Thomas Aristotle and the secret of basil

Thomas and Gaspar, two close young friends who never part, both at the age of eleven and studying together in the sixth grade at a school in Paris. They chose to spend their summer vacation with a program that is not without humor, through which they get to know plants, and play football. Thomas found in the program an indescribable source of happiness, as he would have the opportunity to learn about plants while engaging in his favorite activity and hobby. However, as soon as the two boys arrived at the holiday place in a village south of France, they found that a fire had broken out, destroying part of the Mr. de Bérihorad’s palace, which was their accommodation. This incident caused the palace inhabitants to behave strangely. There was Maria, the cook, who had been working carefully in the perfume garden; there was Joseph, the clumsy technician with a strange personality, who began teaching them how to extract perfumes from plants; and there was the "Nose," Mr. de Bérihorad himself, who explained to them the most important principles of perfume making. Soon, Thomas and his companion began to investigate and inquire about the origin of this "incident": who benefits from the crime? Why this strange behavior and conduct of the palace's people? What is that strange mixture everyone wants Thomas to uncover the secret of? What is the secret of the basil that everyone loves to whisper about?