The Baby Sprout Who Bloomed in the Villain Duke’s Family - Chapter 12

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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 12
Kalid Claudian and Elicia Claudian had four children together.
The eldest daughter, Sone Claudian.
The eldest son, Demian Claudian.
And the second son, Arwin Claudian.
Finally, there was Clover Claudian.
Of those four children, only Sone, the eldest daughter, had been born with the “complete” Storm Power.
Sone, who resembled Kalid not just in face but in temperament, wielded a Storm Power so formidable that some said she might even surpass Kalid in his youth.
It was only natural, then, that Sone had become the heir to Claudian and the pride of Kalid.
But Demian and Arwin were different.
Though both were certainly sons that Kalid could be proud of, Demian Claudian could only use the Wind aspect of the storm, while Arwin Claudian could only use the Rain aspect.
The two brothers could only wield the complete Storm Power when they had each other.
It was their weakness, and at the same time, a sore point for Kalid.
“Demian, that’s…….”
Noticing Kalid’s expression growing darker by the moment, Demian quickly cut off his father’s words.
“Father, I wasn’t trying to say that you should feel upset or sad.”
He continued.
“I just wanted to say it would be all right to stay near Clover. And I made sure not to get too close, just to be safe.”
“That’s right — we kept a safe distance.”
When Demian and Arwin pushed this far, Kalid found he could no longer stop them.
“But our older sister shouldn’t approach, should she?”
“Right. If our sister wants to see her, she’d need to stay at least a hundred meters away.”
Arwin and Demian exchanged words, and Kalid, listening to their conversation quietly, nodded in agreement.
“All right, I understand. But the child might find us unfamiliar, so when you approach, be careful that…….”
Demian spoke again.
“About that — she wasn’t unfamiliar with us at all.”
“Is that the Pull of Bloodline, perhaps? She toddled right over and greeted us with a smile. Isn’t that right, older brother?”
“That’s right.”
The two boys faced each other and nodded in agreement.
Despite being brothers only a year apart, Demian and Arwin looked exactly like twins in moments like this.
“In any case, be careful.”
Kalid looked at his sons, who seemed hardly to listen to a word he said, and spoke once more.
“Don’t frighten your younger sister, and look after her from a distance. She’s a child who’s been through much hurt.”
At Kalid’s words, Demian and Arwin finally focused.
“Make sure she doesn’t feel abandoned……. Treat her well.”
And both nodded at the same time.
“By the way, Father.”
“What is it?”
Demian asked, as if the thought had only just occurred to him.
“Does that mean you can’t approach Clover at all?”
Kalid, who had been pondering for a moment, answered.
“No, I’ll visit her briefly once dawn breaks.”
He murmured.
“I need to clear up the misunderstanding between my daughter and me as well…….”
***
Soft, steady breathing.
It was the dead of night, with the moon hanging bright and full, when Clover opened her eyes — she had changed into comfortable pajamas and fallen asleep sprawled across the wide Bedroom.
After meeting her older brothers, she had eaten the dinner Belze prepared for her before collapsing into bed.
Tap, tap.
“Mmm…….”
Someone tapped Clover awake. Half-asleep and groggy, she rubbed her drowsy eyes and looked at whoever had woken her.
But then.
“Kitty……!”
It wasn’t a person who had woken Clover — it was Kalid’s Summoned Beast.
A Summoned Beast!
Though only half-awake, Clover felt a rush of joy and reached out to slowly stroke the creature’s head.
“Why did you come here…….”
Her voice was slurred with sleep. Clover’s head tilted slowly — she seemed about to drift back under in ten seconds if not roused. The Lion of the North Wind, noticing this, pressed his head gently into her embrace.
“Huh……? Wake up……?”
At that, Clover, who had been nearly collapsing back onto the blanket, lifted her head again.
Lucky, who had been lying beside her, began to glow in the darkness, flashing brilliantly.
