“Wild ginseng?!”

“Do you know this herb?”

Louise asked in surprise.

“Of course I do. Where did you get such a precious thing?”

Ginseng wasn’t a known herb in this world.

Even Leah, who had consumed all sorts of medicinal ingredients since possessing this body at the Piert household, had never seen ginseng.

To think there was a hidden ginseng field in such a remote mountain village!

“I’ve seen the root!”

“Pardon?”

Leah, who had been shouting like a ginseng hunter, came to her senses.

“How did you get this herb? This is really precious and valuable!”

Louise explained.

Originally she didn’t know about the herb either, but when her sister let out a weak goat to graze in the mountains and it came back healthy, she followed it and dug up what the goat had been eating.

When they tried eating it themselves, they felt energized and clear-headed, so seeing its good effects, they tried growing it.

“You’ve really cultivated it well…”

Leah examined the ginseng field intently with trembling eyes.

Though still small-scale and not growing very well, even this much was impressive. Even in Korea, you needed specialized knowledge to grow ginseng.

“No wonder you said you couldn’t leave the village when you were hiding something like this.”

Louise lowered her head.

“Yes. I was foolish. Out of greed to raise my child well with this…”

She explained that she had been growing it hoping it might bring in money, but after her husband suddenly died, it felt like a lifeline.

It was completely understandable.

‘How could anyone abandon a ginseng field, a ginseng field!’

It must have taken at least several years of careful nurturing to grow it to this extent.

Leah pondered.

‘This village is dangerous as long as that priest is here. I was going to take the sisters and baby away, but what should I do.’

They could try transplanting it, but that was too risky.

It could all wither and die.

‘Killing precious wild ginseng that I finally found, absolutely not.’

As Leah was lost in thought, Helix carefully plucked a leaf and chewed it.

“…This herb’s efficacy lies in its roots.”

“That’s right. You can tell right away?”

Leah excitedly explained, breaking from her contemplation.

It makes you healthy, it’s good for the body, good for the brain, good for the lungs, good for immunity.

“That’s practically a panacea.”

“Isn’t it a panacea?”

“No.”

Helix shook his head sternly.

“It’s a fire-attribute herb that raises heat, making it incompatible with you who’s learning fire magic.”

“Gasp.”

To think she couldn’t use it as her own medicine after discovering ginseng here.

Leah visibly deflated.

“Ahem. Well, it is a good herb.”

Helix added soothingly.

“When you become a more experienced mage, it could create better synergy. For now, it would burden your body, so be patient.”

“Ugh, but it’s ginseng. The soup is so refreshing when you boil it with chicken.”

“…Were you planning to eat it as food rather than medicine?”

“It’s medicine even when cooked.”

Grumbling with regret, Leah turned to the sisters.

“I’ll buy this herb.”

“It’s still too small to sell… and we wanted to show it to you as thanks.”

“I didn’t finish speaking.”

Leah said.

“I mean I’ll buy this herb, the herb field, the house around it, and the owner who’ll manage the herbs – I want to buy it all.”

***

Become my employee.

I’ll buy the house and herb field, contact the Piert merchant guild’s research institute and send herb experts.

Grow it well with the experts I send, and when the time comes, sell exclusively to the merchant guild.

“…What? Not just the herbs, but the field, house, and even me?”

“Yes.”

The sisters’ minds went blank at this different scale of money talk.

“I’ll pay you well.”

“My lady!”

Janet, the younger sister, shook her head.

“This is too, too much.”

Janet trembled.

“I’m scared that if we receive such great favor from the Ducal Family, others will target us sisters again!”

Leah stared steadily at Janet.

It was a valid point.

After this witch hunt incident with the priest, the villagers would know they could push around the powerless sisters however they wanted.

If Leah’s special treatment seemed profitable and her protection seemed lax, who knew when they might turn again.

Historically, witch hunts often targeted wealthy widows too.

‘She’s smart.’

Leah smiled and asked.

“Come to think of it, I haven’t heard your name. What is it?”

“It’s Janet.”

“Janet.”

Leah said.

“I’ll hire you too.”

“What?”

“Become my maid.”

Janet’s face flushed red.

“Me, your maid?”

A position in the Ducal Family’s employment was a dream job for commoners.

Even laundry maids and menial workers could hold their heads high, but to be the lady’s personal maid.

“C-can someone like me just, j-just become one like that?”

“What does it matter when I’m the employer?”

A golden spoon’s halo shone behind Leah as she spoke lightly.

“There will be a lot of work. I’m kind of high maintenance.”

Leah grinned.

“But I’ll take care of the benefits. If you come to the Ducal Family as my maid, Janet, the villagers will look at your sister differently too.”

“…!”

“Of course, since we need to protect our researchers and herbs, I’ll send guards to be stationed permanently too.”

Janet’s eyes wavered.

“Why are you doing so much for us…?”

Leah smiled brightly.

“Because I get something out of it too.”

She couldn’t give up the ginseng, and she needed a trustworthy personal maid.

