After breakfast, while I was bathing in the well after finishing the Master's quota, the little ones came by.

"Oh, it's Zaku!

"Zaku's back?

Come play.

I'm just on vacation.

As soon as they saw me, they ducked out of the way, and I wiped my upper body with a hand towel and put on my top.
Like me, I wonder why kids learn bad-sounding expressions first. I don't know why kids learn bad-sounding phrases first, but they say them so happily that they probably don't even understand what they mean.

"Don't come in here when you're wet.

"It's fine.

Don't avoid it.

You weren't out in the rain the other day, were you?

Last year, I was scolded by my mother for playing waterfall on a heavy rainy day. I'm a kid too, so I know what I'm supposed to do.

"How do you know that?

"It's a trick.

You guys.

Two of them get caught, so I pull each of their cheeks so that it doesn't hurt. The little ones protest loudly that it hurts on purpose. This exchange itself is like playing with them.

"Zaku, what were you doing?

The other little guy who pulled the hem of my clothes asked me.

"Hmm?　Strength training.

"Oh, you're so skinny.

I'm putting them on now.

I was just pulling on both cheeks when the little guy pointed out that he was concerned, so I gave him a longer pull than the first guy. I know from my past life that it's hard to build muscle until the second growth spurt, but it's still a man's desire to have muscle.

"Why?

What do you mean, "Why?

Why did you suddenly decide to work out?

One of the little guys looks up at me suspiciously.

Is that weird? Marija.

You smell like a woman.

Mariya, you ...... don't sound like a four year old. It's not something you'd expect from an infant, and it makes me cringe. A woman will always be a woman, but does that apply to infants?

You hit the nail on the head.

No. ......

"You hit the nail on the head.

"Zakked.

I'm not sure what to do about it. How am I supposed to handle this?

"Then what?

I thought denying it would only make it worse, so I retorted, and sure enough, the little guys shut up. The little ones, unable to make a second comment, looked at each other.

"You want to protect your mother and sister, too, don't you?

I put my hand on their heads and asked them, and they looked at each other and nodded.

They looked at each other and nodded, "Then why don't you be strong for women?

"I'll be strong for my mother.

I'm going to beat up my sister's boyfriend.

I'll beat up my sister's boyfriend." Johan is fine, but Paul's sister won't be getting a girlfriend for a while. ......
I'm sure you'll be able to understand why. I feel like I said something unnecessary.

So, let's play knights today to get stronger.

"Well, then you'll have no time to play princess.

Johan is going to look for a branch to use as a sword, and Mariya, feeling bored, is stripped. Paul, a three-year-old boy, looks around between them, unsure which of the two older girls he should be supporting.

"It's okay. Hey, princess.

I understand that the lively Marija is uncomfortable with the role of princess as judge, but it's not safe for her to play with the boys. I'm sure you'll be able to understand why.

"...... Okay. I'll see to it that Johan doesn't get carried away.

I'm not sure if it's a good idea, but it's a good idea. Paul, who wanted to play a game of chanbara, brightened up and smiled at me, saying I was great.

"Thanks. He sometimes forgets to apply pressure.

"He's not very mature. Is he really older than you?

"He's not mature enough. Is he really older than you?" "There's nothing mature about a five-year-old. It's times like this that I realize that girls have a higher mental age than boys.

"Also...

I tilted my head as Mariya stared up at me.

This is the only time you'll be fooled.

What are you talking about?

I asked, but she turned her head away. Her brown pigtails swayed with her.
Johan had just returned with a handy branch. Paul didn't wait and rushed to Johan's side. Both of them are very motivated. Playing knight is the equivalent of playing special effects hero in a previous life, so they are happy to be heroes. There is no villain in the game because it is set up as a duel between knights for the princess. I don't think there should be a dispute over who should be the villain.



Be careful you don't get hurt.

"What, you don't play Zaku?

I thought you were going to play with me.

"My mom asked me to run an errand for her.

