What I see in front of me are several tall standing things――big tree-like shadows, on the far-away white background of magical power.
Among them, saplings with countless, thin flows of magical power that are hardly moving.
Today, I came to see the treasure Theo is taking care of.
The nine-year-old is taking care of it during the mornings. Naturally, it’s not a big tree.
The possibility of it being a sapling is very high.
While pondering, the gardener-like people who were lowering their heads in the distance have gathered.
「Theo Bocchama1, madams. Welcome and thank you for coming」
「Un. As announced this morning, today is the unveiling of my treasure!」
The oldest man――an elderly that looks older than the old man Randolph, steps forward from the group of twenty that has gathered, takes off his hat and very deeply bows.
It appears that the hair covered by the hat has already retreated considerably.
「The preparations are already done, you can begin anytime, Bocchama」
「Un. Then, everyone, come this way!」
The elderly gardener whose gentle expression deepens because of wrinkles states that the preparations are done.
While Theo advances to the place with the sapling, his expression is full of confidence and satisfaction can be seen on his face.
「Ta~dah. This is the “Asherah sapling” I’m raising!」
He says so while making a gesture of grabbing something, he removed something from the sapling and the flow of magical power in the sapling became completely different from the relaxed flow that was visible before.
「Ara, ara, maa, maa…… how wonderful……」
「Really…… I’m surprised. To raise the Asherah sapling to this size……」
「Oniisama worked hard every day, after all」
「Ehehe~ I had a hard time~ how is it, Lily~?」
Annela Obaasama and Ena raise voices of surprise.
Is Asherah tree such difficult tree to raise, I wonder?
Considering Ellie’s remark, Theo must have been working very hard.
Theo who seemed to be satisfied with everybody’s reaction looks at me. Certainly, unlike other saplings, this one has magical power flowing through it.
To be precise, the magical power in other saplings is hardly moving, but the magical power flow of this Asherah sapling is nearly as fast as the magical power flow in humans.
「Lily-chan, Asherah sapling is-」
「Ah! Obaasama stop! I will explain, okay!」
「Ara, ara, I’m sorry. Then, can I leave it to you, Theo-chan?」
「Un! Leave it to me! So, Lily. This Asherah tree is a very rare tree, you see? Although it doesn’t grow big, it’s a valuable tree with great demand as a material for magic tools. Moreover, if not grown in natural conditions, the quality of the wood won’t be high. But, this child is fine! Lily’s “cane2” can be made with confidence!」
It was a rare type of tree as expected.
Is it a useful material for magic tools because of its human-like flow of magical power, I wonder?
Nevertheless…… a cane?
No need to guess, it most likely is that cane the visually impaired people use――the white cane.
In other words, Theo brought up a tree that will become a material for my white cane on his own.
He must have found out that cane is indispensable for visually impaired people while researching the Cloudy Eyes in the library.
「Besides…… this child has sprouted on the day Lily was born, you know? Although more than 100 other Asherah trees have been planted, only this child has properly grown up. It surely sprouted on the same day Lily was born so that it could grow up for Lily’s sake!」
Theo’s talk gradually heats up, and he rapidly raises the tone of his voice with sparkling eyes.
「Because this child will finish growing very soon, I will make a cane for Lily then! Looking forward to it, okay!」
Theo’s confident, and eager fervent speech and expression seem very reliable.
I’m thankful because a white cane will be eventually necessary.
I think that making a cane won’t be that easy, but he’s that much motivated.
Theo’s bright smile was that of a proud and reliable Oniichan after a long time.
「Fufu…… in addition, things made from Asherah trees have the effect of improving the physical ability of the user. It’s popular because of its material’s affinity with magic tools, but because raising it is difficult and the Asherah trees in nature have been recklessly deforested because of the demand. They are so precious that they are strictly controlled by the country, you know? This tree is the result of Theo-chan’s extremely hard work, isn’t it? Aren’t you glad, Lily-chan? The cane made with Theo-chan’s great effort will surely be something wonderful」
「Ehehehe~」
With Annela Obaasama’s supplementary explanation and words of praise, Theo who was my proud and reliable Oniichan started bashfully twisting his body in embarrassment……
I wanted you to maintain that expression for a little longer. Maa, the present expression might be an expression that tickles the maternal instincts, but I’m unfortunately not ticklish.
「But well, it’s not done by Oniisama’s power only, you have to properly come clean about that」
「Uh. T, that’s right, but…… I worked hard as well!」
「I admit that you worked hard. But, I can’t accept you taking the achievement all for yourself」
「Uu…… b,but……」
Just when I find the twisting and turning reliable Oniisama turn unpleasant, Ellie’s cold words pierce him.
