I’ll Become a Villainess That Will Go Down in History

As soon as I arrived home, I locked myself in the library and pored over Maddie’s list of ingredients.

…According to this list, I should be able to develop a medicine for Spotted Disease by combining three plants.

Lipsim, Tolchis, and Currant. Each of them had no great use by itself, but they play a major role when combined with something else.

However, depending on how they are heated or fused, they might explode or become meaningless medicines.

For now, I should visit Paul, who had a plant shop. I could get the money by talking to Arnold.

With the book in my hand, I left the library as fast as I could.

I got on the carriage once more and headed for the town.

It was the first time for me to go to town alone. My heart was a little excited. Everyone thought of me as a gutsy kid, but even I had my share of nervousness and fear.

But I couldn’t be intimidated in a place like this. I had to brace myself.

The carriage stopped with a clunk. “We’ve arrived,” I heard the coachman’s voice say from outside.

I got off the carriage and stepped in front of the entrance to the plant shop.

Paul hated people from the impoverished village. I had known that for a long time. A small fear aroused in me. I realized once again that Alicia used to protect me.

He might tell me to go home or he might throw water on me. I was starting to have unnecessary worries in my head.

“Still, I have to go.”

I resolved to go inside the restaurant. As soon as I entered, I heard a clang-clang sound like a bell. At the same time, a man wearing glasses comes out from the back.

“Welcome.”

Paul froze when he saw me. He didn’t make a blatantly disgusted face, but his tone was a little sharp as he asked, “What’s wrong?”.

He appeared to be calm, but ever since he revealed his true self to me when we first met as informants, he had stopped playing around with me.

“I have a plant I want.”

“What plant?”

Paul looked at me dubiously.

“Lipsim, Tolchis, and Currant.”

“Those three? What will you use them for? Tolchis is used to make bombs. Have you lost your mind?”

I could tell that Paul didn’t trust me at all. He probably thought I was planning treason or something.

I stared into his eyes. The pressure caused Paul to appear a little puzzled. I told him in a serious voice.

“There is someone I need to help.”

My voice echoed quietly through the store. Paul froze for a moment, then thought about it. After a few moments of silence, he replied.

“There’s no such thing as a drug using those three things.”

“It’s a new drug.”

“…I guess, as expected of the disciple of a deported daughter.”

Paul chuckled.

“I’m not a disciple. I’m her partner.”

I responded right away, as if to answer myself as well. He gave a small sigh at my response. Somewhat resignedly, he pulled plants from the shelf.

“She was a strange girl. I never thought she’d be deported. …A lot has changed since she left. The impoverished village is gone, and everyone in this town is scared.”

“Why?”

“Because things are getting worse.”

“Worse?”

Paul shook his head and said, “Well” then followed with,

“I bet they are living in anxiety all the time.”

The place that Duke had prepared for the inhabitants of the poor village was far from where we live. So, they were supposed to feel safe.

I wanted to say that, but for some reason I was at a loss for words. No place in this world was completely safe.