TMOWM~17

Chapter 17

In truth, inviting Hider was a calculated move. I’d already maxed out my farming skill. I’d been feeding Hider with the crops I grew—naturally, it made sense.

So I wanted to rest a bit and have Hider pick some plums for me. I was a little tired from trimming herbs all night.

Since I had to visit the early morning market tomorrow, I needed to harvest the crops now.

Hider slightly parted his lips in awe at the sight of my lush, abundant garden.

“Welcome, Young Master. This is Rani’s love-filled garden!”

“…How is this… even possible? These aren’t plants that should be growing now… and this one too.”

“It’s all thanks to my abilities. You said thank you to me before, didn’t you?”

Hider nodded absentmindedly, his eyes still glued to my garden, completely mesmerized.

Well, it made sense. Honestly, I didn’t even know how any of this was possible. Crops grew completely out of season, ignoring weather, space, and even natural laws—it baffled me, too.

Whatever I planted, it sprouted right up.

At first, I thought maybe I was some kind of druid.

I’m used to it now, so it doesn’t bother me.

“Then, Young Master, please help me out a little. I’ve been overworking lately, and oww, oww…”

“…What do I have to do?”

“We need to harvest everything from here to there. I have to sell them at the morning market.”

“You do this every day?”

“Of course! Some of it we eat, too. You’ll help me, right?”

Most of that “some” was usually used to feed Hider. The meals for the maids in the mansion were fairly decent.

“…Take a break. I’ll do it.”

Without rejecting my offer…

I handed a basket to Hider. Once I saw him start picking crops, I leaned against the wall.

Watching Hider made my drowsiness hit like a wave.

Ugh, I really am sleepy.

“Yaaaawn…”

I let out a long yawn and closed my eyes for a moment. Just ten minutes. I’ll sleep for ten minutes…

After finishing everything Rani had asked him to do, Hider set the basket down and turned his head.

“Rani, I’m done with—”

Hider closed his mouth mid-sentence. Rani had fallen asleep, leaning against the wall of the small, empty cabin.

Sunlight danced across her pale face as she slept peacefully. Hider looked around, then cautiously sat next to her.

He raised a hand to block the sunlight from her face.

‘She must’ve been really tired.’

It was the first time he had seen Rani, who always scurried around like a squirrel, sleeping so quietly. Hider gazed at her in silence.

His heart beat pleasantly.

Rani’s coloring was overall pale. Maybe that’s why she looked like clear glass—pure and transparent. Her soft breathing came through her slightly parted lips.

Hider’s eyes naturally dropped to her lips. He couldn’t tear his gaze away.

Hoo, hoo… The memory of Rani blowing on his wounds resurfaced. Hider’s face flushed red again. He didn’t know why he kept reacting this way.

“Ahem.”

He cleared his throat and quickly looked away.

His earlobes, exposed in the sunlight, were bright red. Then it happened.

Thump.

Rani’s head tilted and dropped onto Hider’s shoulder. He froze with wide eyes. Her hair tickled the nape of his neck.

He stiffly turned his head, making a creaking motion like a rusty hinge.

Keeping his eyes forward, he glanced sideways at Rani.

She slept peacefully, resting her head on his shoulder. Now that he thought about it, she did seem a bit tired lately—like she wasn’t sleeping properly.

Hider glanced at the basket filled with crops.

‘She said she needed to go to the market early tomorrow.’

But still—

‘I don’t want to wake her.’

Strangely, he felt that way. He didn’t want to ruin this moment. If possible, he wished time would stop here forever.

And so, Hider quietly stayed by Rani’s side until she woke up.

Even his breathing was careful.

When I opened my eyes, the sun was already high in the sky.

“Aaack!”

I jumped up, but there was no way to turn back time. Kind Hider, who had become my pillow, blinked in surprise.

“You… You were sleeping so soundly…”

Hider stammered, looking like he’d been caught doing something wrong.

“…It’s okay. It couldn’t be helped. I’m a little sad, but thank you, Young Master. For being my pillow and helping me with my chores.”

Hider smiled awkwardly.

I rummaged through the basket and picked out two perfectly ripe tomatoes. They were bright red, looking like they’d taste sweet and tart with just one bite. I handed one to Hider.

“Try it, Young Master. They got plenty of sunlight—they’re really delicious.”

Hider bit into the tomato.

I quickly ate mine and then sorted through the harvested crops to pick out ones that could be planted again.

After roughly planting them in the ground, I lifted the basket. Stealth skill, activate.

Though the stealth skill was pretty useless when it came to Hider.

“Let’s head back, Young Master.”

“I’ll carry it.”

“I’m probably stronger than you.”

Hider looked momentarily flustered at my comment and then pouted a bit as he snatched the basket from my hands. Guess I bruised his pride a little.

Don’t worry. One day, you’ll be way stronger than me.

I chuckled quietly and followed behind Hider.

The path back to the mansion, avoiding the others, felt warm.

As warm as the sunlight.

Tyburn watched Hider and Rani walking side by side. The two of them looked rather close from the window.

He narrowed his eyes.

He had already noticed Carte hiding in the training grounds earlier. He’d been curious to see what she would try and how Hider would respond, so he let it play out—and then that maid showed up.

Without even realizing Tyburn was watching, she had whacked Carte with a wooden sword.

A maid hitting her master? Absolutely unthinkable.

But Tyburn let it happen because he believed Carte deserved it.

‘That girl needed to taste reality.’

Kiera had spoiled Carte beyond measure. Raised under her mother’s skirts, she couldn’t do a thing on her own. Tyburn didn’t care that she couldn’t wield a sword—there were plenty of ways to serve the Empire, the family, without one.

But Carte, even at age twelve, couldn’t do anything by herself.

Tyburn wanted to turn her into an adult. Someone who could at least do something properly.

Maybe getting beat like that would finally shake her into reality, so he let it happen.

He even watched her run away crying before returning to the mansion—and then kept an eye on Hider and Rani ever since.

“…Just what are you?”

Tyburn murmured. That maid’s appearance was quite the anomaly. Barging into the White Room and shadowing the family like this…

The more he watched, the stranger and more suspicious she seemed.

But one thing was very clear—Hider cherished and relied on her deeply.

The lifeless eyes that used to resemble rotting fish were now full of clarity and longing—all because of that maid.

That maid must be the one Hider wanted to protect.

Once Tyburn confirmed that Hider and Rani had fully returned to the mansion, he moved.

He quietly headed toward the garden.

“Hah.”

Behind the abandoned hunter’s shack—where no one paid attention—was a garden as suspicious as Rani herself.

Tyburn held his head.

There was nothing not growing in that garden. It defied nature and all known laws of life.

Tyburn slowly walked through the garden.

He lightly flicked one of the brightly hanging fruits with his finger and his eyes lit up.

“Truly incredible.”