Ravena slowly turned the tomato in her hand, examining its even red color and smooth skin.
"This is an extraordinary tomato," she said at last.
She turned to Mae.
"Mae, where did you buy this?"
Mae smiled faintly.
"I didn’t buy it."
Ravena’s eyebrow lifted slightly.
"Then... did you grow it yourself?"
Mae shook her head gently.
"No. It’s from Young Master Voss’s tomato field," she answered briefly. "He gave it to ."
Ravena fell silent.
"...Young Master Voss?" she murmured, clearly surprised.
Her gaze dropped back to the tomato in her hand. Her jaw tightened slightly.
"How could soone so—" She paused, then continued in a cold tone. "—soone like him obtain seeds of this quality?"
Mae simply gave a small shrug.
"I don’t know. I really don’t."
Ravena stepped closer and unconsciously grabbed Mae’s shoulder.
"Mae," she said seriously, "do you realize this? Tomatoes like these could beco a high-value asset for the Central Cathedral."
Mae stiffened slightly, then gave an awkward smile.
"Ah... but Young Master Voss has already sold his harvest to the rchants’ Guild."
Ravena’s expression changed instantly.
"What?" Her voice rose sharply. "Why didn’t you report this to the Central Cathedral? A discovery like this should—"
"Lady Ravena," Mae cut in softly but firmly. "It’s his field. I only received them as a gift."
Ravena ground her teeth, clearly irritated.
"How foolish," she muttered quietly. "To let such potential slip away so easily..."
Lina, who had been silent the entire ti, swallowed hard, feeling the pressure in the air.
At last, Ravena released Mae and looked at the basket of tomatoes once more, her gaze sharp and calculating.
"Mae," she said quietly but sharply, "do you know where he got the seeds?"
Mae shook her head slightly.
"I don’t know the details," she answered honestly. "If you want to know more... perhaps you should ask Sir Geralt directly."
Ravena turned quickly.
"Sir Geralt?"
Mae nodded.
"He works at Young Master’s tomato field. He’s been working there from the start."
Not even a second passed—
Ravena imdiately grabbed Mae by the wrist.
"Then take to him. Now."
"L–Lady Ravena?" Mae exclaid in surprise.
Ravena was already heading for the door, her voice cold and decisive.
"Now."
Mae hesitated briefly, then gave a small nod.
"Alright," she replied shortly.
She turned to Lina.
"Lina, please watch the clinic for a bit. I’ll be back soon."
"Eh— y–yes," Lina replied reflexively.
Without waiting any longer, Ravena pulled Mae out of the room. The clinic door closed softly behind them.
Silence returned to the room.
Lina stood there for a few seconds, then looked toward the table. A small piece of paper lay there—the notes Mae had prepared earlier.
Lina picked it up, holding it gently.
She let out a short sigh.
"Mmm... Healer Mae was supposed to teach about dicine today."
Not long after, Mae and Ravena arrived at a simple house on the edge of the fields.
In the front yard—
"Hiyaa! Hiyaaa!"
A short-haired young girl was training enthusiastically, swinging a wooden branch as if it were a real sword. Her footwork was clumsy, but her eyes were serious.
Anya.
The mont she saw Mae, her eyes lit up.
She hopped lightly and stood at attention, raising her wooden branch.
"O Gentle Healer!" she exclaid loudly. "What business brings you to my headquarters?"
Ravena stopped mid-step, her brow imdiately furrowing.
"...Headquarters?"
Mae smiled awkwardly.
"A–ah... I read her stories about the Iron Mathron," she explained briefly.
Then Mae bent down slightly toward Anya.
"Anya, could you call your father for ?"
Anya nodded firmly.
"Un!"
She puffed out her chest proudly.
"The Iron Knight will summon him!"
Without waiting for a response, Anya turned and ran into the house, still gripping the wooden branch tightly.
Not long after, a middle-aged man erged from inside the house.
Upon seeing the two won in front of his ho, he froze for a mont.
"Eh—Healer Mae?" he said in surprise. "And...?"
"Sir Geralt?" Ravena interrupted imdiately, her voice quick and sharp.
Geralt instinctively straightened his posture.
"Y–yes. That’s correct. I’m Geralt."
Ravena wasted no ti.
"I want to know about Young Master Voss’s tomato field," she said bluntly. "Specifically—where he obtained the seeds."
Geralt blinked once.
Then—
his expression changed completely.
"Ah. The Young Master," he said with unmistakable pride.
He imdiately shifted into full reverence.
"He’s a genius, Lady. A true genius."
Ravena narrowed her eyes.
"He studied alchemy on his own," Geralt continued quickly. "He produced high-quality tomatoes, the plants grow fast. Ancient farming techniques—and even the irrigation tools are unique."
"Irrigation?" Ravena cut in.
"Yes," Geralt nodded enthusiastically. "Shaped like an orchid flower, with very high efficiency."
Mae looked at Geralt, slightly surprised.
Geralt grinned broadly.
"I only handle the hard labor. Every idea—cos from the Young Master."
Ravena looked at Geralt coldly.
"Old man," she said flatly. "You still haven’t answered my question."
Geralt flinched imdiately.
"A–ah!" He reflexively straightened his posture again. "T–the seeds... I an, the tomato seeds..."
He swallowed.
"They are... the result of alchemy, Lady. The Young Master refined them himself."
Ravena let out a slow breath.
Oh god, this old man knows nothing.
Ravena turned back to Mae.
"There’s no information to be gained here," she said coldly. "We’re leaving."
Without waiting for a response, she turned and walked away from Geralt’s house.
Mae hesitated for a mont, then gave a small nod and followed.
In the yard—
Anya stood still, staring at Ravena’s retreating back with a serious expression.
"What a nasty woman," she muttered quietly.
They had not gone far when Ravena stopped abruptly.
"Mae," she said without turning around. "Take to Young Master’s tomato field."
Mae was slightly startled.
"To the field...?"
"Yes," Ravena replied curtly. "Now."
Mae let out a quiet sigh.
"Alright," she said at last.
Briefly, she thought to herself:
If I don’t comply, she’ll surely beco even more troubleso.
They walked along the dirt path toward the field.
Before they got too close—
Trank—
Trank—
The rhythmic sound of tal clashing echoed from a distance.
Once the field ca into view—
Lucas and Silvara could be seen sparring. Their weapons collided, the ground was trampled hard, and heavy breathing could be heard between the clashes.
Ravena stopped short.
Her eyes widened.
"...What is that?" she said flatly, almost in disbelief.
She stared at Lucas, who was swinging a hoe with full force.
"Oh my— a man fighting with a hoe?" she muttered sharply.
"What is wrong with these people?"
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