Translator: Nox

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

Chapter 19

What on earth was that?

Even as she put on her shoes and was carried dangling in Belze’s arms out the door, it had continued to clutter Clover’s thoughts.

What she had seen from Khalid and her brothers kept shimmering before her eyes like flower petals before vanishing away.

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The place Khalid brought Clover, Demian, and Arwin to was a low mountain near the Claudian ducal residence.

A brook babbled gently to the side, and the open expanse ahead offered a sweeping view over the Claudian estate.

It was also a place where Elysia and Khalid used to picnic often.

While Demian and Arwin stepped down from the carriage and went ahead with the servants to spread out a blanket and sit down, Khalid scooped up a dazed-looking Clover and set her down.

“Daddy, whele are we goin’……?”

Clover looked a little anxious as she asked. Only then did Khalid realize that the child wasn’t used to such things.

He had assumed she was staring out the window the entire ride here simply because everything was fascinating to her.

Khalid placed a light kiss on Clover’s forehead.

“We’re not going anywhere else. We’ve arrived; this is our destination.”

“This is ouw destination?”

“That’s right. You’ve never been on a picnic before, have you?”

“A picnic……?”

Clover blinked, thought for a moment, and shook her head from side to side.

“No, nev-er been on one.”

She had lived confined inside the Demper Family for all four years of her life. There was no way she could have gone on something like a picnic.

What was a picnic? Was it something nice, too?

Just like everything else Daddy had done for her so far?

[As expected of the child’s father, he’s certainly trying hard to give her nice things…….]

Lucky said, glowing brightly.

Thanks to Lucky’s words and Khalid’s gentle voice, Clover’s body, which had been stiff as a cat with its fur bristling, melted with relief.

“If you’re scared, I’ll hold you.”

“Then, um, Daddy, please hold me.”

Clover promptly snuggled into Khalid’s embrace. Cradling Clover tightly, Khalid headed toward where Demian and Arwin were sitting.

A lavish spread of food, meticulously packed by the Claudian chefs all morning, was laid out. Khalid sat down upon the blanket while still holding Clover close.

“Clover.”

Clover gazed blankly at the dishes before tilting her head up to ask,

“Is this something Daddy wants to do, too?”

“Yes. Something Daddy wants to do.”

Something he wants to do, the child murmured softly after him.

Khalid brushed aside the strands of Clover’s hair ruffled by the wind with his ring finger. Clover scrunched her eyes slightly.

“You’ll like it here, too.”

“Mmh?”

“It’s a place your mother loved. When Elysia wakes from her slumber later, let’s come here together again.”

“Huh? Mommy……?”

A place Mommy liked!

At the mention of her mother, Clover’s eyes sparkled wide. Her tension now completely dissolved, Clover finally lifted her head to take in the open vista.

Beneath the hill, tiny houses nestled closely together like a picturesque painting.

And from far away, birdsong drifted on the breeze alongside the gentle babble of the brook.

“Waaah.”

It was truly a wonderful place. Was that why Mommy liked it too?

‘When Daddy takes me to Mommy, I’ll be sure to tell her I’ve been here too.’

Having made future plans and firmly resolved in her heart, Clover continuously pricked up her ears at the endless chirping of the birds.

Noticing that the child had relaxed, Khalid stroked Clover’s back gently.

“You can run around and play, as long as you don’t go far.”

“Mm……?”

Clutching Khalid’s forearm tightly with both hands, Clover pondered for a long moment before looking up at him carefully.

“Daddy, if I go play over there, you won’t weave without me……?”

Clover cautiously read Khalid’s expression.

Being alone was terrifying.

She was a little scared that she might be left all alone, just like at Demper.

And because she was so, so happy right now, she worried that this might all be a dream…….

Because she had dreamed dreams like this a few times while staying at the Demper Family.

So separating from Daddy made her uneasy. Even if it was only three steps or five steps away, she was worried.

Since this wasn’t inside the mansion, she was afraid she might lose Daddy and never be able to find him.

Had Khalid sensed what Clover was feeling?

“Where would I go, leaving you behind? That will never happen. I’ll be watching right here.”

Khalid spoke firmly, reassuring her that it wouldn’t happen. Only then did Clover beam brightly and nod her head.

“O-kay, then it’s fine.”

She then slid out of Khalid’s embrace and stood up. Pushing off the ground with her palms, she pulled herself up with an ooff, and the cat of the north wind naturally clung snugly to Clover’s leg.

“Clover, where are you going to play?”

“Come with oppa! Going alone is dangerous.”

Demian and Arwin leapt to their feet and stood beside Clover. But Clover shook her head.

“Nmm, Clover won’t go far.”

Because small children shouldn’t wander far from their guardians.

Clover knew that much.

Having slipped out of Khalid’s lap, Clover toddled ahead step by step—exactly six steps.

Then, flopping down onto the soft grass where no blanket was laid, she burst into a giggle.

“I wike it here. The gwass is tickly.”

The spot Clover sat in was one where Khalid was clearly visible.

And it was a mere six steps—in a four-year-old’s stride—away from where Khalid, Demian, and Arwin sat.

Moreover, it offered a wonderful view of the scenery, with the shade of a grand tree cast overhead—a prime spot among prime spots.

At least, it was to Clover.

Clover tucked her legs in, hugging her knees as she looked toward Khalid with a giggle.

“Daddy, can you see Clover good even when I’m here?”

Because Clover’s hair was a light, tender green like freshly sprouted shoots, she wasn’t easily visible in grassy fields.

In fact, back at the Demper Family, maids had wandered around unable to find Clover when she was in the garden.

Just as Clover, growing slightly worried, was pondering whether she should take those six steps back to her father—

“I can see you clearly, Clover. Don’t worry.”

Accurately discerning the child’s worries, Khalid took out some neatly sliced fruit from the picnic basket.

Then, summoning a gentle breeze with his Authority, he carried it afloat and brought it before Clover.

Seeing the pretty fruit slices float slowly and gently from her father’s hand right in front of her, Clover burst into giggles once again.

And right at that moment—

Pop, pop, pop, pop!

Upon the grassy ground where Clover sat,

four tiny, tender sprouts popped up one after another around the child.

[Oh, oh! Clover!]

Startled, Lucky bounced up from her shoulder and fluttered its leaves rapidly.

Baffled by the Authority that had manifested without her even realizing it, Clover looked around.

“Ong!”

Looking closely, she saw that four tiny sprouts had grown. They hadn’t been here originally.

They had sprouted through Clover’s Authority. Even if others might not have known, Clover could tell.

And.

Though Khalid, Demian, and Arwin couldn’t see the sprouts from where they were, they could feel Clover’s Authority.

Noticing that the child had used some form of Authority, Demian and Arwin swiftly approached Clover.

“Clover, what was that just now?”

Arwin crouched down and asked. Shifting her posture to kneel, Clover stared at the sprouts she had brought to life.

‘Four……?’

She had never sprouted more than two before. That was how weak and insignificant Clover’s Authority had been.

Yet there were four!

“No way…….”

All at once, Clover’s face lit up as radiant as sunshine.