[Why are you waking the child up! What if she doesn’t grow tall enough! Sleep is the most important thing at this age!]
But the Lion of the North Wind paid Lucky no attention, fixing Clover instead with bright blue eyes that pierced the gloom, and spoke.
<Come with me, little one.>
“Where to……?”
<To find treasure.>
The words were sparse, but the voice was steady. At those words, Clover—who had been dozing with her eyes half-shut—snapped awake.
“Treasure!”
Lucky spoke with clear disapproval.
[At this hour?]
<It must be found at this hour.>
The Lion of the North Wind shot back with finality. Lucky had no answer to that.
Clover rubbed her sleepy, puffy eyes with the back of her hand, fighting to shake off the drowsiness.
‘Treasure. I have to find it.’
If she did, she could stay here—and Father would be happy. For the first time in her life, Clover would prove she was useful.
“Wait, wait. I can’t see yet. I’m so sleepy…….”
<Take your time.>
The Lion of the North Wind said so, but Clover’s heart was racing. She hurried to rub her eyes clear and crawled down from the bed.
The bed was rather high, and climbing down proved awkward, but she managed well enough.
The moment Clover’s feet touched the floor, the Lion of the North Wind, in the form of a cat, swished a small tail adorned with a bell.
<Follow me closely, daughter of Kalid and Elicia.>
“Sure, don’t worry. You can trust me.”
Clover nodded, her small fists clenched. Her round eyes gleamed like jewels in the darkness.
***
The Lion of the North Wind led Clover past the servants’ watchful eyes to the Fountain, where a stone dog statue stood.
It was a fountain set in the heart of the Garden—quite large and tall, so that the flow of water felt majestic.
Clover tilted her head back as far as it would go, gazing up at the Fountain.
“Wow, it’s beautiful…….”
But what was that dog statue in the middle? The creature stood on its front paws, grinning with pure joy.
“What’s that?”
[A dog statue.]
“I know that already.”
Clover answered snippily, still gazing at the dog statue gleaming handsomely in the moonlight and the fountain waters flowing beneath it—when she heard:
<It is here.>
The cat leaped onto the Fountain. In the moonlight, a long shadow fell across it like a silhouette—a form as noble and graceful as the statue itself. Kalid’s Summoned Beast licked one paw.
<What you seek, and what Kalid seeks.>
“Here?”
Clover pointed at the towering Fountain.
<Here.>
Splash, splash, splash.
The water rushed down from beneath the statue like a waterfall, cascading below. Clover could not fathom where in this Fountain the treasure could possibly be hidden.
‘Is it inside the water?’
Then she would have to look inside the Fountain. But it was far too high for her to peer into.
This really seemed like something Father should find instead…….
As Clover thought this—
<I’ll lift you up.>
With the cat’s voice came a gentle Favorable Wind that lifted Clover’s body aloft. It was the power of the Summoned Beast.
That power carried her swiftly atop the Fountain and released her, so that Clover rose onto the Fountain unharmed, riding the Storm Power as though cradled in arms.
“Ha, huh, wow wow wow—the Storm Power is amazing! That’s why Aunt said what she did!”
[No, your Aunt said what she did for good reason.]
Lucky, watching the Lion of the North Wind set Clover atop the Fountain with clear disapproval, spoke up.
And he leaned down to whisper in Clover’s ear.
[If you’re scared, tell me. I’ll bring you down right away. You don’t need to be the one to find it. Look around—being up here on this Fountain is dangerous enough…….]
<Overprotective.>
[That’s not—what? What did you say?]
Lucky bristled and confronted the cat, his form sparkling like starlight in the darkness.
Clover paused thoughtfully at Lucky’s words, then settled onto the edge of the Fountain, plunged both hands into the water with a splash, and shook her head.
“No, I’m not scared.”
And she grinned widely.
“Clover will find it, and I’m not going back to Demian.”

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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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