Why did this happen?
The daughter of the duke, Lydia von Ernest, was indignant while stuffing her face with afternoon sweets. Usually, you would mind your manners and eat little by little but, only today she can’t care about it.
She still isn’t calm about the rude fellow from this morning. Further, the maid also couldn’t be fired. Even now while frightened they serve her black tea. The tea leaves changed depending on the day according to one’s mood, and served after the temperature was exactly right. As far as tea was concerned, out of all the maids, she was the most skilled.
Now, in the garden, during the early afternoon, on the visible terrace, Lydia is the only one having tea.
The duke, her father, is busy with work, and her mother just gave birth to her younger sister so her attention is focused there.
As for Lydia, for manners and so forth, there were several people in charge of teaching her. However, in her schedule there is some time for herself. There isn’t a need for a large number of maids.
Her afternoon is vacant. She always prepares for the next day’s lessons, reading in a room but, she once again she complains about the rude person.
So far, the servants have not made a retort, that being the case this morning she was at a loss for words, this time she was enthusiastic about surely talking down to that guy.
Then that being said, she noticed it.
That rude fellow, what house was he from, she wondered.
Because he was meeting with her father, she was certain he was a servant, but if she doesn’t know what kind of job he has, she won’t find him in this large estate.

「Hey, the rude guy from this morning, just who is he?」

When she looked at the maid a little bit and listened, the maid froze up a bit and answered.

「That boy……? He came together with Baumgartner-san, that being the case, is he an apprentice gardener, I wonder?」

With the maid’s statement, she gradually remembered there was a person in the house nearby. If she wasn’t mistaken, there was a bear-like man who was bigger than her father. He was Baumgartner, wasn’t he?
Was he a gardener, or that is to say, today would he also be in this garden, she wondered.
Extending her gaze to the other side of the terrace, cutting the shrubs exactly right was someone Baumgartner-like, as the figure of a large man was there.
With her gaze searching these surroundings, she found a small figure crouching over.
Lydia put her fork down, leaving her seat after she finished the remnants of her black tea.

「I will be taking a small walk.」

Understanding she was implicitly saying not to follow her, the maid said to take care to her back. Lydia is still very young, and will not leave the grounds of the estate without her parents. The extent of her “stroll” is the grounds of the estate.
Leaving the garden at a somewhat fast pace, she found the boy she aimed for. He didn’t realize her and next to some flowers he was crouched over, silently doing something. Little by little, slowly he shifted horizontally.
Come to think of it, the man named Baumgartner wasn’t here. Other work separated them, it seems.

「Hey, you!」

「……what’s wrong, I’m out of breath.」

With that voice the boy who lifted his head responded, out of breath, mysteriously saw a heavily breathing Lydia. He didn’t talk to her immediately as she found him, because he was catching his breath. It is expected that a daughter like Lydia could not use an unpaved road such as following the fence, and it is a considerable range from the terrace. This was the first time her own feet had walked a long distance here, as she had gone past the extent of her usual stroll where she would immediately turn back to the estate. Partially because she was hurrying, she couldn’t make a sound for a while when she found the boy.

「For what reason are you at such a faraway place!?」

「Tell it to your large garden.」

Making a complaint, his gaze returned from Lydia to his work. Naturally, a gardener apprentice would be in the garden. The “garden” of the state is just considerably large.

「Well. What are you doing over there?」

Even while dropping his gaze to his task at hand, there is the appearance he is listening to the conversation. His voice just went in her direction.

「Ah, I went out to give you an opportunity to apologize.」

「That is, because your father spoke, I was saved trouble, however, going out especially for you…… you have free time, huh?」

「Today, by chance, I do not have afternoon lessons.」

He couldn’t play the part of a person with a lot of free time and immediately replied.

「As expected of the nobility, from the time you’re a small child you’re immersed in study. Difficult, huh?」

Even though what she’s doing is just natural for the nobility, Lydia is bewildered hearing such feelings for the first time. If that’s the case, you would feel like you’re persevering and trying your best, subconsciously.

