Mad Rosetta - Chapter 23

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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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Mad Rosetta

Episode 23

Even When Watering a Sprout, One Must Be Careful (6)

‘She might grab my head and slam it down like Bargo.’

Since I’ve been rude all this time, she might treat me like my brother did.

Marmint thought this as she glared at Rosetta.

“Together with the Doctor… No, I know you researched the Panilnia Flower.”

“How do you know that?”

“Is that all? Though the Doctor adopted you, he was using you as an assistant. Without proper wages, Dr. Beaumont snatched away the results you prepared and announced them as his own achievements.”

“…What.”

“Most importantly, I know very well that he left this world without returning the research funds I provided or delivering proper results.”

“…”

“So I’ll ask directly, Miss Marmint. How much did you discover about the Panilnia Flower? This is a very important matter to me, so please answer well.”

She was a pretty older sister who bought good meals. If I thought of it as charity given to a beggar, it would be bitter but my heart would be at ease.

I no longer wanted to create situations where my life would be swayed and hurt by others’ tongues.

Most of all, the woman who knew her circumstances in detail felt frightening, so Marmint anxiously flicked her fingernails.

“Did you do some kind of background investigation? Who are you?”

“…These are facts that can be discovered easily enough if one wants to know, without doing such dirty work. Most importantly, it seems both you and I need each other’s help.”

“I don’t need help like that! Do you think you’re the first or second person like you I’ve seen? I don’t want to even look at herbs anymore, and I don’t care if I’m abandoned by the household, so mind your own business!”

Marmint didn’t know why she was getting so excited, unlike usual.

She just hoped she wouldn’t end up coveting something she couldn’t have again and getting cold water thrown on her.

Despite her constant huffing, Rosetta watched Marmint steadily and spoke with unwavering eyes.

“You’re saying no without even hearing the deal conditions. How troublesome.”

“It was the Doctor’s job anyway, not mine, wasn’t it? Whatever you ask, I don’t want to-“

“How about 30 million shillings as commission?”

“I don’t want… huh, what? Excuse me?”

“What do you think? 30 million shillings as commission.”

“…”

“Research funds provided separately?”

At the amount Rosetta mentioned that would be more than enough to turn one’s life around, Marmint’s hand holding the drink shook violently.

Not only could she live without working for a year.

It was an amount that would allow her to study abroad immediately, and Marmint’s mouth, which had been ready to refuse, wavered.

“Re, really…?”

It was too large an amount to refuse.

* * *

【This actually works.】

Sing muttered somewhat helplessly, and I chuckled quietly while watching Marmint, who seemed to be having many thoughts.

While not everything in the world can be solved with money, most things can be.

Especially for a child who wants to escape from adults, financial concerns for basic necessities would inevitably be significant.

Considering that monthly living expenses per person for commoners are less than 1 million shillings, it was understandable that Marmint’s heart would waver.

Now that it seemed I could have a proper conversation, I leaned forward.

“Didn’t I tell you? What I want to do is a deal, not a favor. Naturally, a deal can only exist when there’s something both parties can exchange.”

“…Specifically, what do I need to give you?”

“That depends on how far you’ve progressed with your research. So spill everything you discovered while researching the Panilnia Flower, Miss Marmint.”

Marmint swallowed dry saliva as if thinking for a moment.

I found this quite frustrating but decided to stay quiet.

I didn’t expect a child who had been exploited by adults until now to readily trust and talk to a stranger.

【Oh, I thought you’d get angry and demand an immediate answer. You wait quite well.】

“…”

【At this rate, you could reduce those pillows that used to burst three or four times a week to just one or two. Mm-hmm, very good.】

Please just shut up…

Just as that guy was patting my head while saying things I couldn’t tell were praise or insults.

“…The Panilnia Flower is toxic.”

Marmint’s mouth, which seemed like it would never open, finally opened.

“To be precise, the substance from the part that produces pollen induces violence in animals. It’s practically a plant that can’t be used as medicine, and considering its impact on animals, it should be banned from cultivation.”

“…If someone was exposed to Panilnia for a long time? Is there a way to treat them?”

