ISDM 21

Chapter 21

“Hmm? Is this all?”
There were only three magical tools left.
I checked the other boxes just in case, but that was everything.
Will this be enough?
I didn’t know much about magical tools, but this seemed insufficient.
Worried, I reluctantly opened the turtle-shaped bag on my back and carefully placed the tools inside. I had brought everything except the rings and earrings from my personal safe.

“Hmm? But this magical tool…”
At that moment, my eyes widened slightly as I held the transparent tool up to the faint lamp light.

“This is…”
A tree seed?
What is this?

I had a rough idea of what protective magical tools looked like because we had two at home.
My father was often away at work, so we had them ready. (Thinking back, since Dad is a noble, maybe he had them from the start.)
Of course, when Dad wasn’t home, most of them were safely kept with Aunt Marsha, so I never had to use them.
Anyway, this form was new to me.

I didn’t know much about magic. And there was no one to ask.
But when it came to this seed, there were at least a hundred people(?) in this mansion I could ask.

I’ll try talking to the trees! Long live plants!

I vowed to investigate seriously and fitted the magnifying glass firmly to my hand.

“Huh?”
I walked around the mansion, looking for a tree I could communicate with, when suddenly I felt a chill at the back of my neck.

Eyes?
Who was it?
I spun around, but there was no one there.
It was the middle of the day with the sun shining, and the chance of an assassin sneaking into the Winterwald estate was basically zero.
Must be my imagination.

Blinking, my eyes caught something lying on the floor.

“…?”
A wooden doll?

“Oh?”
Even a version not sold in toy stores!
What is this? Did the maids drop it?

Before I knew it, I dashed over and picked up the doll. It was an adorable bear-shaped doll! Its arms, legs, and head moved.

“Aww, the bear is so cute!”
Its cheeks were even rosy!

I squatted on the spot, examining the wooden doll.
Sure enough, the initial ‘B’ was engraved on it.

Then…
There must be a secret mechanism somewhere!

I turned the doll over. Having played with them so much in the village of Rephy, figuring out this mechanism was easy.

“Here it is!”
I pressed the mechanism under its feet, and the bear suddenly landed on the floor with a thump. Then—knees pop!

“Huh?”
One arm raised.
The other arm raised.

“…Why are you moving already?”
Come to think of it, the bear’s expression seemed a little sad.

I blinked and quickly raised my head.

“….”
Shh-shh-shh.
A black shadow darted away behind a large tree.

That afternoon,
I had finished preparing for the parade.

I still don’t really know how to operate the seed-embedded magical tool.

Still, I had gained something. From the tree in front of Dad’s office.

“Hello! Thanks for letting me know when Dad’s office would be free!”
[Not at all. But you have something interesting, don’t you?]

“Do you know this magical tool? What’s the seed inside?”
[I don’t know that part. Seems like some kind of special barrier.]

“Ugh, it’s useless if I don’t know how to use it.”
[That’s not true. Even if you just activate it, it should function at the level of a normal protective magical tool.]

It’s good to know it’s not useless.
Sigh. It had premium features, but I could only use the basic ones.
A little disappointing.

Anyway, to use even the basic function of the tool, I needed magical power.
I spent hours struggling to transfer my power into the tool. Just a little.
It was extremely difficult since I’d never formally learned magic or how to use magical tools, but thankfully, I was clever enough to manage.
If I had to describe it, the feeling was somewhat similar to when I moved my magic to communicate with plants.

The magical tool activated in my hand, sparkling brightly.
Now, if danger approached, a protective barrier would unfurl like an umbrella.
Umbrella, huh.

“But who was the person hiding earlier? The one who dropped the wooden doll near me?”
[Oh, you mean little Elisa’s partner?]

So it really was Blaine Winterwald.
Was that his way of apologizing?
I petted the cute bear in my hands and thought about it.
I’ll muster the courage to visit him after the parade. Maybe he’s not as scary as I thought.

He even bought such an expensive wooden doll for me.

I gripped the protective magical tool tightly and made a promise.

Anyway, tomorrow night, I’ll secretly hide the tool under Elisa’s carriage seat.

The parade was the day after tomorrow!
But no matter how I thought about it, the small number of tools bothered me.
I need to investigate more.

My head drooped strangely.
I had no energy to go up to the fourth-floor room and plopped down on the lobby stairs.

Just a little rest, then later…
Having wandered all day, I was exhausted.
As I dozed off like a sickly chicken, Kate approached.

“Ririn, what are you doing here?”
Ah! Almost fell asleep.
I stretched and said,
“Waiting for Dad… I mean, the Duke!”
“The young lady?”
“Yes.”

This was actually a habit of mine.
Around dusk, I waited for Dad in front of the house.

“Ah, the carriage’s coming in.”
Kate patted my head and gestured.
The carriage stopped in the distance, and Dad appeared with Ruska.

“Kya!”
Sleep vanished instantly!
I jumped up and ran.
Whenever I ran, tired Dad would spin me around and hug me tightly.
It was a little disappointing that this time only my eyebrows flew in the wind… but it didn’t matter!

“Dad! You’re back!”
He glanced at me and continued walking.
I hurried after him.

“Where are you going? Aren’t you going inside?”
“The East Garden.”

My eyes widened.
The East Garden was one of the places I had been targeting.
The Winterwald estate had many gardens proportional to its size.
Around the main building where I stayed, there were only small, rigid gardens—not fun.
But the East Garden was different.
It’s more like a small forest than a garden!
I heard there was even a lake!

“Why there? Why?”
Ruska, who was standing behind, answered.

“We’re planning to build another annex.”
“Oh.”
“Blaine’s workshop and villa will be there.”
“Ohh…”
So Dad, the villainous father’s father…
Of course, he must be building some sort of weapon.
Of course, of course. That’s the kind of thing you make secretly in a forest.

Ruska said she had some finishing touches to do and would follow a bit later.
Dad gestured for me to stay on the way.

“Keep this kid in the dining room.”

No way.

“I want to go too!”
“Who said you could go? Maids don’t go there. Only gardeners do.”
“Then I’ll be a maid, gardener, and daughter! The more jobs, the better!”
“Don’t even talk.”

Dad shook his head, taking large strides away.
I smirked, thinking he didn’t expect me to keep up.

Being a strong kid who exercised regularly every morning, I quickly caught up, and Dad raised an eyebrow in approval.
Of course, my stamina only lasted about two minutes.

“Huff, huff… why is he so far ahead…”
I wished someone would give me a ride in the carriage.
“Phew…”

Then, the Duke, who had been quietly looking down at me, muttered as if chewing on his words:

“There are many ways to control people.”

“Huh?”
My viewpoint suddenly rose.
I blinked in surprise.
I didn’t ask to be picked up. I didn’t use any magic to control him.

But it was the embrace I’d longed for!
Determined not to let go, I clutched my stiff jacket tightly.
Dad, accustomed, held me and strode forward again.
Good. Faster than a carriage.

“…I’ve noticed you for a while now.”
As we neared the entrance of the forest garden, a low voice interrupted, and I flared my nostrils.

“Did I ever raise you without feeding you?”

“Huh?”
I lifted my head and met his blue eyes, realizing he’d been watching me all along.

“It feels like only a shadow is here.”
“That’s because Dad is too strong… wow!”

I gasped at the sight unfolding before me.