~Chapter 5~
The Demper count’s mansion fell into silence.
But only for a moment.
Rumble!
In an instant, the sky darkened and a storm swept in.
Flash!
Lightning slashed across the mansion, like it would split it in half.
Boom!
A tree bent by the strong winds toppled over helplessly.
“D-daddy…”
The moment Kalid saw Clover crying her eyes out in his arms,
“…Clover, my daughter.”
His heart thumped wildly.
The storm inside him was urging him to bring this entire mansion down.
His power, his bloodline, that madness running through his veins—it ordered him to slaughter everyone here except his tiny, precious daughter.
Kalid was barely holding himself back.
But then—
“Why did you come so late, daddy?”
Clover wrapped her tiny arms around his neck.
“Clover missed you…”
Her big eyes poured out tears like a fountain.
“Did you abandon me?”
She was only four.
Four years old—an age where just eating and sleeping well should earn her nothing but love.
“Because Clover’s useless…?”
Yet this little girl clung desperately to his neck.
It was their first meeting. She should’ve been shy, maybe even scared.
But to her, the only person who could save her tiny body was this man she’d just met—her dad.
If even her dad left her, then there’d truly be no one to protect her.
Kalid’s whole body trembled with fury.
No child deserved to be treated like this.
Even if Clover really had been a “discarded child” of the Claudian house…
The Count of Demper had no right to treat her this way.
“…Count.”
Holding his sobbing daughter tightly, Kalid spoke.
“Y-yes, Your Grace!”
Just that one word made the Count collapse flat on the ground from the overwhelming killing intent.
“Clover’s room was being repaired, so she was only staying there temporarily!”
“…”
“And, and you know how children exaggerate everything…”
Before he could finish, lightning struck the mansion’s outer wall with a deafening crash.
Boom!
Part of the wall shattered and collapsed.
“Kyaaa!”
“Aaah!”
“M-mommy! Help!”
Wind and rain poured through the broken wall, and people shook like leaves in a storm.
Some screamed and ran.
Kalid just stood there, coldly watching it all. His icy gaze pinned the Count in place.
“You’ll pay the price.”
He wiped Clover’s tears and added,
“The price for making my daughter cry.”
Crash!
With just a flick of his hand, the “Butcher of the North,” the duke who could wipe out hundreds in a stroke, called down another bolt of lightning behind him.
And right then—
“U-ugh… Daddy…”
The little girl in his arms, still crying, suddenly fainted.
“…Clover!”
It all happened in an instant.
[Clover, you have a mission God gave you.]
“A mission?”
[Yes. You’ll bring forth countless sprouts in the world.]
Lucky’s words sounded like a dream. So wonderful.
But Clover had a problem.
“But I can only make two…”
Her power was weak, pitiful really.
There was no way she could bring forth “countless sprouts” like Lucky said.
And worse, her sprouts never grew.
They just withered after appearing for a short while. That was it.
“How many do I need? Ten?”
[Way more.]
“…Twenty?”
[Even more!]
“Eek! Don’t tell me… a hundred?”
Lucky sparkled and said she’d need even more than that.
Clover was shocked, but then she thought—
Still, having a mission from God is amazing!
So she just had to work hard.
At least it meant her powers weren’t useless.
Her aunt always scolded her, saying her powers were worthless.
But Clover still couldn’t make more than two sprouts.
Her sprouts only grew from the good feelings of people around her.
And in the Demper household, there was hardly anyone who had good feelings toward Clover.
That’s why she kept wishing her dad would come get her soon.
Maybe at home she could make a hundred—no, two hundred sprouts.
That was a bright, hopeful thought.
Clover was clinging to that dream when she suddenly blinked her eyes open and flailed.
“Ah! You’re awake?”
A maid she had never seen before leaned over her.
“Eek!”
Clover jumped in shock.
W-who was that?
Where was she?
She hugged the blanket tight, trembling.
“W-who are you?”
Was this another of her evil aunt’s servants?
If so, she had to escape right away.
Her aunt would never forgive her after what happened in front of her dad!
“Don’t worry, young miss. No one here will hurt you. This is your real home.”
The maid’s voice was gentle, unlike her aunt’s servants.
She had a kind smile and soft tone as she spoke.
“The duke brought you here after you fainted. The doctor already checked on you—you’ll be fine now.”
Duke? Doctor?
The maid was saying things Clover didn’t really understand.
Clover sat there blankly, then carefully asked,
“M-my daddy?”
“Hmm?”
“Where’s my daddy…?”
Her nose twitched as she sniffled.
“If daddy’s not here… then did the duke bring me instead…?”
Had her dad left her again?
Really?
She didn’t catch the maid saying this was her “real home.” All she felt was fear, and her tears started dripping again.
She woke up in a strange place.
Daddy’s gone. Lucky’s gone too.
If she’d known this would happen, she wouldn’t have fallen asleep!
Why did she fall asleep at that moment?
Her chest ached with sorrow and fresh tears rolled down her cheeks.
The flustered maid quickly wiped them away.
“Oh, no, miss! My lord is your father!”
“…Lord?”
“Yes, the Duke of Claudian. I’ll go fetch him right away.”
So her dad hadn’t left?
Clover rubbed her damp cheeks against the maid’s handkerchief and asked,
“Then… where’s my evil aunt…? And Louis?”
Lucky always said the first rule of survival was knowing where your enemies were.
Clover followed that rule faithfully.
The maid just smiled brightly.
“They’re not here. And they can’t come here anymore, same for your cousin.”
“…Really?”
“Yes. But first, let’s get you washed up. After that, I’ll take you to the duke.”
“…Duke.”
“It’s my honor to serve you. From today, I’ll be your maid. My name is Belze.”
With a soft voice, Belze gently picked Clover up.
She pressed her cheek against Clover’s damp one.
“Mm… Belze.”
Clover had always thought maids were bad.
They bullied her, ignored her, hit her, or stole her food.
But Belze was different.
She didn’t avoid her. She didn’t hit her. She didn’t take her food.
She wiped Clover’s tears and held her carefully.
And—
“After we wash, I’ll dress you in something pretty. Do you like bunnies?”
“Mm-hm.”
“Perfect. I’ll put you in bunny pajamas with little bunny ears. Up we go.”
Belze undressed Clover and gently lowered her into a warm bath she had prepared.
She didn’t force her, either.
When Clover fidgeted, Belze just patted her back and said it was okay.
This feels strange.
It was such a weird feeling.
A maid who didn’t hate her, didn’t scold her, didn’t find her annoying.
In just that short time, Clover felt herself warming up to Belze.
And then—
Pop!
As Clover soaked in the warm water, a tiny sprout appeared in her soapy little hands.
Gasp! A sprout! It grew in my hands!
But because it was hidden in the bubbles, Belze didn’t notice.
