The rainy season is over, and the heat is about to start in earnest. This means more work to pull weeds. But this year, with Jan here, it's easier to share the work.
It seems that Jan's parents used to plant herbs to keep insects away from their vegetables, so she can distinguish them from weeds to a certain extent, and I only have to teach her. I realized that just one more person can be a great help. My father sensed this too, and when I complimented him on a job well done, he cowered under Jan's glaring gaze. Jan's dark eyes are troubling because they instantly sparkle when they are filled with respect and admiration.
They look just like the eyes in front of me.

"Hey, wait .......

It's a good idea to take a look at the website of the company you're working with. I couldn't support my increased weight and fell on my butt on the spot. But it's still coming at me, and I have no choice but to fall backwards.

"Okay, okay, ...... Yulia, ...... Bub!

Before I could finish saying his name, he licked my face and I couldn't even speak. I had no choice but to reach out and stroke Julian's neck. Julian still rubbed his forehead against my cheek.

"Julian!

While I was at his mercy, he called out my name in a strong tone. While I was at his mercy, I heard his name called out in a strong tone of voice, and Julian turned to the source of the voice with an evil expression on his face.

Hello, Annika.

I'm sorry, Isak. I couldn't stop you because you ran out of nowhere.

Annika bent down and looked at me apologetically. She took out a handkerchief and wiped my face with it. With Julian still on board, I couldn't avoid it. When I told him I didn't want to get dirty, he laughed and said that's what it was for.
Annika instructed me, and Julian finally retreated. I raised myself up and stroked him again.

It's okay. I like you too.

I asked him to take it easy on me, and he responded with a squeal, whether he knew it or not.
Julian is the guard dog of the Marquis of Wirt. Perhaps because Annika started visiting the orphanage, Daniel hired Julian, who was a potential rescue dog for the army.
A large dog with strong muscles, Julian is not scary because his strong face is offset by the gentleness of his eyes. The children at the orphanage were scared of him for a moment when they first met him, but they let down their guard at the sight of his eyes and immediately became familiar with him. His fur is long and fluffy, especially his mane like neck, which feels good to pet.
I came to the orphanage attached to the Merkel Church on my day off. Although it's in the downtown area, it's not near my house, so I wouldn't have gone there unless I wanted to.
While Annika was reading books to the children, the children, whose only reading material was the difficult Bible, became interested in reading and writing. So Annika decided to teach them letters and asked me for help.
I wondered why she asked me, but I am glad she did. Annika first wanted to prepare paper and ink for reading and writing. I, a commoner, panicked and stopped her. If you donate such expensive consumables, you might as well sell them to make a living.
So I suggested that they use small, reusable blackboards and chalk. I thought it would work because factories use blackboards to manage shifts and schedules. In a previous life, there was an anime that I saw when I was a kid, where people were studying like that.
Anika-sama, who understood the difference in the sense of money between us and the common people, donated chalk and blackboard erasers for the small blackboards for each of us. The small blackboards were originally for the signboards of the stalls, so she ordered the smallest size.
This led me to help Annika teach her how to read and write. However, it's only when my day off and Annika's visit coincide, so it's only twice a month.

"Zaku, your handwriting is beautiful. It's weird.

It doesn't suit you.

It's fine.

The kids laugh at me. Apparently, I can read my own handwriting just fine because I've been practicing with my daughter's handwriting as a reference. I know it's not my style, so the corner of my mouth drops.

It's so nice to have beautiful handwriting.

Annika-sama follows me. In response to Annika's words, the girls agreed that it was better than not being able to read. The men's side stubbornly insists that it's not cool.
In my previous life, I only thought it was good if I could read, and I didn't care because being ridiculed by my classmates as a bad reader was part of my communication. But when I borrowed a notebook from a girl and her handwriting was beautiful, I liked her, so I think Annika has a point.

Julian likes clean handwriting too, doesn't he?

Seeing both the man and the woman, Master Annika called out to Julian, who was modeling a picture of a three-year-old who could not yet write. Julian answered the call and went to Annika's side.
She placed a blackboard in front of him on which one of the boys and I had written the same string of words. The children roll their eyes and watch as Julian is presented with the standard.

"Which letter do you like better, Julian?

