CH 28

“You?”

As if it was unexpected, the Duke’s eyes became round. Beatty looked at the Duke and climbed down from the sofa which was tailored to an adult height.

Rustle.

Separately, she took out the object she had asked Johanna, and Beatty straightened up her shoulders and proudly placed it in front of the Duke.

“A flowerpot?”

Facing the object which was on the table, the Duke’s voice sounded puzzled.

A flowerpot with green leaves and white flowers blooming lightly.

‘Well, although it didn’t have to plant it in a pot.’

What’s important was the roots, so perhaps it would be a misunderstanding if she asked to bring the roots together if it was possible.

‘To think that she’s heartbroken until snapping a flower! As expected, our Young Miss…!’

As she was thinking like that, Johanna looked at Beatty for a long time with somewhat teary eyes. 

From the roots to the flowers in full bloom, they were placed beautifully in a flowerpot without any damage anywhere.

The Duke blinked at the pot in front of him. As his eyes shined proudly, his gaze turned to Beatty, who was staring at him.

‘A flower? To me?’

Leonhardt Elde Aslan, with the status as the only Duke of the Kingdom, had received all kinds of gifts from those around him.

It was his first time receiving a flower gift—it’s a mistake.

His daughter, who brought a small and delicate flower just like herself. Although it doesn’t look like it at all, the Duke looked at Beatty with a touched gaze, and then opened his lips.

“This is—”

What is the meaning of it?

With a slightly shaking voice, even before the Duke finishes his question.

“It’s a Tuberosum.”

Itching to give an answer as soon as possible, Beatty opened her mouth right away.

The first present that he got from his daughter!

Even if it’s a common weed on the roadside, it won’t be able to lessen its specialness.

The Duke’s eyes sparkled with anticipation.

On the other hand, Beatty had no idea of the Duke’s gaze, and her eyes were very dry.

‘Although I had already taught him how to consume it.’

Eyes that were full of a sense of duty to succeed in this deal exclusively.

‘That’s not all the information about Tuberosum.’

The role of Tuberosum in resolving the shortage of food and supplies remained.

“This is….”

Pull out.

Under the flowers which were planted in the pot, Beatty pulled out the Tuberosum kernel that was attached to the roots with a skilled touch, and proudly opened her mouth.

“In the future, we will forever free the Duchy people from hunger.”

Eternal freedom from hunger.

That was the feat that this round Tuberosum would achieve.

Year 718 of the Continental Calendar.

Originally, the interests of the winter would have been a more hopeless season than ever.

During the summer, a major drought hit the continent, and eventually, the harvest plunged downward.

This only wasn’t the end.

Perhaps the severe drought was the problem, and even the harvested and stored crops that seemed to be in good shape were all rotten when the warehouse door was reopened not long afterward.

‘Was it a plague?’

Even though the grains were dry and small, those who thought that they had prepared healthy grains were astonished.

The grain which got caught by the plague shattered the last hope of the hungry people.

‘Until it became known that Tuberosum could be used as a food… it was said that many people starved to death, right?’

It was said that especially in the North, where food was not self-sufficient, suffered serious damage.

‘But, now things will become different.’

Tightly.

The aide spoke to Beatty, who cherished the Tuberosum kernel like a treasure, in a slightly troubled voice.

“Uhm… Young Miss, are you going to use that Tuberosum as food for the local people?”

“Yes, as I said in the letter, the Tuberosum poison can be neutralized and eaten.”

“Oh, that’s right. However, the poison….”

Had a gentle expression on his face, somehow, the aide’s body stiffened.

‘Of course it can be eaten. It surely can be eaten, but…!’

The aide recalled the distribution of Tuberosum he had eaten on the battlefield and quivered.

‘That’s so tasteless!’

He didn’t say it out loud since he couldn’t say anything negative to the Young Miss who thought hard about the family, but it was true.

“Eeck! Is today’s meal ‘that’ again?”

At first, the soldiers were cheering for the miracle supplies that filled the insufficient meal, but then they swallowed the Tuberosum with a sick and tired look within a few days.

“No, I mean, it’s not that it tastes bad.”

“That’s right… It’s not that it ‘tastes bad’, but it’s ‘tasteless’.”

“Yeah. No taste. It completely doesn’t taste like anything! I’m saying that I don’t know what this tastes like!”

After recalling, the aide nodded with a serious face.

‘Surely, it is a precious food that arrived at the right time. But.’

