Chapter 4 (Part 4)

“Now you have to tell me. What kind of dream―.”  

As soon as he mentioned the dream, Grace suddenly clapped her hands and said,  

“That’s right, the effect of Golden Day Primrose! Sir Leonardo, have you heard of it?”  

At her sudden words, Leonardo furrowed his brows.  

He felt an instinctive need to hear about the dream she had, yet she abruptly brought up the effect of Golden Day Primrose.  

He raised one eyebrow as if asking what she meant.  

“There was a rumor that Golden Day Primrose was good for virility. Haven’t you heard of it?”  

“Virility, you say?”  

“Yes. So, for a while, both nobles and commoners alike collected Golden Day Primrose. Hmm, I think it was about 20 years ago?”  

At her words, Leonardo searched his mind to see if he had ever heard such information.  

After thinking for quite some time, he recalled hearing stories about such rumors.  

“I believe so. But wasn’t it revealed to be a baseless rumor after the Mage Tower’s investigation?”  

“Yes, it was. But what if it’s true? What if it enhances virility in a way no one thought of?”  

At her words, Leonardo fell silent.  

Her words seemed logical yet illogical, but listening to her, something suddenly came to mind.  

The dream filled with Golden Day Primrose.  

“A dream. What if Golden Day Primrose causes dreams?”  

At her words, Leonardo met her gaze.  

Looking into her clear eyes, he furrowed his brows slightly. As if asking what on earth she was talking about.  

Having anticipated his reaction, Grace continued speaking calmly.  

“Investigate Golden Day Primrose. If you gather all the rumors spread in the back alleys, won’t something come up?”  

Though Leonardo wanted to refute her words, he soon nodded in agreement.  

He had already concluded that he needed to investigate the flower further, so adding such aspects to the investigation wouldn’t change anything.  

Moreover.  

Although it was an uncertain story, if Golden Day Primrose truly had such an effect.

‘It would explain that bizarre dream.’

As Leonardo nodded at her words, Grace smiled bashfully.  

“Thank you for listening to me. Honestly, I thought you might think it was nonsense because I don’t know much about that side of things.”  

Leonardo concealed the fact that he had indeed thought that and replied,  

“It is best to investigate any conjecture or clue that might help in this situation.”  

“That’s right. I hope it gets resolved soon.”  

Grace responded readily to his words and stretched. The sky beyond the window was still dim, as it was before dawn.  

The sight was so beautiful that Grace spoke unconsciously.  

“Does time not flow in dreams?”

Leonardo quietly watched Grace as she spoke again of dreams.  

Unaware that he was watching her, she continued speaking to herself.  

“If time doesn’t flow because it’s a dream… is it possible to feel sensations there?”

Adding in a small voice, as if letting it slip, that it would be impossible unless bewitched by something, Leonardo’s face hardened.

There was undoubtedly a problem caused by the dream, with Grace Lowell.  

‘Whether it’s the same problem as mine, there’s a problem.’  

But she didn’t seem to have any intention of telling him what it was.  

Usually, it would be something difficult to talk about, and if not, it might be too trivial to mention, but,  

‘It seems more like the former.’  

However, Leonardo decided against pressing her for the truth.  

The first reason was that he realized he had been too caught up in the dream while talking to Grace.  

The second reason was,  

‘She seems somewhat anxious.’  

Though she acted as if nothing was wrong, Leonardo sensed a faint anxiety in Grace.  

Though he himself had experienced a suspicious dream, it had only happened once, and since then, he had slept well without any dreams.  

‘So it’s just a silly dream. Let’s forget about it.’  

Leonardo resolved to himself and stood up. Then he spoke to Grace, who was looking up at him.  

“I will leave a message for my colleagues at the Mage Tower.”  

“Oh, okay. I…”

After hesitating for a moment, Grace turned her gaze beyond the window again.  

Seeing the dim sky, she smiled and turned her head.  

“I’ll sleep a bit more.”  

“…Do so.”  

With those words, Leonardo closed the door to the quarters and stepped outside.  

As the rustling sounds from inside soon quieted and no sound was heard, he left the place. 

Leonardo, who had come out to the reception room, turned on the communication device.  

