I Live With My Villain Uncle - Chapter 99
And soon the shadow quietly disappeared into the darkness.
[Neri’s Garden]
Neri returned to her shop and looked at the flower shop sign that she had made and hung for a long time.
The first time I came to the capital was exactly three years ago.
[I will definitely succeed!]
She was born at the northernmost tip of Ponta Island.
Even Ponta Island, which was famous as a resort, was a very small island that one had to take a small boat to get there.
It was the most unremarkable town on Ponta Island, but even so, if one opens the curtains as soon as they wake up, one can see the sea through the windows.
A countryside within a countryside.
[I heard James next door got into a fight with Delco while working again?]
[Did you meet Sonya downstairs last night?]
It was such a small place that if anyone coughed even once, they would worry about catching a cold the next day.
Although it was a friendly place, Neri was sick of it.
She wanted to leave.
With a strong ambition to succeed, Neri chose to become a wanderer as soon as she became an adult.
After that, with great difficulty, she collected five silver coins and some boat fare and carriage fare.
She came up to the capital with a bag the size of her body and five silver coins.
[Get out of the way!]
[What are you doing standing there foolishly?]
However, the capital was a cold and unfriendly place for Neri.
[I came here after seeing the job posting over there.]
[What can you do?]
[I can do anything if you ask me to. My deftness isn’t bad either. Because this is what I made…]
[You have to learn the job for a month as a probationary period, so I will only give you half of your salary.]
[Yes, it’s fine!]
She was lucky enough to find a job as soon as she arrived.
However, here, she had to do everything on her own without the help of her family, and it costhere money just to breathe.
One day, she was exhausted as she couldn’t save money even though she worked constantly.
It was probably over half a year since she started working.
On a day when she thought she should just give up and go back to her hometown, a small accident happened.
It was a carriage accident.
She didn’t see the carriage that was running and ran so quickly that she startled the horse.
Her eyes lit up in surprise at the horse’s sound.
As soon as Neri fell, she couldn’t even scream as she thought she might die and curled her body up.
How long has it been?
She was startled by the front feet of a large horse and fell to the ground, trembling, when someone got out of the carriage.
Neri was still crouched in fear.
[Are you okay?]
Before she could answer, one more person got off.
[Miss Seria, please don’t come out. I will solve it.]
[Are you okay?]
It seemed like they were arguing for a moment, yet one side’s voice was full of kindness.
Neri opened her eyes in a daze and looked at the person who spoke to her.
She was a woman wearing a neat uniform with her red, curly hair tied up neatly.
Behind him, a man wearing a black suit was also seen.
He appeared to be the woman’s secretary.
‘…Is she a person, just like me?’
A beauty so beautiful that even a woman would say a word of admiration at first glance.
Her tall, straight stature and elegant posture were undisturbed.
Neri suddenly came to her senses when the woman stared at her with a worried look on her face.
[I-I’m fine! I apologize, I should have seen better and avoided it, I apologize! I apologize!]
She knelt down and bowed her head.
Even if Neri didn’t know anything else, she had learned clearly that she should never make nobles angry.
Even though they don’t have any money.
[I think the coachman couldn’t see clearly because it’s night. Are there any injuries? Bell, she seems very surprised, we need to take her to the hospital right away.]
[I-It’s fine. I will definitely pay for the cost of today’s accident. I apologize, I apologize!]
She kept shouting her apologies without even knowing what she was saying.
Yet rather than holding her responsible, the woman drove me to the hospital herself and paid for her treatment.
[Where is your home? I’ll take you there.]
And even took her home herself.
[…Ah, that.]
[Yes?]
[I-I don’t have a house yet… I’m staying at a nearby inn. It’s fine! Thank you for treating me. I will definitely repay this favor!]
Later, Neri found out that the person who had helped her was Seria de Valliot, the daughter of Duke Valliot, and that she held a large position in the Imperial Palace.
Originally, it was a relationship that would never have touched her life.
After that, Neri met her assistant, Bell, several more times for treatment.
And she took a portion of her daily wages to buy fresh flowers and delivered them to Seria.
She wanted to repay the favor somehow before returning home.
Because of all the things she could buy, she considered flowers to be the prettiest and most expensive belonging to nobles.
Then she became closer to Seria, and when she heard Neri’s plight that she was now returning home, Seria helped her settle into the capital.
