ALL NOVEL 51: The Returning Brothers
The old rose pot I asked Mee-Mee for is finished.
It’s now in my storage, so I decided to check it in the garden.
Here it is, ta-da!
What appeared was a splendid old rose planted in a grand square pot, trained on an obelisk, reaching over three meters in height.
It’s a climbing rose, so of course, it turned out like this…
The large square pot, which seemed to be about 80 centimeters on one side, was beautifully decorated and made of a terracotta-like material.
Isn’t this pretty heavy?
I think it would take two or three strong people to carry it. Wouldn’t it be a nuisance to gift something like this?
There were eight pots of white, pink, and reddish-purple damask roses.
They seemed to be about thirty percent in bloom.
Damask roses are used to make perfume, right?
They certainly smelled nice, so I brought my nose closer and sniffed.
The spirits were mimicking me too.
Worried that they might be too big, I hurriedly called Burton.
“Burton, isn’t something this large a nuisance? Wouldn’t it be better to give cut flowers instead?”
Seeing the eight large pots placed in the garden, Burton gasped.
“These are indeed magnificent. If placed at an entrance or in a garden, they will undoubtedly be overwhelming.”
Burton nodded contentedly.
“Huh? Even something this large is okay?”
“Nobles tend to be showy, so they prefer larger items over smaller ones.”
Seriously…
So, the eight pots of roses were decided to be given as gifts.
By the way, the weight of the pots isn’t a problem thanks to the earth magic ‘Gravity Manipulation.’
Since they can fit into a magic bag, they were promptly delivered.
“When setting them up outside, make sure to apply purification magic daily.”
With purification magic, there’s no need for disinfection!
Later, we received an additional order from the Ragnard Marquis family.
They placed a large order for their townhouse and mansion!
Burton was delighted, even if he didn’t show it on his face.
Mee-Mee was puffing out his chest with pride.
Hmm, I don’t really understand nobles.
Amidst this hustle and bustle, the radberry harvest also began.
In open field cultivation, there were many irregularly shaped and sized berries, but the taste was undeniably excellent. We selected uniform berries for gift boxes and sent the misshapen ones to the jam workshop.
It’s now up to the village ladies’ skills.
By mid-June, we received jam samples.
After tasting them with Jeff, Burton, Martha, and me, we decided they were fit for sale. We marked the best products with a seal and decided to sell them in limited quantities.
Of course, we are selling everything to the Harud Trading Company this time.
Since they can only be made during the strawberry harvest season, mass production isn’t possible.
It’s needless to say that Benjamin’s eyes turned into money signs after tasting it.
“I’ll make sure to sell them at a high price,” he said enthusiastically as he left.
Do your best! Thank you!
By the way, I haven’t seen Grandpa Al lately.
Is he okay?
Mee-Mee is with him, so he should be fine.
This season is busy for me too, so I forget!
At the end of June, my brothers returned!
Since it was still impossible for Riol to travel solely on horseback, they used a combination of carriage and horseback.
“We’re back, Haku.”
“Welcome back, Ren, Riol.”
Ren, who hugged me cheerfully, had become quite mature.
He seemed to have grown sturdier too.
“You’re still small as ever.”
Riol, who peeked at me from the side, patted my head.
Isn’t he looking more beautiful?
His hair has grown longer too!
“I’ve grown a bit!”
Muttering “Mmm-mmm,” I hugged Riol too.
Riol had also grown taller!
“Alright, can you use purification magic? It’s dusty.”
“Oh, that sounds good. Could you do it for me too?”
Ren, who was watching our playful banter with a smile, joined in.
Aren’t they treating me like a purification stone?
Well, I can’t help it, so I’ll clean you up!
Alright, refresh!
“You’re still as clueless as ever.”
Saying that, Riol sandwiched my cheeks with both hands.
My cheeks were squished, making me look like an octopus.
Then, he squished my cheeks more and gave me a kiss on the forehead.
The spirits flew over and took turns being squished and kissed like an octopus.
They were all delighted and laughing.
After that, we had lunch and a catch-up session in the lounge.
Ren graduated from the academy with top grades.
Riol finished the basic courses in three months and is now studying magic circles in the magic department. He’s maintaining decent grades.
Surprisingly, Riol is smart enough to aim for the top.
“Since the third prince and his entourage are in the same grade, it would be troublesome if I stood out and got their attention. I’m not aiming for a high position in the royal capital, so average grades are fine.”
Oh, a prince and his entourage!
“Does the prince have a fiancée?”
I couldn’t help but ask. It’s not my fault, right?
“Why are you interested in such a weird thing? The prince doesn’t have a fiancée yet.”
Riol answered nonchalantly and drank radberry juice.
Jeff had made ice with ice magic, crushed it finely, and blended it with radberries using a manual mixer.
There are magical tools like mixers in this world too!
The radberry juice we made was cold and had a delightful crunchy texture, making it an exquisite treat!
Super delicious!
Our family has another specialty.
“Oh, this is delicious! It has radberries and ice chunks in it! The texture of the pulp is interesting, and the sweetness isn’t overwhelming, making it perfect for summer.”
He praised it highly!
Riol’s eyes were sparkling.
It’s his favorite radberry drink. No wonder he became talkative.
Actually, the squires also drink it after training for nutrition.
Ren was also happily drinking it.
But I was limited to one cup a day by Martha.
“What will you do if you get a stomachache from drinking something cold? Just one cup!”
I was given a small cup for children.
Feeling dejected.
Meanwhile, my brothers’ cups were large.
They were three times bigger than mine.
My cup…
Ahh. Tears of the heart flowed from my eyes.
By the way, Grandpa did not accompany us this time.
He’s busy preparing for Oscar’s engagement ceremony, so Lord Leon kept him back. Grandpa apparently threw a fit until the end!
A few knights from the marquis family were escorting my brothers, and they’ll return tomorrow after staying for one night. They’ll come to pick us up again in early August.
Good job, everyone.
Today, enjoy lots of delicious vegetables and fruits!
Take plenty of souvenirs home with you!