My Daddy Hides His Power Chapter 275 - Side story Part 1 Chapter 15

* * * 

 

Lunchtime, dining hall.

 

“Ahaha!” 

 

I didn’t even try to hide my rising laughter as I teased Cheshire. 

 

“James, how was the Magic Attack Fire class all by yourself~?” 

 

“….” 

 

Cheshire, who had clenched his teeth and entered the Magic Attack Fire classroom to win over Oscar, had a deep look of defeat on his face. 

 

With this, the score was 1:1!

 

Moreover, since Cheshire had talked more with Erich than with Oscar, I was far ahead! 

 

“You, you weren’t bad!”

 

I had already repeated the words Oscar left behind to Cheshire about fifty-six times.

 

“Oscar is Oscar, but I want to talk to Erich too.”

 

I could see Oscar and Erich sitting side by side eating.

 

I busily transferred my share onto Cheshire’s tray while observing the two of them. 

 

‘How should I approach them?’

 

Except when they were in class, those two were always together. 

 

“…Anna.”

 

“Hmm, it’s hard.”

 

“Anna.”

 

I looked back at Cheshire as I continued to fill his plate.

 

“Why?”

 

“You eat.”

 

“Mhm? No. You eat a lot. I’m fine.”

 

“….” 

 

“I told you, it’s really fine. My portion is right here.” 

 

Cheshire sighed as I poked the sausage and put it in my mouth as if to show off.

 

And then, the things I had handed over—more precisely, the ones I had passed. 

 

“How old are you, and how long are you going to be a picky eater?”

 

I moved the carrots and broccoli back to my plate.

 

“Ugh.”

 

I looked at the piled up vegetables and felt disgusted.

 

To have to deal with Count Broccoli and Baron Carrot all the way here.

 

“I just left some.”

 

“If you leave food, you’ll be punished.”

 

“It doesn’t taste good.”

 

“What are you going to do if our child becomes a picky eater like you in the future?” 

 

“That won’t do. They have to eat a variety of foods to grow tall and stay healthy.” 

 

“Then are you saying you’ll force the kid to eat even if they don’t like it?”

 

“You can’t avoid giving vegetables even if they don’t like them, can you? My dad never compromised with me when it came to dealing with Count Broccoli.” 

 

“Yes, that’s right. That’s why.”

 

Cheshire shoveled a piece of broccoli into my mouth with his fork.

 

“If you’re going to encourage your child to eat a balanced diet, you shouldn’t be picky yourself. You need to set an example as a mother.”

 

It was an irrefutable statement.

 

“Ah.”

 

“….” 

 

“Open your mouth.”

 

Cheshire was firm. I frowned and opened my mouth. The lowest-ranked soldier of the Broccoli Count’s army was mercilessly advancing. 

 

“Why not have Dwad set an exwample by not being picky with fwood…?” 

 

To avoid the terrible taste of broccoli, I pinched my nose and spoke.

 

“Euph.” 

 

I barely managed to chew it down, but the terrible taste and smell lingered on my tongue and in my throat.

 

“You’re eating well.”

 

The thoroughness of preparing for my future children’s meal education in advance is impressive.

 

Even though we’re not married yet, Cheshire was already getting ready to be a father. 

 

“Okay, next.”

 

Cheshire, who had been patting my cheek as if encouraging me, pushed the carrot in this time.

 

“Ugh.”

 

Being a mother is really hard…

 

* * *

 

After eating, I went out for a walk.

 

‘Huh?’

 

We found Erich sitting alone in the corner, crouched down.

 

‘Where did the devil go? Anyway, it’s a chance now that he’s alone!’

 

I ran to him, dragging Cheshire. 

 

“Hello! What are you doing here?”

 

Erich turned around. He tilted his head, then spotted Cheshire and smiled in greeting. 

 

“James!”

 

“Hello, Erich. What are you doing?”

 

No! My name comes first!

 

I blocked Cheshire’s path.

 

“I’m Anna, James’s younger sister! Nice to meet you!”

 

“That’s right. James, you mentioned you have a younger sister? Nice to meet you, Anna. I’m Erich.”

 

Erich really did seem kind. He seemed much easier to get along with than the devilish Oscar. 

 

“I was just trying to transplant this here.”

 

There were four pots of seedlings next to him.

 

“Tomatoes?”

 

“Huh, how did you know? It hasn’t even ripened yet?”

 

Erich was surprised. Cheshire blinked and looked at me.

 

Is this surprising?

 

“Looking at how it looks, it’s definitely a tomato seedling, right? The flower stalk is already growing too.”  

 

“Wow, you’re amazing!”

 

Erich grinned.

 

“I made a promise with my friend to grow something together. We decided on tomatoes.” 

 

“Aha! But you’re planting them here?”

 

I looked at the spot Erich had chosen for the tomato garden.

 

The side of the trail.

 

Right next to it was a large pagoda casting shade.

 

“You know, Erich. I don’t think tomatoes would like it here very much.”

 

“Mhm?” 

 

“Tomatoes really love sunlight. Honestly, the weather right now isn’t warm enough to grow tomatoes. And since there’s not much sunlight here, they’ll probably wilt really quickly.”

 

“Huh! Really?”

 

Erich was taken aback.

 

Where should I plant this? I wondered, then clapped my hands in realization. 

 

“I thought of a good place! Let’s go!”

 

“Really? But I’m actually waiting for a friend right now. Once he arrives, would you like to go together?”

 

“Friend? Oscar Manuel?”