With slow movements, Julian looked at each blackboard to check. He didn't make any sniffing gestures, which made the children tense up, wondering if he was really watching them.
Then I poked the edge of the blackboard with my nose.
At that moment, the children, who had been watching with bated breath, reacted in different ways, some excited, some shocked.
I, on the other hand, felt my face loosen up as I was slowly filled with joy.

You know. Isn't it nice to have a boy with beautiful handwriting?

"I'm going to practice my handwriting more!

Me too.

I'm going to beat Zaku to a pulp!

You'll see.



"Oh, oh. ......

Julian's very popular with the kids. I'm the enemy now. At any rate, I'm glad the kids are motivated.
As I turned to face Julian, I met Annika's eyes with a smile. She could see that I was embarrassed because it wasn't my style, and that I felt bad that I was being rude to the girl who taught me.
I smiled awkwardly back at Annika as if to cover up my embarrassment. Then, Annika suddenly hugged me.

"Ah, Annika-sama ......?

"Unlike Daniel, I'm good for you, aren't I?

"What?

Why does Daniel's name suddenly come up? I was puzzled, not knowing what she was asking me to do.
While I'm puzzled, Annika pats me on the head in praise. I don't know if it's because she's been around children and Julian, or if it's because she's always been around children and Julian, but Annika doesn't hesitate to engage in skin-to-skin contact, even with common people.

I'm not sure if it's because I'm a newcomer or because I've always been a newcomer, but Annika doesn't hesitate to have skin-to-skin contact with common people.

I'm sure you're not the only one. First of all, my mother only pats me on the head when she compliments me. I couldn't say that I didn't want to be complimented because I was happy to be complimented, so I gave up and told her that I was troubled.
Yet, Annika-sama hugged me even more. I insisted, but why? Since Annika was in contact with children, she wore clothes that could get dirty, and she couldn't say no because her clothes would get dirty.
Realizing that I was being treated the same as Julian, I endured the shame until Annika was satisfied.

I'm sorry. I won't be able to come for a while in August.

As we parted ways with the children of the orphanage, Annika apologized apologetically. Hearing this, the children made a disappointed protesting sound. Some of the children hugged Julian, while others grabbed the hem of Annika's skirt. It seems that they miss seeing Julian, and they miss seeing Annika.

What's going on?

It's off-season, so we're going to Daniel's territory.

When I asked, Annika told me the reason.
It's common for nobles to return to their estates or stay in summer resorts during the summer when it's not suitable for holding parties. Until last year when Annika-sama was sick, she couldn't leave her residence in the capital, but from this year, she will return to her domain as usual. I understand that the nobles have summer vacation.

I'll be leaving the day after the First Prince's birthday party in early August.

I thought Leo's birthday party sounded like the end of the school year, even though it was mandatory to attend the royal party.

Flora has grown up, and so have Octavia and the others.

"What?

I was surprised to hear him say something I hadn't thought of.
The duke also has a domain, so it's true what you say. I just didn't go home until now because I was worried about Flora's ability to endure the long journey and the change of environment. The girls have been here all summer since I started working. I thought it was normal. I realize now that I came around the time Flora was born, so I didn't happen to see them go home.

Oh, really?

I just nodded.
Then I helped peel off the children who were sad to say goodbye to Annika and the others.


After having lunch with Annika, who had visited the orphanage in the morning, we parted ways in the central square.
After lunch, Annika visits the orphanage in the morning because she thinks that it is a good time to take a nap depending on the age of the children. And I am paid for lunch as a part-time assistant. It's easier for me to pay in kind.
Today, we ate sandwiches from a stall on the market street, sitting on the edge of the fountain in the central square. Basically, he buys me lunch at Ingrid's Tavern and snacks at the stalls.
On my first day as a literacy assistant, the smell of chicken skewers wafting from a stall on the way home made my stomach growl. Master Annika laughed and invited me to eat with her.
When I was surprised that Annika, a noblewoman, was eating skewers as usual, she told me that she and Daniel had often had secret dates in his domain when they were young. It is said that Daniel used to go around the estate dressed like a commoner until he succeeded the marquis, because he wanted to see how the people usually were. Unlike Leo, who had a conspicuous appearance, he must have blended in naturally.
That's why I told my mother I didn't need lunch on the days I went to the orphanage because I could get paid for my part-time job.
I walk home from the central square through the market street. Near the central square is the clothing area, which will be crowded in the late afternoon. On the other hand, the food area is open during the day, so you can shop calmly.
I chose to go through the food area to buy some extra ingredients that my mother had asked me to buy if I could stop by.
As I approached the food area, I spotted Frank. Frank and I have only exchanged greetings when we pass each other outside of Ingrid's tavern. But since we were going in the same direction, I wasn't sure whether to say hello to him or not.