When I take a look at the gathered gardeners, all of them have wry smiles.
Exactly as Ellie said, it’s probably not like Theo did it all by himself.
It would be quite impossible for a nine-year-old to raise a rare, difficult to raise tree alone.
Ellie probably couldn’t accept Theo talking as if he has done all the work by himself.
She might be thinking that the effort of the gardeners should be properly acknowledged as well.
As expected, Christophe house is different from the knowledge of nobles I have.
I wouldn’t say that Ellie is special. Annela Obaasama is also nodding to Ellie’s remark.
Maa, but it’s true that he has worked hard, and I think it can’t be helped that he got too excited because this is the unveiling.
Since no one is defending Theo, I decided to stand by him in my mind.
After that for a while, the reliable Oniichan was lectured by the little sister.
◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆
The lecturing having worked, after the Asherah tree, the dejected Theo is being dragged to our next destination with his shoulders dropped.
The one dragging him is Ena. She’s dragging him with one hand powerfully holding the nape of his neck. He’s being completely dragged along.
It appears to be Ellie’s turn next.
Her treasure is the flower bed. She said she was looking after it together with Claire.
Even though is almost windless after going out of the entrance hall, the faint fragrant smell of flowers is gradually becoming stronger.
If it smells this much fragrant, it must be a considerably large flower bed.
Or are they raising fragrant kinds?
After walking for a while, the fragrant smell got dense enough to wrap me from every angle.
But, it’s not overpowering, but a refreshing and vibrant fragrance that is by no means unpleasant.
The fragrance is comfortable enough to make me want to stay here forever.
「Saa, welcome. To Okaasama’s and mine flower garden!」
「Now this is wonderful…… I have seen many flowers throughout the country, but it’s my first time seeing such variety blooming in profusion」
「The out of season flowers are finely divided in an area by a magic tool. This is certainly great」
「…………」
While Theo is hanging his head down in silence, Obaasama and Ena praise the garden spreading in front of them in surprise.
The flower bed is only partially visible in the form of a magical flow surrounding it in a straight line, I can’t see the flowers themselves.
That flow of magical power must be that of the magic tool Ena has mentioned. I don’t know what kind of magic tool it is, but it’s probably environmental control system.
If not, season and out of season flowers wouldn’t be able to bloom at the same time.
During my previous life, various flowers were raised in rooms with controlled temperature and humidity.
It must be something similar to that.
But, the reason Ena is surprised must be because that magic tool is not commonly used in a way like this.
That alone makes me see through her thoughts about Ellie’s flower bed.
「The children currently blooming were grown while paying special attention to fragrance. I think that Lily is enjoying the fragrance of the flowers as well」
「Certainly, even though there are so many flowers, there’s no unpleasant smell mixed in, that’s amazing……」
「Yes…… Claire said that she helped you only with a little of watering…… this is mostly Ellie’s work, isn’t it?」
「I also have the help of gardeners when Okaasama is busy」
「Fufu…… that’s still incredible. Ellie-chan is a splendid flower raising professional, aren’t you?」
Unlike Theo before, Ellie properly tells that it wasn’t only her work alone.
But, it still is an unbelievable work of a seven years old pro.
Is this child really seven years old?
Ellie is so talented that such doubt floats on my mind.
「…… Here, Lily, this flower will suit you who has the same silver color hair as Obaasama」
「Aren’t you glad, Lily-chan. It suits you very well, you know?」
Ellie who plucked a flower from the flower bed puts it into my hair.
The fragrance that gradually became thicker reminded me of a flower I had a strong impression of during my previous life――it’s a fragrance of Pansy.
Pansies don’t usually smell that much. However, the Pansies I smelled during my previous life were selectedly bred with a strong fragrance.
I smell that scent. Are there means to selective breeding in this world as well?
I am at the mercy of unbalanced civilization level, so I still don’t know which is the correct answer.
And, Pansy in the language of flowers means,
“Trust.”
I don’t know if the language of flowers in this world is the same. But, I feel that Ellie’s feelings appropriate for this flower.
I face her warmly…… and smile to respond to her feminine, clear heart.
「Nee~ne, ariato~」3
「You are welcome!」
Everyone felt warm feelings from Ellie’s smile which bloomed more than the flowers in the flower bed.
Everyone except Theo who stared dejectedly at his beloved little sister as she smiled and said her thanks……
1. Way servants address the son of a rich household. Translates basically as ‘young master.’ ↩
2. 杖 – also can be translated as staff or wand. ↩
3. Arigato/Thank you