rope

Oh, right, Rope, what did you need me for?

It's very unusual to see you around here. Ah, could it be you have a new interest in perfumery? If so, you're always welcome here~

No, that's not quite it.

Oh, then what?

Uh.

It-It was the Doctor! Yeah, right, the Doctor!

The Doctor begged me to get some aromatherapy stuff from here. The, uh, the regular stuff, to help with sleeping.

Ah, is the Doctor having trouble falling asleep again?

I guess? Seemed a little out of it on missions the past two days.

Still forced it to support the team, too... (Muttering)

Hmm? Did you say something just now?

Nothing! You heard wrong!

Hmm... I see, then. Alright.

You want the Doctor's usual, the lavender scents, right? Of course.

If you're not pressed for time, Rope, could you wait while I finish sorting out these cultivation soils before I get the aromas for you? My hands are all muddy right now; it'd be a little hard.

You can stroll about in the greenhouse for now. I'll be all done in just a moment!

Of course, no problem~ Strolling here'd be my pleasure!

(Stirring)

Hey, this flower's pretty cute. All tiny and... woah woah woah why's it so big now?

(Stirring) (Stirring)

Whew, I felt my heart stop here.

Even a flower gets to be all dangerous. Wh—Who knew greenhouses went so deep?

(Stirring) (Holding in laughter) (Stirring)

Hm? Is this... spice? Whoa, it smells great too, nm, mm?

Ha, ha, ha—choo!

Pfft.

Eh?

*cough* *cough* *cough*.

Hachoo, hachoo. Hic. Whoof...

Are you okay?

I'm... I'm great. Hachoo.

Don't exert yourself. Those flowers and spices are all ingredients I use in my perfumery, and their scents likely aren't as nice as any end-product form. They can be a little stronger...

Try a lot stronger! Ha, hachoo!

Feels like my nose could just fall off... You deal with this stuff everyday? And you make it smell so good somehow. I'm beginning to admire you now...

Now that's just exaggerating. Oh, right, on the long table over there is a small green bottle. If your nose feels uncomfortable, you can give that a small sniff. It should be much better after that.

Oh—! Thank you!

Lemme see, green, green... hachoo! There it is!

Ah, this smells sooo so good.

I'm glad you like it. Do you feel a little better?

Ah.

Wow. I'm not sneezing anymore.

This thing does work! Real work!

My, my. Did you perhaps doubt the power of aromatherapy? That it was just placebo effect? That they were excessive hobby goods?

Uh.

It's... it's not like I ever thought that.

No need to be nervous. I don't mind at all.

Any amount of people will have misconceptions when they first come into contact with perfumery and aromatherapy. After all, it's a field you've never learned about. It's very normal you'd think that, Rope.

It's something I have to strive hard for—how to give people a true approach to perfumery. The willingness to approach it.

Huh. How do I put it...

I might not get perfuming all that much, but I still know your work's real important, Perfumer.

After all, the Doctor—heck, and even Dr. Kal'tsit—if they're both saying it's good, then it's gotta be, right?

Eh? The Doctor and Dr. Kal'tsit both...?

Yeah. I've heard them mention it a whole lotta times.

'Lena's aromatherapy stands dominant at the forefront of the treatment and rehabilitation domain.' ...In words kinda like that.

And you gotta admit, there's a lotta operators who love scrambling for this place, right? I hear there's even people who just sleep in the greenhouse and don't wanna leave?

There are a few...

I recently added a few more beds just because of that, but free space is still a concern as ever.

If things keep going on like this, I might need to ask Dr. Kal'tsit to see if the greenhouse can't be enlarged a little.

You see? You got it.

It's pretty awesome, isn't it? You already got a bunchload of people who know the deal with perfumery.

I mean, I might not super understand it, but there's way too much I don't understand. Just 'cause I don't get something myself doesn't mean I have to say it's pointless, right?

Heheh.

Whoa, what's the funnies now?

Perfumer?

Heheh. I'm sorry. Mm. I'm just a little happy.

Don't you mind, Rope. In fact, if you don't mind, you can just call me Lena.

Uh, ah, tha-...

And then how about I call you Ropie?

Huh?

Sure, of course, sure...

Heheh. Then that's settled.

(Wo-wo-wo-woah, what's going on?)

(Was Perfumer always so casual?)

Um, um.

Say, Perfumer...

Hm?

Uh, L-Lena.

Mhmm. What is it?

Has anyone ever told you... you're, like, really surprisingly intense.

Never, no.

You're kidding.

Whatever. It works...

Alright. That should be the cultivation soils sorted, now.

I'll go wash my hands.

You're done already? Huh, I can't really tell how this soil's different from before.

This one's a soil for raising flowers. The proportions of what went into it might be a little special.

For flowers?

Indeed. Gloria's therapy is into a new phase. It requires some very particular flora, with astonishingly stringent requirements for their soil.

Huh.

Truthfully, I haven't been too successful the past few times I've tried to cultivate them. I wanted to try new ratios this time, and see whether there's any issues with the soil's proportions or nutrients...

Ooh!

If nutrition is the problem, then I can sort that, but some plants require things far, far beyond nutrition alone to grow, and that's where things can get a little gnarled.

I hope it can work this time. If I may say, this time I'm actually quite confident.

Sounds hecka complicated. I thought perfumery stuff would be more, uh, more sorta elegant vibes?

Y'know, like, only for rich daughters who smell nice all over, all pretty and graceful, who kinda seem like they never had to do work before.

Ah. Are you complimenting me, Ropie?

Mm... take it that way if you want?

Thank you~ But I'm no leisurely unworking rich girl, you know.

That's, uh, I knew that from the moment I saw you with mud stuck to your face.

Haha, don't tease me now.