“Well, they would have difficulty controlling emotions. Someone who wasn’t like that before might become violent…”

“…”

“The progression would differ depending on how long they were exposed, but just neutralizing the poison would make them better than before.”

“…An antidote. Could you make one?”

Damn, my legs were trembling. It was because I was impatient.

I felt like my heart would only be at peace once I solved this damn nervous breakdown as quickly as possible.

Unless you’ve experienced how awful it feels when your body won’t be controlled as you wish, you wouldn’t know.

‘If someone provokes me at the Spring Stage…’

If I couldn’t bear it and caused a scene, it was clear that the stigma of being Benitra’s disgrace would never disappear.

“…I was actually planning to research that, but it fell through when the Doctor passed away.”

Marmint, who had been chattering about the field she knew best, had already calmed down long ago.

Though she was quite young, that appearance seemed both admirable and cool.

“There’s something called the Asau tree, whose roots are used as medicine… When the cause of such neurological problems is identified as a plant, there have been cases showing excellent neutralization reactions.”

“…The conditions are set.”

“Excuse me?”

“Make an antidote for someone who’s been poisoned by Panilnia toxin for about 2 years. If you succeed, the 30 million shillings will be yours.”

Marmint, who had been looking at me with a confused expression, instinctively realized I was talking about myself and covered her mouth with a “Huk!”

Since I didn’t feel the need to tell a child about my personal circumstances, I simply continued calmly.

“Sorry, but I can’t give you a generous timeframe. I’d like you to solve it within a month at the latest.”

“Th, that fast is impossible! What do you take pharmaceutical manufacturing for? I need to check for side effects, and to observe the progress… Most importantly, Asau tree roots are so expensive I can’t even guarantee I can obtain them!”

“How much do you need?”

“Huh?”

“How much.”

As I said before, most worldly matters can be solved with money, more or less.

Marmint was amazed at my relentless stubbornness.

But at the same time, she seemed a bit excited at the thought that she might be able to handle expensive medicinal materials.

“Since the Doctor is gone, you’ll need a separate research lab. Or do you have a place you usually use?”

“Ah… Th, there is a research lab in the household…”

From the way she trailed off, it seemed she couldn’t guarantee whether she’d be able to use it or not.

‘Well, since Dr. Beaumont who built up the household has died…’

Marmint would obviously be marked as a troublesome child in the household either way.

Even if they had accumulated wealth for several years using the child’s talent, I knew there were no other family members besides Dr. Beaumont who had mastered herbalism.

In other words, there were limits to utilizing Marmint’s abilities under the deceased Dr. Beaumont’s name.

Anyway, everywhere is full of people who thrive by exploiting others.

“I can prevent the Doctor’s Family from interfering with your research. If you want to leave that household entirely, I can arrange that too.”

“H, how… No, why would you?”

“You’re not saying you dislike it.”

Marmint looked dazed, as if hearing something she had never imagined from another person’s mouth.

‘Why indeed. Because there’s less than a month and a half left until the Debut Tante and I really have no time now.’

Therefore, I felt it necessary to clear the path for my promising future pharmacist.

Moreover, it wasn’t befitting of a noble’s virtue to just watch them exploit and oppress a child much younger than themselves, so it was proper to deal with them.

“If you need a reason, I’ll provide one. I need the antidote you’ll make, and to receive research results quickly, I think the researcher needs proper motivation. If removing the Doctor’s Family would help with antidote production, I can naturally do that.”

“…”

“You look uncomfortable. Since your opinion is important in this matter, I have no intention of forcing you.”

【This seems like something that needs to be forced, darling.】

I know that too, you bastard.

Even Sing, who was grumbling complaints, seemed uncomfortable as he worried about Marmint’s future due to her remaining family members.

Since quietly ruining the Doctor’s Household would be child’s play, it was nothing more than empty words.

However, I thought that if the child were to feel guilt later for abandoning her family with her own hands, that wouldn’t be a good thing either.

Being young was truly fragile, so there were many things that needed to be protected.

“I want to… leave the house.”

“Go ahead, then.”

At my indifferent response, Marmint wrinkled her nose.

She looked just like a child trying to hold back tears, making me wonder if I had answered too carelessly.

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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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