Episode 37
“Wow, that’s such a positive reaction……. Maybe building the cabin is already paying off……. I knew revisiting a place full of memories was the right move……. Right, Theo?”
“Wooh.”
Theo answered maturely. Then he dragged a pickaxe that was lying nearby, scraping it along the ground. Theo was surprisingly strong for a baby.
“Dad always used to prepare the soil in the garden……. That’s why he refused help from anyone else. So now…….”
When I handed him the pickaxe, Dad let out a breath that was both dumbfounded and resigned.
“I can’t believe I’m actually going along with what you’re saying….”
Sparkle, sparkle. Eye beam attack.
“……Going along with it.”
Agent Theo joins in.
Sparkle, sparkle. Sparkle, sparkle.
‘Dad’s been kind of soft with me lately!’
Even though he might grumble, I was sure he’d end up doing as I asked. And sure enough—
“Dammit….”
The Duke rolled up his sleeves and began preparing the ground with oddly practiced motions…
It looked like he was doing it super half-heartedly, but he was flinging rocks aside, pulling up weeds like nothing, and even neatly compacting each row according to my layout with impressive skill.
He looked so eco-friendly and neighborly I wanted to put him in a community newsletter.
He could shake off that wild villain image in an instant. Tsk.
“Hahaha! Living long really lets you see all sorts of things!”
Just then, Elislza emerged from the house, giggling.
“Grandma!”
“Oh my sweet darling.”
I ran to her with light steps and jumped into her arms.
“Just like you said, I’ve added this and that furniture inside. You should take a look later.”
“Yesss!”
“Tsk tsk, that Alec must have lacked some skills……. All the bedding and furniture were cheap junk.”
At Grandma’s quiet scolding, the muscles on Dad’s back, who was plowing like an ox, twitched slightly.
Then Grandma shouted loudly, clearly for him to hear:
“Even if the outside looks similar, I made sure everything was specially custom-made! So don’t get it twisted!”
“…….”
“Wow, Grandma, you’re amazing!”
“Right? Now let’s have some tea time here.”
“Okaay!”
At a flick of her hand, the maids quickly set up a rocking chair and tea table.
“Now that I’m looking, this place has such a lovely view. It’s a shame it was left unattended all this time.”
“Hehe.”
I sipped sweet milk tea with Theo, which had a hint of night honey, while Grandma enjoyed apple tea with a sprinkle of cinnamon.
Of course, Dad’s body continued to diligently maintain my playground. His muscles worked hard, making the wrinkles on his shirt stretch taut.
The gardeners approached and offered, “Um, Duke, should we do it?” but Dad, seeming oddly stubborn, turned them all away.
‘This really feels like the old days. Back then too, when I squatted in the garden, Dad would do all the hard work for me.’
Sip, sip.
This milk tea is delicious.
“What the hell am I even doing……. Like some kind of servant.”
I’m the Duke. The master.
It kind of sounded like he was muttering in a confused daze.
Slurp, slurp.
Let’s just pretend we didn’t hear.
***
Clear sky.
Crisp air.
Warm and soft sunshine!
‘I love how it hasn’t rained lately!’
I carried a crop basket Grandpa had woven and trotted along.
When I paused at the main house steps, a donkey-drawn cart clattered up from a distance.
“Gardener Mister! Hello! Can I get a ride?”
“Sure, Lirin. Heading to the east forest again today?”
“Yup!”
After planting a kiss on the cute donkey, I hopped onto the cart and nestled between the sacks of fertilizer and gravel with my knees hugged.
“Careful not to fall off.”
“Wow, you even put down a cushion! Thank you!”
“Hohoho.”
Since it was a bit of a distance from the main house to the east forest, I often caught rides with the gardeners like this.
‘Hmm. It’d be nice if I could drive one of these carts too.’
I want it—mobility.
I need it—mobility!
Then the gardener spoke up.
“Lirin, just like you said, mixing rainwater with charcoal powder and dried boal droppings really helped the central garden plants.”
“Oh. Knew it.”
“How did you figure out exactly what those picky plants needed, huh?”
“Heh, just read it in a book.”
Well, actually, the nearby trees told me what they needed!
Humming, I watched the little clouds above.
“Now that I think of it, you’ve been going to the library a lot these days too, right?”
“Yessss— I mean, yes!”
I started to nod but quickly shook my head.
“I’m not going there to hang out! I’m just conducting cleanliness inspections, that’s all.”
