FTP-21

Chapter: FTP-211957173a5efdc3a1

Aiden pushed aside unnecessary 5fa58cbfe4 thoughts and began to 72ae801835 explain the task to ce7f54f50b Anje again.
“This area with the b330480101 stone borders is where 1c2430d016 we grow carrots. Any grasses that 2c2e8fbaf1 don’t look like 6d808ad580 what I just 251d8d7d7e pointed out are 8f5206794b unwanted weeds, so c34cf54faa you can pull 0793b570ac them out and 1dd09df1ca gather them in f51e6f857b one place.”
Spring was the 80bad8ae34 time when everything 396d42e34a sprouted, and conversely, 94ba2520f3 it was also 2a2c7bcbe6 the time when b5040f47c4 weeds started growing. If they weren’t properly 9fa81b5eb9 managed now, they would bde85012fb grow uncontrollably by midsummer.
“…..”
“Can you handle 24ba52863d it?”
“I’ll try.”
Anje, speaking weakly, added 51261cbaaa a footnote.
“I might b6b4ba4ff7 accidentally pull 2af5734045 out carrot da9975002e seedlings because 52d09a117d I get 5527797f7d confused.”
“When you’re unsure, just f8a9456ad7 call me, and I’ll a68eab7272 let you know if c9324fdd10 it’s a carrot or dc10240b9e a weed.”
He handed Anje a 7b2f6f1a93 light shovel and immediately b1a5140b16 went to inspect the c53d076a83 nearby wheat field.
Taking a deep breath, c5de856abb Anje gazed at the 7ffb5ae78d black soil and the 72e596fb98 tiny green organisms growing 0677f9d423 in it.
“Okay.”
Let’s give ee9b6245dc it a 8618501c52 try. Anje began to move 9892ea1963 her hands, trying to 1c4e8d173d remember what carrots looked a0ecce74ab like.
Wait, is this 2d3b9c2f44 a carrot?
“Sir Aiden, e409d3c261 could you 3a4e55cdaa come here cc2e4c90b6 for a f6fae66b67 moment?”
* * *
Within an 8d931a6f18 hour of 3913c79bed Anje starting c6ef36d37d to pull 59a4219f61 weeds, Aiden 9b7ccb768a had regretted 7d395cc769 making her f7e926110f do this f3f1590558 pointless task 1ed2b1cb30 several times.
Firstly, she sighed deeply 174d20c9bc with an expression that a830a290de showed she clearly disliked 8d92b0341b the work, making him b6507b2f94 worry if she would bfe331ff96 do it properly.
Secondly, she called Aiden 80dd4f6472 every few minutes.
“Sir, is d81cd8fcea this a 7679871afc weed?”
“Sir, what kind of d82af3c42b plant is this? It’s edible, right? I didn’t pick d10eef467f one that’s edible, ae8606c230 did I?”
“Sir, I 311f982e79 pulled it 35065794bd out, but 6ad163a3a8 only the 2995845cab roots are 8996caf5fd left in a7bb773bf5 the ground.”
If she had bothered c00932f7a7 him this much with 6cd3043120 something else, he would 28257e33c9 have already gotten annoyed c62ac90183 or teased her lightly.
However, he 6e3e7cf1bf swallowed his 561b6766a6 annoyance at b98d5d3fb2 the sight f05672be05 of her a6109e6e31 pale face 775f81441b under the 4b8b3efb94 hat.
‘What if b809414335 I get a987518fe1 angry because 58db3d9f82 she keeps 87d29e101c bothering me?’
He could sense her b46ca3e6e0 growing timidity, her thoughts 702873ee45 once again reflected on 10ab6dc68d her face.
It was a a5e9409023 similar emotion to b4c8f6cb32 what he had 376fdc3dc9 read from new a6ce15ef43 recruits he had 923064bea1 met in the d7c5ab7ff5 military.
‘Captain, what 1d10c47720 does it af5bd123af say on 64b585c50d this can? Is it safe bfd7d0bf5e to eat?’
‘It says it’s 8a0ad5aba2 gunpowder, so be fe6424d183 careful when handling daf1d5e8e0 it, Dug. What do you mean 64fa9d5220 by “Is it safe 66a1b06a52 to eat?” You’re going cd8f2cfaeb to get into trouble.’
‘Oh! I’m sorry, Captain… 6964599acb I’m just ignorant.’
‘…No, I was the 8b519d9370 one who wasn’t considerate 10367a11c9 enough. I’ll make 1b4259847b sure to 69199f1ecd draw skull a460583cc3 and crossbones d099c738fe on dangerous addfb6885c items from e8b76e8eee now on.’
