The Baby Sprout Who Bloomed in the Villain Duke’s Family - Chapter 118

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 118
Rirua was discovered beneath the swing not long after. The only one who hadn’t been caught by the seeker was Nainia.
No matter how hard the children searched, they couldn’t find Nainia, so they eventually gave up.
Then Nainia sprang out from somewhere. And so Hide-and-Seek ended in Nainia’s victory.
After finishing both Hide-and-Seek and Tag, the children ate snacks until their bellies were stuffed.
After playing for a while, as the time to head home drew near, the children exchanged glances, reluctant to leave. Shieran in particular drooped his brows in a sorrowful arch.
“……P-please invite us again next time!”
“Next time?”
“Yes! Last year, you sat in the corner with a sullen expression the whole time, and I thought, ‘Oh, she really doesn’t like me at all!’ But this time I came with so much worry, and we had so much fun together. It seems you don’t dislike me that much after all, so……I want to play again. Would it be alright to visit Lerno next time? There are lots of places to hide in our Garden, so we could play Hide-and-Seek there too.”
Shieran’s breathing grew faster as he spoke, his words tumbling out at an even quicker pace.

Seven-year-old Shieran, having rattled off everything he wanted to say, gazed at the children while catching his breath.
After hearing the eldest child’s rapid-fire party review, the other children looked dazed before breaking into applause with a resounding “Waaah!”
Clap, clap, clap, clap.
“Th-thank you…….”
Shieran, having finished his impressive review-rap and received praise, flushed crimson.
“Shieran, today was really fun.”
“Yes, really!”
“Clover too—if we could play like this every single day, it’d be the best.”
The other children chimed in after Clover’s words.
“It was really fun for me too.”
“Me too. Playing with just Zerenio isn’t very fun…….”
“I didn’t enjoy playing with just Rirua either, but……today was so much fun.”
“When we grow up, will we be able to play like this every day? Mother goes to parties quite often.”
Nainia, who had been listening quietly to the children’s chatter, raised her brows and spoke in a crisp, refreshed tone.
“Then come again next time.”
“……!”
“I’ll invite you again next time. Or we can play at Lerno if you’d like.”
It was the first time Nainia had openly declared her willingness to play with the children again. The children’s faces brightened instantly.
“Nainia!”
Clover threw her arms around Nainia. Nainia, startled for a moment and widening her eyes, quickly lowered her gaze and embraced Clover in return.
“Hmph…….”
“Nainia, you’ve grown……!”
“Grown?”
“You’ve developed.”
[Clover, Growth.]
Lucky corrected Clover’s pronunciation.
“Growth.”
Clover sounded out the word carefully, syllable by syllable. Only then did Nainia, understanding what Clover meant to say, nod her head.
“Yes, growth.”
The Count of Lerno, who had arrived in the meantime, greeted the children before delivering the unfortunate news to Shieran that it was time to go home. Shieran’s face contorted with sadness.
The Count of Lerno’s face too bore the strain of delivering such unwelcome news to his child. Father and daughter exchanged a brief quarrel right before the children’s eyes, then turned their backs and left.
“I-I’ll write to you……!”
Reluctant to end the wonderful playtime, Shieran walked away trailing a single crystalline teardrop down his cheek.
Afterward, the other guardians came one by one to collect their children, and the party came to an end.
When the last to remain—the twins Zerenio and Rirua—finally departed, only Nainia, Clover, and Pluto were left.
And then.
Whoosh.
Two long shadows fell over the children’s heads. The children reflexively looked up, tilting their heads back to gaze at the two elongated shadows cast above them.
The owners of those shadows were people the children knew.
“Nainia! Did you have fun?”
Zitheia Eibe.
“Clover, Your Highness.”
And Kalid Claudian.
The children, rumpled and grimy from their thorough playtime, leaned against their respective guardians with somewhat weary faces.
Pluto hesitated before stepping into Kalid’s arms, but when Kalid reached out and took his hand.
“……!”
Pluto too gently grasped Kalid’s hand. With the cautious gesture of a wary cat offering its companionship, Pluto’s tentative grip drew a quiet smile across Kalid’s face.
“It looks like everyone had a wonderful time.”
Kalid stroked the heads of both Clover and Pluto at once.
The soft, downy hair of the children scattered gently between Kalid’s fingers.
“You did well to come.”
At those warm words, the children answered in unison.
“Yes, yes!”
“…Yes.”
Kalid smiled again, watching the children respond so brightly.
Beside him, the northern wind’s lion rubbed its body against the children’s legs, purring and rumbling with contentment.
***
“Father, there’s something strange happening with Clover.”
The night before they left the Eibe Mansion, Clover rolled around in bed as she spoke.
“Something strange?”
Kalid drew the blanket up to wrap the child warmly, and Clover, who had buried her head beneath it, poked her head back out and spoke again.
“Yes.”
“Could you tell me what happened?”
“We were playing Hide-and-Seek, and this maid said she’d show me where I could hide.”
“And then?”
“And then… after that, I can’t remember anything.”
“You can’t remember?”
“After that, I was on top of a box. The maid said Clover followed her there. But I don’t remember any of it at all.”
Clover made a small groaning sound, her eyes squeezed shut.
“It feels like someone cut out just that part of Clover’s memory.”
“…Was there anything else strange besides that?”
“No, nothing else. Lucky says there wasn’t anything either.”
Kalid frowned slightly as he gently brushed back Clover’s bangs and asked.
“Do you remember what the maid looked like?”
“Yes. Frizzy hair, black eyes, freckles.”
Clover recounted the maid’s appearance, which she had not forgotten. Hearing this, Kalid stroked the child’s head.
“If nothing else seemed wrong, it’s likely not something serious.”
“Clover didn’t do anything wrong, did she…”
“No, it’s normal to not remember moments like that sometimes. Even grown adults do.”
Yet the feeling that “someone seemed to have removed that part” was indeed strange.
Still, Kalid patted the small body to reassure the child. There was no need to make the child anxious over something uncertain.
“Is that so…”
“Your father will look into it, so don’t worry too much.”
“Okay.”
“But if something like that happens again, tell father right away.”
“Yes.”
“And if the person seems suspicious, don’t follow them.”
“That too, yes.”
Clover nodded her head eagerly.
Then.
Creak.
The door opened slightly, and someone poked their head through the gap.
“Your Highness.”
It was Pluto.
When Pluto noticed that Clover and Kalid were staring at him intently in the darkness, he spoke in a startled voice, flustered.
“I, I heard voices. I just wondered if something had happened…”
Kalid turned his gaze to Pluto.
The six-year-old boy was clutching a pillow as large as his own body.
Kalid had originally come to check that Clover was sleeping well. He had meant to put Clover to bed and then go to Pluto.
‘Your Highness came himself.’
Kalid rose from the bed and moved slowly toward Pluto. Pluto’s body trembled slightly, but he did not back away.
“Would you like to sleep together?”
“…”
“I’ll put you both to bed.”
Kalid lifted Pluto into his arms and carried him toward the bed where Clover lay.
He laid the children down, one on each side, and stretched his arms to embrace their small bodies.
Thump-thump.
Thump-thump.
The sound of small heartbeats came from both sides. Kalid patted Pluto and Clover.
Rustle.
In the darkness, Pluto burrowed deeper into Kalid’s arms. Kalid didn’t resist; instead, he held him tighter.
And not long after.
Soft breathing.
The children had drifted into sleep.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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