Act 3:
The Annex
“HMM.”
“Seeeiii? Whatcha doing?”
“Oh, hi, Jude.”
Ever since our return from Hawke’s Domain, there had been no news of black swamps being discovered. Although I suspected I could finally hang up my Saintly hat, that didn’t change my daily routine. One day, just as always, I was standing in front of my garden plot at the institute and thinking about planting new herbs.
That was when someone I knew turned up. When I looked back at Jude, he was wearing a curious look on his face.
“I was contemplating where to grow my new herbs,” I explained.
“You mean the ones you collected at Hawke’s Domain?”
“Yup, and some others too.”
Among the plants I had collected up north were some species referred to as “medicinal herbs” because of their effects. A few of them weren’t currently grown at the institute, so I was thinking about cultivating some that would likely prove useful for my research.
But the seeds from Hawke’s Domain weren’t the only ones on my list. I had also received some species from Klausner’s Domain and Zaidera that I wanted to try my hand at as well.
“Hmm. I don’t know which ones are most likely to take, but isn’t it a bit too soon to be planting any?”
“Yeah, I’ll do that way later. It’s just that…”
Jude was right; it was winter. The season wasn’t famous for its perfect herb-growing weather. It was obvious that they’d be doomed if I planted them now, so I wasn’t going to force it. But the thing troubling me was, frankly, the soil.
The seeds we had received from Klausner’s Domain and Zaidera were rightfully available to all the researchers at our institute. You can imagine how everyone here—who were to a one totally crazy for herbs—had responded upon receiving these unusual specimens. Every one of them had planted the herbs they were interested in growing. As a result, the entirety of our immense garden had been put to use. There were no free plots left.
“So the problem is where to plant them, then?”
“Yeah. I want a bigger field, but there’s just no room.”
“Maybe you could use the communal fields?”
“I don’t think that’ll work either. We can’t scale back use of the plots we use to grow potion ingredients for the knights. I have a feeling there’ll be competition for those sections as well.”
“Ooh, yeah, I bet you’re right.”
The garden’s communal field was commonly used for growing all kinds of herbs that we used at the institute. It was also where we cultivated the herbs we needed to make potions for the Orders. As you might imagine from the word “communal,” you could get permission to use part of the fields for a limited time, but the plot wasn’t that huge. As a result, the researchers were frequently embroiled in fierce quarrels over advanced reservations—even more so recently.
Jude’s subject of research was potions, so while he had his own personal garden, he didn’t need to expand. He clearly knew how crowded the garden was at this point, though, because he gave me a big nod when I brought up the competition.
“Maybe you should ask Johan?” he suggested.
“Why him?”
“Because I’m sure he’s noticed that the garden is packed. He must be trying to come up with some kind of solution. I mean, we could always just buy the herbs we need for the knights’ potions.”
Jude had a point. Whether you wanted to expand your field or use the communal one, you needed Johan’s permission. And anyway, nothing good ever comes of stressing about a problem without telling anybody about it.
“I guess I’ll go ask him.” I nodded.
Jude nodded back with a smile. “Okay. I think that’s a good idea.”
I left a waving Jude and headed straight to Johan’s office.
“You want to expand your garden?” Johan asked me.
“Yes. I have new herbs that I want to plant when spring arrives, and I don’t have enough space.”
“Ah, the fields have been pretty full recently, haven’t they? I’ve got a ton of things I’d like to grow too.”
Unlike Jude, Johan’s subject of research was herbs. He used his privileges as head researcher to keep a personal garden that was larger than everyone else’s, and he was using a part of the communal field too. It appeared that the garden was so full that even he was hesitating to add more herbs to his roster. He had been trying to come up with a solution because we were in the same boat.
When I told him why I was visiting his office, he frowned and touched his right hand to his chin. However, epiphany failed to arrive, and he lowered his hand with a hefty sigh.
“I’ll try petitioning the palace, but I think expanding the herb garden any further might be difficult.”
“Really? There are still so many areas lying fallow, though.”
“They’re probably using them for something. I’ve tried petitioning about them before, but they rejected the request.”
“So you already bothered them about it…”
“That was before you came to the institute. They might respond differently now.”
“Then we should petition them again.”
I had no idea how long ago Johan had sent his original petition, but perhaps he was right that times had changed. As they say, it was worth a try. We had nothing to lose by asking.
With my encouragement, Johan’s serious expression turned into a grin. I did have kind of had a bad feeling about that face, though.
“What?” I asked, suspicious.
“Well, I’m not sure me sending a petition is the right move. I think you’ve got a much more efficient way to fix this.”
What did he mean? I was honestly wondering what he meant. I furrowed my brow and frowned at him.
Johan was still smiling as he said, “If you tell His Majesty that you desire your own land for growing herbs, I’m sure he would instantly grant the request.”
“Are you talking about the land that he offered me before?”
“Well, yeah.”
I knew I had a dark premonition!
The king had once offered me lands as recompense, and I had declined at the time. I’d thought that topic was over and done with.
“No way.”
Johan gave me a crooked smile when I flat-out shot down his idea. “Still won’t budge, huh?”
“I’ve already received my favors.”
In short, I was taking lessons at the palace and had access to the Forbidden Depository. Those were the favors I had accepted in lieu of territory. I couldn’t ask to be granted land so long after the fact!
But Johan seemed to have a different opinion. “Yes, but you’ve done a great deal more for the kingdom since. I bet you he’s planning to come up with another reward for you.”
“But I wouldn’t be able to manage a domain on my own.”
“You could just leave it to people you trust, like you do with your company.”
“It’s not that easy.”
By “done a great deal more for the kingdom,” was he referring to how I had traveled around purifying black swamps all over Salutania? Had I not already received remuneration in addition to my wages from the institute? Don’t tell me the stuff they’ve already given me was just for the expeditions…
Were they planning to give me a bonus for purging the swamps?
I had all kinds of income in addition to my wages from the institute, such as the dividends from my company and the compensation everyone got for participating in monster-slaying expeditions, but it would be irresponsible to blithely shrug it all off just because I could live without worrying over funds. I had to find out for sure. Also, while I didn’t remember anyone saying something about this kind of thing, if Johan said the palace was going to reward me again, then it was likely true.
My own domain, huh? Even though Johan’s acting as if it’s just like everything with the company, I feel like the scale of responsibility I’d be undertaking would be way different. But maybe it wouldn’t be? No, even if I did have a steward managing the lands, it’s just too conceptually big. I have cold feet already.
“But if you had your own domain, you could grow whatever herbs and as many herbs as you want.”
“Uh…”
“And not just herbs either. You could likely grow Zaideran crops too.”
“Uhh…”
“And His Majesty would be sure to assemble a contingent of servants for you. I’d take the offer, if I were you.”
Although my mouth was saying no, Johan could see I was conflicted and continued to tempt me.
Having a vast field with which I could do whatever I wanted certainly had its appeal. I could even grow all the crops I desired too, which I couldn’t really do at the institute.
Wait, does that mean I could grow rice as well?! No, no, wait—calm down, me! I shook my head back and forth, casting away the temptation. “No, I couldn’t!”
“Okay, fine, fine.”
It was a highly appealing proposal, but I just didn’t have it in me to be a lady ruling over a whole gosh-darn domain. Besides, if I did become the lady of a domain, I would have to live far away from the institute. The thought kind of bummed me out.
Johan gave up and dropped the topic with a smile.
Several days after that conversation, he delivered a shocking announcement: “We’ve been granted permission to build an annex for the institute.”
What?!