I’ll create that necessity.’

Preferably in a way that would make him happy too.

So what he came up with was the herb business.

It was difficult to obtain medicine in the Northern Region. This was because it was an environment where herbs were difficult to grow. Only tree-based medicinal materials like birch bark were easy to find.

If herb cultivation were possible in the Northern Region, it would help the vassals’ health and could even make money if scaled up.

Rossia had the same thought after hearing Airite’s words.

“Shall we hear about that in more detail?”

The two seemed to have forgotten that Clemente was right beside them.

They discussed and debated earnestly, then soon clasped hands.

“Are you done talking?”

“Ah. The most important thing here is Clemente’s opinion though.”

“I heard the gist of it.”

First, build a small greenhouse. Then Clemente would gradually control only the temperature of that greenhouse while growing herbs.

It would start small as a pilot project, but if it proved helpful, they were thinking of scaling it up.

When Clemente summarized and explained, Airite and Rossia simultaneously put their hands together.

“It’s not just herbs. If other plants can grow similarly, tremendous development will happen in the Northern Region.”

“Anyway, we must grow herbs. As they say, small illnesses become big ones, so people can be much healthier just by catching the small ones.”

Clemente stroked her chin.

‘Master was worried about food problems.’

Initially, Clemente would need to control the temperature, but she wouldn’t need to do it for life.

Technology always develops, after all.

“If Master permits it, I’ll do it too.”

“I’ll get permission and tell you again! Lady Rossia, shall we go right away?”

“This kind of thing should be reported through proper procedures. Physician, let’s go to the office.”

Rossia continued with fire in her eyes.

“I’ll visit His Grace later. This is more urgent right now.”

“Yes. Master’s face isn’t going anywhere.”

Clemente waved at the two people who were quickly disappearing.

Soon she lowered her hand and let out a low laugh.

“Hehe! It feels like a storm came and went.”

She stretched leisurely. Looking out the window, for the first time in a while, sunlight peeked out shyly between the clouds.

**

She rewrote the contract as an exclusive maid.

This time it was with Zephyrus, not Rossia.

‘Really triple the salary…’

Even before receiving the money, she felt like she had become rich.

It would be a lie to say she wasn’t happy.

But there was something that bothered her a bit.

“Wouldn’t it be better to prepare food rather than give me more?”

Zephyrus stopped signing the report and stared at her intently.

“Why?”

“Can you buy food with the money you give me?”

“That’s not it. Even if I receive a lot of money, I can’t buy it if there’s no food!”

She meant she was worried about the food costs to pay the caravan. Zephyrus asked indifferently.

“If there’s plenty of food, but you can’t buy it because you don’t have money?”

“Uh… That would be sad?”

“Right. This money is so you won’t be sad. You have to work day and night in more dangerous situations than other servants. I’ll raise it more when things get better, so don’t worry unnecessarily.”

“Oh… But do I have to buy food too?”

“Hmm?”

“I definitely heard you’d provide it!”

“Are you going to live eating only what’s provided?”

“Why not?”

Clemente tilted her head as if puzzled. Zephyrus put down his pen.

“What’s your reason for wanting to earn money?”

“We can buy more things.”

“Right. Buy more delicious and pretty things than what I give you. That’s what I earn money for.”

Clemente rested her chin on her hand and asked with a thoughtful hum.

“Then why does the Ducal Palace want to buy food supplies? The vassals could just buy their own.”

“Not all the vassals can earn money.”

She understood. Even Clemente wouldn’t have dared come to the Empire without the jewels her grandmother left her.

There were no desert people who would give her work and pay her money.

It was to help people like Clemente from the past.

“Why do you do such things? In the desert, the weak die.”

“…There are books with related content.”

“Books! I like that! But will you show them to me?”

When she stayed at the Magic Tower, she did read books, but she always had to get permission.

Only novels and essays were allowed; she couldn’t even think about books with this kind of content. Finding out where her constitution came from was more urgent, so she wasn’t particularly interested anyway.

But now she was curious. It felt like she could experience a new world. If he allowed it, she wanted to read them!

Looking at Clemente’s eyes sparkling like blazing suns embedded within them, Zephyrus asked.

“Do you want to study?”

“I’m supposed to be your personal maid, so I can’t just run errands. Even running errands would be done better if I knew more.”

“For me?”

“It’s for me too. It seems like it would be fun.”

“It is fun.”

“I knew it. You’ve read a lot of books, haven’t you, Master?”

“There’s nothing else to do besides reading.”

Reading was the most interesting thing in Zephyrus’s life.

Of course, after reaching a certain age, he did study more for governing his domain.

Until he met Clemente, he read books whenever he had spare time.

“Then let’s go on a picnic soon and read books!”

Seeing Clemente smile brightly like that made all his worries from the past few days disappear completely. Zephyrus stared intently at her eyes.

Then he casually blurted out.

“Move your residence. Here.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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