“What do you mean by an annex?”
An annex was like a branch office; a part of the institute would split off and set up in a separate place.
Was that what Johan was referring to when we discussed expanding the herb garden the other day? Surely he didn’t suggest this to His Majesty by telling him that I wanted land, right?
I peered at Johan, feeling just a tad concerned. Johan smiled wryly as he began to explain.
As it turned out, Johan had resubmitted his petition. He was subsequently summoned by the prime minister to discuss a different matter. The prime minister had wanted to discuss my reward again, just as Johan said was going to happen.
As expected, they immediately offered land as a potential reward. And like before, they also offered to grant me a title as well. Johan declined on my behalf, based on our conversation. It took a lot of effort to decline an offer from someone in such a high position, so I was glad that Johan had done it for me.
Ultimately, they settled on monetary compensation.
“Okay, I follow you so far, but what does that have to do with being granted permission to build an annex?” I asked.
“After we finished discussing your reward, we chatted and I asked if we could expand the grounds of the institute.”
According to Johan, the palace was eager to expand the herb garden. However, because there was no unused land in the periphery of the institute, they were unable to do so directly. That was when they proposed building an annex. There was a perfect location just a short distance outside the royal capital, so they suggested constructing it there.
“Does that mean the institute will be split?”
“While we’ll be calling it an annex, it’ll mainly be an herb garden. I wouldn’t say we’re splitting the institute itself.”
“So, basically, we’re expanding the herb garden outside palace grounds.”
“More or less.”
Each kind of herb required specific conditions to grow. One of the Research Institute of Medicinal Flora’s duties was to research the optimal conditions for growing every variety.
I wonder how far the new herb garden will be from the capital? If it’s not too far, I imagine the soil and climate won’t be so different. Although I suppose it would be useful if there was a big difference too. Oh, but this all came about because we wanted to expand the herb garden, so maybe they’ll purposefully seek out an environment that’s similar to the one we have now.
As I got lost in thought, Johan started grinning. “You interested?”
“Huh?”
“In the new garden.”
He saw straight through me—I was fantasizing about a new environment to experiment in. I was a bit embarrassed, but I nodded.
Johan nodded several times as well. “Me too.”
“Oh yeah?”
“It’ll be easier to maintain an air of secrecy out there. We’ll be able to grow herbs that we haven’t been able to until now.”
“Really?!”
Johan wore a pleased look as he explained. Since the institute was on palace grounds, we had some security. However, at times important people from abroad came to observe, just as the Zaideran prince had, so we couldn’t totally prevent outsiders from seeing what we were up to.
The annex would be a completely different matter. We could implement a total ban that prevented unauthorized people from entering. In other words, just as Johan implied, we could grow all the herbs we couldn’t at the institute due to security concerns.
Some of the herbs on Johan’s to-grow list had to be of that restricted variety. He sounded unbelievably excited as he spoke.
“It sounds like it will be very secure,” I said.
“Indeed, especially since Lord Goltz was the one who proposed how to keep it that way. The palace must have some rare and precious plants they want us to cultivate as well,” he said with a meaningful look.
Why are you looking at me like that? Rare and precious plants? I frowned at him for a moment, puzzled. Suddenly I understood what he was talking about. Those words applied to the plants I was growing.
I was cultivating all kinds of plants, from those that were merely unusual to kinds that required a particular environment to thrive. The former included an endemic species I had received from Zaidera while the latter covered the seeds I had received from Corinna. Between them, the ones from Corinna needed to be strictly controlled, as the particular conditions they required were related to my Saintly powers. In short, they needed fields like the ones I had blessed with my magic at Klausner’s Domain and the institute. Besides that, I had recently used my Saint’s magic to force an apple tree to grow, one which had borne fruit with miraculous effects (accidentally).
In order to ensure my physical safety, the palace kept my powers—beyond those that allowed me to purify the miasma—a closely guarded secret. No one in the public arena knew about these things. Therefore the fields in Klausner’s Domain, the institute, and the apple tree were under strict supervision.
Johan’s words suggested to me that they were planning to isolate everything that required extra supervision at the annex. Did that mean that all my plants in the institute’s gardens were going to be relocated to the new one?
Johan brought me back from my reverie with a teasing tone. “That being said, half the new garden will be yours to use.”
I don’t know how big this new garden is, but surely it’s an exaggeration to say that I’ll get half of it.
“Will you get the other half then?” I joked to get revenge.
However, Johan gave me an unexpectedly serious answer. “Yes, but I know everyone will complain about it.”
There were other researchers who wanted to grow the herbs we were trying to keep under wraps. They were sure to be frustrated if Johan and I hogged the new garden all to ourselves.
“True. I’m sure everyone else will want to be able to work on things there too. Could we actually do that, though? Let some of the others use the new garden?”
“It should be fine so long as we section off areas based on the degree of secrecy required—and designate who’s actually allowed to enter those areas.”
“Oh, that makes sense.”
Johan’s response did wholly circumvent the problem of people potentially seeing what I was growing with my Saintly powers. I was impressed but not surprised that he had come up with an idea so quickly.
“I’ll let you know what we’re transplanting later. I’d like you to prepare them so they can be moved to the annex once its ready.”
“Understood.” I nodded as I started considering the steps I would need to take.
A short while later, Johan announced who would be using the annex and what herbs were to be transplanted from the institute. Several people in addition to Johan and I would be using the annex’s garden. A lot of researchers wanted to expand their fields, but there was a limited amount of available land. As a result, several fierce disputes erupted among those who wanted to use the annex. Since they couldn’t settle things on their own, Johan wound up picking who got what.
Johan told me that he prioritized those who wanted to grow herbs that required a high degree of confidentiality. So, the people who were chosen were those who wanted to grow the Zaideran herbs or herbs that required a great deal of caution because they could be used in deadly poisons.
By the time the decision was made, we were all about done getting everything prepared, and we received word that the annex was ready to receive us.