Hello, Mr. Raini. Your skin looks good today.

"Yeah, thanks to my fruit. Do you want to buy some?　I'll buy you some.

Today I'm looking for a fish to go with the lemon I bought yesterday. See you later.

I'll see you next time.

Hello. Marco, how's your back?

Don't treat me like an old man. It's fine. It's fine.

Good to see you. Don't overdo it.



Frank, how about some meat instead of fish? I have some nice lean thighs.

With Rosina's approval, I'm torn.

A few meters ahead of me, Frank greeted some of the people we passed and some of the people in the store with a smile or two and went on his way. He would always say their names, and I was frankly impressed.
This is quite an accomplishment for me, as I am not very good at remembering people's names. There are times when I only know the faces of the servants of the Ernst family. Even if they are on the same premises, I don't have a chance to talk to some of them, so I can't remember them. I'm not interested in gossiping about the maids, either.
Frank is really good at customer service. He has a nice smile and is cheerful. Serving at Ingrid's Tavern may be his calling. I'm sure there are very few people who don't like Frank's smile.
Perhaps it was because I was walking leisurely, admiring the view, that the distance between me and Frank widened. At this distance, I had to shout to reach him. I give up, thinking I'll talk to him next time.
Just then, there was someone calling out to Frank. He was a young man, about 5 years old, with short hair, but long only at the collar. He had yellowish-green mesh in his hair, and a feather ornament on a tuft of long hair at his collar. And he had an old scar on one of his eyes that hung like a fox's.

Yankee.

I don't think we should judge people by their eyes, but he looked like a Yankee at first glance.
When the Yankee-looking guy called out to Frank in a casual manner, Frank lowered his eyebrows as if he was a little weak. After a few words, he took Frank to the alleyway.
I looked around briefly and saw that the shopkeeper who had greeted Frank earlier did not seem to notice him as he was dealing with a customer. It seems that I was the only one who happened to be paying attention to Frank and saw the whole thing.

...... mugging?

Frank has some money that he was given to buy food. You will find a lot of things that you can do to make your life easier. It's very possible that my brother spotted me there.
However, it's too early to make any assumptions and call someone. If it was just a friend of Frank's who seemed to have a lot of contacts, Frank would be in trouble. We need to find out if this is blackmail.
I walked to the entrance of the alleyway where Frank and the others had disappeared and listened closely. I can hear them talking, so they're not that far back. But one of them is talking so loudly that it's giving me a bad feeling.
If it looks bad, I'll call someone. So I decided to peek into the alleyway to check it out.

"What the hell are you doing working so diligently? You need to get what you need.

"No, no, no. ......

Do you have any idea what I'm doing here?

I do!　But ......

Don't give me that excuse, man.

Hey, I'm sorry!

A southern accent?

That was the first thing that came to my mind. There are several countries adjacent to the country of Arbentroth, but the southern countries have the same first language. But they have a strong accent. And perhaps because of my memories of my previous life as a Japanese, the southern accent sounds like the Kansai dialect to me. I noticed it when I overheard a gardener's guild member talking to a vendor from a region near the southern border.
I'm stunned by the scene before me. It was the fact that Frank was speaking with a southern accent, but more importantly, it was the situation that made me cringe.

So I told you not to come with me.

"No, it's not safe for you to be alone in another country!

The situation was the opposite of what I had imagined, with Frank looking down at me with a sigh, and the Yankee-like brother refusing to budge. I don't know what was inside, but Frank was sitting on one knee on a pile of crates, and his eyes were inevitably higher than my brother's. There was no friendly smile on his face. That's all it takes to make a big impression, I realized.
I wonder if Frank is mugging me. No, from the way he talks to me, he seems to know me. So, I'm glad I didn't call someone prematurely. I'm glad, but I was more surprised than relieved, and my thoughts paused.
At any rate, the Yankee-esque brother seems to be a nice guy.
Maybe I should just pretend I didn't see him and get out of here. Just as I came to this conclusion, the Yankee-ish brother noticed me.

