The Baby Sprout Who Bloomed in the Villain Duke’s Family - Chapter 42

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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 42
A calamity had befallen the Dowager Empress’s Palace.
The first to discover it was neither the Emperor nor the Imperial Guard.
‘Clover!’
It was Kalid Claudian.
‘Her Majesty the Dowager Empress has gone berserk.’
But why?
Just moments before, Anernia had appeared perfectly serene. For her Authority to suddenly spiral out of control like this—wasn’t that strange?
Yet there was no time to dwell on such questions.
What mattered was the safety of two people.
Through his Summoning, Kalid had witnessed Anernia’s Authority running wild.
“This cannot be……!”
But the connection to his Summon was severed at once, and her rampaging Authority barred him from entering that Domain.
If Kalid forced his way into the Territory her formidable Authority had carved out, two tremendous forces would collide and trigger an explosion of Power that would devastate everything within.
Everyone inside—including Clover—would be lost. All of them.
In the end, those outside could do nothing. The Imperial Guard came swarming like a cloud, but even they hesitated to step into the Domain, knowing the danger.
And then.
“The mist is clearing!”
“The Authority is receding!”
The Imperial Guard cried out. Kalid’s gaze snapped toward where they pointed.
Indeed, the thick fog began to dissipate slowly from the center outward.
Had Anernia’s rampage subsided?
As the dense mist lifted, the collapsed attendants of the Dowager Empress’s Palace, the Imperial Guard, and Kalid’s own house knights gradually came into view.
Kalid’s eyes swept across them one by one, searching for Clover.
That distinctive round head of bright lime-green hair—unmistakable anywhere.
Then.
“Clover!”
The green hair caught Kalid’s eye. His eyes snapped wide open.
But something strange stood before her.
“What is that……?”
There lay the Dowager Empress, Anernia, collapsed as though utterly spent, and.
“Father……?”
A single Ancient Flower—long believed to have vanished from the world—now bloomed magnificently before them.
“What on earth is……?”
“What is that?”
“How is that possible? Where did that come from?”
“Could that possibly be…… an Ancient Flower……?”
From the now-silent crowd, whispers began to seep through.
***
“Father.”
The moment Clover spotted Kalid, she leaped to her feet and came running toward him.
She hurled herself into his arms. Kalid stood stunned, staring at the flower and the Dowager Empress, before scooping Clover up and holding her close.
“Your Majesty!”
“Your Majesty! Are you unharmed?”
While the Imperial Palace knights and guards rushed forward to check on Anernia’s condition, Kalid swiftly assessed Clover’s state.
The Protection Mark inscribed upon Clover glowed with a gentle light, which suggested the child had come through unscathed.
A visual inspection revealed no wounds. Kalid stroked Clover’s head and asked softly.
“Are you all right, Clover?”
“Yes, I’m fine. But Your Majesty…….”
Clover rubbed her cheek against Kalid’s shoulder, her voice growing timid.
“She’s crying…….”
Kalid lifted his gaze to look at Anernia.
Unconscious, she was being hurriedly carried away with the support of the Imperial staff.
Kalid watched in silence for a moment, then asked Clover quietly.
“Did you do this?”
Just before the connection to his Summon had been severed, Kalid had glimpsed Clover dashing away with a resolute expression.
And that flower now blooming there.
The Ancient Flower.
There was only one person in this place who possessed the Authority to accomplish such a thing…….
Clover nodded her head.
“Clover’s doing it.”
The child burrowed deeper into Kalid Claudian’s arms, squirming a little.
“Your Majesty, I want to help.”
Until recently, Clover’s Authority had managed nothing more than coaxing four sprouts from the earth.
But how she’d managed to bloom something like this was another matter entirely.
Kalid Claudian gazed at the Sunflower that had unfurled from Clover’s hands.
He stepped closer and brushed a petal with his fingertips, gentle as breath.
The texture of living flower petals lingered at the tips of his fingers before fading. A delicate fragrance grazed his nose.
A living flower.
And.
‘Unmistakably. An Ancient Flower.’
The fact that it had bloomed from Clover’s fingertips was certainly a good sign, but at the same time—
‘This is dangerous.’
It was as good as announcing to the entire Imperial Palace that Clover’s Authority was no ordinary power.
Kalid Claudian’s arms tightened around Clover as he held her.
The Dowager Empress was certainly a good woman, but her eldest son, Auron, was decidedly not.
Not a good emperor, not a good father, not a good master—to him, those who wielded Authority were nothing but chess pieces, expendable pawns to be used and discarded without hesitation.
