“She knows more about plants… I don’t know anything about any plants. I’ve basically only read literature related to transcendent herbs before, so I thought Amy might give me some inspiration.”
Mentioning this, Adele smiled. She seemed to have made a significant discovery.
Ciel continued to ask.
“That plant was originally sealed in a bottle, but then…”
Adele’s voice became a little shaky here. “The bottle accidentally broke…”
The disease didn’t spread, did it?
Seeing Ciel’s expression, Adele quickly explained, “I’ve already dealt with all the contaminated soil. It didn’t spread. It just contaminated a small area of the back garden… Half of the flowers Amy planted died…”
She could almost imagine Amy’s despairing expression.
“But, among that patch of dead flowers, one plant actually survived!”
Adele said, her eyes shining, “That wild violet. It actually survived among those diseases!”
Was it the one I saw on the 8th?
Ciel also became interested in what happened next and continued to press.
“That plant disease is a type of rotting mold… similar to mold that grows on spoiled food. It can contaminate soil and erode crops.”
Adele said excitedly, “The Redemption Society calls it ‘Rotting Disease’.”
“But that wild violet was actually able to survive directly in soil eroded by Rotting Disease, and there were no signs of illness on it.”
“At that time, after dealing with the contaminated soil, Amy and I went to the place outside the city where she found that flower. We collected soil from there, as well as nearby plants and water, for comparative research.”
“Finally, the experimental results showed that it had nothing to do with the soil, plants, or water. It was just that wild violet that had a special mutation. Amy and I cut off a few leaves of the violet, preserved them, wrote a paper, and sent the leaves and the paper to the Redemption Society.”
Saying this, Adele had a hint of pride on her face. She smiled and said, “The ‘Physicians’ of the Redemption Society were shocked. Professor Ashford also came over after hearing about it. He said my discovery might be the key to solving ‘Rotting Disease’ and hoped I could take the sample and go to Ansu City with him.”
“Ciel, there is hope for the food in North Ansu!”
Unlike the excitement on Adele’s face, Ciel and Avena exchanged glances. Both saw the complexity and worry in each other’s eyes.
“How many people know about this? You, Amy, Ashford. Besides them, how many other ‘Physicians’ know?”
Avena looked at Adele and asked seriously.
Adele was just happy about her luck, happy she could solve “Rotting Disease,” happy she could save more people. She was even preparing to publicly publish the paper and results, hoping things could be resolved sooner. She didn’t even think about making a large profit from the patent.
But she overlooked a very important point… No, it wasn’t that she overlooked it. It was that she didn’t realize it at all. Ciel also hadn’t told her about this possibility—this was also Ciel’s oversight.
Mainly, she really didn’t expect Adele’s luck to be so incredibly good. She could actually find something that might truly solve the disease.
It was highly likely that a Tier 4 transcendent in North Ansu was using the disease to complete a ritual, and Adele’s discovery had the potential to stop the disease.
Although it was just a possibility, it was enough to attract the attention of the Society of Merriment.
“Uh… Besides Amy and me, there are 3 other ‘Physicians’ who know… Plus Professor Ashford, a total of 6 people.”
Adele seemed to have also noticed that Avena’s tone was off. She said in a low voice:
“Professor Ashford said the paper can only be published after going to Ansu City, and it has to be under his name, not mine…”
If Sherlon’s previous act of seizing the right to sign Adele’s paper was merely exploiting Adele’s labor, then Ashford’s action was entirely to protect Adele.
This matter was too sensitive. Adele’s name absolutely could not be made public.
Fortunately, the members of the Society of Merriment in the city were all under Ciel’s control.
“Write down the names of those 3 Physicians.”
Ciel took out a notepad and a pen and said, “Name, appearance. If you know their residence, you can also write it down.”
Adele nodded repeatedly and immediately started writing. Without hesitation, she sold out her former colleagues. After writing it down, she handed the notepad to Ciel with both hands.
They are all Tier 1… One is also Ashford’s student…
Ashford also couldn’t be completely above suspicion.
“What else did Professor Ashford tell you?”
After Ciel finished reading the list, she looked at Adele and asked.
“He told me not to tell anyone else about this… and kept urging me to go to Ansu with him…”
Adele said with some hesitation.
It seemed Ashford knew something.
Ciel tore off the list and stood up. She directly opened the reception room door and beckoned towards Tara.
“Lord Ciel, do you have any instructions?”
Tara quickly ran to Ciel’s side and asked in a low voice.
“These people. See if they are still in Berren City.”
Ciel lowered her voice and said, “Have him investigate. Don’t expose yourself.”
The “him” here naturally referred to Simon from the Chaos Squad.
“Understood, Lord Ciel.”
Tara took the paper. After bowing and stepping back a few steps, she turned and quickly walked out of the room.
After Ciel sat back down, Adele slumped her shoulders and asked in a weak, low voice, “Ciel… did I do something wrong again…”
Ciel shook her head and said comfortingly, “Just keep an eye on those people… Your discovery is groundbreaking and might attract some attention.”
“What about that plant? Did you give it to Professor Ashford?”
Now, Avena hoped the plant had already been given to Ashford. In that case, Adele could also withdraw from the public eye. Even if Ashford was problematic, having the plant, he wouldn’t target Adele anymore.
—After all, Adele also had a sister who was a High Priestess in the Church of the Savior Goddess.
“I gave him the leaves.”
Adele said, “The flower is here…”
Adele took out a glass tube from her waist.
The pale blue liquid in the glass tube shimmered with spiritual light. Enveloped in this light, a violet flower quietly floated within. Combined with the liquid, its color turned into a deep indigo blue.
In Ciel’s eyes, this was not a flower preserved in liquid.
It was a ticking time bomb that could explode at any moment.
“Avena, I think we need to go to Ansu City earlier…”
“I’ll have the butler book tomorrow’s train. I’ll get things dealt with today.”