「That is right! However……」

「Ahh, sorry. I am unskilled at formal language. I am very sorry.」

When she tried to demand an apology so she wouldn’t be prominently confused, she was simply apologized to. Her words were dampened.
However, even if he apologized as it is, showing the back of his reddish-brown hair that looked like feathers, it was still rude. Thus, a central part of the apology is not there.

「You must face towards me when you apologize! Additionally, you must say the something you are apologizing for, isn’t that right!?」

「Eh, that’s unreasonable. I won’t finish the quota set by my father..」

You must finish it by the time the sun falls down, he said. From some time ago his hands doing something slightly shifted, repeating some action.

「……which reminds me, from time ago, what are you doing?」

「I’m pulling out weeds, you know. Later, I’ll be culling overgrown insect repellant herbs.」

With a second look, next to him are two baskets, which according to some rule separated each type of grasses.

「Why is there a necessity to pull even the herbs?」

The insect repellant or such mentioned some time ago, Lydia did not understand the reason for decreasing them.

「That herb is also a weed, so it multiplies quickly.」

If it was the case that a herb was a weed, Lydia didn’t know about it. To that unexpected truth, she was surprised and said nothing.
In the time she was silent, the crouching boy who was turning his back to her pulled weeds, setting them aside in their respective baskets. Lydia’s understanding was to only the extent that mint-like blades of grass exists. Perhaps there was a type of mint in the baskets, it seems? The basket of weeds hasn’t reached its capacity, but there is a considerable amount.

「……with lots of herbs like that, what do you do with them?」

Lydia had only seen a pinch of herbs, or the amount of herbs as tea leaves. The amount seen doesn’t match up to that kind of usage.

「Hmm…… firstly, we ask the kitchen if they need any, then the remnants I entrust to my mother. Maybe, tonight, we’ll use the herbs for cooking, and after drying them to use as something like tea leaves, you know?」

It seems Lydia realized he was doing this work for tonight’s meal. To Lydia, something like meals could be changed if she asked. For the making of tea leaves, she didn’t have a general understanding. The boy in front of her is so different from Lydia, that she was surprised many times over.

「……then, aside from that, properly apologize!」

The things that were just on her mind that she asked about caused her to lose sight of the conversation, however, she had not finished asking for his retraction.

「How I said your personality is ugly?」

「That is right!!」

With her apology demand, the boy’s working hands accidentally stopped, and for a moment he pondered.

「Hmm, for example, however, that because the king suddenly decided to war with the adjoining country, your father was ordered to the battlefield to fight, what would you think?」

It was an abrupt question, but using her family as an example, Lydia answered immediately.

「That kind of order is tyranny! That kind of king is a foolish king! Since, to what extent does war damage its citizens… above all else, I could not forgive such a thing like sending my father to the frontlines!」

「Exactly.」

「Yes?」

「What you said to that maid, it was something like she was terrible, yes? For ordinary people, the presence of work is life or death, even if their origins are from nobles, there is certainly a reason they turn pale.」

The maid she tried to fire and chased after her, Lydia didn’t know her. At that time, she didn’t notice because had turned on her heel and wanted to quickly leave. However, he knew the maid’s complexion, that is to say, that sort of thing.
He was able to notice in that instant the maid’s circumstances, it seems.  From a third party it seems, but the truth was he had a wider field of view at that time. Realizing her childishness, Lydia’s face was colored in shame. By all rights, it was age appropriate as a child but, as one raised in the house of a noble, it was not permissible for Lydia. Even if later she looked back on and understood, Lydia didn’t want to look back on it and hung her head.

「Do you know that maid’s name?」

「No……」

It isn’t necessary to know her name, she hadn’t memorized things like the maid’s name. She knew the face.

