The Baby Sprout Who Bloomed in the Villain Duke’s Family - Chapter 115

The Scale?
Clover lifted up the iridescent Scale that had been bobbing in the water just moments before, holding it aloft.
“This one?”

“But why?”

“Ong?”

“I don’t think that way.”

Clover listened intently to the rest of what Neptus had to say, her eyes bright and eager.
<What you hold is the Token of Kingship that fish possessed. So when the day comes that you need the Sea’s aid, send that Scale back to the Sea, and the fish that swarmed to you not long ago will come to repay you once more.>
Since Neptus himself had introduced himself as the Sea’s king, there was no reason to doubt his words.
Clover held the iridescent Scale up and gazed at her reflection in its surface.
“Is something this impressive really a fish……?”
<Remember this: if ever you need to borrow the Sea’s strength in a place where I, my master, Nia, or Peson are absent, simply set that Scale adrift in the water.>
Neptus’s voice was enormous, rather like a ship’s horn, but because he spoke so gently and at a measured pace, Clover could understand every word he said.
<But once you’ve borrowed the Sea’s power, you must return that Scale to those fish without fail. If you receive something, you must give something equal in return. That is the Rule of the World.>
With that, Neptus vanished as suddenly as he had appeared.
Clover stood dazed, staring up at the space where Neptus had been, before carefully tucking the Scale away, just as the whale had instructed.
She meant to keep it safe, since he’d told her to treasure it.
Seeing Clover secure the Scale, Lucky spoke up.
[So that’s why the Scale was moving.]
“Hmm?”
[It was trying to go back to the Sea, since it came from the Sea. Neptus was telling you not to let it go.>
A king’s Scale would surely be precious—but it did seem the child might’ve been about to use it as a toy boat, which explained why Neptus had come in such a hurry.
[Hold on to it well, little one, all right?]
“Yes, Clover will keep it real safe.”
Clover broke into a bright smile.
Not long after, Belze scooped the girl up to change her clothes.
As Clover surveyed her surroundings from Belze’s arms, she was relieved to find that hardly anyone was about in the vicinity where she and Belze had been.
So no one could have overheard her conversation with Neptus.
‘Good thing, Clover.’
The girl let out a soft, relieved breath.
***
When it came time for Nenia’s birthday party, the invited children began arriving one by one at the Abe Ducal Residence.
Most were the children of House Abe’s retainers, though there were also a few noble children of similar age from nearby families.
In any case, they were all nobility from the southern regions—children Clover seldom had the chance to meet. She swallowed hard.
‘Clover, you’re nervous.’
She was nervous.
Though Pluto and Nenia stayed at her side, Clover couldn’t help the flutter in her chest.
Dressed in a pretty white one-piece with yellow ribbons tied at the sleeves and waist, Clover looked to Nenia and Pluto for reassurance.
Nenia, the birthday girl, wore an equally understated one-piece; yet for a five-year-old, her features were so sharp and striking that the simplicity of her dress hardly showed.
Pluto, in his shirt, shorts, and bow tie, was much the same.
But the three of them did share one thing in common: they wore clothes made for movement.
At a noble’s party, convention would normally demand formal gowns and the sipping of fragrant tea. Had Clover and Nenia been even slightly older, they would have been squeezed into elaborate, layered dresses without question.
But Nenia had only just turned five, Clover was four, and Pluto was six.
Moreover, since all the children invited to today’s party were of similar ages, Zitheia had made the sensible decision that there was no need to confine small children in suffocating formal wear—so the children dressed lightly and waited for their guests to arrive.
As the arriving children filed one by one into the beautifully decorated Garden, Clover’s grip on Nenia and Pluto’s hands tightened, and sweat began to bead on her temples from the strain of her anxiety.
The first child to arrive was a girl who looked about Pluto’s age.
She walked in with an elegant, light step, and her nervously taut face gazed at Nenia, Clover, Pluto, and Zitheia in turn.
Zitheia smiled gently and introduced the young lady to the children.
“Children, this is the young lady of House Reno. She’s Lord Reno’s only daughter.”
She greeted Nenia, Clover, and Pluto with impeccable manners.
“Hello……!”
The girl glanced toward her guardian, then her trembling voice continued with a small, piping sound.
“My name is Shearen Reno.”
Her voice was thin and reedy as a chick’s peep or a warbler’s song—quite at odds with her elegant gait. Her large eyes rolled expressively.
“Th-thank you so much for inviting me!”
Starting with Shearen Reno, the children invited to the party arrived one by one.
As each child introduced themselves, Clover felt her head spinning trying to remember all their names.