Chapter 17
I frowned deeply, finding Knox’s words a bit strange.
‘Is this guy some kind of pervert?’
I quickly took a couple of steps away from him. At that, Knox burst into laughter.
“It was a joke. Just a joke.”
“What? Are you sure it was a joke? You seem like a weirdo.”
I backed away a bit further, keeping my guard up. He was dangerous. It wasn’t because of the joke he just made; Knox was a man who exuded a truly dangerous aura.
“So, what is the reason? Please, give me an answer.”
He pressed me persistently.
“It’s a hobby.”
“Pardon?”
“Since I have nothing but money in this life, I wanted to find a different kind of fun.”
Oh. Even though those words came out of my own mouth, they were brilliant. Wouldn’t anyone find that explanation acceptable?
Knox’s eyes widened as he stared at me. He blinked blankly for a moment, then suddenly began to clap.
“That was actually quite cool.”
“I heard aristocrats don’t like it when people flaunt their wealth.”
“I’m different. I prefer character over refinement. I can’t stand things that lack charm.”
“Ah, I see.”
“…….”
“…….”
“……Is that it?”
Just then, Eden walked out from the left hallway.
“What are you two talking about?”
It seemed he had taken the opportunity to look around while I was distracted talking to Knox.
“I was introducing him to the mansion. Shall we head over that way for now?”
Regardless, I seated Knox and Eden at a table in the banquet hall. I then served them tea, and they both seemed fascinated by the fact that I was brewing and serving it myself.
Ignoring their curious gazes, I turned to Knox.
“So, what is it you wanted to say to me?”
“I’d prefer if we could speak in private.”
Eden’s face crumpled into a scowl as he glared at Knox.
“What? Why in private? That sounds suspicious. Are you even close with Miss Cherry? You aren’t, so why do you want to be alone with her? It’s weird.”
This time, I was the one to counter Eden’s words.
“I’m not close with you either, Sir Eden. By that logic, I’m the weirdest one here for letting two men I’m not close with into a house where I live alone.”
“I’m a police officer.”
Eden replied, but realizing his own logic was a stretch, he ran a hand through his hair with an embarrassed expression.
Knox, sitting with his legs crossed casually, spoke up.
“Personally, I dislike the Lancasters. So, I’d appreciate it if this fellow left.”
“I hate you too, you bastard. That’s why I’m not going anywhere.”
Knox and Eden growled at each other.
Why on earth did I bring these two together? I regretted it immensely.
Even in the original novel, Eden and Knox didn’t get along.
Their relationship had likely taken a turn for the worse back when they were students at Lubridge Benton College.
Surprisingly, it was Knox who had constantly picked fights, claiming he didn’t like Eden. And it was Eden who fell for Knox’s provocations every single time. Despite appearances, Eden was a good-hearted person.
Unlike Knox, the youngest son of the Marquis Rudfercher family, Eden was the sole heir to the Duke of Lancaster. He was an aristocrat among aristocrats, raised in the spotlight of society.
However, Eden himself had no interest in the position of Lancaster heir and even possessed a rough personality that didn’t fit the noble mold.
To Knox, who valued elegance and dignity, that was more than enough reason to be antagonistic.
While I was lost in thought, their bickering continued. Eventually, feeling the need to intervene, I spoke firmly to Eden.
“I don’t think this will ever end, so I’ll have to stop you here. I’m going to talk with Mr. Rudfercher alone for a moment. I’ll see you tomorrow, Sir Eden.”
“Miss Cherry.”
“I’m sorry to send you away like this, Mr. Worker. Thank you for coming. Goodbye.”
Eden looked displeased. He even narrowed his eyes, looking back and forth between me and Knox.
But he no longer had a justification to persuade me. In the end, Eden put on his crisp police cap and stood up.
Knox smiled and waved at him.
“See ya.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow, Miss Cherry. Please, be careful.”
Eden ignored Knox and said his goodbye to me. He made it very obvious that he didn’t want to leave.
Once I confirmed that Eden had left the banquet hall, crossed the garden, and exited the main gate, I turned to Knox.
“There. Happy now?”
“Thank you for your consideration, Lady.”
Knox replied with a bright smile. I let out a sigh and leaned back against the chair. Somehow, today felt exceptionally long.
The sun had already set, and it was dark outside. I eventually got up to light the lamps in the banquet hall.
After closing the lid of the oil lighter and returning to my seat, I looked at Knox’s face across from me.
Knox, who had been quietly watching me, finally opened his mouth slowly.
“How much do you know about the Elpinus herb?”
“Pardon?”
It was a completely unexpected question.
But then again, it wasn’t that strange. The reason we met today was because of the Elpinus herb.
