The Baby Sprout Who Bloomed in the Villain Duke’s Family - Chapter 94

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Episode 94
‘Wow.’
A friend of her sister’s—someone she’d only heard about until now!
Clover’s eyes sparkled as she seized Tersia’s hand.
“Sister’s friend, hello!”
“Oh, you’re so adorable……”
Tersia stroked the back of Clover’s hand with evident delight, but Sone soon had to pry her away.
“Hands off my sister.”
“But why! She’s so precious!”
“She has friends of her own.”
As if on cue, Naenia appeared moments later, approaching Clover with quick steps and standing firm beside her.
She swept her keen gaze around the room, then promptly claimed Clover’s hand.
“Welcome, Nia!”
“Clover, you haven’t made any other friends, have you?”
Naenia pressed the question. Clover, having already forgotten her brief encounter with Tersia, shook her head firmly.
“No new friends.”
“Good.”
Naenia wore a cool dress suited to the climate of the Abe Duchy.
The pale blue gown rippled with every movement, conjuring the image of waves.
“Nia, today you’re not the ice sprite—you’re the sea sprite…!”
“……You look more like a sprite.”
Naenia and Clover chattered away together. Clover found the Ball Hall quite to her liking.
At four years old, she was still too young to care much about watching adults dance; playing with friends suited her far better.
For Clover, the Ball Hall in Naenia’s company was little different from the finest playground. Though it was crowded and loud, she didn’t mind that in the slightest.
Moreover, Sone was keeping the approaching admirers at a measured distance, so Clover could play freely with only Naenia.
From a distance, Kalid stood conversing with the nobility, though he cast frequent glances in their direction.
Each time he did, Clover would beam and wave at him.
Then, it happened.
All at once, the eyes of everyone in the Ball Hall converged on a single point.
The crowd parted like water before an elegant matron in a radiant dress that seemed to glow with its own light.
She was Anernia Soren Rosipheron.
The most senior member of the Imperial House—and Clover’s first friend. The moment Clover spotted Anernia, she sprang to her feet.
“Your Majesty!”
“Clover, have you been well?”
It was natural that the nobility’s eyes should fix upon the intimate exchange between Clover and the Empress Dowager.
Yet no one thought it strange. Everyone already knew that the Empress Dowager regarded the Claudian ducal family with maternal affection.
“Yes, Your Majesty—have you been well too?”
“Very well indeed. And here’s our little one, spirited as ever.”
“Yes, yes! I slept so I’m not tired anymore. Father is over there.”
Clover pointed toward Kalid, who was approaching them.
But then, something caught Clover’s eye.
“Huh? That thing.”
It was a brooch pinned to Anernia’s chest. Inside the transparent brooch lay yellow flower petals.
“Your Majesty, that.”
As Clover rose onto her tiptoes and pointed at the brooch on Anernia’s breast, Anernia smiled warmly.
“Yes, dear—Sunflower petals.”
At Anernia’s words, the assembled crowd rippled with murmurs once more.
Flowers that had long since withered into ugliness, stripped of their names by time itself.
Yet there were nobles present who still knew the name Sunflower—from fairy tales, from their schooling in Imperial history.
The revelation that the Empress Dowager had adorned herself with a brooch fashioned from the petals of that very Sunflower sent new waves of commotion through the room.
“You gave it to me as a gift.”
The Empress Dowager stroked Clover’s round head tenderly.
In that instant, the crowd erupted in astonishment once more.
“An Ancient Flower…?”
“Then it’s really true?”
“The Ancient Flower has truly returned?”
Whispers rippled through the gathered nobility. Anernia regarded them with a measured gaze.
Much as Kalid had made his entrance with the child in his arms, Anernia’s appearance with a brooch fashioned from Ancient Flower petals carried an unmistakable message.
She was signaling to the nobility of Rosipheron that Clover’s Authority was beyond measure, and that she herself stood behind the child.
She had come here precisely for this reason. Despite the Imperial House’s customary absence from such galas, she had come to see Clover.
There was good reason for Anernia to deliberately reveal before the nobility that she cherished and looked after Clover.
The child was a weak Authority Bearer.
Though she could bloom Ancient Flowers, she was all but defenseless in combat.
The world of Authority Bearers was more complex than the world of nobility, and weak Authority Bearers sometimes became prey for the strong.
Of course, Claudian could defend against such things, but Anernia wanted to step forward one more time herself.
With no current mistress of Claudian, Kalid could not involve himself deeply in society. Sone was still too young to wield significant influence there.
So until the day the child grew old enough to debut in society, Anernia intended to look after Clover.
“Well then, Clover, play well.”
“Yes, ma’am!”
“If you miss me, come find me later.”
“That too, ma’am!”
The Empress Dowager turned and left once she saw Clover nod her head.
The nobility, who had been watching for their moment, approached the Empress Dowager and showed keen interest in the brooch.
And then, shortly after.
“Young Lady of Claudian, I’m Siona of House Paerum.”
“Is it true you have the Flower Blooming Authority?”
“Is this four-leaf clover your Summoned Creature?”
Children Clover’s age began to approach her with curiosity.
“Huh?”
Startled by the sudden flood of attention, Clover blinked her wide eyes.
***
“What a rare gift your daughter possesses!”
“You must be so pleased!”
“Your youngest daughter looks so much like you. Hmm, my youngest is about the same age….”
At the Founding Ball, Clover drew by far the most attention.
Her doll-like, delicate beauty, combined with the wondrous power to bloom Ancient Flowers.
Add to that the brooch containing petals of an Ancient Flower and the Empress Dowager herself taking a personal hand in Clover’s care—there was no way the child could escape notice.
While the ball’s true spectacle was meant to be the pairs dancing together, all eyes had turned toward Clover, leaving her thoroughly bewildered.
Yet Kalid remained composed, as if he had anticipated exactly this.
‘Of course this would happen.’
How could anyone not take interest in such an Authority?
In truth, bringing Clover to this event had weighed heavily on him.
It would serve no purpose for the Emperor to notice her. Kalid had wanted to keep Clover hidden if at all possible.
But Clover had already drawn far too much of the Emperor’s attention. And besides.
‘Her Majesty the Empress Dowager seems to have wished for Clover to appear.’
Likely she wanted to confirm that the widely rumored power—the power to bloom flowers—was real.
Among Authority Bearers, there was an unspoken tendency to dismiss those of weak standing, no matter how high their birth. Those of strong Authority could be callous indeed.
The Empress Dowager had issued a warning to such people: this child’s Authority was not to be taken lightly, and they would do well not to treat her dismissively.
Sure enough, after the Empress Dowager’s appearance and the brooch’s revelation, the way the nobility looked at Clover had changed markedly.
This alone was a significant gain. Kalid lifted the child into his arms again and stroked her hair.
“I think we should head back now—the child is growing tired.”
The ball was in full swing, yet four-year-old Clover, tense from the press of so many people, had begun nodding off again.
“You’re leaving already?”
Weiron set down his glass on the tray his attendant was holding and asked. Kalid nodded.
“I’ll retire now, Your Majesty.”
Weiron stared hard at Clover.
“Do children normally sleep this much at this age?”
Clover, seeking comfort, nestled deeper into Kalid’s arms. Kalid shielded the child’s face with his hand, as if soothing her, and subtly blocked Weiron’s gaze.
“Yes, it’s an age when sleep comes easily.”
“You could leave her with the palace attendants.”
“The child is often fussy for her father, so that wouldn’t be possible.”
The Iron-Blooded Duke of Claudian—a man from whom not a drop of blood would flow even if pierced by a blade.
The nobility standing nearby froze at the words that came from his lips.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————