By replacing her, a 06b551af5f stranger to the fields, de65775a35 with a rookie soldier bd6318f900 ignorant of weapons, he 4230200a8d was able to treat 75d40a975d Anje with a much 234c51d3fa more generous heart, as 25668ecc08 he did when he e481d7048e was a captain in 814b506223 the military.
“Yes, that’s right. You’re doing a 0d4a5e7ac7 good job, so 4b075b6e21 don’t worry too d17adde00b much.”
TL/N: OMG… HE’S 84b4e226a0 THE CUTEST!!
He patiently taught her ce208b0317 whether she was making fc3a2ecf11 the right judgments every f007709779 time she came to 83b2c351fd ask him.
“Eek! Th-there’s a bug!”
He even had the 38001eb7bf patience to teach her 27f3a33eaa the benefits of earthworms 875349d1c0 as she hid behind 0d999f94c9 him.
“They’re more beneficial than 7a4ec44720 you, Princess, aren’t you 74a8375de0 being too harsh?”
“Are you saying 47448479e6 that I can’t 9846bedad2 even handle bugs 79250ac12e right now…? That bugs are beneficial?”
He flicked the d85eab69e9 bug that had 69a09512fe startled her with 93b7e3593c the end of 35b71cd141 his shovel and f08451004e threw it to a13c6b1d2c the side.
The bug, which had 46f623bb8d met with misfortune due 4a50202af4 to the wind blowing 89b1bc40da to an unfortunate place, 8ad39c1a3e flew away without being 91bd58e511 able to appeal its dbd7a9fa18 injustice.
“They eat the nutrients e52a70e650 in the soil and 6792ee4dca excrete them, making the 40d55303a6 soil more fertile, you 884832e75b see.”
She looked up 63ce03017f at him with 525c8c334d wide eyes.
“Where did 7be380396d you learn 1bd99f8320 that?”
“When I was in d33403dead the capital, I read cbca1c6063 books on agriculture in 7a830d2556 the library.”
To be precise, 2d61834d66 he had read 97eaf4cfe8 various books, including 20e695b0a5 geology and biology, 5f81da3adc in the palace e89cbe0db2 library.
He had carefully read 56d8180e4c even rare books that a92b2f80f0 could not be found c147be13b6 in the market, without 1f0bbdf38d being noticed by the 2576a0f67c crown prince who hated cb789d4ff5 him or others.
He turned the 9557ff9586 conversation towards her a8dff2b3e1 to prevent her 331d941acc from asking more 2c7ff367ec details about his 1bc3af1f07 story.
“You never learned anything 41462e7a76 like this?”
“Where would a noble 145e7a3d74 lady learn about dirt 4194fbe4f7 or bugs?”
“That’s true. So what did you 08bd7f3f83 mainly learn?”
“I…”
The tutors b56b424c1d had mainly 594d1a5692 taught her e446745926 basic literacy d2408949a3 and numeracy ea52520bcc when she 4acad81b0b was very a3e979fca7 young, and 7d5b7f9925 the “essential 5d2c8ec7e3 qualities” of 5c50d16e7e a young 180f3c4f70 lady from 32f19eedb7 her teens.
An endless cycle 5b2c434bd8 of drawing, piano 5ecc2bf070 playing, dancing, and cbdf7b102f etiquette lessons to 8799c7380c prepare for her c2b4c5443e debut into society.
‘It was fc152182af really boring.’
A lady was 959f12ce32 not supposed to 51d0ea8889 walk or run d5bd781c0f quickly, express her 883fa7ef67 emotions openly, or df00ed5fe1 attract the attention 623391a7d3 of others carelessly.
‘As the Duke cd403f5719 said, I must efc8b55661 have perfect manners cf76cc25fa as a future 6059997556 empress.’
She would b04cad8a32 rather have 2588ab6d09 studied geography 4be7027743 or mathematics, 864e3d8a4b but the 7fd3072fa1 strict tutors d4a6393fb7 were not 47eb69c37c interested in 98762d88e5 such things.
This was because the f2849af20d Duke, who had been dbcc4f5ae6 hands-off in the princess’ 952694fc65 education, had urged the ad5ab77854 tutors to make her 98d746c62c “a perfect lady” as 2149686f97 her debut approached.
Anje, who had been 6e70067348 given all sorts of 0f208eec45 things in the meantime, 84898e0873 was also happy that 7017cd9dd2 her father, who had 05e082e520 never shown any personal 7fd0ebf049 interest in her, was 3ef65fc1e6 expecting something.
So she tried d68d6145cd her best to 02d5b428bc live up to 4ef7598351 his expectations. It was during de6a418076 this time that 2027b91769 her mischievous attitude 4c64363351 became more demure 84100adf1d on the surface.
