The Baby Sprout Who Bloomed in the Villain Duke’s Family - Chapter 52

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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 52
“Dad?”
Clover, who had been carried along by Belze with a gentle sway, looked toward Kalid.
“You’ve done well. Hand the child over and you may go.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
Belze transferred Clover into Kalid’s arms and left the room.
“Mmm.”
Clover nestled snugly into Kalid’s embrace and pressed her cheek against his broad chest.
“Hehe, Daddy.”
Kalid still carried that pleasant scent.
The strong jasmine fragrance suggested he’d been standing in front of those flowers again today.
‘He really likes the gift. Mission accomplished.’
Clover broke into a smile.
Kalid’s birthday was a week away.
Clover was already looking forward to it. How grand would Kalid’s birthday party be?
While Clover was grinning to herself at the thought of Kalid’s birthday party,
“Clover, it seems we need to visit the Imperial Palace once more.”
“To see the Empress Dowager? I like that!”
“Hmm…”
Kalid scratched at his brow. Had she recovered? Word hadn’t reached Claudian yet, at least.
If her body had recovered, they might at least be able to see her face.
If she hadn’t, they wouldn’t see her at all.
In any case, this visit wasn’t to see the Empress Dowager.
“No, it’s someone else.”
“Who…?”
“His Majesty the Emperor wishes to meet you.”
“The Emperor?”
“The Empress Dowager’s son. The one who rules this Rosipheron Empire.”
“Oh, a very important person.”
“That’s right, a very important person.”
Clover’s eyes sparkled.
Meeting someone important sounded wonderful.
And the Empress Dowager’s son, no less.
‘Wow, he must be super kind and gentle…’
Clover found herself eager to meet His Majesty the Emperor.
“When do we meet?”
“Soon. But Clover, there’s something you need to be careful about.”
“Careful?”
“Yes, you need to be careful.”
Clover nodded and gazed intently at Kalid.
Kalid pondered something for a moment, then spoke to her.
“Clover, your Summoned Creature told you this before—you see the malice in people’s hearts.”
“Mm-hmm.”
“When we go to the Imperial Palace, there may be many people with such malice.”
“Oh…”
The Imperial Palace—it was scarier than she’d thought.
“Perhaps even His Majesty the Emperor may harbor such a heart, and malice is, after all, relative.”
Kalid spoke to Clover gently, making sure the child could understand.
“So, if you see something like that, let’s make a promise with Dad not to mention it.”
Kalid himself did not know precisely what it meant for Clover to “see” malice.
Whether she saw all manner of cruelty, or only malice directed at herself specifically.
But he had no intention of exposing the child to countless acts of malice just to find out.
So even if his warning was vague, it was the right thing to do.
Clover, who had been listening quietly to Kalid’s words, let her eyes wander.
“Okay… but why?”
“People don’t want their malice discovered. They know, to some degree, that having a wicked heart is something to be ashamed of.”
“Something to be ashamed of…”
“And when people who wish to hide something have it exposed, sometimes they become very frightened.”
Was he explaining this well?
Teaching such things to children was normally Elisia’s role.
But now, without Elicia, it fell to Kalid to see it through.
“So let’s make a deal—we won’t speak of what we see.”
“Okay.”
“And if you get scared, just hold your father’s hand. Then I’ll cover your eyes for you.”
As Kalid spoke calmly, Clover nodded.
If he were shielding her eyes from beside her, there would be nothing to fear.
‘Oh my, the Imperial Palace is so complicated.’
Was it always this difficult to meet impressive people?
[That’s how the royal family always is. But you’ll be fine—your father’s right beside you. And so am I.]
Lucky spoke.
Clover nodded.
“Don’t speak of it, got it. Totally understand.”
Clover looked up at Kalid.
Kalid gazed down at her with worried eyes.
Though Clover couldn’t quite guess why he wore that expression.
“Father, don’t worry.”
Clover smiled brightly.
“I can do whatever you ask me to, really well.”
Clover stretched her hand up to nearly the height of Kalid’s face.
“So just trust me.”
At the sight of this, Kalid let out a soft laugh.