 

“Ah, mhm. Oscar went to get the shovel and some other stuff.” 

 

Did he think we might find it strange that the great Young Master Oscar Manuel was moving around bothering with something? Erich added awkwardly.

 

“Well, I have a hard time walking long distances…”

 

Just then, Oscar, carrying a large basket behind Erich, came trudging over with a grunt.

 

“Hey!”

 

I waved my arm at him like we were friends of ten years. Oscar approached and glared at me and Cheshire warily.

 

“218 times 519?”

 

“113,142.”

 

Oscar responded immediately to my surprise question. Did you see? I looked back at Cheshire and grinned.

 

“Hey, what are you doing? I brought a shovel here, so let’s dig the ground first.”

 

Oscar crouched down next to Erich.

 

“Oh! Oscar, you know. Anna said that tomatoes don’t like this place.”

 

“What?”

 

I quickly said to Oscar, who was frowning.

 

“Oscar, follow me! I know a good place!”

 

* * *

 

Greenhouse garden.

 

This place, where rare ornamental trees and strikingly beautiful flowers are meticulously tended by a top-class gardener. 

 

The playground for the trainees’ children was, of course, not here; it was a place created for when distinguished guests visited. 

 

Spring flowers blooming in rows.

 

Even a fancy table set up for tea time.

 

The greenhouse was so expensive that entry was strictly controlled, but we were able to enter easily with the Young Master of the Wizard Tower on our backs.

 

“This is a good place!”

 

I looked around the greenhouse, felt the soil with my hands, and pointed to the best spot.

 

‘The direct sunlight is good.’

 

I looked up and saw sunlight streaming down in a straight line.

 

“Guys, now dig!”

 

At my signal, the three children picked up their shovels and began digging the ground. Then, they transplanted the tomato seedling into the soil. 

 

“Are you done, Oscar?”

 

I asked, rummaging through the basket.

 

“Mhm.” 

 

Oscar, who was the first to plant his share of the tomatoes, stood up, wiping his plump cheek with his dirt-covered hand. 

 

I took out a pair of gardening shears from the basket and cut off Oscar’s tomato flower stalks.

 

“…?! Hey!!!”

 

“You surprised me!” 

 

“You… You… Are you crazy?! What are you doing to my tomato?!!!”

 

The prince has a great voice, huh.

 

Oscar fell to his knees in shock at the sight of the limply cut flower stalks.

 

“Don’t misunderstand, Oscar. You’re supposed to cut off the first flower stalk. Doing this lets the plant absorb nutrients properly from the good soil, so the next flower stalk will produce big, healthy tomatoes.”

 

Oscar blinked at my words.

 

Erich, who was listening, was surprised and exclaimed.

 

“Anna, have you ever grown tomatoes? How do you know so much?”

 

Cheshire also looked curious.

 

He was like that earlier when I recognized a tomato just by looking at the leaves…

 

‘Tsk tsk. City kids.’

 

By the way, I’m from Zenon, a rural town in the south with beautiful mountains and good water.

 

Our Dad, Mr. James Brown, said that he grew carrots and tomatoes himself while tending the garden. 

 

“Ahem! When I was little, I did it with my Dad~!”

 

“That’s great! Then, you too, James?”

 

When Erich, who thought we were siblings, asked, Cheshire replied, “Uh-huh.”

 

“Guys, let’s set this up now!”

 

I quickly changed the subject and took out the support from the basket.

 

“Tomatoes can’t stand on their own, so you need to set up a support next to them for them to lean on.”

 

The two city men who didn’t know anything about farming were amazed and followed along as instructed.

 

“Okay! Oscar, you do it too!”

 

Oscar also accepted the support without saying a word, as if he had come to trust me.

 

‘Hehe. So cute~!’

 

Baby Oscar, who was struggling to set up the tomato support with his small hands!

 

It was a rare sight that I would want to capture if I had a camera.

 

“Wow!”

 

And soon, the tomato garden was completed.

 

“It’s done!”

 

Erich, who had been cheering with a bright smile, sighed and lowered his raised arm weakly for some reason.

 

“But can these tomatoes stay here?”

 

A greenhouse garden decorated with only beautiful flowers and trees to please the eyes of the distinguished guests.

 

Among them, our clumsily planted tomato seedlings looked shabby and unremarkable.

 

If the gardener found them, they would pull them out without a second thought. 

 

In order for these tomatoes to survive here…

 

“….” 

 

“….” 

 

I stared blankly at Oscar.

 

‘I can’t help but ask for the prince’s help.’

 

I had to ask the gardener to put in a word with Oscar’s influence.

 

But since this was a kind of abuse of power, I couldn’t say it out loud and just scratched my head.

 

‘Oscar Manuel! Let’s take advantage of your golden status! Go threaten the gardener for us!’

 

…Should I really say that?

 

Me, the daughter of Enoch Rubinstein, the great hero who overthrew the class system?

 

I was tormented by my conscience when Oscar suddenly rummaged through his basket.

 

He took out a sign and a pen.

 

Soon, he knelt down and began to write something diligently on the sign.

 

‘What are you writing?’

 

Then he suddenly handed it to Cheshire. 

 

Cheshire chuckled at that for a moment before sticking it into the tomato garden.

 

“Ah!” 

 

That way, no one will be able to touch it.

 

As expected, even though he’s young, the Young Master is quick-witted.

 

I couldn’t help but laugh while looking at the cute and crooked handwriting of 7-year-old Oscar.

[Oscar Manuel and Friends’ Tomatoes.]