Laboratory of the Kanista Kingdom 4
The Medicinal Herb Department is located at the back
of the castle. While heading there through a place like a courtyard, I felt
some sort of gaze. When I stole a glance next to me, Ashren-sama had a
composed face, so I didn't think I needed to mind it.
Entering through the castle's back door and knocking on the
first door, a reply came from inside. I opened the door in place of Ashren-sama,
whose hands were full.
「Reizan-dono, I have brought the items you requested.」
「Ashren, thank you. You saved me.」
An elderly, tall man came out, so when I stated my name and
bowed my head, the man intently observed me from head to toe.
「Oh, is she the woman you fell in
love with at first sight? She is a lovely person.」
「Isn't she?」
Ashren-sama
smiled warmly. I was taken aback by that composed profile of his. Did it just
sound like he affirmed it?
「Are the back shelves fine for the
medicine?」
「Yeah, that helps.」
Even though he should have noticed my gaze, Ashren-sama
briskly headed toward the shelves in the back. There were a few other people in
the Medicinal Herb Department, but since everyone was looking at me, I
couldn't stand it and decided to chase after Ashren-sama.
「Ashren-sama, what on earth was the meaning of that just now?」
When I asked in a low voice while hiding in the shadow of
the shelves, Ashren-sama lowered his eyebrows and made a fed-up
expression.
「Everywhere I go, it's rumored that I
brought home a bride. The source of the rumor is probably my mother.」
「Is that so. And you denied it,
didn't you?」
「I did it properly at first. However,
even when I tried to clear up the misunderstanding, it was only thought of as
hiding my embarrassment, and I was dumped by several young ladies with tearful
eyes saying, 'I give up.' Thanks to that, the young ladies who usually cling to
me annoyingly have completely stopped coming. It's truly comfortable.」
Um, could this possibly mean... When I looked at him with
suspicious eyes, Ashren-sama floated a frivolous- looking smile on his
lips.
「You used me as an excuse, didn't
you.」
「Even you would feel awkward
freeloading at the Marquis estate for nothing, right, Layla? I
provide a place to sleep and meals, and you become a bug repellent for me. It's
a give-and-take.」
As expected, this guy is two-faced. And pitch black at that.
Just like jet-black darkness.
「When it's time for you to leave the Marquis
estate, I'll spread a rumor that I was dumped, so don't worry.」
「Then, I will find a place to live as
early as tomorrow.」
「Haha, there's no need to rush so
much. Take your time.」
Ashren-sama was
clearly enjoying watching me tremble with anger as I clenched my fists.
Uncontainable laughter was leaking from the corners of his lips, after all.
「Don't be so angry. You're
surprisingly expressive, aren't you.」
「Thanks to you.」
「You're much cuter than when you're
acting aloof, you know.」
「Eh!?」
My cheeks grew hot in the blink of an eye. It was the first
time in my life I had been called cute, and I didn't know what to do.
「...U-Um. You two, would it be
alright if I intruded?」
Startled, I looked around and saw Reizan-san peeking
his face out apologetically from between the bottles placed on the shelves. Why
would he go out of his way to peek from there...
「Yes! What is it? Please don't mind
us and tell us anything.」
「Is that so, I'm sorry about this. I
just wanted to see the documents Lady Layla brought as soon as possible.」
「Ah, I'm so sorry. I completely
forgot to hand them over.」
When I hurriedly stepped away from the shelves and handed
them over, he must have been looking forward to it, as he began flipping
through the pages right on the spot.
「Layla, I'll clean up here, so could you go explain it to him over
there?」
「Me?」
「Obviously. They are your research
results, Layla.」
Because it's my research, it's only natural that I explain
it. Just how huge of a thing that was to me.
Reizan-sama
lined up two chairs in front of a long desk in the corner of the room and
offered one of them to me.
「Then, first, these are the recipes
for the medicine made today. I don't think this requires much explanation, so
may I move on to the explanation about the medicinal herbs' drying times?」
「Right, I will slowly decipher the
recipes later.」
Well then,
I thought, and began explaining about the medicinal herbs. Partway through, Ashren-sama,
who had finished lining up the bottles, joined in as well. Both of them are
smart, and the questions they fired off one after another were all right on the
mark.
「...And so, that concludes my
explanation.」
By the time I finished the dense thirty-minute discussion,
the people from the Medicinal Herb Department had surrounded me in
multiple layers.
「Amazing! Isn't this already a
treasure of the Medicinal Herb Department?」
「Let's pass it down for generations
as a prized heirloom.」
「Eh, um. That's exaggerating...」
「What are you talking about, Layla?
This is something magnificent.」
When Ashren-sama flatly asserted that, everyone
nodded in strong agreement.
「Creating documents to this extent
must have been incredibly difficult. Repeating the same thing over and over,
it's a job that requires concentration and perseverance. Not just this; the
medicines you've made up until now are, no matter what anyone says, the result
of your talent and effort, Layla. You are a splendid researcher, Layla.」
At those words, I remembered how I had repeated my research
from morning until night, day in and day out.
Cutting down on sleep all alone in silence, becoming
unsteady on my feet. In experiments with no end in sight, Carter-sama
would get angry saying I was inefficient, and there are even research results I
wasn't permitted to write down.
Without realizing it, a single tear had spilled out.
I was more surprised by that fact than anyone else. Drip,
drop. Tears just silently slid down my cheeks. I saw Ashren-sama's
flustered face beyond my blurred vision.
「Hic...」
A pathetic sound came out of my throat. The tears gained
momentum and overflowed.
「Th-Thank you very much. Because no
one has ever said such a thing to me until now.」
Even when I wiped the tears with the back of my hand, they
wouldn't stop at all. I have to stop crying; this is a workplace, after all.
That's what I thought, but.
I had always, always wanted someone to acknowledge me. While
feeling like I'd be crushed by loneliness and anxiety, I worked hard because I
wanted to be praised.
Through Ashren-sama's words, I felt as if all the
efforts I had made up until now were finally rewarded. I want to let the me
from back then hear it.
In the depths of my heart, the part that had grown
completely cold and numb became faintly warm. Ah, I realized for the first time
that I was this starved for kindness.
Softly, my shoulders were pulled into an embrace.
Gentle, yet strong arms. Warmth transmitted from the chest I
pressed my ear against, which was more sturdy than it looked.
Ashren-sama
gently patted my head with his large hand.
「You've done well working so hard up
until now.」
「Ugh, sob...」
Why must you say such gentle words at a time like this? The
words I had always wished for someone to tell me.
As if something stuck in my chest for many years had burst like a dam, before I knew it, I was clinging to Ashren-sama, crying out loud.
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