The Baby Sprout Who Bloomed in the Villain Duke’s Family - Chapter 31

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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 31
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“Clover.”
When Khalid returned, Clover was still perched on Anernia’s lap.
The child, unaware of what a seat on the Empress Dowager’s knee truly meant, sat there as though it were her natural place, at perfect ease. She looked not unlike a granddaughter with her grandmother.
“Oh? Papa.”
Catching sight of Khalid, Clover lifted her hand brightly and broke into a grin.
“Is your work finished already?”
“Yes, and I think it’s best we head back before she overexerts herself on her first outing.”
With a little bounce, Clover sprang from Anernia’s embrace and scampered over, wrapping herself around Khalid’s leg.
“Papa!”
Clover hugged his leg tightly.
“I wouldn’t want the child to tire herself on her first visit. We really should be going.”
“I see…… What a pity.”
Anernia gazed down at Clover as she spoke.
“Come visit me again, Clover. I’ll be waiting for you here.”
“Will you? Really?”
“Yes, come again. Next time you needn’t bring a gift.”
“Really truly?”
“I promise.”
Anernia extended her hand. Clover, still clutching Khalid’s trouser leg, hesitated for a moment before trotting over to her and rubbing her head against that palm like a puppy.
“Then Clover will come again, Anernia.”
“Yes, come again soon, little one.”
“We’ll take our leave now.”
Khalid lifted Clover into his arms and bowed. Anernia smiled and nodded lightly in return.
Clover kept her arms wrapped tight around Khalid’s neck, then opened her palm in farewell to Anernia.
“Anernia, goodbye.”
“Safe travels, little one.”
It had been such fun.
Such a satisfying outing.
The Empress Dowager was every bit as wonderful as she’d expected—she’d given cookies, cake too.
And she’d let Clover sit on her lap and told her the most amusing stories. Every moment spent with Anernia had been utterly, completely delightful.
‘It really is true—all the people Father introduces me to are good people.’
Just as Clover was melting blissfully into Khalid’s arms, tension draining away from her satisfied heart—
“Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, I’ve brought what you requested.”
The moment Khalid turned back, one of the Imperial Palace attendants entered carrying a teapot.
But then—
‘Hmm?’
Something like black tendrils was tangled across the woman’s chest. Clover stared, befuddled.
“Yes, set it here.”
“As you wish, Your Majesty.”
‘It’—whatever it was—writhed about the attendant’s heart like something alive. Alarmed, Clover quickly buried herself deeper into Khalid’s embrace.
But soon enough—
Peek.
She tilted her head out just slightly to look at ‘it’ again.
The farther Clover drew from it in Khalid’s arms, the fainter ‘it’ appeared to become.
‘What is that?’
Yet the prickling sense of dread remained unchanged.
Clover buried herself in Khalid’s embrace once more, murmuring softly.
Scary……
***
“Did you have fun, little one?”
Arwin took Clover from Khalid and asked. Clover didn’t answer right away; instead, she let out a small whimper and slumped onto Arwin’s shoulder.
“What? What’s wrong with her?”
“Hmm? What is it? Father, what did you do to her?”
Demian asked suspiciously. Khalid shot him a look that said ‘don’t talk nonsense,’ then placed a hand to Clover’s forehead.
“She was playing well enough at the Palace, but something seems off since we left in the carriage. Clover, does your head hurt?”
Clover grasped Khalid’s hand with both of hers and answered.
“Yes…… it throbs……”
Now that she mentioned it, her forehead did feel warm. Was it from the cold wind in the carriage?
“I should have Sina brought here.”
Khalid withdrew his hand from Clover’s forehead as he spoke. Clover leaned her cheek against Arwin’s shoulder with a soft sound.
“Am I sick?”
Was she? Her mood did seem a little off.
And her body felt warm to the touch. Clover fidgeted with her fingers.
“Once you see Sina, you’ll feel better.”
“Mm.”
“Does anything hurt besides your head?”
