Aware that Alan was testing the water, Olivia wore a bright smile.
"If I'm deceived, I'll take it as a lesson. People wise up from experiences. I won't easily trust others anymore."
He couldn't find anything off from her flawless face. The series of questions stopped as he began giving her a proper tour of the royal castle.
They headed closer to Royal Hospital, where a field of herbs was planted. Flowers bloomed into vibrant colors.
"Falham, our national flower. Those bright petals can be taken as medicine after drying them. The fruits and stems can be eaten too."
She hummed in response. "I've heard that, 60 years ago, an invasion caused havoc in Carathia, and soldiers filled the streets.
"There was a drought, so the crops died. A lot of people went to the mountains to forage for vegetables.
"Falham has a tenacious vitality. It lives through four seasons, and from the petals to the stems, it can be eaten. It sustained a lot of people through that drought. After that, it was bestowed as the national flower."
"That's right. You're smart. Things are getting better now. We don't lack money or food. Many youngsters don't know the history of it."
He switched the topic.
"Here's Royal Hospital. I heard that you practiced medicine. Would you like to visit the place? Various herbs are planted inside."
Olivia had guessed that it was coming from him. If she turned down the offer, it might be too obvious.
Left with no choice, she accepted it, "I did practice medicine, trained to be a surgeon. But I quit school due to personal issues. I'm afraid I'm not that knowledgeable in traditional medicine."
"Don't worry about it. There are a few traditional practitioners in the Royal Hospital. You can talk to them."
"Sure." She was curious about what else Alan had up his sleeves.
There was no way they could still coax her into admitting that she was Ophelia, she believed.
"We made some pear-syrup candies today. It's one of our local specialties. Would you like to give it a try?"
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Even After Death Novel (Olivia Fordham And Ethan Miller)
One chapter a day , keep the reader away .. I have forgotten many characters...