「Then, do you know that maid’s good points?」

「……out of all the maids I know, she’s the best at making tea.」

She knew even tastes she prefered, it seemed. However, for her, it was a delicious experience.

「If she was fired, you would become unable to drink that tea, and you’d be in trouble, right?」

「……I would be… troubled.」

That tea that was brewed as if it was ordinary would be lost, and when she thought about it she became sad.
Because she tried to do something troubling, Lydia was regretful.

「Mhm. You’re properly watching over your subordinates, aren’t you? It’s small, but it’s admirable.」

「Yes.」

Lydia unconsciously lifted her head, doubly surprised she heard a voice closer than she thought and that she was unexpectedly praised by him.
Looking up, she clashed with bronze eyes. That kind of smiling while laughing hadn’t been seen by nobles.

「Besides, that’s it, it seems. In all seriousness, I didn’t want to be fired, and then at any rate, I want to keep my lonely father company.」

「Wh!?」

Even if the next one is a better excuse, suddenly his hands in cotton gloves patted her head, making a ponpon sound.
Also more importantly, with him unconsciously hitting the bullseye, her facial temperature suddenly went up.
That, she hadn’t realized.
By saying it just like that, she realized there was nothing more.
Her father’s work, her mother being busy taking care of her sister, and her with her studies, the amount of meals where all of them were present had decreased. The times she was alone increased. There is no way that a five year old was feeling lonely although, Lydia herself, saying 「I’m a noble, so therefore」 unconsciously didn’t see she was pretending.
This morning, she wanted to have a reason to meet her father. She wanted for him to care, but with only that reason it would be no good to meet with her father, she thought. On further realizing her true feelings, it can’t be helped she was embarrassed this reality was found out by this guy before herself. Then, in what way he understood, she questioned, as the bronze eyes she stared at became firm.

「You’ve become a nice shade of red, huh?」

「Whose fault is that!?」

With something like admiration in his voice to calm her down, the hand that was patting her brushed something aside, and then he replied.

「Me, I’m only talking normally, right?」

「That kind of normal is strange! I am a noble, and you are a commoner, you know!?」

「‘You’, that’s a rude way of calling people, huh. Using a name is the right way, so I’m Isaac. You’re Dia, right?」

「That’s a nickname only family members are allowed to use! I have the splendid name my father gave me, Lydia.」

「Lydei……  it’s hard to call out…… a nickname is easier.」

「That is not allowed.」

「Ehh, then, how about ‘Ojou’?」

「You must call me properly!」

「Ojou, you’re like a teacher, huh?」 [T/N: The raw has his say ‘daughter’ in a polite form, so I got nothing. The only real alternative is ‘Lady Daughter’ which makes me have an aneurysm when I read it because it sounds so clunky, so oh well]

「Y…… I do not think Isaac is by any means older than me……」

She was somewhat worn out.
With him, the emotions going up and down accidentally became intense. From the first meeting where he did not act very noble-like,  he would usually forget gracefulness as he talked like he was with an ordinary girl. Then, with an attitude towards nobles unbefitting a commoner, while still paying attention, being appropriate with him was absurd.

「I think it’s fine for the Ojou to be more childlike.」

What was he saying? Even when he exposed his own childishness.

「To the Duke and your family, it will be good to say ‘I want you to care about me’.」

「I cannot say that!」

To a proposal of something she cannot do, she unconsciously raised her voice.
If she were to say that sort of thing, it could cause trouble. Then, they might hate her.
As for Lydia, her temper up until now could still be called noble.

「That reason it is also unreasonable is……」

It was frightening. That is, rejection.

「How? Wanting to be together with your family is enough of a reason, right?」

「Yes……」

Is that a reason?
Saying something like that?
Lydia’s eyes are calm when she simply affirms her feelings.

「That duke, especially, I think he’ll be delighted.」

Other family members she didn’t know, but they are fine, and this is the basis she approved this line of thinking.