That small gesture alone seemed to sweep away every worry and care that had settled in his heart.
“Yes.”
Kalid bowed his head and pressed his cheek against her small hand.
“I’ll trust only you, Clover.”
***
When Sone heard that Clover would need to visit the Imperial Palace again, she requested leave from the Academy and extended her absence.
In exchange, an enormous pile of assignments arrived at the house, but she paid it no mind.
‘I want to spend more time with Clover.’
To do that, she couldn’t return to the Academy early. Sone fell into a rhythm: mornings spent plowing through assignments like a woman possessed, afternoons devoted entirely to Clover.
Of course, that didn’t mean the swordsmanship instruction she gave Demian and Arwin was forgotten.
Sone, the model student famous for tackling everything methodically and without omission, had no real difficulty catching both hares—teaching her younger siblings and playing with her youngest.
“Sister, you’re really not going?”
“No, I’ll be here even after Clover comes back from the Imperial Palace.”
Sone, having just finished an enormous pile of Academy assignments, held Clover’s hand as she stood ready to leave.
“So come back safely.”
Sone actually holding someone’s hand—
Though she still wore gloves, it was extraordinary considering how much she naturally disliked contact.
Demian and Arwin watched in admiration as Sone, driven solely by the desire to spend a little more time with Clover, devoured an enormous volume of work each day like a beast.
After that, Clover parted ways with Sone, Demian, and Arwin and arrived at the Imperial Palace with Kalid.
This wasn’t her first time at the Imperial Palace, so why was she trembling like this?
‘Is it because of that incident?’
Or was it because Father told her she had to keep secret the malice she might witness?
Or perhaps—
Clover glanced around nervously the entire way as she held Kalid’s hand.
Somehow it felt as though everyone in the Imperial Palace was staring straight through her.
‘The gazes feel prickly.’
They hadn’t looked at her with such intensity before, and Clover felt a subtle fatigue under the weight of so many eyes.
[Your flower is remarkable, that’s why they’re looking at you. Don’t worry, just keep your eyes ahead and walk, little one.]
“Really?”
[Yes.]
After hearing Lucky’s words, Clover walked with a bit more confidence.
How much farther did they walk?
A stop.
Kalid, holding Clover’s hand, came to a halt before an enormous gate.
No sound, no trace of movement came from within, yet Clover instinctively felt that they had reached the Emperor’s Chamber.
A squeeze.
The hand holding Clover’s tightened slightly—Kalid’s grip grew firm.
‘Father is nervous.’
A child knows her guardian’s heart well.
It was partly because the child observed her guardian carefully, out of love, and partly because her lower vantage point allowed her to see more than the adults around her.
Clover’s eyes widened when she noticed her father had grown slightly tense.
‘Clover, you can do this!’
If Father was nervous, then Clover had to stay sharp!
“Your Majesty, the Duke of Claudian and his daughter have arrived.”
The doorkeeper standing guard announced this to the Emperor.
Moments later, the massive doors began to slide open.
‘Wow…….’
Clover’s mouth fell open in wonder at the sight of the grand, ornate golden doors parting, but she quickly clapped her hand over it.
‘Oh no, I can’t mess this up.’
I have to stay focused!
When the doors had fully opened, Clover found herself staring into the chamber beyond.
“Duke of Claudian.”
Within sat the Emperor, his golden hair—bright as the sun itself—cascading down to his waist, reclining with an air of ease.
“I greet the Sun of the Empire.”
Kalid bowed with perfect courtesy, and the Emperor rose with a beaming smile, stepping forward to meet them.
“There’s no need for such formality between us. Please, be seated.”
“Thank you.”
“And this must be the young lady Clover?”
When her name was called, Clover—who had been gazing at him in a daze—startled, her eyes going wide as saucers.
“Oh, hello, Your Majesty.”
She bowed haltingly, just as she had to Anernia.
“I’m Clover, and I’m four years old.”
Her voice held a note of confidence, yet something in it seemed diminished…….
“I’m Father’s daughter…….”
Clover’s fingers fidgeted.

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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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