Chapter 37
Chapter 37
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 37
Chapter Title: Sirentea, the Legendary Flower
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Sedes narrowed his eyes and gazed intently at the little white child.
The moment he entered the palace, the boy starts talking about changing the water. Sedes began to worry that if things went wrong, the 2nd Prince's palace might end up in this child's hands. Was it really safe to keep him by the 2nd Prince's side?
Nihil knew the child's father was starting to grow wary of him, but he saw no need to correct the man's thinking. The more uneasy he felt, the more attention he would lavish on Lianus.
Nihil rose from the sofa. Even under the weight of everyone's stares, he kept his composure as he sorted the herb pouches.
Everyone watched with subtle concern as the small boy bustled about, arms full of herb sacks. Finally, Sir Evan couldn't hold back any longer.
"Need a hand?"
"No thanks. This time it couldn't be helped, but next time, make sure no one else touches the herbs if possible. It's child food, so we have to be careful... What the hell is this?"
Nihil paused mid-transfer and opened a particularly small herb pouch. It wasn't on the list of herbs he'd jotted down in his notes.
He felt it between his fingers and sniffed deeply, but while the scent felt familiar, nothing came to mind right away.
In truth, it was a pouch Sedes had grabbed at random from the herb room to test Nihil. He wanted to know if the boy truly understood herbology. The catch was that even Sedes himself had no idea what he'd picked up.
Sedes probed gently.
"Something else mixed in?"
"......"
Nihil realized at once that Sedes was testing him. With shocking irreverence, he narrowed his eyes and glared before popping a leaf into his mouth. The aroma was familiar, but he'd never tasted it before.
Sir Evan watched anxiously as Nihil chewed the tip.
"You know what it is before eating it?"
"I eat it because I don't know. The scent rings a bell, but I haven't ingested it."
He'd know the flavor if it were one he'd used—he always tested everything on himself first. So if it wasn't from his own stock, where had he encountered that smell? Very recently, in fact...
"Ah."
Nihil spat out the leaf with a sharp ptui and shoved the pouch into Sir Evan's hands.
"Get rid of it. Take it back to the herb room or whatever."
"What is it?"
Sir Evan rifled through it, then sniffed just as Nihil had. No recognition dawned. He was on the verge of a tiny taste when Nihil cut in.
"Doggy, don't pick up random junk to eat. It's an aphrodisiac."
"......"
Sir Evan froze, leaf poised at his lips. The pouch slipped from his grasp, scattering herbs across the floor.
"I get wanting to test me, but picking this of all things?"
"......"
Nihil scowled and scolded Sedes outright.
Sedes clamped his mouth shut, unable to muster a single retort. The guard knights, stunned by the word "aphrodisiac," overlooked Nihil's insolence and shot uneasy glances at their lord instead.
Sir Evan snapped out of it enough to hoist Nihil up and inspect him from every angle.
"You—you okay?"
"Intake was minimal. No worries."
Sir Evan, suspicions unallayed, tucked Nihil under his arm and scooped up the fallen pouch. This wicked stuff needed disposing of, and fast.
Nihil dangled placidly from Sir Evan's grip. Spotting the knight eyeing the fireplace to burn it, he added a warning for good measure.
"Doggy, that's for burning to use—don't actually set it ablaze. It was in the herb room, so there might be other applications, but I don't know them. Fine for adults, but hits kids hard. If you're burning it, take it outside the palace."
Sedes, lips still sealed, ventured cautiously,
"Definitely an aphrodisiac?"
"Maybe not. No major effects on me."
Nihil recalled the other children on the slave ship who'd smelled it and spoke haltingly.
"Hits with drowsiness first, then fever and glazed eyes later. Emergency painkiller potential, maybe, but side effects unknown—not recommended."
"...How do you even know? Reliable?"
Uncomfortable in Evan's hold, Nihil wriggled into a cozier spot and leaned boldly against him as he replied.
"Seen kids who smelled it. Don't buy it? Burn some yourself. Or test on Father's dogs."
"......"
"Nothing beats hands-on experience."
The blunt words left everyone dumbfounded once more.
Nihil hugged Sir Evan's neck tight and tacked on,
"But not our house dog. Only got one—if he goes into heat, trouble... Mmph!"