"What's up, kid? Your friend?

"Timo, what are you talking about? ......

He turned to look at me and our eyes met. He froze, and I didn't know what to do.

"Well, .......

"You've seen ............?

Sorry.

He probably didn't want me to see it, so I acknowledged Frank's question and apologized.

"Timo, secure it.

Hey.

Huh?

As soon as I replied, the guy called Timo pulled me into the alleyway and brought me in front of Frank, grabbing me firmly by both shoulders to make sure I couldn't escape. He looked slender, but he had a lot of muscle, and he didn't look like he'd falter if I tried.


Frank is looking down at me with his eyes fixed on me. I couldn't believe he was the same person as before, and I thought, "Who is this guy?

So, what do you want?

"What?

No, I don't. I'm saying I'll pay you what you want for the story you got.

In other words, he's asking me for a hush money. My brain hasn't caught up with the situation yet. Apparently, Frank's mind is faster than mine.

I think he's talking about Zaku. Why were you on the lookout in the first place?

No, ......, I thought Frank might be getting mugged.

You're a very nice guy, worrying about your boy!

You're a good guy for worrying about your boy! You can't praise a guy who treats you like a criminal.

You can't change your face, so it's inevitable.

I see.

You can't change your face, so you can't help it." "I see." Frank replied to the smiling Timo in a voice that sounded both dismayed and defeated.

I'm sorry for the misunderstanding.

"Oh, no problem, no problem. It's cool that you look like a card-carrying man.

"Don't look so happy, a**h*le.

He grabbed me by the shoulders, so I turned my head and apologized to my brother, meeting his gleaming eyes. He replied like a student with a penchant for bad boys. I was at a loss for a response, and Frank gave me a look of utter disgust.

Well, I know you're a softie, just like the time you ran away from me. So what do you want?

You don't have to pay me to keep my mouth shut, I'll keep my mouth shut. I get the feeling that Frank won't believe me even if I just say so, so I think.
It's not that I want money or anything. If I don't offer some kind of condition that Frank will accept, there will be no negotiation. It's not good for me or Frank, the errand boy, if he doesn't let me go.
I thought about what I could do to make things quicker, and decided.

Tell me why Frank came to this country. If it makes sense, I'll shut up.

"......, yeah. That's why I'm here.

I came here for a reason," Frank replied firmly, seemingly agreeing to the terms of the agreement.

I'm here to make money.

What?

I froze at his assertion as if it were a matter of course.

This country is making money. The country is making a lot of money, so we have to get all kinds of information about trends and technology and make money.

That's why he's working at a restaurant in the capital, where information is easy to gather.

How old is Frank?

Eight. What's that?

Two years younger.

I turned eleven, so he's three years younger than me now. Still, I wonder if it's okay for an eight-year-old to have such a strong business sense.

Why do you want to make so much money?

"Of course, the world revolves around money. My father has four siblings above me, so I can't rely on him. I'll earn my own food.

"Great, kid.

The older brother, apparently struck by Frank's tough talk, clapped his hands. Shouldn't he be holding me down? Well, I'm not running away.
Anyway, it seems that Frank wasn't lying when he said that he had many brothers. It seems he's doing it more for himself than for his family, but it must be a filial duty, because the sooner he gets out on his own, the less burden his family will have to bear.

"But why are you hiding your southern accent?

"Idiot, if you speak with a harsh southern accent, it will scare the women. Women who like to gossip are good sources of information. Besides, you can't afford not to use my charming face.

It's refreshing to see him lightly slap his own cheek and say it out loud. It was the statement of a man who knew his own value as a commodity.
I let out a sigh of exhilaration, filled with laughter.

I knew he was a good guy, but Frank's a funny guy. I get it. I'll shut up.

"...... is all you need to know.

I don't know if he was offended by my laughter, but he rolled his eyes as if he had been caught off guard, and then muttered to himself.
We've reached a deal and they're going to let me go. Frank and the others seemed to have finished their conversation and returned to the street together. Frank got out of the crate and let out a long, deep sigh.

It's impossible ...... that such a useless guy would find out. Timo, this is your fault!　Timo, it's your fault! You should have thought of where you were talking to him!