That was [Neri’s Garden].
With her words, she asked her to send her flowers now and then, like now.
After that, Neri made a promise.
That if she makes a lot of money, she will repay her for her kindness.
[Hello, Sister!]
Although she could no longer see her, instead she could see her daughter, Aika.
However, some time ago, another nobleman started visiting her flower shop.
To be exact, he was an aide to a nobleman.
Neri was extremely wary and chased him away, yet he persisted and made strange suggestions to Neri.
[If you help me with just one very simple task, I will reward you appropriately.]
It was an amount of money she would never have had in her life.
The moment Neri saw those gold coins, she hesitated without realizing it.
As if she was possessed, she went to the vicinity of the marquis’ residence and came back.
‘What should I do?’
While she was trimming the stems with a distraught mind, a confident and bright child came into the store.
[Sister, hello!]
Place both hands at the navel and bow vigorously at a 90-degree angle.
It was her daughter, Aika, who began to visit him often even after something had gone wrong with Seria.
Neri smiled broadly as she put down the scissors, erasing her worries.
“Aika, you’re here! What flowers should we see today?”
Neri quickly wiped the things on her hands with her apron in case they touched the child.
It was ridiculous to dare call a nobleman’s child by her first name, but Neri was able to do it.
This is because Seria requested that whenever her daughter comes, she be greeted warmly like a friendly older sister.
“Red flowers for today! I’m giving it to Grandpa!”
As she looked down at the child who was looking at the flowers with a face brighter than the flowers in full bloom, she saw clothes wrapped around the child’s body, a brooch, and a large golden necklace.
Not even the single ribbon string tied in pigtails on her was ordinary.
Even if she earns money for the rest of her life, she can’t have it.
No matter how hard she lives and struggles, she can’t have it.
It wasn’t the first time she had seen it, yet strangely enough, her eyes were particularly drawn to it today.
“Hmmm, hmmm, which one should I choose?”
“You can choose any of them, Miss.”
“Then I won’t be able to buy new flowers next time.”
As she stared like that for a while, a pure white hand appeared in front of her eyes and covered Aika’s body.
Neri was startled and raised her head.
She was Aika’s maid, the woman who always accompanied her.
She thought Aika called her Zenda.
Her gaze was silently staring at her.
Soon, she looked away, talking to Aika with a kind face.
‘I guess he was just staring.’
Neri rubbed the back of her neck, feeling it sting for no reason.
Once again, her eyes fell on the jewelry Aika was wearing.
***
“Is it good.”
“Yeah, great! When will Grandpa come? “The flowers shouldn’t wither, though.”
Uncle became strange.
When I told him I was going to Grandpa’s, he kept pretending to be sick and making noises since yesterday, and today he even went to the flower shop with me.
I didn’t even ask to go with him, yet held out his hand first, saying, “Aren’t you going to the flower shop today?”
For a moment, I was a little suspicious because I thought it was someone else wearing Uncle’s mask, but it was Uncle.
“He will come. Ah, my arm hurts so much.”
“…Uncle, then take the medicine.”
He doesn’t even take medicine.
I was anxiously waiting for Grandpa again today.
***
“Uncle, are you sleeping? Don’t do that, ask Grandpa.”
Kassel pretended not to notice Aika calling him.
His father, who has been waiting since yesterday with a cloth covered in a golden carriage, never even dreamed of it.
Today again, Aika was on an unscheduled outing.
“Peanut, come here.”
“Why?”
Aika smiled brightly and stopped.
She narrowed her jewel-like eyes and looked at herself, then immediately sat down.
“Don’t wanna.”
“What? Why.”
“Uncle is trying to make me say ‘Ah’ again.”
“What, are you even suspicious of your uncle now?”
“…”
Aika, who was as good at answering questions as her amazing greetings were, fell silent.
She even covered her mouth with her small hands, as if she was remembering what happened that day.
He was wriggling my eyebrows and was about to call her again when a servant came in quickly.
“Master. His Grace the Duke’s carriage has just arrived.”
“What?”
Why is the old man coming, he wonders.
“Grandpa is here!”
“Hey, you…!”
Aika jumped up and ran straight to the front door.
Storyteller Lipzoldyck's Words
hope you enjoy it!
Comments for chapter "Chapter 99"
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