The Knight Commander of the Second Male Lead [Novel] Chapter 45

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 45

Chapter Title: The Hair Growth Potion

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At Nina's words, Kiril looked at her with an amused expression.

"Of the Celestial Sphere?"

"Nina, you seem like you've had a high-class education at times, but you're so ignorant and impossible to pin down."

"Something like that."

Nina shrugged and pointed at Kiril's square horn.

"So, what's this?"

"It's something the Sages need to wield their power. We call it a 'Taruk.' In the Yara tongue, it means 'origin.'"

Kiril spread her hand, and the eight faces of the horn separated, revealing a rhombus-shaped object inside. It rotated, glowing with inner light.

"Yara tongue?"

"We all came from Yara. Long ago, when that beautiful western land of Yara crumbled, we came to this barren east."

Kiril recited it like a passage from a book, then shrugged.

"It's probably only used by Sages these days, right? Ah, yes. It's also part of high noble etiquette, so maybe learn a bit?"

"I have no talent for languages, so I'll pass."

Nina waved her hand dismissively. It was probably something like Latin, anyway.

"Tsk tsk, the young ones these days have no spirit."

Kiril clenched her fist, and her Taruk vanished.

"When I was young and left the Isle of Sages, I boasted that I wouldn't use this power, that I was strong enough without it."

Kiril grinned.

"But now I think, why not use something I worked so hard to obtain?"

"So you came to tell me you're going to use magic?"

Kiril scowled.

"Do I look old enough to come announcing some grand resolution like that? No, one of the experimental results turned out interesting, so I came to share."

"Something interesting?"

"Hair growth potion."

Nina blinked, then shot forward like a spring.

"Really? For real?"

"Yeah. Not sure how well it works, but it should make for good money, right?"

"Absolutely!"

Nina bounced up and down.

"Show me right now. Hurry!"

"My legs aren't what they used to be these days. Oh dear."

Nina scooped her up effortlessly.

"Let's go."

"Wait, you little—"

Clearly not expecting Nina to pick her up, Kiril stammered in surprise.

Nina carried Kiril straight to the lab, where Randell looked startled at the sight.

Nina set Kiril down and asked,

"The fur-growing potion!"

Randell gave a small smile at Nina's excited face. He stood from his seat and said,

"Actually, we weren't trying to make that kind of potion. We were aiming for a healing salve for external wounds, using the regenerative properties of starcluster flowers and silverleaf grass. But it seems we ended up promoting cell division and regeneration in a certain way—"

"Randell."

"Yes."

Nina peered into Randell's beautiful blue eyes and said,

"Sorry, but the conclusion first, please."

Randell adjusted his glasses with a slight frown of displeasure.

"I'll listen to the full explanation later."

At Nina's promise, his expression softened a bit. Kiril snapped irritably,

"What's so amazing about it? Nina, come here."

Kiril showed her the potion. And the test subject mouse.

"Oh......"

The mouse's fur was incredibly lush.

"We applied this potion, and it didn't do much for the wounds. But as a side effect, the fur grew thick and long."

Kiril explained simply.

"We'll probably need to test it on humans first."

"Please do."

Nina gazed at the mouse with eyes sparkling like the sun and said. Kiril nodded.

A baldness cure...

Nina imagined filling a bathtub with gold coins.

Gold coin bath... Hmm, I'd probably get crushed under the weight. Gold is heavy.

Reason tempered the sweet fantasy, but it didn't matter. It would make money, after all.

Kiril smiled at Nina's beaming grin.

"That happy about it?"

"Of course. Ah, of course I'm sorry the research didn't go as planned."

At Nina's polite words, Kiril chuckled and bowed her head.

"I'm glad to be of help. Glad, Acting Duke."

Nina's eyes widened like saucers as she grinned.

"I thank you for your efforts."

Randell cleared his throat, drawing Nina and Kiril's attention to him.

"There's one more thing I'd like to mention."

"What is it?"

At Nina's question, he pulled out a document. It looked important, with gold leaf embossing on the parchment.

"It's from the Isle of Sages. A certificate confirming that wheat and oil trees pose no harm to the human body."

Nina took the document with a bright smile. The elegant script was the Isle of Sages' certification, guaranteed by Great Sage Randell.

Nina's eyes widened.

"I didn't expect you to act as guarantor too."

"Since I verified it myself, I should be the guarantor."

Nina nodded in satisfaction at his soft, gentle voice.

"You absolutely won't regret this."

"If I thought I would, I wouldn't have guaranteed it."

Nina grinned mischievously. Now, all she had to do was plant this wheat, and the harvest would skyrocket!

The duchy’s income would skyrocket!

White bread everywhere!

As Nina let out a sinister chuckle, Randell adjusted his glasses and asked,

"Then, may I walk with you for a moment?"

Nina nodded and offered her arm for escort. Randell hesitated for a second before lightly placing his hand on it. Nina said to Kiril,

"I'll be back."

Kiril sat in her chair and waved dismissively.

"Go on."

Her gaze had already shifted to the test tubes.

The two left Kiril's lab and began walking around the outdoor herb garden. Randell said cautiously,

"Nice weather."

"Yes, it's fully spring during the day now. Still chilly at night, though."

Randell's magnificent golden hair sparkled like a lump of pure gold under the sunlight. He stopped and released her arm, so Nina lowered it.

Randell wore a blue robe, its long hem tied short at the waist with a sash.

"I asked for your time because I have something to say."

"About the herbs?"

Randell smiled faintly at that and shook his head. Then, slowly, he removed his glasses with both hands.

Wait, why the dramatics?

Nina tensed unconsciously and stared at him. Randell folded his glasses and pocketed them, looking down at her at an angle.

"I'm not a fool."

"Who would dare call the Great Sage of the Isle of Sages that?"

A crooked smile crossed his face at Nina's words.

"Lady Nina, I am observing proper etiquette. I expect the same from you."

"I am likewise observing full etiquette. Please get to the point."

"The shadow of the ducal house, which I thought was on its last legs, seems to stretch farther than expected."

Nina frowned slightly. Was he talking about Adrian's intelligence network?

But she knew nothing about that.

So she had no idea why he was picking a fight.

"And?"

At her question, Randell erased his smile.

"How much do you know?"

Instead of asking 'know about what?', Nina stared straight at Randell.

"I didn't expect you'd dig into my personal history. Landlubbers are always like this."

Randell looked down at Nina with cold eyes. He suppressed the boiling anger inside.

The fact that she knew his entire past was deeply, extremely unpleasant.

Especially if she'd dug it up to find weaknesses.

And this person standing there with a brazen, innocent white face as if nothing was wrong was just as infuriating.

"What do you want from me?"