The Baby Sprout Who Bloomed in the Villain Duke’s Family - Chapter 129

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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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129
“Huh?”
Clover, who had been napping soundly until a moment ago, opened her eyes with a spark of interest at Jena’s words.
[Children really are something—they have an uncanny talent for understanding anything related to what they love.]
“A flower? Seeds?”
As Clover stirred groggily, reaching toward Jena’s arms, Kalid steadied the child to keep her from tumbling.
“Do you want to see?”
“Yeah, please!”
“We’ve only just arrived. Shouldn’t you rest first?”
“But I’m not that tired—I want to go see it now!”
Clover rubbed her drowsy eyes as she protested. Kalid caught her plump wrist.
“All right then. Let’s go take a look.”
***
Kalid followed along with an excitedly bouncing Jena and Harriet, Clover in tow.
Pluto, having just returned and claiming exhaustion, had gone to rest in the Annex Building with one of the servants. So it was only Clover and Kalid who trailed after Jena and Harriet.
“Look at this, Miss!”
In one corner of the Garden, something Harriet had constructed came into view—a small hut-like structure covered in vinyl. Inside, the air was far warmer than outside.
“See how quickly it’s grown? I was so eager to see the results that I used quite a bit of my Power,” Jena said, pointing to the flower stems growing within, laughing sheepishly.
Jena gestured toward the stems flourishing inside, her voice bright with pride.
“I told you not to work until you’ve come of age.”
“Oh…”
“I-I was just helping! That’s all—I did all the heavy labor. Carrying materials and everything! Miss Jena didn’t disobey your order and work, she didn’t, no sir!”
“Sir…!”
“I-I’m sorry, Jena. Never mind—it’s all right.”
As Jena shrank back in alarm, Harriet immediately stepped forward to defend her. Kalid fixed both of them with a brief glance before withdrawing it.
“Dad, Jena and Harriet said it wasn’t like that.”
“I know. I wasn’t trying to scold anyone.”
Kalid was not a master who drove his servants mercilessly. One could tell as much from the fact that Harriet rushed to Jena’s aid the moment she found herself in difficulty.
“Y-yes, I understand…”
“But be careful not to exhaust yourself by overusing your Power. I’d rather not find myself in trouble for employing a minor, if you take my meaning.”
“Of course, I will be careful.”
Jena clenched both fists to her chest and nodded earnestly.
Meanwhile, Clover had wriggled free from Kalid’s arms and stood gazing at the flower stems Jena had mentioned.
“Wow, Jena, that’s amazing!”
“It really is, isn’t it? I think the buds will open soon. When they do, we might be able to cultivate the Ancient Flowers in here in much greater numbers!”
Jena spoke with unbridled enthusiasm. Clover mulled over her words thoughtfully.
“Can we grow a lot more?”
“I believe so, yes.”
“Then if we grow lots, we could give them as gifts!”
“Of course, we could.”
Clover beamed.
The child’s face broke into a wide, delighted smile.
In her mind, various visions began to swirl and take shape.
Among them: a scene of gifting enormous quantities of flowers to the Empress Dowager, and another of herself producing so many blooms that even if Pluto killed them all with his Power, he wouldn’t be disheartened.
And then—
“Lucky, when the flowers multiply, that brings me closer to my Mission, right?”
[Of course! Absolutely. The more the flowers proliferate, the closer you’ll get.]
Clover’s eyes sparkled like stars. Just then, Jena crouched beside her and spoke.
“These flowers are different from other flowers because of their fragrance—even if we leave them outside for just a moment, bees and butterflies flock to them in incredible numbers. So if we cultivate them outdoors rather than in a greenhouse, we might be able to propagate them in truly massive quantities.”
“Wow, I’m so excited! Could we make a whole Flower Field?”
“Of course! All we’d need is suitable land and…”
Jena carefully lifted her gaze toward Kalid.
“…workers.”
Harriet completed the sentence, averting his eyes from Kalid’s gaze.
Kalid, observing both of them calmly, replied.
“There’s no need to hesitate. I can provide land and labor without difficulty.”
“Really!”
