The Baby Sprout Who Bloomed in the Villain Duke’s Family - Chapter 33

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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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Chapter 33
***
“Has it grown all the way?”
“Not yet. It needs more time to mature.”
“I see, then.”
Clover touched the sprout lightly with her fingertip.
It was a sprout that had grown from seeds obtained from Kalid—and unlike the ones Clover usually coaxed into being, it wasn’t withering or dying easily. It was growing well.
“When will it be all grown, then?”
“Well, it’s my first time seeing these seeds, so I can’t say for certain. Usually, they need about twenty nights to reach full maturity.”
“Twenty—twenty nights?”
“It does take a while, doesn’t it? That’s why it’s easier on the heart to forget about it, Miss. Time passes quickly when you’re not watching. Hehehehe.”
As Clover’s fingers bent to count all twenty days, the gardener Harriet laughed above her head.
“Your fingers only go to ten, Miss. But what on earth did you plant that you’re so eager to see it grow?”
“Um.”
At the mention that she could only count to ten, Clover’s expression drooped slightly, and she dug at the ground a little with her fingertip.
“It’s a present for Papa.”
“Ah, so it’s for the Duke, then.”
“Yes. When it grows all the way, I’ll give it to him as a gift.”
For that to happen, it would need to grow quickly.
What would it look like when it was fully grown? What shape would it take?
Clover’s heart beat rapidly.
Clover ran off to fetch a watering can nearly as tall as herself.
“Here goes.”
“Miss, that’s too heavy! Let me do it!”
“I want to do it too.”
“Then let’s do it together.”
Harriet stood behind Clover and lifted the watering can, positioning it so that her small hands could rest on top of the full vessel.
“Let’s tilt it!”
“Shall we?”
Harriet tilted the watering can in rhythm with Clover’s excitement, and water poured generously over the sprout she had planted.
“Does it grow faster if I give it lots of water?”
“Too much will rot the roots. Everything is about balance—not overdoing things.”
“I understand.”
Not overdoing things was important.
It was a difficult concept, yet a wonderful one. Clover wiped her dirt-smudged cheek with her soiled hand.
[You’re quite filthy.]
Lucky landed lightly on Clover’s cheek and spoke.
Still, this was less grimy than before.
Back when she was at Demper, she’d been busier running about and far dirtier, and since they rarely bathed her, there were times when she’d walked around looking truly caked in mud.
[You were cute even then.]
Lucky, who believed that children were always cutest when a little dirty, settled onto Clover’s shoulder.
Here, if she became even slightly soiled, the maid Belze would dash over like lightning to wash her, so there was no need to worry as much as there had been at Demper.
It was just then, as Lucky contentedly watched the dirt-covered Clover, that it happened.
“Miss!”
From the distance, Belze was rushing toward Clover with urgency.
“Mm?”
“Um?”
Both Harriet and Clover tilted their heads at the approaching Belze in unison.
She was running so fast that a cloud of dust seemed to trail behind her as she cut across the garden.
There was no reason for her to run like that. Why was she running so fast?
Moreover, Belze’s expression looked quite urgent.
Just as Clover was stirring to her feet with a puzzled look.
“Oh…?”
A long shadow fell across Clover’s head.
***
Word that Sone, the Eldest Daughter of Claudian, had arrived in the territory reached the household only after she had already entered the domain.
Sone had sent no letter, no advance notice to Claudian when she departed from the Academy, so no one had been aware of the Eldest Daughter’s visit.
Moreover, she had not traveled in the Claudian carriage, but had ridden hard on a horse from the Academy—without any attendants.
So it was only natural that the Claudian Mansion had fallen into chaos at her sudden return.
“Oh, Miss!”
When Sone’s horse halted before the gates, the doorkeepers hurried to open them, and as she drove the animal into the Mansion, the head butler and head maid came rushing out as if taking flight.
Head Butler Cherenio regarded Sone with barely concealed alarm.
“Miss, why did you not send word ahead……!”
“Must I announce myself when returning to my own home?”
Sone’s reply cut like a blade.
Cherenio said nothing. In truth, she had no obligation to report her arrival to the Family Head.
“I’m exhausted. Where is Father?”
Sone patted the horse’s neck once in gratitude, then passed the reins to the stable hand who had come to meet her.
The animal nickered and stamped its hooves, reluctant to part with its mistress, but after receiving a light slap on its hindquarters, it went obediently with the stable hand and disappeared.
Cherenio watched her departing figure in a daze before fumbling out his answer.
“The Family Head is in his Study, miss.”
“And Demian and Arwin?”
“Both are currently receiving instruction from the etiquette master in the Mansion.”
“……And Mother?”
“Still…….”
Sone inquired methodically after each household member, then closed her mouth. For a long moment, she remained silent.
She stood motionless for some time, then lifted her gaze to Cherenio and spoke.
“Where is the Youngest Child?”
The question was crisp, her voice steady.
Cherenio’s face brightened with an expression of ‘at last!’ as he answered.
“The Youngest Child is in the Garden at present. Shall I have her brought to you?”
“The Garden?”
“Yes, she is playing there.”
Cherenio was about to send a maid to fetch Clover when——
“No.”
Sone turned her head slightly, meeting Cherenio’s eyes. Both he and the maid turned in tandem to look at her.
“Miss?”
“I’ll go myself.”
Sone moved forward with a long stride.
Though the Garden of the Claudian Mansion was vast, Sone could find a single small child anywhere with nothing more than a whisper of wind, even with her eyes closed.
Swoosh.
The moment her Summon Beast, the Storm Bird, materialized from empty air, Cherenio’s mouth fell open in surprise.
“Miss!”
“What? Your letter said she no longer suffered from the Storm Authority. Has that changed already?”
Sone already knew from Kalid’s correspondence that Clover had acquired the Protection of the Storm, and therefore no longer took harm from the Storm’s power.
The Summon Beast, with its long wings and elegant tail, settled carefully upon Sone’s shoulder in graceful repose.
“If that’s not it, don’t speak of it now. Withdraw it.”
“It is not that, but the Youngest Child has been playing in the Garden for quite some time, so to meet her immediately…….”
“I don’t care about such things.”
The moment Sone finished speaking, the Storm Bird soared skyward, cleaving through the air.
In that instant, a gentle, steady wind completely enveloped the Claudian Mansion.
Whisper.
A thread of wind found the small child sitting in the Garden.
“I only mean to see her face. I won’t keep her long.”
Sone passed Cherenio lightly, removing her outer cloak. The maids trailing behind her accepted the garment.
“I won’t startle the child. Don’t worry.”
The Eldest Daughter of Claudian, having reassured the aging butler, followed where the Storm Bird called her.
Cherenio stared after her departing figure, then turned to the maid beside him and spoke.
“Go quickly to Belze and tell her to wash the young miss.”
The Eldest Daughter has Fastidiousness.
And not merely a passing variety, but a severe case.
There was no possibility of presenting the youngest, filthy and caked with dirt, to one such as Sone.
The servants before Sone scattered in perfect coordination—two toward Kalid, two toward Demian and Arwin, and three toward Belze—all rushing to announce the return of the Eldest Daughter.
***
And so, in this moment——
“Hm?”
Clover’s eyes widened at the sight of the shadow falling across her head.
It was a great bird with azure wings and cerulean tail.
It bore a resemblance to Kalid’s Summon Beast, the North Wind Lion.
…….
“…….”
[……What? Whose Summon Beast is that?]
Clover and the Storm Bird stood facing each other in bewildered silence.
And then.
Flutter!
The great bird’s vast wings stirred, and a fierce wind wrapped around Clover’s body.

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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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