「How……」

How was he so secure in this?
If she asked that, if she looked at herself, she could easily answer.

「Because, Ojou, if you notice it, you shouldn’t be disgusted by other people. You were raised by a good family.」

She only stopped calling him by a disagreeable name.
Perhaps it also included already reflecting on the one matter of this morning. However, concerning that matter, he was also unable to apologize.

「Besides, it’s better than badmouthing other people, right?」

「…..That isn’t it!」

As if to respond, like he understood, he laughed with a smile. Somehow, his way of seeing through things was frustrating.
All there is are unchanging bronze pupils that look back at you, even if you glare into them, it’s ineffective.
Anyhow, if it’s the case he sees through things, one more complaint is also good, isn’t it?

「At this point in time, it’s too late to apologize to that maid, it seems……」

He picked up on that brief fearful and small muttering.

「Though, compared to knowing her name, not apologizing isn’t as good, right?」

That’s right. Even though she didn’t know her name, she was trying to get her fired. By properly knowing that the other party was one person of the human race, she could properly take responsibility.  And because of that,  if she desired it, she could talk to the maid to have her leave.

「Nevertheless, immediately, Isaac should withdraw his ‘ugly character’ remark.」

Now isn’t the time. At least, not until she finished apologizing to the maid. She declared war on him, so her decision to apologize would not waver.

「Ah, that.」

Starting to say that, he loudly said things like 「Ah—」 and 「Uh—」. What on Earth was it.

「…..I have a bad mouth.」

She knew that. Currently, when talking to someone of a higher social status, he wasn’t using formal language at all.

「You say this way of talking is undesirable…… I say it’s good, you know, because the Ojou is especially cute, but she’s even more cute when she is smiling.」

Maybe because she was unused to saying it, she was worried about her positive expression, knitting her eyebrows while she assembled words.
But, it was frank words without any flattering component.
She heard those familiar words of praise, but for the first time it was like experiencing a hallucination.

「Wha……」

Blood rushed to her face.
Just how many times does she want to blush?

「Are you okay, Ojou?」

「I’m fine……」

When she was worried and extended her hand, she touched the point his hand had patted some time ago. Certainly her hair felt different.
Strangely, she thought, and then lowered her hand to in front of her eyes, and something like light brown dust was attached to her fingertip. It was dirt.
Why exactly, was there dirt in her hair?

「Ah, sorry. It was the state my gloves were in.」

No good, says the boy gardener’s apprentice whose gloves were covered all over with dirt due to working with weeds, flapping them together.
It was a fraction of a proper apology but, the truth was it was careless behavior. Then, Lydia’s boiling emotions couldn’t be contained to that point.
In order to spill out her flowing and seething emotions, Lydia raised her voice.

「Isaac!!」

In the duke’s vast garden, the hidden anger of the young lady crashed down on the gardener’s apprentice.

What a hectic day, it seems.
Due to just one boy.
However, the day isn’t over yet.

When she went back, she had to ask that maid’s name, and apologize.

After she cleaned the dirt from her hair.

Holy CRAP this one was long and definitely made my brain spin. Damn, dude. 9 friggin pages I want to die lmao

Not too much to say for this chapter, other than my choice to leave “Ojou” as it is. It gets really bad later on if I had left it as “Lady Daughter” because lmao holy crap it’s so clunky. I could have just used “she” or something like that, but I wanted to at least convey the use of some kind of politeness or title.

But other than that, that’s another chapter in the 3 week timeframe that I’m trying to commit to for this novel. Man, these chapters are rough. Either way, see you guys next time! Let me know if there’s any egregious errors I need to fix!