“Clover, would you like to cultivate a whole Flower Field rather than just a flower bed?”
“Yes, yes yes! I want to! I want to plant lots of flowers in a big Flower Field and show Dad and make Lucky happy!”
Each time Clover’s eyes gleamed, her Power responded in kind.
Her Ability had genuinely grown stronger, and if she set her mind to it, Clover thought she could cultivate a Flower Field even now. Kalid gazed at the child quietly, turning over in his mind what her power truly meant.
Clover’s Ability allowed her to redirect Demonic Beasts in circular patterns.
If that were so, then the flowers she created would naturally be effective against Demonic Beasts as well—just as her Ability had proven effective before. Of course, this particular aspect hadn’t yet been rigorously tested, so more experimentation would be necessary.
In any case.
‘His Majesty would understandably find such a thing troublesome.’
If she truly created an enormous Flower Field and scattered its seeds throughout the Empire—
If the situation spiraled so far beyond control that merely suppressing Clover alone would be useless, then protecting the child would actually become far easier for Kalid.
The reason he worried now about Clover becoming a target was precisely because, as the child had said, only she could create the Ancient Flower.
But if Clover’s special flower ceased to be ‘only Clover’s’ flower—
If it came to that, the situation would undoubtedly improve significantly from where it stood now. Of course, that assumed her Ability could sustain it.
And moreover.
‘Elicia’s condition might improve as well.’
Given that Clover could absorb the World Tree’s power, it was clear her Ability resembled the World Tree’s own Authority.
If Clover’s power spread widely, then Elicia, a tree Spirit, would inevitably be affected by it.
Having thought it through to that point, Kalid answered without hesitation.
“Very well. Let’s do it that way.”
“Papa, really?”
“Yes.”
He looked toward Harriet.
“Harriet, I’ll secure the land and workers for you—you oversee the whole operation. I’ll raise your wages too; you’re welcome to take it as salary if you prefer.”
“Y-Your Grace!”
“And Jena, you can assist with the work once you’re of age, of course.”
“My lord…!”
Harriet and Jena looked at Kalid with moved expressions. Kalid borrowed a hairpin from a nearby maid and pinned back Clover’s falling bangs with it.
“I’ll give you a Greenhouse too. As it happens, one just became available.”
“Huh? That Greenhouse, you mean…?”
“Yes, the one where you used to work, Jena. Familiar ground for you, I’d think.”
Jena’s expression grew even brighter. Clover threw her arms tightly around Kalid’s knee.
“Papa, then Clover can grow lots and lots of flowers?”
“You can.”
“And Clover can give flowers to people everywhere?”
“You’ll be able to.”
“That’s wonderful! Clover is so, so happy!”
The child laughed with pure delight.
For Clover, it could be no other way.
It had been only a few months ago that she’d fretted over not even being able to sustain two Sprouts properly.
Back then, Clover couldn’t have imagined she’d ever bring forth this many flowers and Sprouts.
But now—
‘This is incredible…’
Kalid had promised to give Clover vast tracts of land, a Greenhouse, and workers so she could use her Ability as freely as she wished.
Moreover, Harriet and Jena had discovered a method to proliferate the Ancient Flowers Clover created without even using her power.
Turning all of this over in her mind, Clover looked at Lucky with a brilliant smile.
“Lucky!”
[Well now, aren’t you pleased?]
“Yes!”
Of course!
Lucky said that Clover had been given a sacred Mission by heaven itself.
It was to coax forth very, very many Sprouts into the world. To bloom very, very many flowers from them.
The Mission that had once seemed hopelessly daunting no longer felt daunting at all.
The dream Clover had only dared dream in sleep was drawing one step closer to her now.
Clover grasped Lucky—the Four-Leaf Clover gleaming with golden light—and pulled him close with a radiant smile.
“Lucky, thank you for believing in me.”
For believing in me even when I could do nothing. For staying by my side.
For cheering me on. For always telling me I could do it.
After gazing at Lucky for a long moment, Clover spoke with clearer, more certain pronunciation than usual.
“It’s all because of you, Lucky…”

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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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