TMOWM~48

  Chapter 48

At that moment, in Katieron’s vegetable garden.
If the gardener ever returned, he would probably clutch the back of his neck and collapse at the sight unfolding in Katieron’s garden.
All the expensive ornamental trees had been uprooted and replaced by a vegetable patch. Somehow—no one knew exactly what blessing Katieron possessed—rare crops grew like weeds the moment they were planted.

And since there was steady demand, instead of increasing the variety of crops, they decided to simply expand the garden.
The servants, wiping the sweat from their brows, stared blankly ahead.

“…What do kids even eat these days?”
“Tell me about it. Or maybe it’s just the girls these days who are strange?”

One servant’s gaze shifted to a young girl grunting nearby.

“What? What about me!!”

The girl snapped back, clearly reacting because she had seen what they were looking at. Huffing in indignation, she stomped off a little distance away.
The adults turned their eyes forward again—there was the slender figure of a girl plowing furrows like a charging ox.
Only neatly turned soil and well-mixed furrows were left in her wake.

“What’s her name again?” one servant asked, looking a bit uneasy.
“I think it’s Dania. She’s that young master’s maid’s friend—Lani’s friend.”
“Wow, she’s really something. She’s already done half the work. Even Sir Hilden isn’t this fast.”
“Sir Hilden doesn’t do this kind of heavy labor. But don’t you think she’s even faster than Lani?”
“I think so too.”
“We’d better get moving. At this rate, we’ll feel bad even eating our share.”
“Exactly. Come on, pick up your tools. At this pace, she’ll want to plant seedlings before the day’s over.”

The servants shook their heads but picked up the farming tools they had set down.

It was a sunny winter afternoon.
Dania was tearing into the soil with eyes full of joy.
Thus, winter in Katieron ripened—together with these girls who possessed unbelievable strength.

I was realizing more and more each day just how wonderful it was to have someone else working in my place.
Dania, who had found her talent in the vegetable patch, was using the farming skill better than I was. Her steadily rising experience points proved it.

Ah, the power of capitalism.
Dania was thoroughly steeped in it.

Thanks to her, I now had the leisure to share heder cheese and potatoes with Hider. He tilted his head.

“The joy of pushing work onto others? What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It’s a thing. You should know this too, young master. Capitalism is important—money rules the world.”

After all, Dania’s enthusiasm was entirely fueled by money. Hider looked puzzled.

It was probably best to change the subject—otherwise he might pick up another strange idea from me.
I still hadn’t recovered from the shock of him once saying, “As long as you don’t get caught, it’s fine, right?”

“Ahem, these potatoes are really good. We grew them ourselves.”
“…Didn’t we plant them yesterday?”
“Yes, yesterday.”

I replied shamelessly. The crops were growing as fast as our experience points were stacking up.

“Maybe that’s why they taste extra fresh?”

They had sprouted from seed just yesterday—of course they were fresh. I smiled, and Hider shook his head.

“They are good, though.”

I glanced at him—suddenly realizing that quite a bit of time had passed since we met.
It wasn’t just the potatoes and vegetables that had grown. Hider had gotten taller.

The shirt I’d made for him just a month ago was now too short.

“I’ll have to take your measurements again, young master.”

I sometimes bought his clothes, but nothing beat the satisfaction of making them myself. Praise be to the sewing skill.

“Me?”
“Yes, your shirt’s already too short. This time, I’ll try a new design.”

Hider let out a small laugh.

“It’s fine to make it simple. It’s going to get dirty and ruined soon anyway.”
“There’s no such thing as ‘simple’ when it comes to this.”

I said solemnly. Hider was my muse and the source of my fangirling.

I never wanted to see that blessed face wearing sackcloth again. Sure, people say the best accessory is a good face—but I wanted to dress that beautiful exterior in equally beautiful clothes.

Idol fangirling exists for a reason.

“Just trust me, young master.”

Hider chuckled and stood.

“Thanks, Lani. I’ve been able to wear nice clothes thanks to you.”
“It’s nothing… uh… young master?”

He was wiping his hands when he turned slightly toward me. He was on the verge of turning fourteen, and with that extra year came a sharper jawline—less of a boy now.

But that wasn’t what caught my attention. I shot to my feet.

“You’ve grown taller, young master!”

Hider, who used to be shorter than me, now stood above me. He was fuel-efficient—getting more out of what I fed him than seemed possible.

He’d been growing quickly, and now he’d finally surpassed me. Though, to be fair, my own height refusing to budge played a part.

Tch.

I stepped right up to him, comparing the height with my hand. The difference was obvious.

“Ugh!”

Hider suddenly made a strange noise and stepped back.

“Young master? Oh—did I step on your foot? I’m sorry!”

Maybe I had, in my excitement. But Hider shook his head frantically, still covering his face.

“N-no, that’s not it.”
“Young master?”

What on earth was wrong with him?

“J-just go. I’m going to train now! You’re… you’re distracting me!”

I didn’t know why, but the atmosphere made it seem like I should obey. He even looked like he might cry.

“Uh… okay.”

Why was he acting like that after happily eating potatoes? I pouted but stepped back—I didn’t want to get in the way of his training.

You know this big sister is cheering you on, right?

As Lani’s quick footsteps retreated, Hider rubbed a hand over his face.
Underneath, his face was flushed bright red.

Lani had no sense of caution.

When she suddenly stepped in close, her scent—warm and milky—hit him like a wave. That sweet, toasty smell was shocking enough, but the visual impact had been worse.

Long lashes fluttering so close they might brush his own, and those large eyes…
Every breath she took seemed to tickle his skin along with her scent.

It was only Hider who was driven mad by Lani’s obliviousness.

He rolled his eyes in frustration. Whatever this was, whenever she came close, his heart would pound and his face would burn.

He didn’t want her to notice—she’d think he was weird.

“Haa…”

He raked his fingers through his hair.

It wasn’t just him who had grown—Lani had too. She had turned sixteen this year.

She was slowly changing from a girl into a young lady.
It wasn’t only his sleeves that had grown short—hers had too.

Lani was growing, and more than that, she was becoming more and more mature.

She didn’t notice, but Hider was painfully aware.
No—that wasn’t strange.

“Don’t you think Lani’s gotten really pretty lately?”
“It’s her age. She’ll be an adult soon. She should find a good man and get married. Pretty maids always end up having it harder, though.”
“Don’t worry so much. The young master cherishes her—he’ll make sure she’s well settled.”

Marriage? Ridiculous. But the fact that she was becoming more beautiful was something everyone noticed.

“Phew…”

He fanned himself faster—his heart was pounding so hard it felt like it would be audible.

Finally, Hider crouched down, catching his breath.

“I’m going crazy.”