CHAPTER 48…………………………………………
It seemed they absolutely didn’t want to give him the official fiancée position.
Though she ended up in the strange position of being a “preliminary” to a fiancée—that is, a preparatory step before an engagement—the original purpose of pushing for the engagement had already been fully achieved, so it didn’t matter.
“Anyway, everything the benefactor wanted is done, right?”
“Thanks to you.”
“Hehe. That’s great!”
Why did this child trust me so completely?
Perhaps being sickly and confined within the castle left her with few opportunities to learn how to read people.
“I really need someone by my side to filter things for me.”
It was decided that she would stay at Pegasus Castle for the time being, and the girl in front of him had contributed greatly to that.
Kaidan thought it was only right that he play that role while he was by her side.
Explanations like this felt far more convincing to him than simply saying he was worried.
“Hmph. Hmph.”
“So… where are we going now?”
“Me? I’m going to my herb garden!”
“Herb garden?”
“Yeah. I bought it at the auction last time.”
To be precise, she had bought a plot full of herbs.
And now, all of those herbs had been transplanted into Lin’s herb garden in the castle.
Lin puffed out her chest and held her chin high.
“There were some incredibly rare things buried there in the future!”
“Oh, I see.”
Kaidan mentally added a note to his list of duties: he would need to block anyone who approached her with empty boasts like, “There’s a way to make a fortune!”
He didn’t want to be the one watching a child get caught up in some strange investment game.
Lin giggled excitedly, imagining her herb garden.
“Hehe. I got to buy it at my very first auction. I was lucky.”
Before visiting the previous auction, she had diligently researched in the library.
The information she had found was about the natural habitat of the Lores Herb, which now grew abundantly in her garden.
The map of the surrounding area within the Pegasus family’s domain included detailed information, showing the family’s intelligence network, so Lin could easily pinpoint the Lores Herb cluster.
Lores Herb.
Though now it was known merely as a stubborn, vigorous weed rather than a valuable herb, Lin, having learned its uses in the original work, saw it as gold rather than a patch of grass.
“Lores Herb. Its name was used as the key ingredient for the ultra-powerful hair growth serum in the future!”
Lin remembered people commenting on unrelated videos on Earth, saying that whoever conquers hair loss would make a fortune.
She didn’t fully understand why hair loss was considered so important, but the idea of making a lot of money had left a strong impression.
Lin wanted to become wealthy quickly so she could make poor Uncle Theo, who had to work every day, happy.
“I don’t know how to make hair growth serum, but if I grow lots of Lores Herb, I can make a fortune later!”
She felt proud.
Lin planned to cultivate the Lores Herb cluster carefully so it would grow into valuable herbs.
“Mom’s notebook says it’s good for the body. I’ll eat it while I grow it.”
Lin’s effort toward health continued unabated.
The reason she immediately recognized the Lores Herb as a key ingredient for the ultra-powerful hair growth serum was that she had seen it in her mother’s research notebook.
Of course, the notebook focused not on hair growth but on the amplification effect of the plant’s strong vitality.
“If I mix this into supplements, the health effects might get super boosted~!”
Filled with joyful anticipation, Lin dreamed of studying ways to utilize the Lores Herb in her garden.
Once she confirmed that it amplified the effects of supplements and tonics, she could take it every day and mix it into the herbal drinks she made for the knights.
Everyone would enjoy the health-boosting herbal drinks.
Even if the drinkers were heavy drinkers, it didn’t matter—Lin just wanted her knight friends to get healthier.
“You went to the auction to buy that?”
“Yep. And a few other things too.”
‘Come to think of it, some of the items overlapped with mine.’
Given her young age, randomly buying so many things could be seen as a successful investment, but Kaidan couldn’t help expressing a bit of concern.
“So, you won’t need to go to the auction again?”
“Nope! If a new auction opens, I’ll go buy more.”
“……Didn’t you tell me before not to go to auctions without me knowing?”
“That was because I was worried about a kid like you going to auctions.”
Kaidan shot Lin a look that clearly said, “Seriously?”
“And you?”
“Me? Hehe. Just because we’re similar in age doesn’t mean I’m a kid too.”
Lin wagged her finger and lifted her chin with a smug expression.
“I’m a very mature kid for my age.”
“……Oh. I see.”
She was not like an ordinary six-year-old.
Even if it was just one night, in her dream she had spent what felt like a long time traveling on Earth!
‘Technically the benefactor is two years older, but if you add the time I spent on Earth, I’m way more experienced!’
Despite only a small height difference, Lin looked at Kaidan with a sense of superiority.
“So you can think of me as your older sister!”
“You wanted to be called older sister?”
“You will call me that, right?”
“You know you’re two years younger than me?”
“My mental age makes me the older sister.”
“Ha…….”
Kaidan let out a deep sigh and casually accepted Lin’s words.
“Fine. If she wants to be the older sister, let her have it.”
Feeling pleasantly indulged by Kaidan, Lin’s steps became even lighter.
She walked as lightly as a deer tapping its hooves, chattering happily.
“Lately, it feels like only good things are happening.”
“Really?”
“Yep! Meeting you was one of them.”
“Hmm.”
“My grandfather said you could return faster too.”
Watching Lin’s eyes sparkle with expectation, Kaidan felt his usually composed lips stick together in surprise.
Even though it was certain they could hasten the mercenary king’s return, he felt an anxious urge to rush somewhere immediately.
“I’ve only seen Grandpa in his portrait. But actually, everyone else told me so much about him that it feels like I was really with him. The knights said he’s really strong, but also really bad with directions.”
Laughing and talking, Lin’s heart swelled like a balloon with anticipation of meeting her family soon.
“I can’t wait to see Grandpa.”
But then, a cat-like sound of ridicule echoed from somewhere.
‘Did we have a cat in the garden?’
Tilting her head, Lin looked around but saw nothing unusual in the garden.
‘Did I hear it wrong…?’
Turning her head after scanning the nearby bushes, Lin started walking again and spoke.
“And also, remember I told you I heard something before?”
“Yes.”
“I said back then that not just Grandpa, but Mom would come back too.”
“…….”
“If Grandpa comes back early, then maybe Mom can get back sooner too, right?”
Her gaze, cautious but earnest, turned toward Kaidan.
Kaidan noticed the unusual tension in Lin’s usually carefree face and was about to speak when:
“Meow.”
The sound came again, clearer this time, allowing them to pinpoint its direction.
Exchanging a glance, Lin and Kaidan looked up.
Sure enough, there was a cat.