If you found a boy, you'd talk to him, right?

I'm trying to get him to mind his own business.

Oh, my God.

"Next time you screw up, I'll tie you to an anchor and feed you to the sharks. Yeah?



No!　I don't want to!" "Be patient, kid.

I feel like I'm watching a comedy act because he talks so fast. I don't think Frank is a bad guy either.
I asked him something that suddenly struck me.

What do you mean I'm useless?

He made it sound as if Frank was trying to use me. But I've never asked him to do anything for me. When was the last time we had any kind of exchange to measure my usefulness?
I wondered, and Frank glared at me, somewhat annoyed.

Frank glared at me with some annoyance, "Brother, when I probed you, all you said was that the lady at the mansion was pretty!

I thought about it. By the way, I think he once asked me what it was like to work for a noble family. I thought he was just asking me in the course of conversation, but I guess he was trying to find out what I was thinking. I told him that I was troubled not only by the young lady but also by the Duke's dazzling presence.
It wasn't a curious question, so I didn't even remember that he had asked me that until he pointed it out. I was impressed with Frank's ability to casually bring up topics that I wanted to hear about.

I thought you might have some good information since you work for the duke's family, but you're not worth making connections with.

Frank was unhappy, saying he would have made more use of the information if he had been in the same position.

"Good.

What?

If I'm useless, you can go out with me without calculating.

Frank's southern accent and the fact that we'd just negotiated a no-loan deal. Frank seems to have a tendency to treat people with a sense of profit and loss, so if you can't use me, you can go easy on me.
I chuckled, and Frank rolled his eyes.
After staring at me in disbelief, he averted his gaze, looking embarrassed.

"Idiot. Who's going to be happy about something they can't use?

"Boy, you're embarrassed.

"No, I'm not!

He smiled happily and Frank said, "Don't say anything else. Frank clucked his tongue as he saw that his brother was still happy even though it hurt a little.

Well, as long as you stay out of my way, I won't ignore you.

I see. Don't go to Ingrid's tavern again.

If you want to drop some money, be my guest.

Yeah.

When the exchange was over, I stepped out into the street. Instantly, he's Frank again, with a smile that suits the afternoon sun.
I almost applauded at the speed of the switch, but I held it back and said goodbye to Frank and the others and went to buy the groceries Mom had asked me to buy. As I was shopping, I thought that Frank would be very good at bargaining and getting extras. I'll ask him for some tips next time.


A few days later, after I had finished pulling weeds, I was tending a bed of bright red, peach, orange, yellow, and white irises.
I plucked off the tips of the flower stalks while leaving the main leaves of the flowering irises intact. This is called "tekishin," and it prolongs the stamina of the plant. I leave it to Yang to cut back the blooms after they have finished.
The irises are planted in different places according to their colors, with the white lighthouse grasses in the darker shades and the purple Kirin chrysanthemums, with their strong green leaves, in the lighter shades. This way, the irises look better.
Yang didn't seem to have the idea of combining colors, and her eyes lit up when I explained it to her. I guess she never thought about the overall color of the vegetables because the color of the individual fruits is important. If she can learn to feel like a gardener little by little, we may be able to discuss gardening with her someday.
As I was working, a shadow fell on my face, different from the straw hat I was wearing.

You're still working on the same thing, aren't you?

Nico.

When I looked up to confirm the identity of the shadow, I saw Nico holding a parasol.

Parasols look good on you.

I know it's a pain, but I have sensitive skin.

Nico's skin turns red and hurts when he gets sunburned. Her mother, Elvira, and her sister, Heloise, were worried about her and lent her one for outings. A parasol with a lace edge looked good on her.

You must be a gay man to look so good in women's clothes.

"What?

"Why don't you make a man's parasol? That would look good on Nico too.

I'm sure you're not the only one who has a problem with this. The young lady, who was trying to stop Pochi, closed her mouth.

"Men's clothes?

"Yes. You can make a plain parasol or a parasol with any pattern you like.

I replied to the wondering Nico.
In my previous life in Japan, the ultraviolet rays were so strong that it was common to have a rain umbrella that also served as a parasol. There were also men's parasols, so it was not particularly strange. But before that, there may have been sunscreen creams in the cosmetics of the nobility.
I didn't say anything strange, but for some reason, all eyes were on me.