Sir Evan clapped a hand over Nihil's mouth. Far too late; the damage was done.
"For pity's sake, watch your mouth!"
Evan felt like bursting into tears. Without the prince around, reining in this wildcat's tongue was impossible. Had to be payback for laughing too hard that morning.
Sir Evan bowed frantically toward Sedes.
"Your Majesty, my deepest apologies."
"...Enough. Quite... refreshing."
"Why're you apologizing?"
"Shut it already! You're all meek in front of the prince—why can't you pipe down now?"
"Can't even sip cold water around kids. Besides, your yapping's hilarious."
Nihil beamed, legs swinging playfully to tease Sir Evan. The knight smacked the flailing limbs before clamping his own jaw to avoid further toying.
"Anyway, Father, you're lingering too long. Queen might get suspicious, which spells trouble for us. Time to head back... Ah, wait—one more thing."
Nihil hopped down from Sir Evan's arms, dashed off somewhere, and returned clutching a flowerpot from a dim shelf. A single red bloom graced it. He thrust it at Sedes.
"Father, for you."
"...What's this?"
"Bribe for a favorable view."
"......"
Sedes accepted the pot on reflex.
A single flower as a bribe? The pettiest one he'd ever gotten.
Nihil elaborated for Sedes, whose expression was a mix of bemusement and intrigue as he peered down.
"Pure luck getting it. Water the soil just moist, like night dew. No harsh sun—expose to moonlight after sunset. Feed the flower a drop of blood now and then, same person every time."
"......Blood?"
The bizarre instructions piled up, throwing Sedes off his stride.
Feed it blood? Did this flower grow on blood?
"...What're you saying? Explain properly."
"Know the raw material for mana potions?"
"Maractea roots, if that's what you mean."
"Right. Mana potions come from Maractea roots. That's a Maractea flower."
"Maractea doesn't bloom."
"Yanked before it can, so no one sees. Flowering Maractea's rare to begin with—needs over a century. The blooming kind had another name..."
Nihil frowned, something eluding him, and brushed the flower lightly. The delicate red petals swayed at his touch.
"Ah, 'Sirentea,' I think. Ring a bell?"
"...Sirentea?"
Everyone's eyes bulged as they stared at the tiny bloom.
Sirentea wasn't a flower—it was a gem from legend. Tales claimed it let knights shatter the transcendence barrier and mages pierce the unattainable 8th circle. Pure myth, though; no one had ever laid eyes on one.
"This the legendary Sirentea? But... isn't it a gem?"
Nihil, clueless on the lore, cocked his head.
"No idea on legends... Maybe they meant the fruit? Sirentea blooms once in a lifetime, sets one fruit, then withers. Steady blood from one person nourishes it into a mana-infused fruit. Eaten by that person, it floods them with pure, instantly absorbable mana—unlike natural mana needing refinement. Breaks through bottlenecks."
"......"
"Not thrilled?"
Sedes stayed silent, so Nihil tilted his head again.
Sedes glanced at the pot in his hands, then addressed the pale child cautiously.
"This truly the stuff of legend..."
"Legends exaggerate—don't take 'em at face value."
"Knight transcendence, mage 8th circle."
Nihil scowled and clucked his tongue.
"Nonsense. Transcendence isn't mana quantity. Circles aren't either. Boosts mana massively, sure, but doesn't auto-break barriers. Roughly? That shadow lurker could shoot for Swordmaster. Father's level? Won't make him one."
Nihil jerked his chin at one guard—the shadow-dweller who'd earned praise. "Swordmaster" drew all eyes his way.
Sedes gaped at his own guard, then stammered,
"...For real?"
"Folks who make it don't need it. He's got the potential. Take the bribe or not, Father—decide fast. Otherwise, our house doggy gets it."
Our house doggy Evan flinched hard.
Sedes gripped the pot tighter without thinking.
"What about a mage?"
"Mages get more bang—no physical limits like knights. Pure mana wise? 4th-circle mage jumps straight to 6th."
Human limit was 7th circle, so 6th would crown you the mage tower's strongest, bar the lord.
"...Any clue where you got it?"
"Dug it from the back mountain right here."
"......"