After hearing the reason, Johan understood and reluctantly allowed me to play next time. I said goodbye to the little guys and went back to my house.
The downtown area is lined with similar stucco houses, and at first glance they all look the same. However, it's easy for the locals to tell them apart because each house has its own individual style, such as signs for their occupation and plants. Sewing houses have colorful curtains and are surprisingly vivid.
My house has potted silver plum blossoms on both sides of the entrance, so I can easily recognize it.

"I'm home. What can I get for you?

"Welcome home. Dry your hair first.

When I open the door, Mom brings me a new hand towel and wipes my hair with it. The one I have is too wet to use.

"How can you go to school with your hair so wet?

"It's sunny, I thought it might dry.

I replied in a dumbfounded voice, and Mom smiled as if she had no choice. The rainy season is over and it's a beautiful day, I thought.

You know, you're just like your father when it comes to your own affairs.

"Natalie.

"Natalie," my father appeared as if he were a shadow of his former self. He only called my name, but my mother, sensing his intentions, wiped my head and looked at him.

"No. You promised you wouldn't do it on your day off. Besides, some of the furniture is in bad shape and I need you to fix it.

"Okay. ......

With a smile, I give my father a no-work order. It's just like my mom to have something else for me to do. He nodded and went back into the house.
There's plenty of work to be done in the garden, and since my father is a workaholic, he would do it all the time if left alone. So, my mother has strictly ordered me to take a day or two off every four or five days. Apparently, she once collapsed after working for a long time before I was born.
He asks me what I want to buy while he is brushing my hair, and I recite and remember. I asked him while he was brushing my hair lightly.

"Can I buy more flour and eggs?

"Why?

I want to make cookies for my daughter.

Your daughter, the duchess?

I nodded and explained that I had been invited to a tea party and treated to sweets. I don't know why, but she gave me a cookie and wanted to apologize for the fact that she didn't get to eat much of it.
I don't know why, but she gave me a cookie and I want to apologize for not eating enough.

"What kind of girl is your daughter?

"She's cute and honest, and her expression changes all the time.

She's my father's daughter.

After she finished combing my hair, she laughed and put her hand on my head. I couldn't understand what she was comparing me to, so I tilted my head.

"Do you know why Mom married Dad?

I don't know, so I just shake my head. I don't know why it's so sudden.

"She doesn't talk much, but she usually says beautiful and pretty things.

I nodded my head vertically, because I hear that too when I buy plants. I nodded vertically. So it became normal for me too.

Then it hit me.

"So that's how it is?

Before I knew it, I was being told the story of how my parents got together. I felt uncomfortable listening to my parents' love affair, so I let it slide.

That's how it is. So be careful, Zaku.

"What?

I don't know what the hell "so" is supposed to mean when it comes to warning me.

I'm just saying, don't say things you don't want to say and get the wrong idea.

It's okay. I only say what I think.

"I only say what I think." It's a useless worry for me, because I'm living honestly, reflecting on my past life. I know the importance of greetings and saying thank you and sorry from my mother. When I answered with confidence, she laughed and said, "You don't understand.

"Okay, that's it. Have a good day.

Bye.

My mother sent me off with a cassock because the sun was strong. I took my empty cloth bag and wallet and went to the commercial district where the market was located.
The main street that runs to the southern end of the country is very wide because the area around the royal capital has a lot of high-class stores for the nobility and is also used for triumphal return. Next to it, there is a market street for the common people that leads to the central square of the royal capital. It's a fairly large street, and each section of the street has a different type of store, from food and household goods to blacksmithing and jewelry, so it's interesting to see the different types of customers depending on where you are.
I don't know about the aristocracy, but going from the lively market street to the fountain in the central square is a famous sightseeing route for the common people. It is said that the reason why the streets for the aristocrats and those for the common people are located next to each other is because it is convenient for the wholesalers.
When I was asked to run an errand for food, I would of course go to the food section of the market street and buy what I was asked to buy. Some stores are familiar to me, so it's easy for me to just say "usual" for things I buy often.