I like that.

Nico nodded. I'll try to make one next time, Nico said, pondering what design to make.

I'm sure Zaku can come up with something like that.

"Yeah. It's normal.

I nodded my head in admiration. Then she looked at me as if she was looking at something inexplicable.


The lady complimented me on my iris bed, and then abruptly cut to the chase.

You see, Zaku ...... is actually going to be away from his residence for a while next month.

Yeah, it's off-season.

Did you know that ......?

When I told her the reason, she rolled her eyes in surprise. It's true that I hadn't heard of it either until I asked Annika, and her reaction was correct. I'm not interested in it at all, and I'm not familiar with the common sense of the aristocracy, even though I work for a noble family. When I told her that I just happened to know about it, she seemed a little uncomfortable but agreed.
She clasped her fingers together and lowered her eyebrows. The parasol was firmly held by Pochi, protecting her from the summer sun. I can feel his enthusiasm to protect her from the ultraviolet rays.

So I won't be able to see you for more than a month. ......

So, keep the garden ready for when I come back.

Just because you won't have anyone to look at your garden, doesn't mean you can't take care of it. Just because there will be no one to see it doesn't mean you can't take care of it. It would be nice if the remaining servants could look at the garden and feel at home.
The lady's eyes widened when she saw me smile and nod, as if I didn't care about the garden.

You can't see ......, can you?

Yes.

It's my first time. ......

That's what I'm talking about.

This is the first time I haven't seen her in over a month. So I can't imagine much. I wonder how I'll feel about a garden with fewer people to look at it.
I don't know why she insists, and I tilt my head. When she saw my reaction, she puffed up her cheeks.

"Do you really think nothing of Zaku?

"No, because ......

What do you think I am?

"Yeah. A rival.

When I answered immediately, the lady froze as if she had paused.
When I answered immediately, she paused and froze.

"What do you mean by that?

What do you mean by that?" "When I see you working so hard, it makes me want to work harder too.

When I replied that it was a rivalry, Nico let out a long sigh.

I'm sure you're right, Miss Dear. ......?　You never told me.

I don't know what I'm going to do," Nico blurted out, sounding more annoyed than annoyed. When he saw that she was unresponsive to his waving in front of her, he decided to wait for her to reboot.

Oh, I'm not leaving. My dad works at the castle and it's hot in our territory.

"Well... But you can't come here.

Nico's father, the Prime Minister, is so busy that he can't take a summer vacation. I thought it sounded like a lot of work, but Nico said he was just a workaholic at heart.
I thought that Nico would not be able to come here for a while, since he had been visiting Ernst's house on the pretext of seeing his daughter. I thought so, but Nico suggested another way.

"Zak should come to my house. Mother wants him to come back.

"I see.

I nodded, my face relaxed. When Nico didn't come for more than a month in the spring to protect Heloise, I felt a little inadequate, so I was simply happy to see him again during the summer.
When Nico saw my reaction, he turned half-lidded.

"Zak ......, you should take that kind of thing to Miss Dia.

What do you mean by that?

I'm sure you'll be happy to hear that.

".............

I'm not sure if you've seen this before, but I'm sure you have. Noticing this, we looked over at her. We couldn't see the expression on her face, but she was clenching her fists tightly.
Then she looked up and glared at me.

"I don't care about Zaku anymore!

As soon as she said that, she turned on her heel and ran off toward the mansion. In spite of her sudden reaction, Pochi was amazing enough to follow her with his parasol. The voice of Porgy calling out to the lady in concern was fading into the distance.
I couldn't react and watched the scene dumbfounded.

"Zaku is an idiot.

Nico spills his thoughts next to me.

"...... girl, why are you mad at me?

I really don't know. I asked Nico as if I were clinging to him. I'd like to apologize if I hurt your feelings, but I don't know what was wrong with me. I don't think I should apologize without knowing the cause of this anger. Nico seems to know, so please tell me.
When Nico saw me lower my eyebrows in weakness, he smiled as if he had no choice.

Next time you see him, explain to him again why you called him a rival.

Okay.

I nodded firmly to Nico's advice.
I nodded firmly to Nico's advice, but it would be more than a month before I had the chance. I missed the chance to apologize to my daughter, and now I would spend the summer without her.