That was a fate Kalid Claudian would gladly shoulder alone. He wanted not a speck of Auron’s gaze to fall upon Clover.
Kalid Claudian rose to his feet.
“Let’s return for now. With the Dowager Empress collapsed, an audience won’t be possible.”
“Mm.”
“There’s been an incident at the Imperial Palace, so we’ll need to explain briefly what happened. Can you manage that?”
“Yes, I can.”
Clover nodded, her small fists clenched, and patted Kalid Claudian’s chest with a soft thud-thud.
“Papa, Papa. Book!”
“Book?”
“Yes, Mama’s book—the one Her Majesty gave you…”
Following where Clover pointed, Kalid Claudian spotted an open tome lying nearby.
‘No bigger than the child herself.’
He picked it up. The pages were filled with detailed explanations of Ancient Flowers, accompanied by illustrations.
The book was clearly very old—every page had yellowed with age. As Kalid Claudian examined it for a long moment, Clover spoke.
“Mama gave it to Her Majesty.”
“Elicia did?”
“Yes, but now she’s given it to Clover.”
Just as Clover was tenderly stroking the pages held in Kalid Claudian’s hands—
“My lord!”
An Imperial Palace handmaiden came rushing over, breathlessly calling out to both Clover and Kalid Claudian.
Kalid Claudian, holding Clover, turned back from where he’d been about to leave, and looked at the maid.
“What is it?”
“The Dowager Empress has regained consciousness momentarily. She’s asking for the young lady of the Claudian family.”
“Clover?”
Kalid Claudian turned his gaze toward where Anernia had been moments before.
The Imperial Palace handmaidens and Imperial Guards who had been helping Anernia to her feet had all stopped moving, their eyes fixed on Kalid Claudian and Clover.
It seemed to be Anernia’s command.
Without a moment’s hesitation, Kalid Claudian set Clover gently on the ground.
“Clover.”
“Mm.”
He gave her back a light push, and Clover, after a brief moment of uncertainty, dashed toward Anernia with quick pattering steps.
Anernia stood with effort, looking down at the child.
“Your Majesty.”
Clover and Anernia regarded each other in silence for a moment. The air grew heavy. Clover’s spirits flagged slightly as she shifted nervously, reading the mood.
With all these strangers present, looking back and forth between the flower and Clover, anyone who didn’t feel disheartened would have been strange indeed.
As Clover’s confidence wavered, Lucky swooped down onto her shoulder with a flutter.
[Chin up, Clover.]
“Hm?”
[They’re looking at you because the flower you made is so amazing and incredible.]
Amazing?
‘Clover… amazing?’
Clover slowly lifted her head, taking in the gaze of the unfamiliar handmaidens, guards, and Anernia.
Every single one of them was watching her, and not a trace of hostility shone in any of their eyes.
No one could see the ‘malice’ anymore.
‘Remarkable……’
Clover’s gaze, murmured to herself, met Anernia’s.
“Clover, dear.”
Anernia lowered herself and extended her arms.
Clover hesitated for a moment, then quickly ran forward and threw herself into Anernia’s embrace, pressing her cheek firmly against her.
“Your Highness, are you alright now?”
“Yes.”
“Are you alright because of Clover?”
“Yes, thanks to you I’m better.”
Anernia pulled Clover close, holding her tightly.
A soft laugh escaped.
Clover smiled gently.
She held Clover quietly yet firmly, speaking with deliberate clarity.
“Clover, thank you.”
The Dowager Empress Anernia’s gaze turned toward the Sunflower, standing tall under the watch of attendants and knights.
“You saved me.”
The Sunflower still stood with its face raised to the sun, blooming upright and steadfast.
“You are my benefactor, and the benefactor of the Imperial Palace. But I apologize for putting you in danger despite your youth. I also apologize for creating a situation where you had to be the one to save me.”
Anernia’s voice trembled slightly, yet it remained very clear.
“But I will surely repay you. I, Anernia, swear by the name of the Rossiepheron Imperial Family that I will not forget your kindness this day.”
She unfastened the Ruby Brooch from her own garments and pinned it to Clover’s clothes as she continued.
“You possess remarkable Power, Clover.”
Anernia smiled with the warmth of spring sunlight and whispered near Clover’s ear.
“You will grow to become someone truly remarkable……”
Glimmer.
The Rossiepheron Imperial Family’s brooch pinned to Clover’s garment caught the sunlight and gleamed.

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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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