I'll put the eggs last, the rest is on .......

I ruminate over my shopping list, checking the contents of my cloth bag to make sure I didn't forget anything.

Oh, potatoes.

Most of the items you buy are ingredients for tonight's dinner, so it's easy to remember them by menu. Maybe it's stew or gratin today. I'd like gratin.
When I looked up to remember that I forgot to buy something, I noticed something strange. There's a place on the busy market street that people are avoiding. I saw something shiny in the distance.
I wondered what it was, and headed toward the spot where even adults avoided. There are no raised voices, so it is not a fight, and even if it is a vagrant, someone should have called the soldiers. I can't think of anything else that would make people stay away.

What's the glow?

I wade through the waves of adults taller than me and reach the source of my curiosity. Puffing out a breath, I confirm the identity of the glowing thing.
When I looked at it, it was so bright that I shut my eyes tightly.
For some reason, there was a noble boy there.
His white skin and honey-colored eyes may be the reason for the glitter, but more than anything, the reflection of his silky blond hair is just awful. There's also a ring of light like an angel's ring.
This is the kind of thing you'd expect to find if you found a golden treasure in an ancient ruin. Was there ever a blonde hair more dazzling than the Duke's? It's not just gold, it's 'golden'.
At any rate, I now understand why everyone is keeping their distance. If such a conspicuous nobleman's child were to be seen on the street for the common people, even if I were to call out to him in kind, I would be suspected of kidnapping.

By the way, this guy is amazing.

Passersby have been staring at him for a while now, but he doesn't seem to mind at all. He's used to people watching him. I've never encountered him in a past life, but I guess he's like a celebrity. They're looking around, but it's probably because they don't know the place.

"Are you lost?

I called out to the golden boy, "I've found you. He looks like he's the same age as me, or a little younger, but he turns to me and mutters curiously.

"Lost?

I asked him if he was lost.

I asked him if he was lost." After a pause, the boy who seemed to have understood what I was saying smiled a little embarrassedly.

I came to this place because I wanted to come here. ...... Well, I got lost because I didn't know how to get back.

The blonde hair reflected in the sunlight was dazzling, and I shut my eyes again.

What's wrong with you?

"You're so bright, I don't want to look at you.

It hurts my eyes. What's a blonde with physical aggression? It's a shame the weather's so nice today. It should be cloudy right now.

Sorry about that.

I turn my head away, and after a pause to see if I'm surprised, I hear an apologetic voice. He talks in a singing boy-soprano, like he's some kind of child actor.

Bad. "Sorry. I'm not good with gold or anything flashy. You have nothing to apologize for.

I like silver better than gold, and smoked silver better than regular silver. It's cool. But that's just my taste. The golden boy's not bad.

"This is a little better. Here we go.

I put on my own cassock and start walking with the boy by my hand.

"What, where's ......?

"You'll find people you know on Main Street. Are you planning to meet up somewhere?

Oh, ......, I think, in the square by the fountain if you need anything.

Okay, this way.

The boy follows me, still holding my hand, as if he doesn't understand the situation. The only way to avoid getting separated in a crowd of adults is to hold hands. Since I made my blond hair less conspicuous, it seemed to make it easier to blend in, and fewer adults saw the boy.

How do you know I'm a nobleman?

"It's obvious when you're dressed in such fine fabrics and have such a flashy appearance.

The boy, who seemed to think that I hadn't been found out, stunned me. He seems to be a bit of a boxer.

I chose the most modest outfit I could find. ......

The golden boy is blatantly depressed. His language is unchildlike, but inside he seems to be of age. I guess he's disappointed that his secret expedition failed.

"In your case, make a wig first. Brown or black.

When I pointed out his blond hair, which was unusual for a commoner, the boy seemed to agree. Like the young lady, I can't hide the way I act or talk, but I can make it a little better.

I'll be more careful next time.

He nodded very seriously, which made me worry.