Leah didn’t have a personal maid.

When she first possessed this body, she was uncomfortable being served so she didn’t have one, and after adapting, she missed the timing to hire a same-age personal maid while being sick several times.

Until now she had no complaints with maids taking turns serving her.

But when she received reports that someone inside had brought the poisoned cookies, her thinking changed.

‘I need to have a trustworthy personal maid.’

Leah said.

“I’m paying a high price because I need both the herbs and herb gatherer, and a maid.”

“…”

Janet looked up at such a Leah.

She was a strange lady.

Though she had never met nobility before, she could tell.

A noble who saves lives for a bowl of potato stew, and rather than talking about repaying favors says ‘I’m buying because I need it’ – such nobility surely couldn’t be common.

“Since you’re paying so much.”

Janet rubbed her tear-filled eyes.

“I’ll serve my lady with my life.”

Leah was taken aback.

No no, don’t dedicate your life.

“Just do your work well.”

“I’ll dedicate my life AND do good work!”

T-that’s too much pressure.

Leah avoided her gaze as she replied.

“…Uh, right. Do your best.”

“Yes!”

***

“Then Chief, I entrust my herb gatherer to you. I’ll send people soon.”

“Yes. Don’t worry, my lady. I’ll care for her like my own daughter.”

The village chief promised with many bows.

The villagers looked at Louise and Janet with envious eyes.

“I heard Louise’s herbs caught the lady’s fancy so she’s sending the merchant guild here?”

“Wow! I thought merchant guilds only went to places like Helkan.”

“Who would’ve thought. Louise is lucky. Selling to the Piert merchant guild… she’s made it.”

“Janet’s made it even more. Can you believe she’s going as the lady’s personal maid?”

Listening to the villagers’ whispers, Helix thought.

‘My contractor’s methods… really exceed my common sense.’

Justice through money and beauty.

Wasn’t it usually the opposite?

“…”

That wasn’t all.

The villagers’ admiring and respectful gazes toward Leah.

Janet, sticking close beside her, looked up at Leah with worship as if seeing a goddess.

“…”

On the road leaving the village, receiving endless farewells and greetings.

Helix found himself speaking grumpily without realizing.

“…Why is she so popular.”

“This is nothing much.”

Leah flipped her long platinum blonde hair.

She had been called Peiren’s Lily, Peirlily in the capital. With her years of having followers and fan clubs, this level was nothing new.

“I’ve always been popular, you know?”

Helix felt his chest tighten at Leah’s nonchalant response.

She raised her nose at him.

“Consider it an honor. Getting praised by someone this popular.”

Just as he was about to smile at her playful words, he swept the surroundings with sharp eyes.

Somehow it felt like there were more fervent gazes watching Leah.

“Helix, what’s wrong?”

“…It’s nothing.”

***

Helix’s feeling wasn’t wrong.

There was someone secretly following Leah’s party as they left.

It was the priest who had accused Louise of being a witch and gotten shaken around by his hair by Helix.

Looking like he had reached the final stages of hair loss overnight, he ground his teeth watching the party.

‘Those damn wenches.’

Thinking about how he’d lost face, lost hair, and would have to endure the villagers’ cold stares for a while made his insides churn.

It was all because of Louise and them that he, a respected priest, had ended up like this.

‘Think I’ll let this end after taking this beating.’

He wanted to deal with Louise first, but the village chief was sticking close to mark her.

To think they were fawning over her, expecting her to become the village’s source of income.

‘Tch, blinded by money. Such calculating humans.’

The priest cursed the chief and villagers while turning his revenge target toward Janet and Leah.

Janet who always looked annoyed when he visited.

The lady who suddenly appeared and ruined everything.

‘Once they’re far from the village, those wenches…’

The tall guy who had shaken him was scary, but still, it was just two women and one man.

The priest thought while touching the weapon in his clothes.

He would wait for when the man showed an opening.

***

“This feels like a picnic.”

Leah bit into the sandwich Janet had packed with an excited mood.

The road back to the Piert villa was more enjoyable than expected.

The early autumn weather was cool, and the clear northern air carried the scent of dry grass and fallen leaves.

“Delicious. Janet, you’re good at cooking too.”

“Louise packed these. I’m not so good at cooking…”

Janet trailed off, then hurriedly added as if she’d realized something.

“But I have good eye for detail, and I’m quick and thorough with my hands! I do my work well!”

“That’s all I need for my personal maid.”

She seemed smart with good instincts and determination, and followed Leah well.

Once she received training at the ducal residence and learned to keep secrets, she would make an impeccable aide.

Leah was freshly pleased with her choice as she happily ate her sandwich.

“Would you like another one?”

“No, I’m full. Can’t move.”

“How will you ever get stronger eating just one sandwich.”

At Helix’s worried scolding, Janet smiled and urged.

“I’ll clean up and watch the luggage, so why don’t you two take a walk to help digestion? This area is very pretty in autumn.”

“Shall we?”