From the Small Hand, a Burgeoning Concerto Resonates.Shirayuki takes the court herbalist exam during which her knowledge is tested. When Zen comes to check on her at the greenhouse she has been assigned to, the door is locked by one of her competitors locking them inside. Despite risking to fail the test, she asks help from the prince to fix a serious issue she discovered. She eventually passes the test and is then assigned as an apprentice to Ryuu, a young child prodigy who is already working as a Court Herbalist. Shirayuki discovers that Ryou isn't good in reading people, and is considered by some a weird -and possibly dangerous- child who only studies poisonous plants, but they bond after he worries at seeing her cry and runs to ask for Zen's help. She is also handed out two ledgers, Zen's health records, one of which shows the various poisons he has been self-administered throughout his life, to build up a resistance.