"Wow, that's such a positive reaction... Is it already the effect of building the cabin? Going to a place full of memories was the right answer after all... Right, Theo?"
"Uh-huh."
Theo answered confidently. Then, he dragged over a pickaxe that was lying nearby. Even though he was a baby, Theo was quite strong.
"Dad always tilled the garden for me... So I stubbornly refused help from anyone else. Here..."
As I handed over the pickaxe, Dad let out a bewildered breath.
"You think I'll obediently listen to you..."
Sparkle, sparkle. Zap!
"...listen to you."
Theo joined in.
Sparkle, sparkle, sparkle, sparkle.
'Dad's gotten a bit weak against me these days!'
I was sure that he would grumble but still do as I asked. And just as expected.
"Damn it..."
Dad, rolling up his sleeves and tilling the land with somehow familiar movements...
It looked like he was doing it very roughly, but he was flinging pebbles away with a whoosh, yanking out weeds with a swish, and skillfully firming up the ridges for each section I had marked out. His skills were extraordinary.
It was such an eco-friendly and familiar image of our neighborhood that I wanted to put it in the newsletter.
He could shed his villainous thug image in an instant. Too bad.
"Hahaha! Living long enough, you see all sorts of strange things!"
Just then, Elisa appeared from inside the house, giggling.
"Grandma!"
"Oh my, my precious darling."
I scurried over to her and hugged her tightly.
"I've put various pieces of furniture inside, just as you said. Would you like to see them later?"
"Yes!"
"Tsk tsk, it seems Alec was a bit incompetent... The bedding and furniture are all cheap."
At Grandma's quiet reproach, Dad's back muscles, which were working the garden like a cow, twitched.
Grandma said loudly, making sure he could hear, "The appearance is similar, but know that everything has been custom-made!"
"..."
"Wow, Grandma, you're so cool!"
"Right? Then shall we have tea time here?"
"Yes!"
With a flick of Grandma's hand, maids quickly set up rocking chairs and a tea table.
"Looking at it now, the scenery here is very beautiful. It's a shame we've left it neglected all this time."
"Hehehe."
I drank milk tea with sweet chestnut honey with Theo, and Grandma sipped apple tea with cinnamon.
Of course, Dad's body was still faithfully dedicated to preparing my playground. His taut muscles worked hard enough to stretch his shirt wrinkles tight.
Gardeners approached and asked, "Sir, shall we take over?" but Dad, suddenly feeling competitive, waved them all away.
'It's just like old times. Dad used to do all the hard work when I'd squat in the garden.'
Slurp, slurp.
The milk tea is delicious.
"What am I even doing right now... Like a slave."
I'm a Duke. The master.
I thought I heard such confused muttering from time to time.
Slurp, slurp.
Pretend not to notice, pretend not to notice.
Clear sky.
Refreshing air.
Warm and soft sunlight!
'I love that it hasn't rained these days!'
I carried the crop basket that Grandpa had woven and walked with light steps.
I paused briefly in front of the main house stairs, and a donkey-drawn cart came rattling from afar.
"Mr. Gardener! Hello! Please give me a ride!"
"Sure, Ririn. Going to the east forest again today?"
"Yes!"
I gave the cute donkey a kiss, then climbed onto the cart and sat down, hugging my knees between fertilizer sacks and gravel sacks.
"Be careful not to fall off."
"Wow, you even put in a cushion! Thank you."
"Hehehe."
Since the distance between the main house and the east forest was a bit far, I often hitched rides on the gardeners' carts like this.
'Hmm. It would be nice if I could drive a cart like this too.'
I wish I could drive a cart like this. I need to get around!
Just then, the gardener spoke to me.
"Ririn, as you said, it's good to sprinkle charcoal powder and dried 'boolsae' droppings mixed in rainwater on the plants in the central garden."
"Oh. I knew it."
"How did you figure out what those picky things needed, huh?"
"Hehe, I just saw it in a book."
Actually, the surrounding trees told me what they needed!
I hummed a song and admired the scattered clouds above my head.
"Come to think of it, you've been diligently going to the library these days, haven't you?"
"Yes... No!"
I was about to nod but shook my head vigorously.
"I'm not going there to play! I'm just performing cleaning status inspection duties."
