~Chapter 19~
What was that, really?
Even until the moment Clover was lifted into Belze’s arms and carried out, wearing her shoes, her head was still filled with that thought.
That “something” she had seen with her father, Khalid, and her brothers. It kept flickering before her eyes like flower petals, then disappearing again.
***
Khalid brought Clover, Damian, and Arwin to a small hill near the Claudian Duke’s mansion.
A little stream trickled beside it, and the front opened wide so that the whole Claudian estate could be seen at a glance.
It was also the place Khalid and Elicia often came for picnics together.
When the carriage stopped, Damian and Arwin got down with the servants first to spread out mats and set up the spot. Meanwhile, Khalid carried down a blank-faced Clover in his arms.
“Daddy, where are we going…?”
Clover’s question sounded a little nervous. Only then did Khalid realize that the child wasn’t used to things like this.
He had thought she was simply fascinated by the carriage ride, staring out the window the whole way.
Khalid kissed her lightly on the forehead.
“We’re not going anywhere else. This is it—this is the destination.”
“This is the destination?”
“That’s right. You’ve never been on a picnic, have you?”
“Picnic…?”
Clover blinked a few times, thought about it, and shook her head.
“No, I’ve never been on one.”
She had spent all four years of her life locked inside the Demper family’s house. Of course she had never gone on a picnic.
What was a picnic? Was it something good?
Would it be like all the other good things her dad had given her?
[As expected of a dad. He’s trying to give you something nice again…]
Lucky sparkled as he spoke.
Thanks to Lucky’s words and Khalid’s gentle tone, Clover—who had been all stiff and tense like a cat with its fur standing on end—finally relaxed.
“If you’re scared, I’ll hold you.”
“Then please, Daddy, hold me.”
Clover quickly clung to him. Khalid hugged her tight as he walked over to where Damian and Arwin were sitting.
The Claudian chefs had packed food since early morning, and now it was all laid out. Khalid sat down with Clover still in his arms.
“Clover.”
Clover looked blankly at the spread before raising her head to ask:
“Is this something Daddy wanted to do?”
“Yes, this is what Daddy wanted.”
“What Daddy wanted…” Clover repeated softly.
Khalid brushed back her hair, ruffled by the wind, with his ring finger. Clover squinted a little.
“You’ll like it here too.”
“Mm?”
“Your mom liked this place. When Elicia wakes up, let’s come again with her.”
“Huh? Mommy…?”
Her eyes lit up at the mention of her mother.
At last, Clover’s tension melted away. She lifted her head and took in the wide-open scenery.
Below the hill, little houses clustered together like something out of a painting.
Birdsong rang out from afar, and the sound of the stream bubbled softly.
“Wow.”
It really was beautiful. Was that why her mom had liked it too?
‘When Daddy takes me to Mommy, I’ll tell her I came here too.’
Clover made that plan in her heart and promised herself. Then she pricked up her ears to the constant sound of birds chirping.
Sensing her ease, Khalid gently stroked her back.
“You can go play if you want, as long as you don’t go far.”
“Uh…?”
Clover clung tightly to his arm, hesitating for a while. Then she carefully looked up at him and asked:
“Daddy, if I go over there to play… you won’t leave me, right?”
Clover peeked nervously at his face.
Being alone was scary.
She was afraid of being left behind like at the Demper house.
And she was so, so happy right now, she worried this might only be a dream…
She had dreamed such dreams before, even when she was still at the Demper household.
That’s why she was worried about being apart from him, even if it was only three or five steps away.
They weren’t inside the mansion walls. What if she lost him and couldn’t find him?
Had Khalid sensed her fear?
“Where would I go, leaving you here? That will never happen. I’ll be right here, watching you.”
His firm words reassured her. Clover finally smiled brightly and nodded.
“Okay, then it’s fine.”
She slowly stood up from his lap. Planting her little palms on the ground, she pushed herself up.
The North Wind Cat instantly clung to her legs as she got up.
“Clover, where are you going to play?”
“Go with your brother! It’s dangerous alone.”
Damian and Arwin quickly stood to join her, but Clover shook her head.
“No, Clover won’t go far.”
She knew—children shouldn’t go too far from their parents.
Even she understood that much.
Clover walked six short steps away from her father’s side.
Then she plopped down on the soft grass, where no cloth was spread, and giggled.
“I like it here. The grass tickles.”
It was a spot where Khalid could see her clearly.
Only six of her small steps away from Khalid, Damian, and Arwin.
It had the best view of the scenery, and a big tree shaded the ground above.
It was the perfect spot—at least for Clover.
She hugged her knees, grinned, and called out:
“Daddy, can you see me well from here?”
Her hair was pale green like a new sprout, making her blend in with the grass.
At the Demper house, maids had once failed to find her when she played in the garden because of this.
Clover worried her dad might not see her either and thought maybe she should move closer again.
But—
“I see you just fine, Clover. Don’t worry.”
Khalid, reading her thoughts exactly, picked up some neatly cut fruit from the basket.
He summoned a soft breeze with his power and floated the pieces toward her.
The fruit drifted gently, bobbing in the air, from his hand to her lap.
Watching them float toward her, Clover burst into delighted laughter.
And then, it happened.
Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop!
Right there in the grass around her—
Four tiny sprouts pushed up all at once.
[Oh, oh! Clover!]
Lucky leapt up from her shoulder in shock, fluttering his wings.
Clover looked around, startled by the sudden burst of power she hadn’t meant to release.
“Oh!”
Looking closely, she saw them—four little sprouts that hadn’t been there before.
They had grown from her power. Clover knew this instinctively.
Meanwhile—
Khalid, Damian, and Arwin were too far away to see the sprouts themselves, but they felt the surge of power.
The brothers rushed over to her side.
“Clover, what was that just now?”
Arwin crouched beside her, asking. Clover knelt down and stared at the sprouts she had made.
“Four…?”
She had never made more than two before. Her power had always been weak and small.
But now there were four!
“No way…”
Clover’s face lit up like sunlight in an instant.