“Haha. Sure, sure.”
‘But it’s true.’
The library currently scored -500 points on cleanliness.
Not because it was particularly dirty overall, but because the books were full of scribbles I was pretty sure came from Dad.
‘So many cuss words that shouldn’t be read…’
I self-censored appropriately.
Anyway, I’d been stopping by the library lately to look through all kinds of plant books.
There were so many amazing ones that couldn’t even compare to those back in Lepi Village, so I was very satisfied.
“Thank you for the ride!”
Before I knew it, the cart had arrived at the eastern garden.
I dashed down the beautifully winding path.
In the distance, I spotted a familiar profile.
Eliza Wintervalt, reading by the lake as usual.
My face instantly lit up.
“Lady Eliza! Hello!”
“…….”
“Huh?”
Why’s she pretending not to see me?
“Ahem. Hmph.”
Seeing her elegantly turned profile nibbling her nails while slightly averting her eyes snapped me back to reality.
“Heng.”
I quickly ran over and rubbed my face against her knee. Then I said:
“Grandmaaa, hello!”
“Aigooo! My precious little poop puppy!”
Pat pat on the butt.
“You’re finally here!”
I grinned bashfully in her sunny, warm embrace.
“Hm? Today you’re our trusty little farmer again, huh?”
“Grandpa made me these clothes!”
Grandma Eliza spun me around to admire them, and I puffed out my chest like a plump bird.
These days, Grandpa the golden-handed craftsman handled all of my outfits.
Today’s was a checkered pair of overalls that fit perfectly.
The cuffs were stuffed into bright yellow boots that reached mid-calf, and a roughly woven straw hat sat on my head.
Outfit optimized for sprinting! So comfy!
‘Of course… the real highlight of this outfit is the socks Dad bought me.’
In many, many ways…
‘Wow, I’ve never seen socks like these before. Gems, embroidery, and the fabric—just insane.’
A super luxurious sock case that arrived this morning.
The moment I opened it, I had to rub my eyes fifteen times, thinking I’d found a treasure chest.
But Dad, seeing it, just said in the dullest voice:
— Some order slip, and they just left it at the door. We have no choice but to split it between the two of you.
— What the heck!
—he said smugly, then disappeared.
‘Still, I like them.’
My toes wiggled inside the unbelievably fancy socks, the kind you couldn’t just call “luxury.”
They were hand-stitched by a designer, so the embroidery was kind of hard to interpret, but it was fine.
‘I was really sad that all the socks in Lepi Village burned up.’
But Dad bought me new ones. Even if the design is a little strange!
‘I feel like I’ve gotten a little closer to becoming a family with memory-loss Dad!’
The cabin was about 90% complete.
What was a bit disappointing was that, unlike my expectations, Dad’s memory hadn’t really improved.
That had briefly dampened my spirits, but these socks helped cheer me up again. Even if the design was a bit odd.
‘No need to rush. Recovery takes time! Still, when Dad looks at the cabin, he frowns a little less, right?’
Yay! Positive reaction! If only the sock design weren’t so bizarre!
After checking carefully that my yellow boots fully covered the socks, I picked up my crop basket.
“So, are you all ready to start planting?”
Grandma asked.
“Of course!”
I took her hand and led her to the garden.
“I’m planting potatoes here, tomatoes here, and lettuce here!”
I pointed at the signs written in my crooked handwriting, and Grandma burst out laughing.
“And then…….”
I rummaged through my bag and pulled out the dried pumpkin seeds the gardener gave me.
“Now that I’m eight, I’m gonna try growing pumpkins……. Oh! And one more thing!”
“One more?”
“I’m planting herbs along the garden border too!”
Briefing complete!
“Hahaha! Sure, plant everything you want! Just don’t plant my husband—anything else in this estate is fair game!”
“Gasp, so I can plant the Duke?”
“Of course.”
Her red lips curled into a seductive smile.
“Just bury him without a trace. That man needs to be reborn. And this Granny will cover your tracks.”
“That’s kind of scary…….”
“Ahem. Anyway, just say the word if you need anything! But…”
Grandma tilted her head as she looked toward the garden.
“That Theo kid has been standing like that since earlier. What’s he doing exactly?”
“Ah…….”
I looked at Theo Valt, standing in the middle of the garden dressed similarly to me.
• ❁ • ❁ • ❁ •By Esraa• ❁ • ❁ • ❁ •
If you want to support the translation and the translator, you can buy a coffee~