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It’s been about seven years since I was born as Isaac Baumgartner.
From when I was born, I have memories of my past life. But, it did not increase my mental age, I only reached a stage where I recognized they were from my past life as I became more aware of it. Realizing it didn’t change anything about my livelihood, I didn’t tell anyone.
However, on that day, I came for the start of my gardener apprenticeship at the house of Duke Ernest.
After this, I entered the middle of duke’s house, making my introductory appearance to the duke as my father brought me along.
The duke seems busy, as a little time before leaving, he’ll greet us at the wide entrance of something like an entrance hall. Is that kind of glancing look okay?, I think, but it seems like there is a security rule where people who will regularly visiting must have an audience with the duke.
If that’s the case, I must immediately not forget that.
There’s no way you can memorize all of the faces of this spacious estate.

「Oya, you have a very cute son.」

Me, cute? Ah, I’m small? Well, I’m seven years old.
I understood with one glance that the lord with thick blonde hair descending from the stairs was the duke.
Not slowly, but more “relaxed” with his walk, he produced an atmosphere of nobility. This could be called elegant movement.
Then, even if you carry a rose on your back, it’s a beautiful form that doesn’t make you uncomfortable. [T/N: I tried to look to see if this was some kind of metaphorical speech but I couldn’t find anything.]

「Good morning to you, Gerald-sama. Thank you very much for the time today. He is my son, but he is here to be my apprentice, so please say hello.」

When the duke stopped his eyesight on me and took one step towards us, my father bowed his head and introduced me.
Or rather, is this how my untalkative father could talk? Moreover, this is the first time I heard him use formal language.
I’m dumbstruck and stare at my father.
My father looked at me with a sideways gaze as he faced the duke as if scolding me. Ah, yes. A prompt greeting is good, right.
I hurry and then straighten out my back, then turn to face the duke, bowing.

「I am Isaac Baumgartner. I look forward to working with you.」

「I am Gerald. Please treat me well.」

He naturally puts his hand out.

Eh. A handshake?
I don’t understand, is this alright with the social status??

Given that when I fleetingly look at my father, he’s not especially glaring, I timidly decide it’s okay and grasp the presented hand.

「Surprisingly young. How old are you?」

「I am seven years old.」

Because gardening work needs endurance, to some extent it’s natural to become an apprentice from when the body is the age of being to do work. Even ten years old is premature, it seems. The duke seems to think of it as natural.

「He’s clever, isn’t he? Dennis, I’m looking forward to his future.」

「He’s just an impertinent brat……」

In contrast to the smiling duke, my father has a grimace on.

「He’s two years older than my daughter, right? At the peak of wanting to play, it seems.」

「No, I want to be able to protect the duke’s garden as soon as possible.」

My mouth said it based on the prince’s standards, but my eyes are making it clear I want to quickly become like my father. My father who manages the garden almost by himself is incredible. The gardener colleagues also are acknowledging it, and from them the apprentice applications are endless. Maa, because he’s also strict to me or to other people, the guys who give up are also endless……
Resigned to strictness, I quickly begged my father to make me an apprentice. It took about a year until he reluctantly grumbled and made me an apprentice.
Looking at the matured me who admired his father, the duke with dazzling strength narrowed his eyes.

「That’s good, isn’t it? I also want a son, you know.」

He said that with an incredibly and dazzling smile. From my direction, I want to narrow my eyes. Or rather, I want to shut them.
Father as it is has a quiet and simple expression. I want to separate our hands which have been slowly continuing to shake.
This, maybe he likes doing this, isn’t that right?
The reason is that in something like a company interview, first impressions are important. Because if your ability to show respect is weak, your employer will be displeased.

「Father!」

An exceedingly loud voice descended. While finally separating our hands, the duke turned in the direction of the voice. From the staircase visible on the opposite side of the duke, a girl wearing a bright red dress trots down the stairs. It’s like a young bird coming across its parent bird, huh?
Ah, her face is a bit red. Is she angry? Her whole body is red, it seems. The only thing that is kind to the eyes is that thin golden hair which might be inherited from her father. Or was that hair color inherited from her mother?

