The Villainous Older Sister Who Loves Her Younger Sister Aims for the Guillotine 78

78: [The Chief Physician at the Herb Garden]

There were herb gardens on the outskirts of Vandergant.

Lots of them.

To be precise, it was one large area, with fields and buildings scattered throughout.

And to be even more precise, they were all under the support and protection of a certain noble family.

All under the umbrella of the Vanderwaals.

This time, it was an official inspection. While inspections were sometimes announced in advance, surprise inspections were generally more effective.

So, I had brought Leticia and Ciel along for a surprise inspection of the herb gardens.

…There was another reason for the ‘surprise’ element.

I wanted to see if I could guess which herb garden they would lead us to.

We were greeted by guards in red uniforms, armed with halberds, just like at the lord’s mansion.

“Welcome, Lady Adelheid. Are you looking for Chief Physician Louis?”

“The Chief Physician? Is Dr. Louis here?”

“It… seems so. ――But I’m not here to see Chief Physician Louis. This is an inspection of the herb garden. We’ll just… look around.”

…It seemed I had guessed correctly.

While there was a reason behind my choice, it had nothing to do with Louis. I had accepted the Royal Medical Corps’ request for a visit, but I had left the choice of herb garden to them.

“Then, I will speak with the person in charge… Lady Adelheid, may I leave your side?”

I nodded to Ciel, granting her permission.

“Go ahead. There’s no problem. We’re just looking around.”

Inspections like this, when I hadn’t received any reports of irregularities, were also meant as encouragement.

While I sometimes thought it was pointless, since I couldn’t visit every single garden, having the patron make an appearance had the effect of both inspiring diligence through observation and boosting morale through a show of interest.

As long as I wasn’t too disliked.

――I was the head of the Vanderwaals family, after all. And this was Vandergant, the territory most closely tied to our family.

This was my home turf.

“Yes. Then please take your time, Lady Leticia.”

“It is an honor for our garden to receive both Lady Adelheid and Lady Leticia.”

“Elder Sister, let’s go!”

…Why did I feel so out of place when my sister was involved?

“—Let’s go. Stay close so you don’t get lost.”

The staff were bustling about efficiently.

Researchers in purple robes. Workers in brown aprons. Guards in red uniforms.

“Lady Adelheid! The new blend for this year’s herbal liqueur seems promising. They say it makes you feel refreshed and energized, like you can push past your limits!”

“…You didn’t add anything dangerous, did you?”

“There’s no such thing as a safe medicine!”

“That’s true, but… Make sure you collect the data properly before selling it.”

“Of course!”

A young female researcher in a purple robe reported on her research progress, which I wasn’t sure was actually progressing.

“Oh, my lady. I’m watering the plants right now…”

“That’s fine. It’s just an inspection. Carry on as usual.”

“Thank you… You’ve become so distinguished.”

“Thank you… but haven’t you said that every time we’ve met?”

“To an old woman like me, you look different every time I see you, my lady.”

I exchanged pleasantries with an elderly worker in a brown apron, who was watering the plants.

“Lady Adelheid, no abnormalities to report here.”

“Thank you for your service.”

“It’s been quiet lately.”

“It’s not a good sign when knights and soldiers are busy.”

“Indeed. —Please, take your time.”

I greeted an elderly guard in a red uniform, his beard completely white, who, despite his words, was clearly on high alert as he patrolled.

“…Elder Sister, do you know everyone here?”

“Yes, I suppose you could say that.”

While I sometimes struggled to remember names, I knew most of them by sight.

“They admire you, don’t they…”

Leticia sighed in admiration.

Did they… admire me?

I wasn’t sure. Perhaps they did.

It was because I was the head of the Vanderwaals family.

Though, considering there wasn’t much to be gained from currying favor with me, I didn’t think it was only that.

Perhaps my problem was that they were still clinging to their impressions of me from when I was a ‘daughter,’ not the ‘head’ of the family.

I walked with my sister along a path paved with brown bricks, lined with plants and dotted with nameplates, stakes, and signs.

The simple act of walking filled me with a sense of lightness.

At the end of the path—where it intersected with another, forming a crossroad—I saw a figure in white.

“[Is that… Dr. Louis…?]”

“[Leticia?]”

Chief Physician Louis, a brilliant talent of the Royal Medical Corps, was in the herb garden.

While he held a high position, perhaps because of his background as one of the nomadic people, he had been collecting medical knowledge from both within the country and abroad since before his rise to prominence, trying to improve medical practices.

While his opportunities to travel abroad had decreased since becoming Chief Physician, he seemed to be focusing on collecting and organizing domestic techniques.

The Royal Medical Corps had close ties with the Vanderwaals family.

While we didn’t monopolize pharmacology, we had by far the most ‘clinical experience’… or, to be more precise, ‘practical experience.’

There was a saying about washing blood with blood, but this continent once had a history of washing poison with poison.

After countless wars that reshaped the map every month, nations began to realize the excessive casualties of traditional warfare and shifted their focus… and our family was at the forefront.

While we were poisoners, we weren’t always the aggressors; we were also victims, and defenders who strived to avoid being poisoned.

…Medicines that once killed many were now used to heal.

“…Lady Adelheid. You’re here as well.”

Chief Physician Louis looked at me with a slightly complicated expression.

I was the older sister of the girl he was interested in, someone who tormented her—and also her protector.

We sold medicines and provided ingredients to the Royal Medical Corps… and sometimes even cooperated with their clinical trials.

All perfectly legal, of course.

But that knowledge was born from a realm beyond the reach of the law.

He must have known. Seeking our cooperation meant swallowing a drop of malice.

“This is a Vanderwaals herb garden. There’s no reason I shouldn’t be here.”

“That’s true… This is a fine herb garden. I can sense the weight of its history.”

The production and sale of medicines, primarily herbal remedies, were a legitimate source of income for the Vanderwaals, and also essential for our covert operations.

…Now then.

“Leticia, why don’t you talk with Chief Physician Louis? I’ll look around on my own.”

I wasn’t supposed to be in this scenario.

If I gave my sister free rein, it was uncertain whether they would meet…

I had come here, hoping that fate would bring them together, based on the description of the [Herb Garden]… and here they were.

While I didn’t know if she would choose his route, I felt a sense of obligation towards the Chief Physician, having ruined his first scene.

I would leave them alone, as the scenario dictated.

“Okay.”

Leticia nodded.

Just as she turned to leave, she tugged on my sleeve, stopping me.

I turned back to my sister, her expression serious.

“But I’d prefer it if Elder Sister came too.”

…What?

I was bewildered.

Was her favorability towards him that low? Did she not want to be alone with him?

No, that couldn’t be it.

But if that were the case…

…then my favorability…

“I don’t mind, Lady Adelheid,” Chief Physician Louis said calmly, blocking my escape route.

But…

Did he not want to be alone with my sister?

“Lady Adelheid is here for an inspection. While she’s been given permission to look around freely, there’s no one to guide her at the moment, and she’s been told to save her questions for later. If you could show her around, it would be a great help.”

While I was momentarily tempted to argue, his reasoning was sound.

“Well, if that’s the case…”

My plans had been disrupted.

I sighed inwardly.

Without showing it, I smiled.

“—I will personally guide you. Consider yourself honored.”

I turned up the villainous sister act, letting the sarcasm flow.

“Yes! Thank you, Elder Sister!”

“It’s an honor, Lady Adelheid.”

But it had no effect.

These two were too used to my sarcasm.

Though, with my sister… I was probably to blame.