Translator: Blushy
Editor: Sam
We walked for a while and went to the greenhouse straight from the terrace of the guest room. The greenhouse that Okaa-sama dearly loved.
âThis is our greenhouse. Lei has only been here a few times.â
âAi.â
âPlease make yourselves at home,â Nii-sama said, and Nico ran into the greenhouse at once. The guards quickly followed after him. There were a lot of rare plants, so I was worried about whether he would pluck them.
âThis is the guest room, but from what I know, no one has ever stayed here. Okaa-sama came here a lot.â
Did he come here with Okaa-sama? Iâm jealous.
âEver since Lei became able to walk, Otou-sama stored her portrait and tea utensils.â
âOtou-syama...â
âHe was worried that Lei would be sad and wonder why she didnât have an Okaa-sama.â
Itâs a good reason, but I wonât get moved or cry because of that, because Otou-sama was just feeble.
âLei, you donât have an Okaa-sama?â
âChrish.â
I looked at, and Chris, who was still holding my hand, looked surprised.
âChris, Iâve told you this before, havenât I?â
Felicia looked at me worriedly. Children donât remember things that donât interest them. It probably never occurred to her that the Okaa-sama of the star of the party wasnât there.
âYou only have your Otou-sama?ân/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
I certainly donât have an Okaa-sama. But, âNii-syama too.â I have a wonderful brother. I puffed out my chest with pride.
âIâm here, too.â
Nico came running back. Heâs fast.
âIâm always with you in the daytime, so Iâm like your Nii-sama. And, Luke is your Nii-sama, so heâs like my Nii-sama. And, Gill is like Lukeâs Nii-sama, so heâs like our Nii-sama.â
âThatâs a little confusing.â
It really was confusing. That wasnât all Nico wanted.
âItâs boring to run around by myself. Lei, come. I donât mind if Chris comes too.â
This is my house, you know? Well, fine. Letâs explore the greenhouse! Nii-sama called me, âLei.â
âNii-syama, whath?â
Itâs rare for him to interrupt me when Iâm playing. But, that wasnât what he wanted to do.
âIf you go straight to the back, there are oranges.â
âOrangesh!â
Our eyes sparkled at the valuable information.
âAlright! Letâs go get some oranges!â
âLethâsh go!â
âI guess Iâll come too.â
Come to think of it, isnât the castleâs greenhouses more luxurious, so wouldnât they have oranges too? But, I didnât have time to think about it because the oranges could be stolen away. We ran like the wind.
âLei-sama canât run fast, like always.â I looked at the guard who said something unnecessary. Shouldnât Hans follow the example of the other guards and stay quiet?
I donât know if itâs on purpose, but we went straight through the maze-like greenhouse and saw an orange tree at the end. It wasnât in a very high place, but children couldnât reach it. I donât even know if Nii-sama could reach it.
âItâs beautiful! Iâve only seen orange trees which have been cut.â
Chris, the biggest of us three, reached out, but she still couldnât reach the oranges easily. Nico jumped up, but couldnât reach. Shouldnât we use something that can be used? I looked at Hans.
âHansh, up.â
âIâll lift you up whenever you ask me to, but isnât this foul play, Lei-sama?â
âHmm.â
I looked back, and Nico and Chris also made a face that said it was unfair. Then, what should we do?
Letâs talk about it.
We put our heads together and thought.
âHow about we climb it?â Nico said since he got good at tree-climbing lately.
âThe branchesh are thhin. Theyâww breaw.â
âSo, we canât?â
âIf you ask a maid to get the oranges.â
âFouwpway.â
Didnât you two give me that look when I asked Hans to pick me up? In that case, we have to use something. We looked around.
Should we throw stones? There arenât any stones in the neat greenhouse. Then, how about a stick? Three sticks which had been supporting a plant behind Hans had fallen down.
âNico, thath!â
âSticks?!â
Boys and sticks are a dangerous combination, but we donât have another choice right now. The were a bit heavy, but Nico and Chris were able to hold the sticks.
âAh, Lei-sama!â I heard a shriek. I held the stick and aimed it at the oranges.
âItâs dangerous!â
Oh, I nearly hit Hans for some reason. I staggered because it was heavy.
âEven the smallest stick is heavy. Babies are such a pain.â
Should I stagger again?
âYes, yes. Itâs dangerous, so please watch, Lei-sama.â
The stick was taken away. Well, he is looking after me.
âHith thhath big one over thhere.â
âLei, youâre only using your mouth.â
I gave instructions to the two who were staggering while holding their sticks. Nico looked unhappy. Arenât the two older ones also staggering? I looked at Hans disgruntledly, but he shook his head.
âLei wiww cheer you on!â
I wasnât allowed, so I waved my hands and cheered them on.
âOh my gosh, Lei.â
Chris laughed, and her stick managed to hit the oranges even though she was staggering.
âAh!â I heard a shriek from somewhere. It was probably the gardener. A few oranges dropped down along with some leaves. Nicoâs stick seemed to have hit the big orange.
âIt dropped!â
âWe got some!â
Three people picked up the fallen oranges. Why was I late even though I wasnât holding a stick? But, everyone was able to pick up two each.
âThese are for my father and mother!â
âThen, Lei wiww give it to Otou-syama and Nii-syama.â
Chris looked at her own oranges. Hans secretly shook the tree branch behind us.
âAh, Chris. Another one dropped.â
âReally?â
Chris turned around and carefully picked up the orange.
âThese are for Otou-sama, Okaa-sama, and Nee-sama.â
Iâm glad there was enough. Hans checked the oranges that had dropped.
âItâs ripe enough to eat. Lei-sama, isnât that good?â
âAi! Lethâsh go bacw, and everyone eath.â
We went back slowly so that we wouldnât drop the oranges.