「Oh, did you come to see me off, my little angel?」

Spreading both of his hands, the duke reacts to his vigorously charging daughter. This is the first time I’ve seen someone say those words with a straight face. The nobility is amazing.

The daughter stopped a short distance away and sternly looked up at her father.

「Father, please listen to me! It’s terrible!」

「Oya, what’s wrong this morning?」

It seems the girl blowing her top only wants to say what she has in mind, and she started to scream through what the duke said. And yet the heart of the duke is quite big. [T/N: This one is kind of clunky but I think he means to say he’s got a good heart.]

「The maid is terrible! She gave me this terrible hair style, and furthermore, many times the brush hung onto it and then it was painful!」

The hair on both sides is lightly twisted, then at the back a cameo hair clasp is fastened. Maybe it’s fluffy, soft hair, but above the fastened portion it doesn’t expand like it was combed carefully, it seems. It’s because children’s hair is thin, hm.
I think with the A-line, it’s a good silhouette. I don’t often understand such things as noble elegance. [T/N: ‘A-Line’ is a fashion term if you want to look into it.]

「I see, it’s because your dear hair is dainty. It was painful, it seems.」

In order to sympathize with her, he stroked her face. However, only being sympathized by her father with the same hair is not enough to satisfy her, it seems.

「That rude maid, please fire her!」

I think she caught her busy father before leaving for work because she wanted to say this. From the time of the long and drawn out handshake with me, slightly to the right and behind them, the butler (temporary) who had been putting out an aura was weakening. Probably, because he was not making any facial expressions.
The maid who had been chasing after her and arrived turned more pale than the butler and froze up.
She had done the daughter’s hair, it seems.
Or rather,

「You, your personality is unbelievably ugly.」

Before the duke reacted, my thoughts spilled out.
Everyone then and there freezes.
Especially the daughter of the duke, who until now no one would have called her ugly, has her eyes widened.

That was a mistake!!

That stiffness was solved by my father’s unforgiving fist.

「……!?」 [T/N: Honestly the raw just has the character for “i” so what am I supposed to put lmao]

In excessive pain, I lost my words. I clutched the punched area with both hands and crouched.

「Apologize.」

He frankly and mercilessly scolds me. At once, my father’s intimidating air is saying. Although, I’m in too much pain that I can’t talk.
Also, it’s generally disagreeable. I’m not in the wrong. After all, this person is an incessant complainer, isn’t she?
Hiring into the duke’s family should be a high hurdle. Among other things such as simply being fired. Replacing lacked personnel and retirement or resignation proceedings, new personnel background checks, they take time, effort, and money that I couldn’t understand.
Still without words, through teary eyes I looked at the smaller girl. I received her dissatisfied gaze, she seemed to have understood the person who said that was me. My cheek was bloody and my eyebrow was raised.

「Just, now, what did you say……!?」

「You’ll have an ugly face when you’re an adult, with an ugly personality from the time you were small.」

「Wh……!? Who do you think I am!!」

Ah, these words are often what small villains say.

「The duke’s daughter.」

「That’s right! Do you think it’s okay for the likes of a commoner like you to say something like that to a person of the house of Duke Ernest!?」

Precisely because the nobility receive gifted educations, younger people don’t often talk a lot. I admire the girl trembling all over in a strange place.

「Is your father great?」

「Obviously!」

「Are you great?」

「That’s right.」

「So, you are great?」

「That is what I am saying!!」

「How?」

「Eh.」

「I also understand the duke is great. He is my employer and is busy with work, so he is responsible for that, it seems. But, what makes you great?」

「I, I am of the House of Duke Ernest……」

「Is the person who relies on their father to fire one maid, really great?」

「……」

If I ask with more words, the force behind them will be lost, and right after the retorted words are received I am glared at silently.
The gaze of the girl motionlessly stared back at me, and I waited for a response. Thereupon, the girl lifted her right hand. [T/N: Girl is translated literally as “other party” or “companion”, which doesn’t make as much sense, so I took a liberty there.]

