“I’m so tired...” I groaned as I watered the plants in Meraldia University’s greenhouse. I was wearing a white lab coat, supposedly the traditional research attire from dad’s old world. “Viceroys have way too many responsibilities... Are you all doing okay? Need any more water? Okay, coming right up.”
It was oddly relaxing to talk to the plants as I watered them.
“Here you go, special water filled with Granny Movi’s mana. Tasty, right?”
I made sure to give a specific amount of water to each plant. After all, these were all part of an experiment. Once I finished watering, I walked over to a corner of the greenhouse where a potted plant was covered by a black hood.
“Sorry about this.” I lifted the hood a little to pour in some water and then covered the plant back up.
I then turned around and said, “Oh, I didn’t think you’d be here, Ryuunie.”
“Hey. Sorry to interrupt your work.” Ryuunie smiled and waved at me.
He wore a light tunic fashionable in the south, with a white lab coat over it. Most students dressed similarly at school. If he’s dressed like this, I guess he hasn’t come on official business as Doneiks’s viceroy?
“You’re as perceptive as your father; I’m impressed you noticed me.”
“Well, I am half-werewolf, so I can sense when people are nearby...” With my senses, it was easy to smell or hear someone trying to be stealthy. That said, I hadn’t expected Ryuunie to come here. He didn’t hear me talking to the plants, did he?
Ryuunie glanced around the greenhouse, examining the plants. “That’s dragonweed, isn’t it? Also known as the magician’s flower.”
“Oh yeah. You probably already know, but it stores a lot of mana in its roots, and the more mana you give it, the bigger it grows.” I pointed to the hooded plant in the corner. “Over there, we’ve covered one to completely cut it off from sunlight, but we’re giving it the same amount of water and mana, and it’s growing in the same soil and temperature as the plant here.”
“I see, so this is a controlled experiment. I used to do those back in the day. I guess these will be used in elementary lectures?”
“Yep. Those kids aren’t old enough to keep track of everything, so I’m managing the plants for them. Granny Movi’s the one teaching the class though. We tried a control experiment earlier where we gave the different plants different amounts of mana, so now we’re testing the effects of sunlight.”
“For most plants, sunlight matters much more than mana,” he explained. “Even with dragonweed, people think it can grow in the shade as long as it has mana, but that’s not true.”
“Exactly. Everyone makes that mistake at first, so they’re always surprised after we conduct this experiment,” I replied. Surely he didn’t come here just to comment on the experiments I’m running.
I doubted he had any business with the greenhouse itself, so he probably wanted to talk to me.
But instead of broaching whatever topic he’d come to discuss, Ryuunie looked over at the covered plant and said, “You apologized to that covered plant earlier. Would you mind telling me why?”
“Huh? Oh, that’s because it’s my fault it’s so withered.” I lifted the hood just a little to show Ryuunie how badly the plant was doing.
He looked at it and muttered, “It’s in even worse shape than when I did this experiment... The leaves are dried and crumbling, and it’s so tiny. You’re still giving it plenty of mana and water, right?”
“The same as all the other plants. We even took the seeds from the same parent plant. The only difference is it’s been in the darkness ever since it grew past being a seedling.” I put the hood back down and sighed. “This poor plant won’t ever produce any flowers, which means it won’t make any seeds to leave behind descendants either. If not for this experiment, it would have bloomed just like the others.”
“In other words, because it was chosen to be the control plant, its fate was dramatically altered”—Ryuunie looked sadly at the covered plant—“just like mine.”
“But you’ve bloomed so brightly, Ryuunie, haven’t you?” I gave him a confused look.
“The only reason I’m here right now is that I was born as the eldest son of the Doneiks family. Had I been a farmer’s child in Rolmund, I probably would be looking up at the cold Rolmund sky while tending my wheat fields right about now.”
“Oh, I see. So that’s what you meant.” I nodded in understanding, and Ryuunie gave me a surprised look.
“Wait, you get what I’m talking about?”
“I do. You’re saying you’re lucky you weren’t chosen to be one of the covered plants, and got to grow big and strong. And that’s why it’s nothing to be proud of, right?”
Ryuunie scratched his head awkwardly. “And here I thought I’d need to explain it to you. You’re definitely as perceptive as your father.”
Dad and I could both smell humans’ emotions, so it was easy for us to figure out what they were thinking. Besides, I’d already talked to Myurei and Woroy, so I knew what was bothering Ryuunie.
Ryuunie ran his hand over the black hood and said quietly, “I was just a child when the Originia and Doneiks families fought over the imperial throne. I lost my father and my grandfather to a political struggle I didn’t even understand, and was hounded by Bolshevik assassins. Then, still completely clueless about the situation at large, I was saved by Barnack and Veight and started living my new life as a Meraldian noble.” Ryuunie turned back to me. “Do you really think someone like me is fit to become Demon Lord and rule over Meraldia’s eighteen cities?”
“I get what you’re trying to say, but I still think you’re the best choice for Demon Lord, Ryuunie,” I said with a smile as I put the watering can back on its shelf. “At the very least, the younger generation’s impression of you is quite different from how you see yourself.”
“What do you mean?”
“Despite losing your family and homeland to war, you’re still a kind leader who doesn’t let the past define you. You also possess the mental fortitude that only those who have overcome great hardship and sorrow do. Plus, you’re smart.”
“I-Is that really how everyone else sees me?” Ryuunie folded his arms, clearly unaccustomed to praise. “It’s true that none of you have seen war since we’ve been at peace for the past few decades.”
“And right now, we need a Demon Lord who can maintain that peace. From my perspective, you’re the best choice for that.”