LSBVF ~ 06

Chapter ~ 06

Khalid’s office.

“How is the child?”

Khalid Cloudian asked the physician who had examined Clover.

He must have been so anxious while waiting for the physician to arrive that he asked the question before the physician had even finished closing the office door.

After quickly examining Clover, who had collapsed, the physician adjusted his glasses and gave Khalid the answer he had been waiting for.

“She is fine.”

“Thank goodness.”

“She simply fainted because her body was overwhelmed by the strength of the power. If she gets some rest, she should wake up soon. There are no other significant problems.”

Khalid had been worried when he saw how much smaller Clover was than other children her age, wondering if she had been poorly fed at the Demper Count’s household.

Now, he finally felt relieved.

“But, Your Grace.”

The physician, who had been listing Clover’s condition one detail after another, suddenly stopped and looked up at Khalid.

At the physician’s serious expression, Khalid tensed again.

He wondered if there was perhaps another problem with the child.

“What is it?”

“You know what will happen if things continue like this, don’t you? She will collapse again before long.”

“……”

“The young lady’s body still cannot withstand the Cloudian power.”

The meaning behind those words was clear.

For now, there had been no choice but to bring the child to the Cloudian estate, but soon they would have to find another place for her to live.

Khalid had thought that being separated from his child once would be enough.

Yet now, he was facing the possibility of having to part with her a second time.

Khalid rubbed his chin with a troubled expression.

“I know.”

“You must find a way to retrieve the World Tree’s branch from the Demper household as soon as possible. It is necessary for the young lady’s health.”

“Yes…”

“And, Your Grace, it would be best if you did not go near the young lady for the time being. Her body is probably still recovering, and I am concerned that she might collapse again if she gets too close to you.”

“!”

Khalid raised his eyebrows.

Not go near her for the time being?

Ever since bringing Clover to the Cloudian estate, he had not even been able to see her face.

When the child had collapsed in his arms, he had hurriedly handed her over to someone without any powers. He had not even been able to properly hold her.

In a low voice, he asked,

“Would it really be impossible for me to see her, even just for a moment?”

“No.”

“I only just brought her here.”

“I know.”

“She thinks I abandoned her…”

The physician’s expression softened slightly.

“It is unfortunate. However, I believe it would be better to clear up that misunderstanding through other means.”

The physician was firm.

“Your Grace, Clover is like a young sprout that has not yet taken root, and when a typhoon comes, a young sprout can easily be torn from the ground.”

“……”

“It must be painful for you, but this is all for the young lady’s health. You understand, do you not?”

“…I understand.”

Khalid reluctantly nodded.

There was nothing wrong with the physician’s words. Everything was for Clover’s health.

He could not make the child suffer again just because of his own selfish desire.

‘Why did Daddy only come find Clover now?’

‘Did Daddy not want to see Clover?’

‘Did Daddy abandon Clover?’

…He could not let that happen.

‘Because Clover wasn’t useful…?’

…He absolutely could not let that happen.

“Damn it.”

Khalid ran a hand through his hair.

His neatly arranged hair became disheveled, reflecting the turmoil in his heart.

He had finally brought home the daughter he had wanted to see so desperately, yet he could not even hold her to his heart’s content.

Just then—

Knock, knock.

Someone knocked on the door.

Both Khalid and the physician turned toward it.

“Come in.”

At Khalid’s command, the door opened cautiously, and a maid hurried inside.

She bowed deeply before Khalid, then straightened and spoke.

“My lord, Lady Clover has awakened.”

Then, blinking, she added,

“She is asking for you, my lord. What should I do?”

“……”

At that moment, Khalid sighed, and his eyes met the physician’s.

Physician Sina firmly shook her head.

“Please wait here for just a little while, Lady Clover.”

“Okayyy.”

Belze sat Clover down on a soft sofa.

Clover obediently answered as she fiddled with the clothes she was wearing.

‘It smells nice.’

And they were incredibly soft.

There were even big bunny ears attached to her hat.

Compared to the clothes she had worn at her aunt’s house, these were like heaven and earth.