Demian asked gently. Clover pondered for a moment, then buried her face against Arwin’s shoulder again and murmured.
“My heart…….”
“Your heart?”
“My heart hurts, and it’s scary…….”
Clover wanted to tell Khalid about the ‘frightening thing’ she had seen in the Imperial Palace just moments ago.
But she couldn’t.
She didn’t know how to explain it.
It was similar to what had emanated from Count Sideu’s body, yet different.
What came from Count Sideu’s body had lunged at Clover like a starving dog deprived for four days, while what she saw in the Imperial Palace didn’t lunge at all—it coiled quietly within the maidservant’s body, concealed and docile.
[It’s not something different.]
Lucky spoke, watching as Clover burrowed deeper into Arwin’s embrace.
“Hmm?”
[It’s the same thing, baby. It’s malevolence.]
A wicked heart.
What could it possibly be to feel so frightening and unsettling? Clover gripped Arwin’s shoulder tightly.
Meanwhile, Arwin swiftly carried Clover to her room, laid her small frame on the spacious bed, and remained at her side.
Khalid and Demian summoned Sina to examine Clover’s condition.
The physician Sina examined Clover carefully, then gave her diagnosis in a single, decisive statement.
“It’s a cold.”
“A cold? But it’s not even cold today.”
“Children tend to catch colds easily at this time of year, even when it’s not particularly cold. It’s nothing serious, so don’t worry.”
With practiced skill, Sina examined Clover and then prepared medicine on the spot, holding the cup to her lips.
“Go on, take it, Miss. Once you drink this and get some proper rest, you’ll be fine.”
“……Mm.”
Yet her lips remained stubbornly sealed.
“Miss Clover?”
“…….”
Clover stared at the unappetizing medicine for a long moment, then finally squeezed her eyes shut and opened her mouth wide.
Taking medicine was how you got better when you were sick.
That way, she wouldn’t worry the adults.
With such thoughts, even bitter medicine could be swallowed down.
Clover accepted the powdered medicine mixed with water, then grasped the cup Sina offered with both hands and drank it down in great gulps.
“Phew—”
She wiped her mouth roughly with her sleeve. Demian, watching this display with a blank stare, spoke.
“……Where on earth did you learn to do that?”
But Clover didn’t answer Demian’s question.
She lifted her hand to touch her own forehead, then, keeping her palm pressed there, looked toward Sina and asked.
“Am I all better now?”
“Not yet.”
“Then when will I be better?”
“Hmm, I think you’ll be fine after two nights of sleep.”
“Two nights…….”
That seemed like forever.
She’d meant to tell him once she was completely better, but it wouldn’t wait.
Clover gripped the blanket tightly as she looked up at Khalid.
“Father, could you bring me some paper and a pen?”
“Paper and a pen?”
“I want to draw and show you.”
What had been inside the maidservant’s heart was far too difficult for Clover to put into words.
So it would be better to show him through drawing instead.
As Clover, eyes bright with determined purpose, looked up at Khalid, Claudian’s servants soon returned with paper and pen.
Unlike what she used at her aunt’s house, these were beautifully colored pens, adjusted perfectly for a child’s hand.
“Draw it here.”
Khalid placed a sheet of paper on Clover’s lap. She nodded, gripping the pen firmly in her small fist.
“Yes, okay.”
“You only need to answer once.”
“It’s hard. I want to use formal speech, but it keeps coming out wrong…….”
Clover pouted and began scribbling something on the paper, protesting her difficulty.
At that, Khalid’s gaze fixed on her plump little hand—and with him, Demian, Arwin, and Sina all turned to watch as well.
Her grip was still weak, making her strokes faint and hesitant, yet for her age, Clover drew remarkably well.
After sketching a figure with her hair tied up, she furrowed her brow in thought for a moment, then picked up a black pen.
With the black pen, she began scribbling frantically around the woman’s heart.
It looked like tangled thread, or perhaps a clump of dust—in any case, it was no ordinary doodle.

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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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