"You're not coming back, ....... Next time you come back, give me a call. I'll lend you my clothes.

Really?

No matter how elegant the gesture of a child, if he is wearing simple clothes, his preconceptions will be deceiving. The boy was happy for a moment at my suggestion, but his expression quickly became cloudy.



But I have a way to contact the commoners. ......

"I'm Isak. My father, Dennis Baumgartner, is a famous gardener in the aristocracy, so you could send him a letter pretending to ask for a job.

My dad always turns down the occasional offer from another noble family.

"The Dukes' ......

The golden boy seemed to know it too. It made me feel proud inside, proof that my father's work was appreciated.

"Isak, you're very bright.

I looked at the boy, surprised by this unheard of compliment, and saw a dazzling smile on his face. I reflexively shut my eyes.

"Don't look at me, you're too bright.

"I've never seen anyone like ...... Isak. It's refreshing.

I think you're about to get angry.

The boy smiles at me again, which makes me want to meditate, but I'm the one who's being rude. You're a funny-looking boy. Your daughter would be giving me a hard time right now.

My father taught me to look at things from different perspectives. "My father taught me to look at things from different points of view." "You have to take both the good and the bad to get the right picture. That's why I came here today, to see how people live.

You're surrounded by adults, aren't you?

You're surrounded by adults, aren't you?" A young boy who says and does things that don't sound like a child is like a young lady when you first meet her. I'm sure you're not the only one. I wonder why all the aristocrats are so unchildlike.
When I point this out, their honey-colored eyes roll up in surprise. His expression is that of a child.

"How do you know?

"You're too smart for your own good. You should make friends and play more.

"Friends: ......

The boy ruminated on the words in a daze. Then he grabbed my hand and squeezed it back.

"Will ...... Izaak be my friend?

"No. I don't want to. I don't want to. You're too bright and you say and do things that make me sick.

I don't like the way he looks, and he's got the brains of an adult. When I honestly said no, he froze for a few seconds and then laughed hysterically.

"Haha, I didn't know you rejected me so much because of me personally .......

You're such a weird guy.

"I don't need you to tell me that, .......

"I don't want to hear it from you, ." He says it back, unable to stop laughing. My daughter told me I was weird the other day. I'm just being normal and I can't figure it out.

"...... Oh, I haven't told you my name yet. I'm Leo.

"Oh, yeah. Leo, I'm about to blow. ......

"Isak?

I stopped suddenly, and Leo tilted his head.
I was transfixed by something in a side street. It was a side street, one of the entrances to a residential area lined with people's homes. I walked up to the front door to make sure I wasn't mistaken. Leo, still holding my hand to make sure we don't get separated, follows me without understanding.

I knew it. ......

"Hydrangea?

I'm not sure what to make of that.

What's wrong with that flower?

"It's unusual.

I answer simply. What I see in front of me now is a white hydrangea. I've never seen a white one before.
Hydrangeas in this country do not change color according to the nature of the soil, but according to the attributes of the soil. Therefore, they are usually orange (earth) or light blue (water). However, in the house of a nobleman who has a lot of magical power, the color of the house may change to the color of the resident's magical power. It is said that some aristocrats plant hydrangeas with high magic stones because they want to have their favorite color.
As I recall, an old man who works as a gardener told me that the Ministry of Magic or the Ministry of Medicine has asked him to improve the variety of plants from shrubs to herbs. It is said that it will be possible to make a simple diagnosis of aptitude attributes, and to use it to survey the distribution of spirits by region. I heard that it is desirable to breed them into herbaceous plants like sakura-so so that they can be carried around easily. My client, a gardener, is very good at breeding, so it may come true in a few years.
At any rate, I briefly explained to Leo, who accompanied me, how it was rare.

"I know it's rare, but if it's white, what's the attribute?

"Probably .......

Um, can I help you with your house, ......?