It was clear that it was a grateful plant that eliminated hunger. However…!

‘…This is seriously tasteless to be eaten even on a regular basis!’

Those who returned after only eating Tuberosum, who tasted nothing and they’re sick of it, somehow their mouths were dry and had a gloomy look just by hearing the name of Tuberosum.

‘Huhuu.’

Looking at the serious people’s faces, Beatty looked relaxed.

‘You must’ve thought that I’ll be saying the same thing as before, right?’

The reason that the totally unprocessed Tuberosum was brought as it was, was because this kind of misunderstanding was intentional.

‘Tuberosum can be eaten.’

The fact that they had already known through the letter.

Repeating this purposely was a device to reveal the later proposals more effectively.

‘You must have thought that I’m just going to say again that Tuberosum could be eaten, right? But, actually….’

Sideways.

Beatty looked at the Duke’s face. He was still expressionless, but if you look closely, his forehead was slightly furrowed.

‘Good.’

The atmosphere is ripe enough.

“You must’ve worried that it would have no taste, right?”

“Yes, Yes?!”

Startled.

As his deep feelings got caught, the aide made a surprised look.

“Uhm, Young Miss, a-about that…”

“You don’t have to worry about it.”

She shook her head to the aide, who was trying to make excuses in a hurry, with a meaning for him to relax.

‘Of course it’s an already expected problem.’

It was a problem that occurred even before the regression.

That’s why, naturally, she knew how to solve the problem.

Beatty had already prepared the answer sheet, so she spoke with confidence.

“Tuberosum isn’t a food that’s just being eaten like that.”

“Yes?”

Tak.

Beatty took out what she had hidden and put it on the desk.

‘You may not be interested in the information that has already been revealed.’

So far, her father has never expressed any interest in the deal she talks about.

A useless poisonous plant can be used as food.

This is a card that has already been opened.

But going further than that, Beatty prepared to present a more attractive card.

Click.

Opening the cover that was covering the plate, Beatty said as if declaring.

“It’s a Tuberosum Potage.”

“Oh?”

“….”

Suddenly.

People’s eyes grew bigger due to the savory scent that spread in an instant.

“Tuberosum leaves become an excellent spice when neutralized. It especially goes well with the fruit of Tuberosum, which is not strong in its true taste.”

After adding the stem first for poison neutralization, a small amount of leaves and a moderately cut chunk of fruit were thrown and boiled.

‘The taste is already guaranteed.’

The result of the very first bite was okay.

“Whoa. Did you study the recipe?”

Sniff.

After smelling it, the aide raised Beatty to the fullest.

“It’s incredible, Young Miss. My mouth is watering just by smelling it!”

“If you want to eat it, would you like some?”

Beatty felt proud of the aide’s uproarious response. It was because the prepared Tuberosum dish seemed to have worked well.

When she first sent Tuberosum information, she only wrote down how to neutralize poison.

It was because the situation was urgent at the time and she didn’t remember the recipe exactly.

‘Surely just being edible is weak.’

However, the result of her efforts with kind kitchen people before Father came back.

Beatty was able to recreate some of the Tuberosum dishes she remembered.

‘This savory taste that only Tuberosum leaves can produce!’

The taste that makes you want to eat it over and over again with just one bite.

Beatty, who succeeded in bringing out the delicious dish in her memory, confidently offered the potage.

“Please try it. Although I guarantee it as a person who tried it first, it’s delicious!”

The reaction of the bland deal.

With this, a reversal…!

“Did you say… you ate it?”

For the first time, a light of agitation came on Father’s face, who had been continuously expressionless.

‘The reversal is a success!’

Thinking that finally, her father was interested, Beatty’s face brightened up.

“Yes! Just this afternoon, I tasted a fresh taste.”

She also tried to appeal to the freshness of the cooking ingredients.

‘Huh?’

Since it was the first time he expressed his interest, she thought that he would try a bite or at least ask another question. However—

“….”

There were no further words from the Duke.

‘Or… the reversal… wasn’t a success…?’

No, it’s alright.

“…Doctor.”

His expressionless face was roughly distorted.

“Call a doctor immediately.”

‘Huh?’

Beatty opened her mouth in surprise when she saw the aide trying to run outside immediately at the Duke’s instructions.

“Oh? Uhm, the poison has been totally neutralized, so it’s alrigh—”

“Aide.”

It meant he was asking why hasn’t the aide left yet.

The aide flinched at the fierce glare and turned again.