Still, I couldn’t figure out Knox’s intentions. Did he know something about the Elpinus herb acting as a vaccine?
“……Actually, I don’t know much. I just picked it up off the street.”
Since I wasn’t sure what he was after, my answer wasn’t very forthcoming. Knox rested his chin on the back of his interlaced hands and stared at me intently.
He gave off an atmosphere that was both languid and predatory. It was as if he were looking at a rat trapped in a jar. But whenever our eyes met, he would smile with his eyes like a puppy, as if that predatory look had never existed.
An uncomfortable silence filled the banquet hall.
‘Should I have let Eden stay?’
I suddenly felt a pang of regret. Even though Eden was suspicious and wary of me, his presence had been reassuring.
Still, I was stronger than Knox, so if push came to shove, I could just knock him out with a punch.
‘Eden’s a cop, so hitting him would be trouble, but Knox isn’t, right?’
It was while I was having those thoughts that he spoke.
“There’s no need to be so tense. The Lancasters might be hostile toward you, but I’m very well-disposed to you.”
“That’s what’s strange. Why are you well-disposed toward me? There’s no reason for it.”
“I want to help. I don’t know what you’re trying to do, but I think watching it unfold will be fun.”
Knox seemed sincere when he said that. However, I answered firmly.
“I don’t need help.”
“I think you will. Don’t you plan on growing the Elpinus herb here?”
I nodded reluctantly.
“……Yes.”
“Cultivating Elpinus is difficult. Since it’s a rare herb, getting information on it will be hard too.”
Why was that rare herb at Notium Street No. 61? It was strange no matter how much I thought about it.
“Hmm……. Just a moment.”
After a brief struggle, I decided to agree with Knox. I did need help.
So, leaving Knox alone in the banquet hall for a moment, I went to my room and brought back the box containing the Elpinus herb.
I showed it to him. I absolutely had to cultivate this herb.
If there was a place where it grew naturally, I was even prepared to go and dig it up myself.
“I’m planning to grow this herb in the garden patch.”
“Where is the garden patch?”
I pointed toward the garden through the banquet hall window. It was too dark to see anything, though.
“I pulled the weeds today. Tomorrow I’ll till the soil and spread fertilizer. I’m planning to plant crops in two weeks, so I can just plant the Elpinus then, right?”
“Miss Cherry, this isn’t a crop.”
“Isn’t it a medicinal crop?”
“You shouldn’t think of Elpinus like a normal plant. The cultivation method is quite unique.”
“How unique……?”
“It grows by eating bugs.”
“……What?”
I had never heard of a plant that ate bugs. Even in the original novel, there was no mention of how to grow Elpinus.
I stared at Knox with a bewildered expression. Is that why it looked like a bug? More importantly, I had to eat it to gain immunity, and suddenly, I felt disgusted.
“What kind of bugs? No, how does a herb catch and eat bugs?”
“The roots absorb nutrients from the bugs. It seems to eat various kinds. It seems to like things like centipedes and spiders.”
Dammit. Those are exactly the kinds of many-legged things I hate. The roots of this herb eat those bugs, and then I eat the herb…….
“Ugh! I imagined it!”
I clutched my hair and writhed in distress. Seeing my reaction, Knox laughed, saying my expression was entertaining. I take back what I said about him being a gentleman.
‘Why is this guy so sly? Dammit.’
Anyway, summarizing Knox’s words, fertilizer wasn’t necessary.
He said that if I just planted the seeds in leveled soil along with freshly dead bugs, watered them, and regularly buried dead bugs, they would grow well.
‘What a truly bizarre way to grow something.’
Regardless, if Knox was right, I couldn’t plant the Elpinus now because I didn’t have any bugs.
‘Looks like I’ll be spending tomorrow catching bugs.’
I shuddered at the thought, then looked at Knox. A good idea had occurred to me.
“You said you’d help me grow the Elpinus. You seem to know a lot about it.”
“If you want, Miss Cherry, I’ll help you with the cultivation too. I know Elpinus very well. Not all doctors handle herbs, but I’m exceptionally talented.”
Knox gave a bright smile, looking as though he were truly eager to help.
“That’s wonderful.”
I didn’t care about anything else. As long as he knew how to handle the Elpinus herb, that was enough.
“Fine, Mr. Rudfercher. Help me grow the herb. I’m counting on you.”
In truth, I asked for help because I didn’t want to catch bugs with my own hands, but it was also true that I thought Knox would be a help since he knew so much about the plant.
“This is going to be fun.”
At my additional comment, Knox’s eyes widened as if he had heard something unexpected.
Soon, he burst into a loud laugh. He laughed heartily, his voice echoing throughout the banquet hall.
