A Mistake, Held in Your Arms ~ I Don’t Want to Marry My Matchmaking Partner, So I Will Offer My Virginity to You ~ - Chapter 12.2

“Huh!?”

“Where!? When!?”

Hina leaned forward in surprise, causing Keito to widen his eyes slightly in astonishment. But he soon tilted his head slightly and answered.

“Hmm… I don’t know where exactly. But I saw it when I went gathering wild vegetables with Grandpa.”

“Grandpa… You mean Kaichi?”

“Yeah.”

Hina and Keiichiro exchanged glances before hastily standing up.

They rushed out of the Camellia Room and headed toward the firewood storage in the backyard.

“Kaichi-san!”

Hina ran up to Kaichi, who was chopping firewood, and thrust out the drawing of the flower.

“Have you ever seen this!? It’s the Seirenso…!”

Keiichiro frowned as he examined the drawing, then crossed his arms.

“This is the Seirenso…? …Ah, maybe it’s what we call Aonagiku here.”

“Aonagiku…?”

“Do they call it Seirenso in the Kanto region? Around here, we’ve always called it Aonagiku. It blooms so briefly that no one really notices unless it’s flowering.”

Hina gasped.

“Wh-where does it grow?”

“I’ll show you. Come with me.”

With that, Kaichi put away his tools and quickly got ready.

As they climbed the mountain path, Hina and Keiichiro walked in silence.

Though the unfamiliar path left her breathless, Hina couldn’t suppress the excitement in her chest.

(Back then, I asked Kaichi-san and Okami-san too. But…)

‘Seirenso? Never heard of it.’

That was all they said, and the conversation ended.

She never imagined it might be called by a different name in Kansai.

Moreover, the Seirenso blooms for only a short time, and without its flowers, it’s nearly indistinguishable from other plants.

Back then, caught up in childcare and work, she never had the time to venture this deep into the mountains—

Kaichi stopped and pointed.

“It should be blooming around here.”

Following his gesture, Hina squinted and spotted delicate pale-blue flowers peeking shyly from the grass.

“…This…”

Hina knelt and gently traced the flower with her fingertip.

“No mistake… This is the Seirenso.”

“There are more over there.”

Kaichi pointed further ahead, where several Seirensos bloomed as if beckoning them deeper into the mountains.

“Don’t think I’ve ever gone much further in.”

Beyond where Kaichi muttered, the path grew steeper, turning into a rocky, treacherous slope. Trees with sprawling roots covered the incline, making the footing unstable. The damp moss made it easy to slip.

“The path ahead is dangerous. Keiichiro-sama and I will go on alone for a bit.”

When Hina suggested this, Kaichi nodded immediately.

“Be careful. I’ll wait here.”

With that, he sat down at the base of a tree.

Hina and Keiichiro carefully made their way forward, clinging to rocks and dodging branches.

Along the way, they crossed a small stream and nearly lost their footing on the slippery slope. Keiichiro steadied Hina’s hand, and at times, he paused to catch his breath while gripping a tree trunk.

After several stops, a breeze slipped through the trees, brushing their cheeks with a faint chill.

And the moment they passed through the gap in the grove—their vision suddenly opened up.

“…!”

Words failed them.

Before them stretched an entire field of Seirensos in full bloom.

The flowers covering the slope swayed like rippling water in the wind, shimmering faintly under the sunlight. An endless expanse of blue—so vivid it stole their breath.

Quiet, cool, like another world entirely.

“To think this many grew here… every year.”

“I can’t believe we never noticed…”

Keiichiro murmured as he looked around.

Only the occasional birdcall broke the silence, with no trace of human presence. The two simply stood there, transfixed.

“This mountain… It’s Kaichi-san’s land, right?”

“Yes. This entire area belongs to him…”

Hina turned to answer.

“I’ll negotiate to buy it or get permission to harvest. For the first few years, we can rely on wild collection… while starting cultivation research… What do you think?”

At his words, Hina gave a small nod.

“Labor and shipping costs will add up, but if we improve the mountain path, we can keep expenses down. Eventually, if we can cultivate it through selective breeding…”

With this much, they could mass-produce that ointment.

It wouldn’t just heal Keiichiro—it could ease the pain of countless others.

Hina cupped a Seirenso in her palm, gazing at it intently.

“This flower might save you, Keiichiro-sama… and Saotome Pharmaceuticals.”

Keiichiro reached out gently, resting a hand on Hina’s shoulder.

“Hina.”

Called by name, she looked up at him.

“I’ll tell my mother about this and break off the engagement. …So, stay with me.”

His eyes held unwavering resolve.

Hina’s lips trembled as she fell silent, but eventually, she nodded faintly.

“…Yes.”

A breeze brushed past her lowered cheek.

A single blue petal fluttered up, slipping between them—rising into the sky.

After descending the mountain, Hina and Keiichiro told Kaichi and Okami-san about the Seirenso.

Still unable to calm the excitement in her chest, Hina earnestly explained—with a serious expression—just how precious the Seirenso (or rather, the flower known here as “Aonagiku”) was as a medicinal herb.

When Okami-san finished listening, she blinked in momentary confusion before laughing cheerfully, as if it were nothing.

“If it’s just growin’ wild, take as much as ya like!”

Her carefree attitude made Keiichiro chuckle faintly, his shoulders relaxing. But Hina shook her head firmly.

“It’s not that simple. That plant… no, this herb could save so many people. It’s invaluable to me.”

The determination in Hina’s eyes made Okami-san blink in surprise.

Then, with a grin, she placed a hand on her hip and nodded.

“Well then… how ’bout this? Once yer medicine sells and ya got some spare cash, we’ll talk then. Gotta be tight on funds at first, right?”

Keiichiro nodded in understanding, sensing Hina’s feelings.

“If ya need anythin’, just say the word. I’ll take care of the mountain.”

Warmth filled Hina’s chest at their kindness.

She had nearly given up on finding the Seirenso—never expecting it to appear like this.

Immediately, Hina began preparing the ointment for Keiichiro.

And by the time his convalescence ended, Hina would return with him to the capital.