The Baby Sprout Who Bloomed in the Villain Duke’s Family - Chapter 7

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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 7
But Father never came.
She’d waited so patiently, so well—
‘Why isn’t he here?’
Clover, curled up like a cat, kept glancing at the firmly shut door.
Could it be that Father had simply forgotten she was waiting here?
Until just moments ago, at least the maid Belze had been with her, which was some comfort, but then Belze had said she’d go check when the Duke would arrive, and off she went.
“Mmm…….”
Since then, Clover had been alone the whole time.
Bored from waiting, Clover was fidgeting with her hands and feet when—
“Miss!”
Belze had returned. Clover’s head shot up at the welcome sound.
Had Father come?
‘Should I run and embrace him with a racing heart now?’
But.
“Huh?”
Belze was alone.
“Where is he……?”
Wait. Could it be?
Hop.
Pitter-patter.
Clover bounded down from the sofa and scurried after Belze, peeking around her to see if perhaps Father was following just a step behind.
But.
“He’s not there…….”
He’s really not there. He’s really, truly not!
Once Clover confirmed that Kalid had indeed not come, disappointment crashed over her, and she seized the hem of Belze’s skirt in both hands. Belze reached out her arms toward the girl.
“Oh, Miss……”
“……Belze, where’s Papa?”
Clover asked softly, still clinging to a last shred of hope. But Belze didn’t answer right away—she only smiled.
‘That smile. I know that smile.’
It was the smile that grown-ups wear when ‘it’s difficult to tell a child the truth.’ The instant Clover saw it, she intuited with perfect clarity that Father was not coming.
And sure enough, Belze opened her mouth.
“Kalid has some pressing matters to attend to, so he cannot come today. But he says he’ll visit you tomorrow instead.”
“Really?”
“Yes, indeed.”
“I see……so that’s how it is.”
So if she sleeps well and waits well, he’ll come tomorrow.
But will he really come?
She waited today too, and he didn’t come.
‘Papa is silly…….’
Clover couldn’t hide her disappointment and collapsed into Belze’s arms.
Her small shoulders slumped. Her lips pouted out, and her grip on Belze tightened.
“Oh, my dear Miss…….”
Sensing just how bitterly disappointed the child was, Belze gently patted her back.
“But Kalid said that once morning comes, he’ll buy all the toys for you—such wonderful gifts. And he’s ordered the kitchen to prepare a Special Cake for you as well. Isn’t that exciting?”
“So exciting…….”
Though Belze hoped the child might perk up a little, Clover’s reply came out hollow and flat.
It was only natural. No toy could soothe her heart. A hundred toys, a magnificent cake—nothing would console her.
Belze, quick to read the room, ventured softly:
“……You miss Kalid, don’t you?”
A nod.
Clover nodded absently, then suddenly froze, shaking her head hastily.
“No, it’s fine. It doesn’t matter.”
“What?”
Living in the house of that wicked woman, Clover had learned many things.
Adults don’t like being troubled.
So she mustn’t pester Father by saying how much she missed him!
Clover didn’t want to tire Father out, didn’t want him to think of her as a burden.
“I can wait! So it’s really fine. I’ve been such a brave girl, waiting so well this whole time.”
“Oh my…….”
“Just for a little while.”
Clover let her gaze fall slowly as she spoke.
“I can wait one night.”
One night was something she could endure.
***
Lucky returned that evening.
Munch, munch.
Clover, happily devouring the cake Belze had brought, suddenly brightened at the sight of a golden four-leaf clover fluttering down toward her.
“Lucky!”
She abandoned her fork mid-bite and rushed forward, catching him with a soft grab.
“Where were you?”
“Why did you leave me?”
“Why are you only now coming back? What were you doing out there?”
She trapped Lucky in the palm of her hand, adding yet another question to his growing prison.
As the four-year-old pelted him with questions in rapid succession, Lucky answered in a tired, weary voice.
[There was something I needed to check on…… Were you good while I was gone?]
“Mm…….”
[But why does my little one look so glum? Did someone say something to you? While I was away?]
“It’s not that……”
Clover fidgeted, then finally forced herself to speak.
And as if she’d been waiting for just this moment, she launched into a detailed account of how she’d waited for her father, and how her father never came.
After hearing Clover out to the end, Lucky bounced up in place, his stem quivering.
[Still, he should’ve at least come to see your face. You woke up, and he didn’t even come to look?]
“Mm-hmm.”
[I understand there are circumstances, but how could he leave you alone in this big house like that? He should have at least written a letter and left it by your pillow!]
“Uh……”
Once Lucky had taken her side, Clover’s spirits lifted a little, and she nodded in agreement.
“But don’t say bad things about him, okay? He’s my papa.”
[Oh dear……]
“And I’m fine. Papa said he’d come see me. I can wait.”
[Right…… I know…… But even if he has to go, he should at least see the child’s face!]
Hm?
“……Go?”
Clover, who had been answering so cheerfully, lifted her head.
[……Huh?]
A silence fell between Clover and Lucky.
[……]
“?”
A chilling quiet.
Clover stared at Lucky. Lucky broke into a cold sweat and looked away from her gaze.
“What do you mean?”
[……]
“What do you mean? I’m not asking twice.”
[You’ve now asked twice, little one.]
“I said I’m not asking twice.”
For a four-year-old, Clover’s expression was remarkably grave as she asked a third time.
[……No, it was just a slip of the tongue. No need to worry about it.]
“You’re lying.”
[Huh?]
“Lucky, you don’t make mistakes like that.”
As Clover spoke each word with sharp precision, Lucky flinched.
Then he hesitated before opening his mouth.
[The thing is, Clover……]
***
Lucky had been thinking.
‘Clover can’t withstand Claudian’s Authority, so she was left with Demper, but it’s fine because I’m here!’
Or so he’d believed.
After all, the stronger Lucky’s power grew as a summoned being, the more stable Clover’s own power became in turn.
Though both were still fledgling, he’d thought they’d be strong enough to handle Claudian’s Authority.
Which is why he’d convinced himself that even if four-year-old Clover returned to Claudian right now, she would be safe under his protection.
But then.
‘Oh, Papa…….’
Clover collapsed.
Even with Lucky beside her, she couldn’t withstand Claudian’s Authority.
Lucky was deeply shaken.
No matter how much his own strength hadn’t recovered, surely she wouldn’t fall so easily to this?
[Shock. Real shock…….]
So Lucky changed his mind.
It was certainly important for Clover to live happily with her family in a safe home.
But that wasn’t more important than Clover’s health. If home was a place that harmed her body, then Clover needed to be sent somewhere near the branches of the World Tree.
So he’d come to get a sense of Duke Claudian’s true intentions, and fortunately the Duke shared Lucky’s thinking.
Clover had to be sent away.
Yet Lucky didn’t want to be the one to tell her that ‘she couldn’t withstand Duke Claudian’s Authority’ and therefore had to go elsewhere.
That conversation, that persuasion—that was the parents’ responsibility. No matter how much Lucky had been her guardian until now, he couldn’t take that from them.
So Lucky had no choice but to leave out the crucial details.
[If you stay here much longer, it’ll hurt, Clover. You need to go somewhere else so it won’t.]
“Mm……?”
[You don’t like hurting, do you?]
Clover looked up at Lucky with wide, round eyes.
“Mm……. But I don’t want to go either. Can’t Clover just stay here even if it hurts a little bit?”
[It won’t be a little hurt. It’ll be a lot. That’s why your father wants to send you away…….]
“Father…….”
Clover fidgeted with her fingers.
“Father wants to send me away?”

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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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