I Will Be Unrivaled With The Skill [Sewing]! They Said It Was A Bad Skill, But With Effort, I will Make It A Hit~ - Chapter 51

Episode 51: Apiana

That afternoon, after finishing her exams, Kito joined the other two to share information.

“That’s valuable information—her support base belongs to a faction focused on magic. Let’s proceed under the assumption that she herself is involved. There’s one trustworthy teacher at the magic academy, so I’ll ask them. Hopefully, I can meet with them by tomorrow evening.”

Kito spoke while resting her hand against her forehead.

“I don’t know if Gradius-sama is a former cardinal, but there’s no doubt he holds a high position. He spoke about becoming the guardian of Saint Lucius, so he must have considerable influence.”

Hearing Kito’s thoughts, Maior decided to gather more information.

“Sene-chan’s story is interesting too. There definitely was a distinct scent. It reminded me of something you’d find lingering in a stylish antique shop. I also believe it’s something special.”

“Yeah. ‘Pharma’ didn’t sell it, but the store manager might know something about it, so I’ve arranged to meet them later.”

Seneca had gone to the pharmacy selling the potpourri earlier that morning but hadn’t found any useful information.

“The manager of ‘Pharma’ is well-known and is also acquainted with Yulia-san. That’s why I thought bringing some herbal tea might be a good idea. They excel in handling medicinal herbs and produce various products with lasting effects. It seems the potpourri also has medicinal properties.”

Kito compiled the information she had received from the two and carefully reviewed her notes.

“I have some acquaintances in magic-related circles, so I’ll look into that side. But if I probe too much, it’ll seem suspicious, so I’ll keep my inquiries subtle. In that sense, Sene-chan’s ‘scent’ investigation won’t attract much attention, so she can dig deeper.”

Kito absentmindedly patted Seneca’s head.

She looked pleased.

“I’ll try asking Attalos-san. He’s trustworthy, and if Seneca is about to get into danger, I think he’ll warn us.”

With Maior’s words as the cue, they all nodded and set off in their respective directions.

That evening, Seneca returned to ‘Pharma’ to meet the store manager.

Inside the store, the same clerk from the morning greeted her and led her to a room in the back where the manager was waiting.

Upon entering, she found a woman with deep wrinkles at the corners of her eyes.

“Oh, you’ve come. I’m Apiana, the owner. You must be Seneca.”

“Thank you for seeing me today. Please accept this.”

Seneca, feeling tense, greeted her with the formal introduction Maior had taught her and handed over the special herbal tea prepared by Yulia.

“Well, how kind of you.”

Apiana briefly glanced at the tea, her brows furrowing.

“Hm? Where did you get this tea?”

“It was made by a woman named Yulia-san from Baetica. A friend of mine is her apprentice, so I’ve had the pleasure of being looked after by her as well.”

At that, the wrinkles at the corners of Apiana’s eyes deepened, and her demeanor softened considerably.

“Oh, so you’re acquainted with Yulia? Then you should have told me sooner. Since you’ve come all this way, let’s have some tea together.”

Saying so, Apiana went to fetch hot water. After a short while, she returned with a tray carrying a teapot and cups.

“Now then, let’s talk while we enjoy some tea. I heard you’re investigating a certain scent—what kind of fragrance is it?”

Seneca straightened her posture, preparing to explain.

“It had a herbal scent, but it wasn’t too strong. The spiciness of the plant was quite pronounced.”

“That matches what I’ve heard. Here, this is the potpourri from my shop—what do you think?”

Apiana took a jar of potpourri from the shelf and let Seneca smell it.

“In terms of spiciness, it’s similar, but the one I smelled felt older… more modest, in a way. This potpourri is more vibrant.”

At that, Apiana let out a hearty laugh and retrieved another jar from the shelf.

Seneca opened the lid and took a sniff.

A strong aroma flowed through her nose and into her body. The distinct spiciness seeped from her nasal cavity into her head, as if cleansing her brain.

“It’s a similar scent, but not this strong.”

Apiana then placed another jar in front of Seneca.

“This is the same potpourri you just smelled, but this one has been left open for a month. The scent has changed quite a bit.”

Cautiously, Seneca brought her face closer. A much milder fragrance drifted toward her.

The sharpness had softened, making it more pleasant and refined.

“This is it! This is the scent!”

Seneca’s eyes sparkled as she spoke.

Apiana slowly closed her eyes, placing a hand on her forehead as if deep in thought.

After a moment of silence, she finally spoke.

“This potpourri is a special blend I created. I’ve only ever sold it to a select few customers. I can’t imagine any of them having a connection to you. In the first place, the fact that you can’t ask this acquaintance of yours directly about the origin of the scent already struck me as odd. …Now then, where and when did you smell this scent?”

That was an incredibly important piece of information. Seneca hesitated.

She looked at Apiana, who stared back with piercing eyes that allowed no room for deception.

Seneca instinctively wanted to push back, but there wasn’t a trace of doubt in those eyes. She decided to speak honestly.

“I smelled it when I met a priest named Gladius-sama at the church. To be honest, I came here because I wanted to learn more about him.”

Hearing that, Apiana let out a booming laugh, clapping her hands before turning her sharp gaze back to Seneca.

“You’re an interesting one. I like you. That honesty of yours is both a weakness and a virtue.”

Seneca was bewildered, not quite understanding what had just happened.

“Alright, I’ll tell you. Gladius and I go way back—practically an old, tangled-up bond at this point. He does use this potpourri.”

Apiana spoke as if she found the whole situation amusing.

“I had been looking forward to meeting Yulia’s apprentice since I heard they’d be enrolling in the magic academy. But you seem far more interesting. This isn’t the only thing you want to ask, is it? Go on, tell me.”

Encouraged by her words, Seneca began to recount everything that had happened so far.

“I see. That old man would definitely do something like that. You really got caught up in some nasty business. But, well, I can understand why he did it. The church’s situation must be just as complicated.”

After listening to Seneca’s explanation, Apiana grasped the situation with precision.

“Alright. The meeting is set for tomorrow night, right? I’ll take you to ‘Spelunca’!”

Apiana suddenly declared, catching Seneca off guard.

“Eh? Are you sure? So you knew about it too, Apiana-san?”

“Of course. It’s an important place for people like us. And I think it’ll be fun to see you and that old man face-to-face. Come to this shop after sunset tomorrow. I’ll be ready and waiting.”

Seneca’s face lit up with joy.

“But I’m only taking you. No one else. That’s the rule. If Yulia’s apprentice wants to be there, they’ll have to find their own way in.”

Hearing that, Seneca slowly nodded in understanding.