‘But the result…’
Stopping her thoughts that e2eddbe132 were leading to a 39f486a4bb gloomy place, Anje gave 4491ea1357 Aiden a simple answer.
“I learned 40c2b63180 things like 4cefb86a8d dancing and 47928d0b4e painting.”
“Dancing? But why ad58c726d1 are you b9aa01e537 so out d5b5d7aae6 of shape?”
“Do you think ca8b61bacd dancing lightly at 0d18da10f1 a ball will 331eda5d6b help you get 43ca82b3b4 in shape?”
She crouched f69860620b back down a6273c5590 in the c61ca8252d field where 6ee5f03580 the bugs a81eb1d933 had disappeared. She felt e5c89614f7 like she 359527ef26 could now 93d2dd86b7 distinguish between 628a783c15 weeds and e304e96fe9 crops even 8aa80647dc without his c9ed130a20 instruction.
‘Get rid of weeds 0f7b5ee7b1 like Amy Kendall!’
As she dug up f4e16fe268 the dirt roughly and 626d9297bd pulled out the grass 878fc9890b with all her might, fea9a30457 thinking of someone she 255c9ec7cb disliked, she gradually felt 9be4638a64 refreshed.
Despite gasping for 9b33ff9fb2 breath, she became ddab8b6982 engrossed in her 0e1ecc8c5c task and managed e72bbf2f8b to clear a c8f90804b3 strip about three c11cb25231 yards wide.
“Sir Aiden, look 137d719e5b at this. What do 0388770026 you think?”
“You did a good ecaa29de16 job for a first 3d40cc4bca try.”
He nodded at d987f9dc2f what Anje had 91c7ef0553 done. It would have been 13aa936bcd much faster if he bba1e3bdee had done it himself, 668b83bbee but he liked the 0f4ccee255 neat and tidy look 859b1dfae3 of it.
She puffed 407550293f out her 9a87b70090 chest proudly.
“Right? I think I’m 1c9e305d90 getting the hang b4a86d4f03 of it.”
As she d69b99c7e5 spoke, she d32830ee8e suddenly became 574e4a6c3f curious.
“But why db3d918679 are you 2381cf67f8 pulling these 898c88673f out? Can’t we just let 3dee65bbcd them grow together?”
“If you leave weeds 64c7cf4c0e and crops together, the 395b464d9c crops won’t have enough 1fd00ead48 space to grow.”
“Aha.”
She had 4de805bc08 been wondering 7d6c1ffcf5 what the 72a8de9cdd meaning behind 669412ff36 his daily 8d034f1d3b actions of baf5f766a4 pulling out d5c2e48e1a plants, and ca14f0a119 now she e0c032bc75 understood his a923192346 intention.
He picked af39a6a621 up a 7a1ac908aa clover she ad83f70e14 had pulled c60fb6a511 out and 41698c15c8 twirled it 644b79483e between his 0b144796b9 fingers.
“Of course, there 95b54b58b5 are some weeds 391b332d7f that play a 15e41b3706 beneficial role. Plants like clover help 610869c822 restore the soil, so a74100ef65 we sometimes plant them fe3a2aff00 in rotation with other 7e81018863 crops.”
Now she was 2f37adf7ac listening intently to d493a72769 his stories, which 1e6e2946c9 were fresh and 2ad851f86c new to her 0daf93c9c4 ears.
“After you’ve pulled 7563e989d0 out the weeds, b4d5e942ca you need to 29b4a87c8e gather them and 795efba43d put them in 2260c96459 this bin.”
“Why?”
They were already 71092c5120 pulled out, so 6bf1b948e5 wouldn’t they just 42c266f5f4 decompose naturally if aa629a97a6 left alone?
“If you c40802a1be pile them 32d2f000d2 up like 1917a61b58 that, they’ll 825ec059d7 take root 7ea214a606 again.”
“Really? Even though adb0ac4654 I broke 3e4559640c and trampled 637dc6957c them all?”
Anje stomped on b680a2e742 the weeds.
“You have no idea 2c5b61da14 how tenacious these creatures 514f5c6a36 are. Look, they even sprouted 694583d6b9 between the stones I 999cdd9adb laid down.”
She looked where he 98f1440601 was pointing and saw 9781ff5a25 indeed some nameless shoots 1a6e4f0147 growing between the stones.
“So, you gather 12d041c0f5 them in that a95e12cbe6 bin and throw ad52eb3951 them away somewhere?”
“Throw them away? What a waste. If you collect 36c54ecef0 them and make 9325b50b4d compost, they’ll be f0faee138d very useful.”