“Sir Martin.”  

[Yes, Commander.]  

As if waiting, the response came, and Leonardo let out a small laugh.  

Even though it was clearly Grace Lowell’s voice, Caleb’s voice held no doubt as he responded naturally.  

“Please investigate the effects of Golden Day Primrose. If you cooperate with Iris Sherman, you might be able to investigate more efficiently.”  

At his words, Caleb paused for a moment before responding.  

[To what extent should I investigate?]  

“Everything. Investigate thoroughly. If it’s related, even look into folklore.”  

[Understood.]  

Satisfied with his loyal subordinate’s answer, Leonardo smiled.  

“What about the items I sent?”

[There is a report that Jacob Baudouin has recently been immersed in ancient magic. It was thought to be mere academic curiosity because he was usually such a calm individual.]  

At Caleb’s words, Leonardo fell into thought for a moment.  

Ancient magic had long been forgotten and abandoned. Few people knew about it, and it was so dangerous that only certain people could access the information now.  

Muttering that it had become troublesome, Leonardo clicked his tongue and said,  

“Dig into ancient magic. Also, what about Pla?”  

[The reports on Pla were all we had. We probably need to confirm what kind of magic Jacob Baudouin was researching to understand his intentions.]  

At Caleb’s words, Leonardo sighed.  

Due to the lack of evidence and information sent, the answer received was within the expected range.  

“I will capture Pla alive.”  

[……Are you sure about that, Commander?]

Leonardo laughed at Caleb’s roundabout way of asking if it was possible with that body.  

“Who do you think I am?”  

[…Be careful.]  

Caleb, after a brief silence, replied, knowing well what worried him.  

Understanding his concern, Leonardo spoke to reassure him.  

“I plan to proceed in a way that doesn’t push too hard, so I might fail. If that happens, I’ll retreat.”  

There was nothing more he could do here.  

After Leonardo’s answer, Caleb told him to be cautious and ended the communication.  

At the unexpected mention of ancient magic, Leonardo pressed his temples with his hand.  

‘Black magic, and now ancient magic. Did that guy really think such absurd magic would succeed?’  

There is a reason many have tried but ultimately failed.  

Leonardo sighed and lifted his head, closing his eyes.  

Grace Lowell, who seemed anxious after having a nightmare.  

Grace Lowell, who spoke of the possibility that the effect of Golden Day Primrose might be an unexpected enhancement of virility.  

If I deduced that Golden Day Primrose was at the center of this abnormal situation she and I faced, was I overreaching?  

‘…Should I experiment?’  

Leonardo, who had risen from his seat, opened the shelter door. The forest, not yet fully illuminated by the sun, looked eerie.  

Two Pla, watching from beyond the trees as if monitoring the place, growled and fled.  

After staring at the spot for a long time, Leonardo slowly closed the door and walked toward the forest.  

The scent of flowers wafted in the wind.  

“―Golden Day Primrose has no scent.”  

That’s a certain fact.  

Golden Day Primrose blooms during the day and withers at night, according to the dictionary definition. However, the flowers here did not wither or fall even at night.  

‘It’s been like that for so long that I thought nothing of it.’  

Apparently, it shouldn’t have been so.  

The forest’s energy, the magic emitted by the Pla, might have imbued something into this flower.  

Leonardo, who was quietly watching the flowers swaying in the wind, plucked a fully bloomed petal along with the pistil. Then he lightly touched it to his tongue.  

‘A bitter taste. It’s similar to what Grace Lowell fed me in the dream.’  

After Grace fed him that, Leonardo had embraced her like a dog in heat.  

After contemplating for a moment, he put the entire flower into his mouth. A sweet yet bitter taste lingered.  

He also put the flower next to it and the one behind it into his mouth.  

As if bewitched, Leonardo, who had plucked and eaten several flowers in succession, closed his eyes.  

‘Somehow, I’m tired.’  

Feeling a sudden wave of fatigue, Leonardo staggered inside. Normally, he would have at least washed briefly, but he was too sleepy to do even that.  

Then he lay down next to the sleeping Grace.  

The sweet, bitter taste still lingered in his mouth.