The Villainess Enjoys Her Seventh Life as a Free-Spirited Bride (hostage) in a Former Enemy Country
chapter-35-1

“I’m sorry. I’ve taken some special measures to find out more about you.”

Truth was, Rishe had seen it with her own eyes, but she continued to feign ignorance.

“I am currently cultivating several medicinal herbs in a corner of the castle. The concoction of these herbs will complete a medicine that will be delivered to the great eastern kingdom of Renfa.”

Her knight guards made faces, as if to say, So that’s what it is!!”

“Chairman Tully, I take it you’re familiar with the symptoms of the disease described there?”

“This is Aria’s…”

Rishe knew the girl, Aria Tully, well.

She was now 10 years old, an innocent and bright girl.

She was level-headed and just as inquisitive as her elder brother, and full of vim and vigor. The Aria Trading Company was also named after her.

Tully, the Chairman of the Trading Company, loved his only remaining family, Aria, with all his heart.

“As you might guess, this medicine is effective against the illness of your sister, Aria Tully-sama.”

This has been proven in her past life.

Aria developed a respiratory condition when she was much younger than she was now.

And her brother, Tully, searched non-stop for medicine for her while peddling around the world.

He heaved a breath and said in a snatched voice, as if to stifle the bout of jitters that burst within him, “It’s no surprise that information has been leaked about my sister’s illness. I’ve been consulting doctors everywhere since my arrival here in Garkhain. But how did you come to know about Renfa’s pharmacology?”

Renfa, a kingdom in the east, has been studying pharmacy since ancient times.

Doctors around the world came to rely on this knowledge and beg for instruction, but not much information was disclosed to those from the outside world.

Rishe also knew that Tully tried, in every means possible, to explore medicines in the past, every time he plied his trade to Renfa Kingdom.

“The pharmacist who frequented my birthplace was a native of that country. It was him that got me invested in Renfa’s pharmacology.”

Although she was lying when she proudly stated that a pharmacist frequented her birthplace, the origin of her person, who once became her teacher was true.

The pharmacist, who was a native of Renfa, taught Rishe, who had been studying on her own, a lot of things.

One of them was the drug she was now presenting to Tully.

“I did a detailed investigation into Aria’s medical condition. If she takes this medication for a year or so, she’s expected to make a speedy recovery.”

“Did you expect me to take your word for it? When you’re neither a doctor nor a pharmacist?”

His reply was reasonable. She would have replied the same way when someone suggested her something of the like.

Thus, Rishe left another trick.

A week ago, on that night…

“Didn’t you like the medicine I gave you last time?”

“…!”

The executives around him reacted more strongly to her question than Tully.

“You don’t mean the drug we took the morning after we were wasted in the tavern, do you?!”

“Yes, that’s right.”

It was a week ago, the night her negotiation with Tully had broken down.

Rishe had slipped out of the castle and rode to the tavern, and in the time it took for Tully to arrive, she competed drinking with the members of the Trading Company and got every last one of them drunk.

On her way back, she handed Tully a bottle of pills.

[–When everyone in the company wakes up tomorrow, try to give them this medicine.]

It was a very effective remedy for hangovers.

“The moment I got up, I was ready for a hangover that would last until the next day, but as soon as I took that, I felt better.”

“It’s something that quickly drains the alcohol toxins from the bloodstream, repairs an inflamed stomach, and so on. I have concocted it.”

“That medicine was from Rishe-sama?!”

The executives looked sincerely surprised.

Rishe hadn’t crushed them for no reason that day.

This way, once they took the medicine beforehand and knew that it was effective, they’d give a little more credence to Aria’s medicine.

Well, I can’t deny that I’ve gotten into the habit of having a drinking spree with them… Facing Tully, she reflected inwardly.

“I can’t prove right away that this medicine works. But, Mr. Chairman, weren’t you searching for every little possibility?”

“…”

Tally held his forehead and sighed heavily. Then he opened his mouth: “Be the merchant of choice for your customers. Offer products and value that can only be obtained through you. Then you will be the one who chooses the customer. This is something I’ve always told my subordinates.”

Yes. I know.

Even Rishe has taken that lesson to heart.

Tully smiled to himself and said, “You’re a game changer, Lady Rishe.”

“Mr. Chairman…”

“So far, it’s been a bargain of me choosing you. But now, it’s your turn to choose me.”

Tully straightened his back and looked at Rishe.

His eyes are terribly sincere. He was a proud man, but he was a man who could give up all of that for his beloved sister.

He wasn’t even sure if the drug would really be effective.

Nevertheless, Tully tried to bow to Rishe.

“Please, I’m willing to give all my wealth to you if you want. But please, I beg of you, give me this potion…”