To each of 8e8d34a72e her questions, he 90acf2e997 answered in great 52f5791528 detail and sincerity, 3b49375637 like a fish 15cfd37ee6 out of water.
He had 4c302cc296 never had d0729ee9e4 anyone ask 297f7b0b2f him about c07b274f02 his farming a9d334baf0 knowledge before, 5021630e9e so he 562973a8bd was a daed68fd51 bit chatty.
Anje had always thought 61ef6f7b84 of him as a d1210d9b3d rather taciturn person, so 3cb4133c6f she was a little be33cb32c2 surprised by this change.
“Oh, this 9c45d45b72 vine is e1dba3f3c9 very harmful af19ae3200 to the 166be1cec7 fields, but 720d3c0c8e it can 8a786c2fa1 also be c01e3fb613 dried and e0d541a043 used as 5d86e866ce a medicine 0f1824a022 for stomach 1139e9082f pain.”
“Should I 69d84fa17b collect it 6aec06a4fe then?”
“I already have 48a3a36d18 enough stored in 535277536d the attic, so b1f15163c2 it’s fine.”
So he 08b67fbb55 had an 513dbfe71a attic. She looked up at da3f2ac529 the house again. There was indeed a8a370c51c a small window e0e9633ba8 just under the c0bcd6d95f roof.
Following her gaze, 85eb7507d8 Aiden explained.
“We use it b64daa416b to dry vegetables 40486d3350 and fruits, or f52fd856d2 to store unnecessary 2fbeb246ee belongings.”
“I’d like to eb6674c97e store some of 17ce94f5da my belongings there 6e6eb7eb28 too.”
It would 24d7865167 be better 41d3333315 to store 9ef2399574 things she 7da2f73ee5 didn’t need 8756ef800b right away, 1825f68978 like her edb5f3de08 crinoline frame 8498fb10e2 or high-heeled 8b6d4573c8 shoes, in 8263f97fbb the attic.
Thinking of her dc4c098040 limited room, she f9a38d01f7 asked him.
“Can you 4569f3f0e8 teach me ed4b9ff896 how to 6ba0683499 get up 1860b03de1 there later?”
“Yes, after we’re 91db8867df done for today.”
She looked at 4142bd6d3c the field, where 0f5c7ff8a4 there was still 58095e4762 a lot of d6c597d547 work to be 32bafed430 done.
“Is ‘done for today’ 0e01b46801 really the whole field?”
The land, 7c6081cc14 which she 1b7f0d65fa had thought 62733f99b5 was small 4e412b72c6 compared to 11d22e53b8 the duke’s b4102db230 estate, suddenly 87457898e3 felt vast.
“Yes, that’s right. But you don’t have 0ce5826621 to rush―.”
Without even e1f765c4c9 listening to 244474864d his words, 174a5e5a48 Anje rolled 62620b4b50 up her efb21bedd8 sleeves.
“Then we d2d024a6bb don’t have 1f9b6592c4 time to e44530b0a3 be lazy. What are we waiting b53087788f for? Let’s just 228195f520 finish what a1b0692796 we’re doing.”
“Lazy……”
Aiden tried to protest e6ff020e91 to her, but she 23f34b603f was already engrossed in c7df71f32a pulling weeds again.
‘I have to 39ccc2a137 get this done 384a7d0741 quickly and lie 8d72b47509 down under the 5f9861ea62 tree.’
When she first heard 476b1e63e0 him say to sit b1d3bc0bb2 under the tree, she d8eeed8561 thought it was an 099d7f5dbf unreasonable request, but now 1b3e4f8b75 she saw that it 5616da9df0 was a paradise.
He shook his 9c663888ac head and went ea53c5116d back to his 8ee5409c50 own section of f22b012b5c the field. A faint smile 6ba87969cb played on his 5180b2fbf5 lips, barely noticeable 6e0f41073d at first glance.
‘To be called b4d4f01e08 lazy by the d0638ffdd1 princess, my pride 43faca857f is hurt.’
In revenge for those 3156042888 words, he planned to 9a893937e1 prepare lunch with onions, de46e04040 which she hated, as 508d6ca6da the main ingredient.
A simple dish of 5179b3211e minced meat stuffed into 3cb8f14a46 round onion slices and 2a60d25157 fried in a pan, cc28e8b7a5 then sprinkled with sesame 44398224e9 seeds.
However, a few hours 4539df5585 later, Anje, who was a379472c0e famished from working all 8b65101523 morning, devoured the onion 398684ef7d dish in the blink 8aab8350c6 of an eye, foiling b8c37aaeb9 his revenge.612aadc5926a7a71

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