Chapter 22

The weather was clear and sunny on the day Amelia successfully made her debut in the backyard.

It was past noon.

A clear blue sky, without a single cloud, overlooked the Hernberg family's backyard and Amelia.

"Is this... the backyard...!?"

Amelia was astonished.

She had guessed that the backyard would be quite large due to the extensive grounds of the mansion, but the vastness before her eyes far exceeded her expectations.

The lush meadow was filled with a variety of blooming flowers, and it was so vast that even if Amelia ran at full speed until she was out of breath, it would still continue on.

And beyond that, various types of trees grew, making it seem like one could get lost and never find their way out if they ventured in.

While it was said to be maintained to some extent, it was impossible to tend to such a vast area, and there were parts that were overgrown, as they were not visible to guests.

However, for Amelia, who loved plants, the fact that they grew freely and abundantly was a stroke of luck.

"Still..."

Above all, it was wide.

Extremely wide.

Logan had told her to do as she pleased, but there was no way she could explore all of this in one day.

(What... what...?)

A spark of light danced in Amelia's eyes.

"Isn't this amazing...!!"

After taking a deep breath of the fresh air, Amelia dashed off like a hare.

By Amelia's side was a large book.

The cover, worn and dirty, read "Comprehensive Guide to Plants."

"This is Renge! Ah, this is Atsumekusa! Amazing! There are Himezu flowers too! What's that...?"

Running, crouching, and occasionally consulting the book, Amelia muttered, "Ah, I see, this is..."

An elderly butler watched her, as active as a fish in water.

"Hehehe... She's so young and full of energy."

Oscar stroked his mustache and smiled warmly.

...Originally, Logan was supposed to accompany her on this backyard tour.

However, Logan had a packed schedule today, so Oscar, who was free, was assigned to accompany Amelia on her plant collection... or rather, to supervise her.

The purpose of the supervision was to determine whether "Amelia was really compounding her own medicine."

According to Amelia, she compounded the medicine by combining various plants, so observing her plant collection should reveal whether this was true.

However...

"Hmm... Mixing the nectar of Agwaina flowers with the original liquid of Takoopy in a 2:1 ratio... I see! It creates a more potent tonic!"

(Oscar couldn't understand a word of it.)

With virtually no knowledge of pharmacology, Oscar couldn't tell if Amelia's actions were based on accurate knowledge.

The foreign words that flowed smoothly from Amelia's mouth sounded like incantations to summon evil deities.

(Well, it's best to ask questions at the right time.)

Oscar, a seasoned veteran in his sixties, could tell the difference between someone acting and someone genuinely engaged in their actions.

From his observation, Amelia didn't seem to be lying or making things up, but he wanted to be doubly sure about the authenticity of her compounding skills.

Her skills were becoming a crucial factor, potentially influencing the future of the nation.

(If Lady Amelia's skills are genuine... no...)

That was not something a servant should think about.

Taking a deep breath, Oscar focused on watching Amelia, who played with nature like a fairy.

After a while, Amelia returned, slightly out of breath but with a contented look on her face.

"Are you enjoying yourself?"

"Yes! Very much!"

Amelia, with a smile that outshone the sun, bowed slightly to Oscar.

"Thank you for accompanying me today."

"Not at all. I'll keep a sharp eye out to ensure you don't get lost in the depths of the forest. Please enjoy yourself, Lady Amelia."

"Ahaha..."

She couldn't deny it.

"Shall we take a break now?"

Oscar, who had somehow acquired a table and a set of wooden chairs, suggested.

"Wow, that's great. Thank you, Oscar."

"Please call me Oscar. And let's drop the formalities. We are in a master-servant relationship."

"Um, but..."

To Amelia, Oscar was much older, and calling him by his first name and dropping formalities felt strange.

Seeing Amelia's hesitation, Oscar spoke as if trying to convince her.

"Humility is a virtue, but as the future Duchess of the Hernberg family, it wouldn't be convenient for you to be too humble in front of the staff."

Amelia recalled a similar conversation she had with Sylph a few days ago. Having spent little time in noble society, she was still unaccustomed to such customs.

(But if I'm going to be Lord Logan's wife...)

As the Duchess of the Hernberg family, she needed to act in a way that wouldn't embarrass her.

"Alright... Oscar."

"Very well. Shall we take a break now?"

"...Yes. I've been cooped up at home for the past few days, so let's take it easy."

Oscar nodded in satisfaction at Amelia's somewhat awkward casual speech.

"Then I'll prepare everything. Please wait a moment."

As Oscar bent down to set up the table and chairs...

"Ouch..."

"Oscar!?"

Amelia's voice echoed as Oscar, holding his waist, grimaced in pain.