Chapter 24

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Regarding the parts that have been published in book form, I have intentionally left the typos, omissions, and additions as they are, hoping they might serve as reference material later on.

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Now, considering that she had fallen, she spent the whole day in bed doing embroidery, and the next day went for a walk with Regulus, singing along the way.

It seems that the princess is not in the inner garden, so we will go to Genzaburo's vegetable garden.

The lustrous red of the tomatoes, the fresh green of the cucumbers, and the extremely dark purple of the eggplants, almost indistinguishable from black, all brightly color a corner of the garden.

Among the vegetables that are clearly ripe, the raspberries also assert themselves, producing their delicate red fruits.

Everything looks incredibly delicious!

Humming a little tune, I change into my farming shoes on the bench in front of the field, and Regulus does the same.

Since we might have to carry heavy things, we warm up together with the first radio calisthenics from my previous life, which I remember vaguely.

Farming is quite labor-intensive, so you can't underestimate it. Warm-up exercises are necessary.

By the way, I also do them before intense activities like swordsmanship, archery, and horseback riding. Since I only remember them vaguely, I'm not sure how effective they are as warm-ups.

I lead Regulus, who is walking with a waddle, to where Genzaburo is harvesting vegetables.

"Good morning."

"Good morning!"

"Oh, young masters, you've come."

His bald head and abundant white beard make him look like Santa Claus.

I've heard he's in his late sixties, but thanks to years of gardening and farming, he is well-built.

He is a gentle old man, but strict about work, and I was scolded quite a bit until I got used to it.

But it wasn't unreasonable; it was because I used tools in a way that could lead to serious injury if I made a mistake.

Genzaburo, who is picking cucumbers, hands them to me and Regulus.

"The summer vegetables are almost over, aren't they?"

"Yes, that's right. When autumn comes, we'll plant different things, and if we can harvest something from winter to spring..."

"I thought you might say that, so I prepared some cabbage."

Cabbage!

Isn't it an essential vegetable for winter?

It turns out that Genzaburo has also prepared potatoes and white leeks, and is growing seedlings at home.

"So, when the seedlings are ready, we'll have to finish the summer vegetables, right?"

"We need to prepare the soil well in advance, so we should start preparing a while before planting."

"Oh, I see."

"I plan to plant the seedlings around the middle of the ninth month."

"The ninth month, got it!"

The calendar in this world is the same as before, with 24 hours in a day and 365 days in a year, divided into twelve months.

The months are called the first month, the second month, and so on, very simply. The first day of the first month is the start of the year, and the thirty-first day of the twelfth month is the end. The second month has 28 days, which becomes 29 every four years.

It's early in the eighth month now, so we still have about a month to go.

Until then, let's enjoy the summer vegetables and raspberries.

First, I put the cucumbers I received, along with Regulus's, into my waist pouch.

Following Genzaburo's suggestion to start, I reach for the ripe red tomatoes.

They are firm and glossy.

Seeing this, Regulus exclaims "Wow!" and, despite struggling, picks a cucumber with beautiful, prickly spines. It seems he enjoys the prickles on his fingers and looks for such cucumbers.

I'm not sure if it's a good idea to let a three-year-old use scissors, so for now, we'll stick to what can be picked by hand.

"Brother, I want to eat a tomato!"

"Tomatoes, right? Just wait a moment."

I am allowed to use pruning shears, so I cut just above the stem.

When I hand the red fruit to Regulus, he beams with a big smile.

So cute!

His fluffy golden hair reflects the light, shining like a chick.

In contrast, although my belly has improved, it's still far from the volume of a five-year-old's.

I pinch the flabby flesh.

I've lost some weight since the immediate aftermath of my previous life's memories, but I still have a long way to go.

I need to work on my diet.

With renewed determination, I return to harvesting, and Regulus also picks eggplants and cucumbers, handing them to Genzaburo.

We repeat this several times until the baskets for each type of vegetable are full, marking the end of today's harvest.

We also managed to pick a bowl of raspberries, leaving some for the birds.

Washing one of the raspberries with water, I put it in the golden chick's mouth, and he presses his hands to his mouth, saying, "It's sour and sweet!"

"Is it sour and sweet? That's called sweet and sour."

Ruffling his fluffy golden hair, I hear his high, sweet laugh.

"Young masters, you have a good relationship, don't you?"

The warm, baritone voice, with a hint of age, makes me turn to Genzaburo, whose eyes are soft with wrinkles.

His gaze, like the gentle spring sunlight, seems to look beyond us.

"Is something the matter?"

"No, not really. I have a grandson, you see."

"A grandson? Is he young?"

"He is one year older than you and one year younger than Regulus."

When Genzaburo pauses, I encourage him with my eyes. He shakes his head gently and continues.

"Perhaps it's a case of regression... He is very harsh on his younger brother. Even his parents are at a loss."

Ah, I can guess.

The older brother feels neglected as the parents focus on the younger child. It's not the older brother's fault or the younger brother's fault.

"The frustration of not being acknowledged by the parents is directed at the younger brother. It's a pity that he is then scolded for it..."

"I see, he needs an outlet. Why don't you let your grandson help in the garden? He might also become a playmate for Regulus."

"Thank you very much."

Genzaburo bows deeply, showing how much he cares for his grandson, who is scolded despite his efforts.

I give some of the raspberries, cucumbers, tomatoes, and eggplants to his grandson.

Then, Genzaburo mentions something.

"The vegetables here and the ones grown at home are of the same type and use the same fertilizer, but the ones here grow better and taste much better."

"Is that so? Is it the soil?"

"I thought so too, so I'm using the soil from here for the cabbage seedlings. I apologize for not asking beforehand..."

"Oh, that's fine. Please take care of the cabbage."

"Yes, I will."

We bow to each other.

Now that the harvest is over, let's take the vegetables to the kitchen.

Genzaburo will take the baskets of eggplants and tomatoes, I'll take the cucumbers, and Regulus will take the bowl of raspberries.

While we're deciding this, Regulus, who is getting a bit bored, is waving a stick he found.

"Swinging a stick..."

"Is he swinging a stick?"

"Yes, it seems Regulus has a talent for swordsmanship. I'm thinking about how to develop it."

Even if I say I'll teach him, I'm at a plateau, so I'll have to ask Mr. Romanov for help soon.

I smile wryly, and Genzaburo, rubbing his chin, nods as if making a decision.

"Young master, before I was picked up by the previous lord, I was an adventurer."

"Really!? That's amazing!"

"Yes, I still do morning practice."

"Ah... so that's why you're so well-built..."

"It's a combination of my past skills and my current training."

"Wow, that's impressive."

"Not really. Anyway, could I take charge of Regulus's swordsmanship? I was quite famous in my time, even though I'm now a low-ranking noble."

This is perfect!

Great, Regulus! You'll have a new teacher!

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