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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 10
Chapter Title: Leaving the Count's Family (1)
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“How peaceful.”
Sei-an, who had spent busier days recently than he had in all his years as a Grim Reaper, was enjoying a rare moment of leisure.
He settled down under a tree, as if to avoid the increasingly hot sun, and gently closed his eyes, feeling the occasional cool breeze.
One of the good things about becoming human after being a Grim Reaper was being able to enjoy such pleasant sleep.
Tap… tap…
“Hmm?”
As he was pleasantly drifting off to sleep, Sei-an suddenly heard a faint sound from somewhere.
He slowly opened his eyes and stood up, beginning to search for the source of the sound.
However, looking around, he saw nothing, indicating that the sound was coming from quite a distance.
Tap… tap…
“……”
Curiosity piqued by the continuous tapping, Sei-an began to walk towards the sound's origin.
‘Hmm.’
A moment later, what Sei-an saw upon arriving was an elderly man diligently crafting something.
Tap… tap…
A large stone stood before the old man, suggesting he was working on a considerably sized sculpture.
The old man touched and shaped the stone, gradually bringing the sculpture to completion.
“……”
Sei-an quietly observed from the side.
Realizing it might take longer than he thought, he settled down and sat.
Tap… tap…
The old man kept his hands moving without rest, even in the sweltering summer heat.
Watching him, Sei-an found a faint smile forming on his lips.
It was pleasant to see the old man so focused on his work, completely unaware of anyone watching him.
And the sound of the old man's hammer striking the carving chisel was strangely pleasant to hear.
Tap…
“……! Ugh… ugh…”
“……?”
But then, the old man, who had been tapping his chisel, let out a groan and slowly collapsed to the ground.
Sei-an rushed to the old man's side.
“Are you alright?”
“I-I’m alright…! Y-Young Master Sei-an?”
The old man, Besen the gardener, who had been trying to wave off the helping hand by saying he was fine, had to doubt his eyes when he saw that his helper was Sei-an.
“Let’s get you into the shade first.”
“Yes? Ah… yes…”
Sei-an helped Besen up and guided him to the spot where he had been sitting moments earlier.
It seemed the prolonged work under the sun had taken a toll on the old man, considering his age.
Sei-an thought it best to let him rest in the shade, so he brought him there.
“Please wait here for a moment.”
“Yes?”
After settling Besen in the shade, Sei-an quickly headed back to his own residence.
“Where is he going?”
Besen looked at Sei-an with a puzzled expression, but a moment later, his jaw dropped when he saw Sei-an approaching him again, holding a glass of water.
“Don’t you know it’s dangerous to work in summer like this without hydrating?”
“Th-thank you, Young Master.”
Besen accepted the water from Sei-an, looking at him with eyes full of emotion.
He had never imagined that Sei-an would go to fetch water for him.
‘They said he’d changed a lot…’
He had heard rumors that Young Master Sei-an had changed a great deal, but seeing it with his own eyes confirmed those rumors were true.
“What are you sculpting?”
“Ah, I was sculpting Lady Pristel, the Goddess of Nature and Mother of the Elves.”
“……”
She was likely one of the most commonly erected deities in gardens. As a goddess who cherished and loved nature, she was also beloved by gardeners.
Besen, being a gardener, had chosen the Goddess of Nature as the subject for his new sculpture this time.
“I think it would be best if you rested for today.”
“Yes. But…”
“……?”
“The Madam will be returning soon…”
“What?”
“The Madam” would refer to the Lady of Count Shurayton’s Estate, but he couldn't understand what she meant by her returning soon.
“Young Master Sei-an! Young Master Sei-an!”
“Hmm?”
Just then, Pike’s voice calling out to him echoed from a distance. Sei-an stood up and gave Besen a slight nod.
“Then I’ll see you again.”
“Yes? Ah, yes. Young Master, please take care.”
Besen was flustered by Sei-an’s polite farewell and quickly returned the greeting.
Leaving Besen behind, Sei-an headed towards Pike, who was earnestly calling out to him.
“Haha…”
Watching Sei-an disappear, Besen wore a pleased smile.
He wondered how a person could change so much and become so warm-hearted.
“Oh my! Were you with Grandpa Besen?”
Meanwhile, Pike, who had been with Besen, asked Sei-an as he walked towards her.
“Do you know him?”
“Of course. I heard he’s been with the Count’s estate the longest.”
Among those currently residing at Count Shurayton’s Estate, he was the one who had lived there the longest, a person who had certainly been there for over 50 years.
“I see.”
“It would be nice if he could take it easy now.”
“Is gardening that difficult?”
“It is. Because of the Madam…”
“Hmm?”
“Gasp! Ah, it’s nothing.”
“…What are you talking about?”
As Pike spoke, her expression slightly darkened with concern for Besen, and the word "Madam" was mentioned again, which inevitably made Sei-an curious.
He couldn't understand why the name of the Lady of the house, whom he had never once seen, kept coming up.
“Pike.”
“Th-that is…”
Sei-an urged Pike, who had realized her mistake and quickly covered her mouth with her hand, to answer in a low voice.
“The truth is, the Madam…”
“What about her?”
“She’s quite interested in the garden.”
“Interested?”
What did she mean by 'interested in the garden'? Did she take walks often? What was the problem with that?
“She wishes for the garden to look different every time…”
“What?”
“She doesn’t like the garden staying the same for a long time…”
“……”
In other words, the Countess of Shurayton was ordering Besen to constantly change the perfectly fine garden.
“Every time?”
“Well, she travels frequently, and a new garden must be completed before she returns.”
“……”
So that’s why Besen had said the Madam would be returning soon.
His questions finally answered, Sei-an let out a wry chuckle.
Gardens naturally changed with each season, taking on new appearances.
Even without a gardener's intervention, plants grew, presenting a different look every day.
However, the Lady of this house desired not such natural changes, but rather elaborate transformations with sculptures and other elements.
“What peculiar tastes.”
And what peculiar ways they have of troubling their subordinates.
Sei-an felt he already had a good grasp of what kind of person his stepmother, whom he had never once met, was.
“By the way, why did you come looking for me?”
“Oh, that’s right!”
“……?”
A moment later, Sei-an asked Pike why she had come to call him.
Pike, realizing her mistake with an "Oh, right," quickly explained the reason for her visit.
“She’s back.”
“Hmm?”
“The Madam has returned.”
“……”
And at Pike’s next words, Sei-an had to furrow his brow. He had a foreboding feeling that something troublesome was about to happen again.
***
“Welcome back.”
“It’s been a while, Lucian.”
“Yes.”
Inside Count Shurayton’s Estate, the Lady of the house’s residence, which had been temporarily vacant, was once again welcoming its owner.
Crisna, the Countess of Shurayton, exchanged greetings with Lucian, a bright smile gracing her face. She was exceptionally beautiful.
Though in her late thirties, she still retained a youthful beauty, appearing to be in her mid-twenties at a glance.
“You seem to have been well.”
“Yes, thanks to you…”
“What thanks to me? It’s all because you’re so capable.”
“……”
To others, it seemed like an utterly ordinary greeting between mother and son, but upon closer inspection, one could feel the prickling thorns hidden within.
Though words were exchanged with smiles, their eyes held no warmth.
Knock, knock!
“Come in.”
Click!
“Oh, Sei-an.”
“……”
At that moment, her door opened, and Sei-an stepped inside.
