The Baby Sprout Who Bloomed in the Villain Duke’s Family - Chapter 83

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Episode 83
Nenia chatted with Clover for a while longer before drifting off to sleep.
She’d come to nap together, but Clover’s waking had cost her the afternoon rest, so she’d fallen asleep belatedly instead.
Unlike Nenia, Clover had already slept soundly and woken; she watched the maids carry Nenia toward the bedroom, then caught one of them by the arm and asked a question.
“Say, where is Nenia’s brother right now?”
“Oh, you mean Prince Peson?”
“Yes.”
“He’s probably alone in the room at the far end of the upper floor right now. Shall I take you to him?”
“No, I can go by myself.”
Clover shook her head firmly and hopped down from the sofa, heading toward the upper floor.
Lucky trotted along beside her, asking as he went.
[Little one, what are you planning to do when you find Peson?]
“Well, I’m worried about him…….”
[Are you going to try talking to Peson’s Summoned Creature?]
“Mm-hmm.”
[……We agreed to keep it secret that you can talk to Summoned Creatures.]
“I remember. But I just want to ask, that’s all…….”
Clover had no intention of carelessly revealing what they’d agreed to keep hidden.
But still.
‘It looked so lonely.’
In that moment when Nenia had taken her hand and led her from the room, the expression on the Summoned Creature’s face—the one their eyes had met—wouldn’t fade from her mind.
Just as Clover was bounding up the stairs toward the upper floor.
“Clover.”
Someone suddenly grabbed her and lifted her up.
“Huh?”
Caught off guard and hoisted into the air, Clover tilted her head back to look at whoever had picked her up.
“Sister?”
It was none other than Sone who had stopped her in the corridor.
“Where are you going?”
“To Nenia’s brother.”
“To Peson?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
At Clover’s answer, Sone’s brows knit together in surprise.
“Why you?”
“I keep worrying about him…….”
Clover wriggled slightly in Sone’s embrace as she spoke.
“My brothers fought with Prince Peson.”
“Ah, so that’s where all that noise came from. Those fools must have been at it again.”
“Yes, and now the prince doesn’t seem to be in a good mood.”
“You don’t need to worry yourself over such things.”
Sone poked Clover’s cheek gently as she spoke.
“Those boys are always fighting the moment their eyes meet. We’re lucky his domain is far from theirs, or they’d probably make a point of seeking each other out to fight once a month.”
“Oh…….”
“Still, if it really bothers you, I’ll go with you. I was heading that way anyway.”
Sone shifted her grip, cradling Clover in one arm as she began walking, speaking readily.
“Okay…….”
“You don’t want me to?”
“No, I’d like that.”
Clover glanced sideways at Sone.
“What if Prince Peson finds it uncomfortable?”
“Then he’ll just have to find it uncomfortable.”
“Erk…….”
“I’m teasing. Go ahead—just you. I’ll wait outside.”
Sone, who had by then reached the door to Peson’s room, set Clover down on the floor.
Gently.
Clover, who had been clinging to Sone, slipped free and alighted softly on the ground.
“If you’re really worried, come find me when you’re done.”
Sone ran her hand over Clover’s head. Her short, pale-green hair tumbled down over her eyebrows.
“I’ll be right outside, so just call for me.”
“Okay, yes. Thank you, sister.”
“Yes, my sister.”
Sone stepped back, giving Clover room to knock and enter the door.
Clover exchanged a glance with Lucky, then steeled herself and rapped on the door.
Knock-knock.
“……Who is it?”
From inside came Peson’s voice, heavy with listlessness. To young Clover’s ears, it sounded desperately sad.
What should she say? As Clover hesitated, uncertain—
The door swung open.
Peson pulled the door wide, expecting to find someone at eye level. Finding no one there, he froze for a moment in confusion.
Then, noticing something pale green and grassy below his line of sight, he lowered his gaze.
“……Hic.”
Clover had mustered the courage to come to Peson’s room, but this was her first time facing a stranger alone, without her siblings.
Startled, hiccups burst from Clover’s mouth as she clamped both hands over it, looking up at Peson with wide eyes.
“You…….”
“H-hic!”
“Arwin’s sister?”
“I-I’m Clover…… hic!”
With both small hands pressed firmly over her mouth, Clover looked up at Peson with round eyes as she spoke.
“C-can I come in?”
“……You came alone?”
“Y-yes…….”
“……Why?”
Peson asked, sounding bewildered. Clover fumbled, unable to find a proper answer.
Even Clover didn’t know exactly why she was here. She’d simply come because it was on her mind.
As Clover stared up at Peson without speaking, still hiccuping, he let out a sigh and hoisted her up in his arms.
Then he glanced around, as if to confirm that she truly had come alone.
“……Really alone.”
Thanks to Sone’s quick thinking and hiding herself, the corridor was indeed completely empty.
‘Well, it should be fine.’
Clover had come here of her own accord, and there was no governess around at the moment, so letting her into his room would be all right.
Confirming that Clover had truly come alone, Peson wore a puzzled expression as he carried her inside and closed the door.
***
“Little one.”
“I’m Clover.”
Clover rolled the candy Peson had given her around in her mouth as she spoke.
“And I’m four years old.”
Her cheeks were puffed out like a squirrel’s because of the candy’s rather large size for a child to manage.
Seeing this, Peson reached out to poke her cheek thoughtlessly, then withdrew his hand.
“?”
“……Where is Nenia? You two were together, weren’t you?”
“Nenia’s in her room, sleeping. She’s snoring real loud. She must’ve been very sleepy.”
Clover babbled her answer.
“Then why are you here?”
“Because I wanted to see the summoned creature again, mister……”
“……A summoned creature?”
At Clover’s unexpected words, Peson’s brow furrowed. Clover quickly nodded in earnest agreement.
“Yes.”
“Why do you suddenly want to see it?”
“Because I wanted to.”
At Clover’s words, Peson looked puzzled but summoned his creature for her anyway.
Peson’s Summoned Dolphin had a sleek body of deep blue, like the sea itself. The creature swam out, circling around Clover’s small form.

“Wow!”
Peson’s Summoned Dolphin was as endearing as something from a fairy tale.
Though it bore neither eyelashes nor rosy cheeks, its smooth body and round eyes were enough to captivate any child’s heart.
But then—
‘The tail is torn.’
Clover gazed intently at the summoned creature’s torn tail.
The tail was ripped. But how could a summoned creature be injured?
Still, that wasn’t what mattered right now.
Unable to speak with the Summoned Creature in front of Peson, Clover tapped Lucky repeatedly.
She was asking him to speak in her stead.
Lucky, grasping exactly what Clover wanted, opened his mouth at once.
[You’ve severed your connection with your master, haven’t you!? That our little girl can communicate with Summoned Creatures—that’s a secret!]

Peson’s Summoned Dolphin spun in circles as it spoke. Clover, who had been staring intently at its movements, tapped Lucky again.
[……Hmm, well! I heard you looked at our little girl with a “there’s something you want to say” expression—what is it you want to say?]
That’s right, that’s right.
Exactly that.
Lucky was asking on Clover’s behalf, reading her thoughts perfectly.
After all, the conversation passing between Lucky and Peson’s Summoned Creature was inaudible to Peson.
‘So this is truly perfect secrecy.’
Clover listened intently to the two Summoned Creatures’ exchange while avoiding Peson’s piercing gaze.

[What is it?]