The Apothecary Diaries (Light Novel) Quotes

“Some said the real difference between a foolish ruler and a brilliant one was that a foolish ruler thought the people were inexhaustible, while a brilliant one realized that they had their limits.”
― Natsu Hyuuga, The Apothecary Diaries (Light Novel): Volume 2

“Maomao briefly regretted that she hadn’t simply disguised Jinshi as a woman, but then she remembered that dab of rouge and thought better of it. She shook her head: Jinshi must never appear in women’s clothing, lest the very world tear itself apart.”
― Natsu Hyuuga, The Apothecary Diaries (Light Novel): Volume 2

“There were few if any things in the world that were truly inexplicable; what a person deemed beyond explanation was only a reflection of the boundaries of their own knowledge.”
― Natsu Hyuuga, The Apothecary Diaries (Light Novel): Volume 2

“Just who is this guy? she asked herself. But she felt her station was nowhere near high enough to actually ask the question aloud, so she stayed quiet. Besides, she suspected that knowing the answer would only lead to more trouble.”
― Natsu Hyuuga, The Apothecary Diaries (Light Novel): Volume 2

“Ahem. His name is Lakan...” No sooner were the words out of his mouth than Maomao’s expression shifted. Her eyes widened and she took a step away from Jinshi, almost, it seemed, involuntarily. To date she had looked at him like a beetle, like a dried-out earthworm, like mud, like dust, like a slug, and even like a flattened frog—that is to say, in many demeaning and belittling ways—but he realized that all of these were kind and gentle compared to the look she leveled at him now. It was, frankly, hard to describe, but even Jinshi felt he could barely survive it. Maomao looked as if she might smash open his heart and pour in molten metal so that not even ashes remained.”
― Natsu Hyuuga, The Apothecary Diaries (Light Novel): Volume 2

“But once Maomao was invested in a problem, she couldn’t let it go. She crossed her arms, trying to put the pieces together in her head.”
― Natsu Hyuuga, The Apothecary Diaries (Light Novel): Volume 2

“Draw flowers like a normal person,” she instructed, pointing to the flowers in the courtyard. Apparently, no matter how excellent the renderings might have been, pictures of poisonous mushrooms were off-limits.”
― Natsu Hyuuga, The Apothecary Diaries (Light Novel): Volume 2

“There were some things which, no matter how transcendent, the world was not meant to see. It was fearsome to realize that with just a dash of lip color, Jinshi might possess the power to bring low at least a couple of small villages.”
― Natsu Hyuuga, The Apothecary Diaries (Light Novel): Volume 2

“My cat is most wary, yet not only was she willing to speak to you, she seems to be earnestly considering you as a possible match for a woman she thinks of as an older sister.”
― Natsu Hyuuga, The Apothecary Diaries (Light Novel): Volume 2

“Apparently you weren’t supposed to go shouting in the middle of the night. Allegedly, people were trying to sleep or something.”
― Natsu Hyuuga, The Apothecary Diaries (Light Novel): Volume 2

“Still, she was struck that Lihaku could be speaking of her, to her, and have no idea. But, she supposed, what more could you expect from a dumb mutt?”
― Natsu Hyuuga, The Apothecary Diaries (Light Novel): Volume 2

“O groundskeeper of our garden of lovely blossoms?”
― Natsu Hyuuga, The Apothecary Diaries (Light Novel): Volume 2

“Why are you so prepared for this exact situation?!”
― Natsu Hyuuga, The Apothecary Diaries (Light Novel): Volume 2

“What exactly did you teach them?” Jinshi inquired. Maomao didn’t quite look at him, but rather, somewhere just past him. “Next time you see the Emperor, ask what he thought of my lesson,” she said. As to the content of her instruction, she would leave that to Jinshi’s imagination.”
― Natsu Hyuuga, The Apothecary Diaries (Light Novel): Volume 2