The door of the white hydrangea house opened, and a girl, about the size of a young lady, stepped out. She has round eyes and shoulder length hair that looks like the setting sun with the tips curled inward.
I heard a small gasp next to me. She is indeed a pretty girl with a Kodemari-like impression, but I don't know why I'm surprised when I'm also a pretty girl. Do you feel differently when you're a stranger?

"Oh, sorry. I'm just an apprentice gardener, so this hydrangea is unusual for me.



I explained the situation to the girl who was suspicious and apologized.

"Unusual ......?

I asked the girl who didn't seem to understand why I was curious.

"Do they bloom in white every year, by any chance?

The girl nodded. She doesn't know it's a rare color because it blooms the same color every year.

"Who takes care of these hydrangeas?

The girl nodded.

".......

It seems that I misled her by asking too many questions. They looked back at me with frightened eyes as if I had done something wrong. I feel so guilty, like I'm tormenting a rabbit or a small animal.

"Well... I've never seen a white hydrangea before, so I just wanted to ask you how to grow one. You've made them bloom so beautifully.

I stroked her head and smiled to reassure her. After a while, the girl understood the praise and her cheeks flushed with happiness.

I just watered it. ......?

She must have been taking good care of it, judging from her humble but smiling face.

That's it? If that's all it takes, it's really amazing.

Even though the flowers are not pruned, there is no unevenness in the way they bloom or in their size. He must have adjusted the position of the plant frequently so that it would receive full sun.

Such ......

The girl, who seemed to be not entirely happy, smiled happily, though embarrassed.
I noticed that Leo hadn't said a word since a while ago, so I looked next to him and saw that he was staring at the girl and had fallen asleep.

Leo, what's wrong?

"What? What?

I smacked him lightly on the back of the head, and he was surprised but didn't protest, as if he didn't understand the situation. The girl's round eyes widened in surprise when I suddenly slapped Leo.

I said, "What's wrong with me?

No, nothing. ......

Nothing," Leo said, looking at the girl, and when she tilted her head, he lowered his eyes. I don't get it.

I don't get it. So, thank you for showing me these beautiful hydrangeas.

"Well, you're welcome.

After thanking her for the hydrangea, the girl bowed.

Let's go, Leo.

"Oh, yeah.

The girl waved us off until we were out of sight.
The girl waved us off until we were out of sight, then turned around and followed us.

"Are you sure you didn't tell her about your attributes?

He seems to be wondering why I didn't tell her that attributes change colors.

You can't be sure. And .......

And?

She's probably got a lot of magic.

The hydrangea will turn orange or light blue if there is no one with high magic power nearby. The only time it reacts to a person's magic power, like a litmus test, is when the magic power is above a certain level.
Leo is blindsided by the realization that she is an irregularity among the common people.

What are her attributes?

I've never seen her, so she's either light or .......

I've found her!

My words were drowned out by the sudden voice. When we turned our heads in surprise, we saw a young man running towards us from the fountain. He had arrived at the central square while we were talking.

Matheus!

Leo called out the name of the young man running towards them.

"Where the hell is ...... he?

The blue-faced young man was about to speak up, but stopped when he saw me next to him.

"Oh, he led me here. Isak, he's my ...... brother.

"Thanks to you I met my brother. Thank you. What can I do for you, ......?

No, thank you.

If I were to ask for a thank you in this situation, even if it's a formality, the Leos who don't want their identities exposed would be in more trouble than I am. If you're going to set up a sibling that's unreasonable in appearance, then this brother is either a guard or a servant.
I rejected the offer outright and said goodbye.

I've got some shopping to do, so if you'll excuse me. See you later, Leo.

"See you later, Isak.

Leo waved me off with a wave of his hand, looking like a kid his age, just like the girl I had just left. I chuckle, "Are you really going to come back?
He's really a strange guy, smiling and saying goodbye to me when I told him we couldn't get along.
I regained my composure and resumed my errand.

The next day, when she ate the homemade cookies I gave her as an apology, she got angry and punched me.
I wondered if it wasn't to her taste.