Pechin.

She struck my left cheek, but it doesn’t hurt. It seems that because she is not experienced in violence, she doesn’t have that kind of physical strength. When my gaze that was hit and then turned away returns to her, she becomes vigilant of a counterattack and with a jump becomes frightened.

「Resorting to violence is like recognizing your defeat.」

「!!」

It’s not particularly defeating, but in this case she couldn’t answer my question, which is equal to her recognizing she isn’t great, it seems.
She understands that, but with that reminder, her face turns bright red and she turns away, escaping.
After I talked down to a small child, I realized my father’s fist hadn’t come again. Curiously, I thought about it and when I looked up, my father who had a fist prepared was stopped by the duke who raised one hand. The duke who had been watching our argument to the end showed a forced smile on his face.

「Thank you, Isaac.」

「No…… your dau…… I humbly apologize for saying whatever I wished to your gracious daughter.」 [T/N: Damn you humble tense, it’s hard to convey in English without inserting extra words, as “gracious” is not part of the raw.]

「Rather, you saved me. At every opportunity I also gave her warnings, but my scoldings aren’t frightening, right?」

The duke shrugged his shoulder as if he was troubled. Yes, I can easily imagine it. He’s very sweet to his daughter.

「However, asking a question in return is good, isn’t it? I’ll have to try that.」

I’ll use it as a reference, said the duke as he smiled. Yes, I didn’t raise my voice for the reasoning, I just normally asked a question back. His daughter’s selfishness was just self destructive. In my past life, my sister was occasionally annoying, and this method of doing things would stop it.

「……Gerald-sama, any time now.」

The butler was growing impatient and seeming hurried. The duke brightly smiles.

「Ah, sorry. Well then, I’m going. That’s right, Isaac. Just one thing.」

「Yes?」

The duke who steps forward on his departure, suddenly looks over his shoulder.

「My Dia is like a cute angel. Of course, she’s an angel on the inside, too.」

With a snappy wink, he gives me a warning.

「Ah, yes……」

It seems that repercussions are expressed in the courtesy of the over doting parent. For now, I must make corrections, as an apology.
The duke back could be seen, and from next to me what sounded like an angry sigh could be heard.
Feeling nervous, I fearfully looked up in my father’s direction, pressure in his eyes as he looked down on me.

「I am sorry.」

The duke stopped him from speaking with his fists the second time around, but even so in the silent pressure, in fear and reflex, I apologized.
And yet, from when the pressure stopped, I think about it and add words.

「As for Lady Dia? Next meeting, apologize to her.」

At last out of his gaze, I deeply sigh with relief.

But, with such things as being a gardener’s apprentice, would there be a “next”?

Whew! This chapter was pretty short and sweet, but man some of these translations made me want to curl up and drink. I had to take the occasional liberty for when something sounded really clunky. For example, instead of 「Of course, she’s an angel on the inside, too」, that line literally reads 「Of course, her insides are too」, which yeahhhhhhh nah. For those who also read my other translation project, my style is usually to try to keep as close as to what the raw text translates to, while keeping it as (correct) English. I try to take as few liberties as possible, only taking them when I’m 100% stuck or if it’s some really, really weird cultural note that wouldn’t translate well. Anyways, another annoying thing was that the kanji for “duke” can also be read as prince, which brings me to my next point.

Just want to give my thanks to Hisaku Scans, since it did help not having to decide what to name anyone, haha. I’ve used the names they used in their manga translations for consistency, as I found this from the manga. Also, as they used Duke, that’s what I rolled with.

Don’t expect that every chapter’s going to come out early, but I was pretty happy how this one turned out, and I’m ahead on Sato-san, so why not toss this up, no need to keep it waiting. Thanks for reading, and make sure if you can, to support the original author!

If there’s any really egregious mistakes, don’t hesitate to let me know as well! See you all next time!

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