"Hehehe. Sure, sure."
'But it's true!'
The library had a cleaning score of, like, negative 500.
This was because, although the overall cleanliness was not bad, the books were full of scribbles, presumably by Dad.
'Tons of swear words that shouldn't be read...'
I censored them appropriately.
In any case, I was currently visiting the library and looking through all sorts of plant books.
There were so many good books, incomparable to those in Lepi Village, which I found very satisfying.
"Thank you for the ride!"
Suddenly, the cart had arrived in front of the east garden.
I ran down the nice, long path.
In the distance, I saw a familiar profile.
Elisa Winterwald, reading a book while looking at the lake as always.
My expression brightened instantly.
"Elisa! Hello!"
"......"
"Huh?"
Why is Elisa pretending not to know me even when she sees me?
"Ahem. Hmm."
Looking at her elegant profile, averting her gaze and just picking at her fingernails, my mind snapped back to reality.
"Heheng."
I quickly ran to her and rubbed my face against her knees. And said,
"Grandma, hello."
"Aigooo! My cute little puppy!"
She patted my butt.
"You've finally come!"
In her arms, filled with the scent of sunshine, I smiled brightly.
"Oh? You're the unfailing little farmer today, aren't you?"
"Grandpa made these clothes for me!"
Grandma Elisa spun me around and admired me, and I puffed out my chest like a plump bird.
These days, super-talented Grandpa was taking full responsibility for my outfits.
Today, it was checkered overalls that fit me perfectly.
The bottom of the pants was roughly tucked into yellow rain boots that came up to mid-calf, and a roughly woven straw hat sat on my head.
An outfit that was no problem no matter where I ran! Comfortable!
'Of course... the real point of this outfit is the socks Dad bought me, though.'
In many senses... that is.
'Wow, I've never seen socks like this before. Jewels, embroidery. The fabric was really something else.'
The ultra-luxury sock case that arrived this morning.
The moment I opened the case, I had to rub my eyes about 15 times, thinking I had opened my eyes in a treasure chest.
Dad said, super nonchalantly,
"I dropped the order form, and they just left it in front of the house. We'll have to share them."
"Huh!"
-and then disappeared after uttering those boastful words.
'Still, I like it.'
I wiggled my toes inside the crazy expensive socks.
Perhaps because they were designer handmade items, the embroidery was a little weird, but it was okay.
'I was sad because all the socks I had in Lepi Village burned up.'
Dad bought them for me again, so it's okay. Even if the design is a bit out there!
'I feel like I'm getting closer to my amnesiac Dad!'
The cabin was about 90% complete.
What was a little depressing was that, contrary to my expectations, there was no particular improvement in Dad's memory recovery.
Because of that, my motivation almost waned, but I felt a bit better after receiving these socks. Of course, the design is a bit weird, though.
'Let's not rush things. Recovery takes time! Still, Dad doesn't frown as much when he looks at the cabin, right?'
Yay! Positive reaction! It would've been even better if the socks weren't so weird-looking!
I carefully checked that my bright yellow rain boots were thoroughly covering the socks, then picked up the crop basket.
"So, have you finished preparing to plant something in the garden?" Grandma asked.
"Of course!"
I took her hand and went to the garden.
"I'm going to plant potatoes here, tomatoes here, and lettuce here!"
Grandma laughed out loud as I pointed to the signs with my crooked handwriting.
"And..."
I rummaged through my bag and took out the dried pumpkin seeds that Mr. Gardener had shared.
"Since I'm eight years old, I'm going to try growing pumpkins... Ah! And there's more!"
"More?"
"I'm planning to plant herbs on the edge of the garden too!"
That's the plan!
"Hahahaha! Yes, plant them all! Plant everything in this mansion except for my husband!"
"Huh, then can I plant the Duke too?"
"Of course."
Her lips curled into a mischievous smile.
"Bury him without a trace. That guy needs to be reborn. Of course, this grandma will have your back."
"That's kind of scary..."
"Ahem, ahem. Anyway, just tell me if you need anything! But..."
Grandma tilted her head, turning her gaze towards the garden.
"Theo, that kid has been like that since earlier. What on earth is he doing?"
"Ah..."
I stared at Theo Valt, who was standing in the middle of the garden in an outfit similar to mine.
