The Baby Sprout Who Bloomed in the Villain Duke’s Family - Chapter 102
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
Episode 102
“Jena! Where the hell are you going?”
The one who came in huffing and puffing was Goren, the unscrupulous employer. He swept his terrifying gaze around the space, searching for Jena as he stomped through.
‘Yelp.’
Clover, nestled in Jena’s arms, caught sight of Goren through the flowerpots and froze in fear, clinging even tighter to Jena.
‘Hideous.’
And his personality was even worse.
The first thought that crossed her mind was that if she were discovered, she’d be in terrible trouble. Even knowing her older siblings were just outside the window, the instinct seized her.
“Shh, be quiet…….”
Jena gently covered Clover’s mouth. But she was careful not to actually block the child’s breathing—only the gesture of covering her lips.
Clover felt Jena’s tender consideration in that small gesture.
‘Jena is so kind…….’
Clover’s frantically racing heartbeat began to settle. Besides, there was also Harna, Sone’s Summoned Creature, beside her.
With Harna tensing her body, ready to attack at any moment, Clover would be safe no matter what Goren tried to do.
“Oh! Hahaha, you clever thing, Jena! So you actually pulled it off after all that whining!”
From beyond the flowerpots came the sound of Goren laughing with greedy satisfaction.
“This wretch should’ve come straight to report once she succeeded. What are you doing, gallivanting about?”
Jena’s grip tightened around Clover.
“I’ll give her a proper thrashing when she gets back!”
Flinch.
Jena’s body trembled with rage, and her kneeling legs knocked over one of the flowerpots.
Tap!
The small flowerpot tipped over with a sound. Jena, startled, pulled Clover even closer.
“……What was that?”
Clover was equally alarmed.
Goren, having heard the strange noise, was making his way toward them.
‘Oh no, the ugly man…….’
He’s coming this way!
Clover squeezed her eyes shut.
She waited, startled and eyes clenched, but no sound followed.
‘Did he leave……?’
It was just as Clover cautiously cracked open her eyes.
“Oho.”
The ugly face was right in front of Clover’s nose.
“!”
Clover let out a shocked gasp and instinctively buried herself deeper in Jena’s arms. Jena held her close, glaring at Goren.
“Jena, what are you doing here?”
At Goren’s words, Jena fixed him with a wary glare and spoke.
“……What business is it of yours, sir?”
“What’s with this little thing? Is this a Summoned Creature? Is this kid an Authority Bearer too?”
Goren’s eyes lit up as he took in Clover’s grimy appearance and Lucky, who floated daintily beside her.
In that moment, Jena understood what Goren was thinking.
He believed Clover was a Commoner Authority Bearer like herself—someone whose weakness he could exploit and control like a slave. The realization made Jena’s revulsion spike, and she glared at him.
“No! Get away!”
Jena didn’t know Clover’s true identity either. She had no idea why the child had entered this place.
But if she really was an Authority Bearer, she couldn’t let Goren find out.
Jena, never suspecting that the grimy appearance was a disguise for a Noble, held Clover protectively once more.
“Why are you getting sharp with me? Hand that brat over!”
It was just as Goren reached out with his crude hands toward Clover.
<How dare this worm!>
Boom!
Harna, Sone’s Summoned Creature, who had been waiting for her opening all along, shot forward like lightning and struck Goren down.
A powerful gust of wind struck true, slamming Goren hard against the warehouse wall. The impact was so violent that the wall where he hit cracked with a sickening crunch.
“Gaaaaah!”
He writhed and screamed. Harna huffed triumphantly and descended back onto Clover’s shoulder, settling there. Her long tail swayed protectively around the child’s body.
Thud, thud!
Crash!
And then.
Sone, Demian, Arwin, and Pluto burst through the locked warehouse door from inside.
The metal lock twisted and shattered pathetically. Multiple shadows poured into the warehouse like a flood of darkness.
“Clover, are you alright?”
“Clover!”
“Clover! Are you hurt? Did that man lay hands on you?”
Clover’s siblings came pouring in one after another, checking her condition as she lay cradled in Jena’s arms.
Not a scratch on her. Thanks to Jena’s firm embrace, not even a speck of dust clung to her clothes.
“Ah, ahhh……! Wh-what!”
Goren’s face drained of color at the sudden flood of Authority Bearers that materialized before him.
Even someone as oblivious as Goren could grasp that having so many—and so powerful—Authority Bearers pour in all at once was no accident.
And such a formidable Summoned Creature, able to knock an adult man of above-average build clean off his feet with nothing but a wingbeat.
‘Nobles.’
The thought struck him like a hammer blow.
His face went white in an instant. He was just beginning to crawl away from where he lay on the floor when—
“Where do you think you’re going?”
Demian slammed the broken door shut with his power. A ribbon of wind coalesced before it, and his Summoned Creature materialized.
A snake-like creature, identical to Arwin’s, its jaws spread wide to reveal razor-sharp fangs. Goren’s face went pale again.
“H-hick…….”
There was no escape.
With the door sealed, he spun around desperately, looking between Sone and Clover.
Clover, who had been watching the entire scene unfold, looked at her siblings, Pluto, and broke into a smile.
“Sister!”
“Are you hurt, little one? I tried to get in right away, but the door was barred…….”
She had attempted to open it without using her power, hoping to avoid drawing attention, but when the situation turned urgent, she had simply torn through.
“Clover, no worries.”
Not a mark on her. Perfectly fine.
“Thank goodness.”
Sone took Clover from Jena’s arms and turned her gaze toward Goren.
He was a wreck—still bearing the bruises from his earlier beating at Harna’s hands.
Step, step.
Tap.
Sone walked with serene grace to stand before Goren, dressed in the plain clothes a commoner might wear.
“Hick…….”
But the aura radiating from her entire being could not be hidden by anything. Sone looked down at him as though he were an insect and asked:
“Are you the owner of this warehouse?”
“Y-yes, I… I am…….”
Goren stammered his reply, craning his neck upward to meet her gaze.
“Wh-who are you……?”
“I am Sone Claudian, heir to House Claudian.”
At those words, Goren’s face turned nearly grey.
Who in Rosipheron did not know House Claudian? Even a newborn babe would know the name!
‘But is she really Claudian?’
Why would such a great noble house be in this squalid warehouse……?
The sight of Harna, the wind-swept bird, and Demian’s Summoned Creature wreathed in air left Goren no room for further thought. He prostrated himself flat against the ground.
There was no time to wonder why the northern Claudian would be here.
The dark green hair, the glimmering golden eyes, the overwhelming power—even if they weren’t truly Claudian, he would have thrown himself to the ground regardless.
He answered in desperate haste.
“Y-yes! I am, I am the one in charge here!”
“The child you were about to touch is my sister.”
At Sone’s words, Goren lifted his eyes cautiously to look at Clover, nestled in Sone’s embrace.
Clover, for her part, clung to Sone while staring at Goren with unwavering eyes.
Could she really be Claudian?
True, Authority Bearers weren’t common among commoners, so there was no way another child like Jena could exist!
Goren began to babble excuses in panic.
“My apologies for not recognizing you! P-please forgive me just this once!”
His eyes darted about.
“I—I didn’t know there was a strange child in my warehouse, so I was just curious……. I’m so sorry, so very sorry!”
Goren lay flat on the ground, begging forgiveness.
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————