Clover touched her clothes as she thought about the clothes she had worn at the evil aunt’s house.

Sometimes, boys’ clothes had been mixed in with them.

They were clothes Louis had worn when he was little.

‘I don’t have to wear those anymore?’

That would be nice.

‘Hey, Peanut, you’re wearing the clothes I threw away again.’

‘Aw, it’s torn… Here, take this and wear it.’

All the other clothes were fine, but Clover hated wearing the clothes Louis had worn.

Even a four-year-old child had pride and feelings.

“……”

Clover, who had been sitting quietly, stole a glance at Belze.

Belze was busy arranging the blankets and pillows.

She was moving around so busily that Clover did not dare interrupt her.

‘I’m bored…’

When was Daddy coming?

Belze had told her that if she waited patiently here, Daddy would come.

But vague words like soon or wait a little felt like such a long time to four-year-old Clover.

‘No. I should still wait.’

How could she finally meet her father only to immediately get branded as a disobedient child?

Besides, waiting was what Clover was best at.

For four years, Clover had patiently waited for her mommy and daddy.

At her evil aunt’s house.

Thinking of her evil aunt, Clover rubbed her chin with a serious expression.

‘Hmm… Auntie must be really angry.’

She was probably furious.

After all, Daddy had appeared and destroyed her aunt’s house.

With one boom, the walls had collapsed.

It had been an incredibly cool sight.

The power of Daddy that Auntie had always talked about.

The power Clover did not possess…

Now, she could understand a little why her aunt had scolded her and demanded to know why she had not awakened that power.

Anyway, the walls had been destroyed, so Auntie must have been extremely angry.

‘But Daddy did that. I didn’t do it…’

Still, Auntie might try to drag Clover away again if she found her.

At the thought, Clover’s little shoulders shrank.

Whenever she thought about her aunt, Clover felt like hiding somewhere.

Her mood instantly darkened, so Clover shook her head from side to side.

No, no. Let’s think about something else.

Thinking bad thoughts was bad for Clover!

That was what Lucky had told her.

Clover hopped down from the sofa and toddled over to the window.

Standing on tiptoe, she clung to the windowsill and looked outside.

The vast garden of the Cloudian ducal residence stretched clearly beyond the glass.

“Woooow…”

The garden of the Cloudian estate was incomparably larger and more magnificent than the garden at the Demper Count’s residence.

Even to young Clover’s eyes, there were countless magnificent statues scattered throughout it.

But Clover felt as though the enormous garden were completely empty.

She narrowed her eyes and concentrated.

And then she realized!

‘Why does everything look so wilted?’

All the grass looked limp and withered, and here and there, she could see trees that were slowly dying.

There was no way a garden this large did not have gardeners, so why was it like this?

‘Could it be… here too?’

Was there no seed here either?

Clover tilted her head.

The Crystal Seed.

Lucky had told her that wherever plants lived in groups, there was always one of those seeds.

It was responsible for sharing its power with the plants in the surrounding area.

If something happened to the Crystal Seed, the grass would wither and die just like this.

‘Is it really not here?’

If the garden looked so shabby because it was missing that seed, then Clover could help.

Maybe she would finally have something she could do.

The thought made Clover’s mood brighten a little.

‘I want to find out.’

Clover looked around.

If she asked Lucky, she would definitely get an answer.

But—

‘Lucky, where did you go?’

Lucky was nowhere to be seen.

It was strange.

Ever since Clover had met Lucky, he had never once left her side.

Just as Clover began looking around for Lucky—

“Oh my, Lady Clover. You mustn’t climb up like that. It’s dangerous.”

“Ah, eeeh…”

Belze spotted Clover practically hanging from the window and quickly picked her up.

Then she carried her back to the same sofa and sat her down.

“Please wait just a little longer. His Grace will be here soon.”

“Okayyy, I got it.”

So hanging from the window was dangerous.

Come to think of it, Lucky might have said something like that before.

No adults other than Lucky had ever told her things like that.

Hmm.

Clover pulled both legs up onto the sofa and hugged them tightly, resting her cheek against her knees.

“Daddy… I wanna see you soon….”