Chapter 14 …
Angelica couldn’t hide her astonishment.
While she had been diligently pulling weeds, she had constantly felt her grandmother’s gaze. Wondering if it might spark some interest, she suggested harvesting Celts.
“Maybe she’s just curious and looking because it seems interesting.”
It wouldn’t matter much if her grandmother refused, so she went ahead with the suggestion. At first, her grandmother had hesitated, but now she was happily harvesting Celts with great enthusiasm.
And that wasn’t all.
Her grandmother’s hands, deft and precise, pulled the Celts with remarkable speed—far faster than Angelica could manage.
Angelica stopped her own work, simply staring at her grandmother in awe.
“Wow…”
Endless admiration spilled from the child’s mouth. The Celts harvested by her grandmother now filled the basket completely.
Olivier, meanwhile, was so absorbed in harvesting that she didn’t even notice Angelica watching in amazement.
What had started as a casual try, suggested by the child, turned out to be incredibly enjoyable. She felt completely focused, with no wandering thoughts at all.
Olivier finally stopped after some time.
All the Celts that had been growing in the field were now in the basket.
“Phew.”
She wiped the sweat from her brow and looked down at the basket brimming with Celts. A smile graced her lips.
“Not bad for a first try. It’s more fun than I expected.”
Chuckling, Olivier lifted the basket with one hand and headed back to the cabin, followed closely by Angelica and the master.
“Are you really doing this for the first time?”
Angelica couldn’t hide her amazement as she asked.
“Yes.”
Olivier nodded. No one had ever asked her to do such work before, so of course it was her first time.
“Wow.”
Angelica’s admiration continued until they reached the shade.
No matter how she thought about it, it was astonishing. To be so skilled at something for the first time! At this rate, one might think she was a farmer sent from the heavens.
Angelica looked at Olivier carefully and asked cautiously,
“Grandmother, are you perhaps a mage? Or a knight?”
Suddenly, she was curious about the grandmother who worked just as efficiently—if not more—than a young man.
Olivier let out a small laugh and asked back,
“Why do you think that?”
“Well… you used to be addicted to mana. I thought that only people with strong mana could experience that.”
“You’re very clever, Rika.”
Olivier gently stroked the child’s hair and winked with one eye.
“Not now, but I was once a knight.”
“That’s amazing!”
Angelica’s eyes sparkled.
Her grandmother had been a knight! While she had guessed it from her grandmother’s elegant riding outfit and solid build, hearing it directly made it feel even cooler.
“But perhaps because of my age, or maybe because my body hasn’t fully recovered, I’m not like I used to be,” Olivier said with a hint of regret.
“That’s not because of your age! Once your body heals, you’ll be just like before! I’ll take good care of you!”
“Just hearing that makes me happy.”
Olivier gazed lovingly at Angelica, then drew her close and held her. Stroking her gently, she spoke sincerely,
“Thank you, Rika.”
That afternoon, Angelica went to the forest, cleared her quests, and gathered plenty of herbs.
With the grimy beginner’s shirt she had obtained, her full beginner set was complete, slightly increasing her harvesting speed.
“If I equip the hoe, the fieldwork speed should increase too, right?”
She wanted to test it immediately but had little energy left.
“And the sun is setting… I’ll do it tomorrow!”
Carrying a basket full of herbs, she headed to the cabin.
*[Hmm, something smells delicious.] *
As she arrived, the master sniffed the air.
“Delicious smell?”
Following the master, Angelica sniffed as well. A sweet, nutty aroma reached her nose.
“No way!”
A bright smile spread across her face. Angelica quickened her pace—no, she ran—gripping the basket tightly with her small hands to avoid dropping it.
[Take it slow, Rika!]
The master called, but Angelica didn’t look back.
When she finally reached the cabin and opened the door, she saw…
Olivier’s back as she cooked in the kitchen.
“Rika, you’re back?”
Olivier greeted her with a gentle smile and set the food she had prepared on the small table.
“Grandmother! Did you cook this?”
Angelica set down the basket in her arms and hurried to the table.
The table was filled with soups made of potatoes and Celts, skewered Celts and potatoes, and more.
“Yes. It’s simple, but… will you eat?”
“Simple? This is a feast for me!”
“Thank you. Sit quickly, let’s eat.”
“Yes!”
Though small, the table felt abundant. Angelica and Olivier began their meal, occasionally sharing some with the master, and chatted together.
From then on, Angelica and Olivier lived almost like family.
Their daily routine was simple. They woke in the early morning, had a light breakfast, and tended the fields.
After some work, Angelica went to the forest to gather herbs while Olivier prepared meals for them.
After eating while chatting, Angelica brewed herbal juice, which Olivier drank entirely, allowing her body to recover rapidly.
Finally, they would share a narrow bed to sleep.
Though they had only spent a few days together, Angelica cherished the grandmother who always smiled kindly at her side.
Even though she couldn’t reveal all her secrets, the time spent with her grandmother was priceless.
Meanwhile, Angelica diligently completed her quests.
“Beginner Quest 5,” gathering herbs, was easy, and thanks to the full beginner set, she could plant appleberries for “Beginner Quest 6” faster than before.
Olivier also enjoyed working the fields, planting seeds, and harvesting crops alongside her.
Watching the little girl work hard at farming was so adorable that it made her heart tingle.
Moreover…
“Perhaps it’s just my imagination, but I feel healthier than before.”
A faint smile curved Olivier’s lips.
Late at night, when Angelica and the master were asleep, Olivier remained awake.
Sitting on the steps in front of the cabin, bathed in moonlight, she thought,
“Has it already been four days?”
Four days had passed since she began living with Angelica.
It was about time to leave.
“Hehe.”
Olivier smiled softly and gestured lightly into the air.
A blank sheet of paper appeared before her. She touched it, and light flowed from her fingertips as letters began to form.
She was writing a letter to her son.
“I only left a note saying I’d step out briefly, so everyone must be surprised.”
With a smile, Olivier wrote elegantly, including her current location and instructions to send a carriage. She added a request for a carriage without the family crest, to avoid alarming the small town.
When finished, she lifted her fingers, gesturing lightly again. The paper turned into a golden bird and fluttered into the sky.
The next day at noon, after morning fieldwork, Angelica eagerly ate the delicious meal her grandmother had prepared.
Her cheeks were puffed up with food, making her look like a hamster and bringing an involuntary smile to anyone watching.
Olivier watched Angelica enthusiastically and finally spoke,
“Rika.”
