Chapter 21
I felt proud.
Idette carefully tucked the paper contract into her clothes and took the servants with her to walk a little around the garden.
She could have stayed out longer, but she’d prepared a gift for the Duchess and wanted to hurry back.
She was thinking of giving it to her separately, since it was a special medicinal tea created using apothecaries’ secret methods.
Idette had only given them the basic idea, but the two apothecaries had quickly created it — which she found incredibly admirable.
She even tested it herself.
The effect was about half as strong as the pills she usually took, but still, not bad.
At first she thought about giving it privately… but worried that might seem suspicious. So she decided it would be better to give it openly.
They prepared it as tea leaves so it would be easy to drink — the herbs were carefully blended and roasted.
Cough, cough.
When Idette went back into the bedroom, the Duchess was already awake. It looked like she kept waking up because of the pain.
…Idette knew that feeling very well.
She looked at the Duchess with a slightly sad expression, then hurried over and held her hand. The Duchess looked back at her gently.
…How could she just let someone like this die?
They’d only met once, but the Duchess still looked at her so kindly.
Of course, Idette hadn’t fully examined her — she had only prepared tea based on symptoms she’d heard. And since it was tea, not pills, the effect might be even weaker than what Idette experienced when she tested it.
Still… doing something felt better than doing nothing.
“I prepared a gift for you, my lady,” Idette said.
“Hm?”
“A gift from my heart.”
When Idette signaled to the maid, the maid brought the wrapped package forward.
“What is this?”
It was wrapped beautifully.
“Tea. It’s good for your health. I drink it too.”
“…Tea?”
“Yes. It might taste a little bitter, but I think it will help your recovery.”
“Is that so?”
“If you don’t mind… would you like a cup now?”
“…But if my health is bad, sometimes I shouldn’t drink certain teas.”
“Please just try it once. I drank it a lot when I was sick.”
“Really? Then maybe I should try it.”
Maybe because the Duke always arranged health remedies for her, the Duchess didn’t seem to feel suspicious. A maid went to prepare the tea.
Soon, the tea was served.
“It smells fresh… the scent is nice.”
“Yes,” Idette replied — though really, it smelled like herbs.
Sip.
The Duchess took a drink. Her expression looked pleasantly surprised.
“It’s bitter, but the aftertaste is nice. It’s a good tea. Thank you for thinking of me.”
“You’re welcome.”
The Duchess finished the cup.
“As you said, it’s not bad at all.”
“I’m glad!”
Idette had worried she might refuse it — so she felt relieved.
Even the Duchess’s personal maids looked brighter.
“She hasn’t even been able to drink water for days… thank you so much, Lady Lushe!”
One older maid even teared up.
“If you need more, please tell me. I’ll send some,” Idette said.
Just then, the Duke rushed in with Idette’s father.
“Sharon! You drank water?!”
“It was tea, technically,” someone replied.
“Ohhh!!”
As expected of a devoted husband — he seemed to know everything she ate or drank. He rushed over, emotional.
“Lady Lushe prepared it?”
“Yes.”
“Where did you buy it?!”
His eyes sparkled — like he was ready to spend any amount of money.
Idette had been waiting for that.
“It’s a secret family-recipe tea from our house.”
“…A family tea recipe?”
“Yes. My father worries about my health a lot, so he hired master craftsmen to create it. We even roast the leaves ourselves at home.”
“Oh… such dedication…”
The Duke looked deeply impressed.
You could see him thinking — why didn’t I think of that?
“I’ll buy it. No matter the cost!”
“…You don’t need to buy it. I’ll just gift it. I only want the Duchess to get better.”
“No! Something made with such care cannot be taken for free!”
He then rushed to ask the Duchess if it tasted alright, and soon insisted on making a supply contract. Idette almost felt like she could see money sparkling around him.
“Calm down,” the Duchess laughed, holding his arm. The Duke looked even more emotional.
“It’s been so long since Sharon smiled…”
“Really? That long?”
“Yes. You were too sick to laugh…”
His eyes grew wild.
“This tea must be bought immediately!”
“….”
His reaction was… stronger than expected. Hopefully this would be okay?
***
That day, the Duke really did sign a contract to regularly receive the tea. Idette agreed — there was no harm.
She even gave the apothecaries a share of the profits.
They tried to refuse, saying it was Idette’s idea — but she insisted. After all, they were the ones making it.
And someday, when “Possessed Hanez” appeared and apothecaries could publicly step forward again, this would help them.
For now, everything still had to remain secret — so officially, the tea was simply described as a caring creation of Count Lushe.
The Duke was extremely grateful. The marriage arrangements also seemed like they would progress more smoothly.
“To stop the temple from interfering, we decided to start with an engagement first,” her father said.
“Honestly, the thought of sending you away so young made my heart ache…”
“…Right. That’s… good then.”
“But you may have to stay in Sheard for a while.”
“Huh? Why?”
“The Duke suggested it. He said a bit of public ‘showmanship’ may be necessary.”
“…The Duke suggested that first?”
“At first he only wanted a quiet engagement. But I think he fell in love with the tea.”
Wow. So honest.
Idette laughed helplessly, and her father dabbed emotional tears from his eyes.
“I didn’t expect the effects to show so fast.”
The Duchess had barely been able to swallow water before — but she drank the tea easily and already seemed to breathe better.
If that happened after only one day, surely long-term use would help even more.
“I think she strained her body after childbirth,” Idette said.
“Childbirth? What’s that mean?”
Ah. As expected — this world didn’t have the idea of postpartum care.
In her previous life’s world, that was normal knowledge. Without those memories, she might not have known either.
“They say it harms your health if you work your body too soon after giving birth.”
“Really? But the Duchess hardly does anything…”
“Well, she was already weak to begin with.”
Her father flinched.
“…Weak? Then you too…?”
Oh.
“Yes. I’m also rather weak.”
“…So I may never see my granddaughter… my little granddaughter who looks just like you…”
…Wait. Why was it already decided that it would be a granddaughter?
