“Have you arrived?”
Baron Minho returns home.
There was a slight look of fatigue, hinting at some tiring activity he’d just finished.
“Did you wait long?”
“No.”
Minho glances at Garim and greets him casually. What follows is their usual exchange—talks about transactions, quality, and quantities.
After wrapping up the business talk, Garim quietly sips tea while curiosity bubbles up.
“If I may, could I ask a few questions?”
“Yes, go ahead.”
“Could you tell me the purpose behind building the school?”
“The school?”
“Yes.”
“I built it to educate the residents who don’t know how to read or lack general knowledge. Most importantly, it’s for the children’s education.”
“Do you have a specific intention behind focusing on education?”
“To improve the overall average level of the village, would that make sense?”
“Hmm… improving the average level…”
“Yes. It won’t show immediate results, but it’s an investment in the distant future.”
“I see.”
There are many things one could nitpick about, but there’s no real reason to do so. After all, disagreements are natural among humans. Satisfied with hearing Minho’s intentions, Garim concludes there’s no ulterior motive here.
“By the way, do you have any plans to sell bicycles or postal systems?”
“Not right now, but I do plan to in the future.”
“In that case, please keep our royal palace as your top priority.”
“Of course. Once the quality and quantity reach a saleable level, I’ll let you know immediately.”
“Thank you.”
Securing the advantage in future deals, Garim’s task is done. Loading the goods onto the carriage, the return journey to the royal palace feels quite chilly. Though there’s much more he could’ve asked, he refrains.
“Will the same questions be possible next time? Or will the circumstances change?”
With these thoughts, Garim leaves the village, his voice fading into the air as the carriage departs.
—
* * *
The end of winter.
Spring arrives.
A season of warmth and the beginning of farming.
On a large scale, farming starts, and once money starts rolling in, we’ll consider opening a new mode. With more farmland available, it might be feasible.
I’m also thinking of supplying cheap produce to the entire village, activating taverns and restaurants.
“Good morning!”
Our peaceful morning begins with the smell of breakfast wafting through the air when Yul suddenly stands up, rummaging through their arms.
“What is it?”
“Ba-ba!”
What could they have brought out with such confidence? Yul is usually energetic, but today their expression seems different. They try to suppress a smile, filled with anticipation for praise.
Finally, Yul reveals a small flower covered in snow, its white color standing out even more.
“A gift?”
“Yes!”
“Thank you.”
It’s touching. The mere thought of bringing a present is commendable.
Carefully placing the flower on my clothes, I secure it with magic since there’s no pin. Watching this, Yul’s face brightens.
“I want one too!”
Yul brings out another identical flower, gently attaching it to their own chest. They seem delighted with the flower decorating their outfit. Using magic again, I fix the flower securely on their clothes. The white, pretty flower adorns Yul’s outfit beautifully.
They nod vigorously, clearly satisfied.
“Hehe.”
Gently stroking the flower on their own clothes, Yul tries to touch the one on mine. Stretching on tiptoes but unable to reach, I lower myself to their eye level. Finally, they can carefully stroke the flower on my clothes, nodding contentedly.
“Who’s next?”
Bounding over to Anne with nimble steps, Yul approaches her.
“Here’s a present!”
“What kind of present is it??”
“Ba-ba?”
Anne pretends not to know, and Yul excitedly pulls out the flower from their arms. It’s the same one pinned to their clothes, presented as a surprise.
“Oh wow! So pretty!”
“Hehe. Ma-za.”
“Our Yul might be cuter than this flower though!”
That’s how compliments work. Anne’s lively nature lifts Yul’s spirits further. Grabbing Anne’s hand, Yul leads her back to me.
Would she like a flower too? Without needing words, I attach a similar flower to Anne’s outfit.
“Wow!”
Seeing the flower on Anne, Yul beams with pride. Then, heading toward the kitchen, they approach Evangelin.
Tapping her lightly, Yul waits expectantly. Her hopeful expression is irresistibly cute.
“Hmm?”
“Here’s a present!”
“Flower? Our Yul prepared a flower?”
“Uh-huh!”
“Well done. Shall I give you a present too?”
“Sure!”
Evangelin pauses briefly, giving me a pleading look. She wants a flower too, doesn’t she? Silently understanding, I attach a flower to her outfit just like the others.
Looking at us, she finally nods approvingly.
“We’re a flower family!”
“Exactly!”
Evangelin’s comment makes Yul clap happily, thrilled to have guessed correctly. Her innocent actions bring smiles to everyone’s faces, adding vitality to our daily lives.
“Now for presents.”
Holding out both hands eagerly, Yul looks at us with sparkling eyes. Unable to resist their cuteness, Evangelin prepares a plate of delicious food.
“Here’s your present.”
“It smells good!”
“Let’s eat breakfast.”
“Okay!”
Yul mixes polite and casual speech freely. We don’t correct it. There’s nothing impolite about it, and why stop such an adorable charm?
Lastly, Yul gives Jack a flower too. Five family members adorned with flowers. Watching them proudly, Yul keeps nodding, clearly very pleased.
—
“Abba.”
“Hmm?”
“Can we ride the bicycle and show off?”
“Want to come along?”
“Yes!”
What they want to show off is obvious—it’s the flower pinned to their clothes.
“Be careful.”
“Okay, we’ll be back.”
The last days of winter, a quiet day with nothing special to do, becomes interesting thanks to an event brought by our horned little girl.
“Abba, will you ride the bike too?”
“Maybe?”
“Yes!”
Two bicycles glide smoothly through the streets. A four-wheeled bike follows behind another. Despite the cool weather, Yul’s cheeks turn rosy red. Thanks to various safety equipment, Yul resembles a fully armored knight.
Residents notice us.
“Hello!”
“Hi!”
“Look at this flower?”
Stopping a passerby, Yul proudly shows off the flower pinned to their clothes. Realizing I’m nearby, the resident reacts enthusiastically, clapping in amazement.
“Woah! That’s so cool!”
“Right?”
“Absolutely!”
The overly enthusiastic response makes me nod appreciatively. The resident sighs in relief, catching their breath. Though unintentional, my presence adds a layer of tension.
Since becoming a noble, I inadvertently create pressure for the villagers. Different from when Yul runs around alone. My position has changed.
Maybe I’m like a famous celebrity now.
Still, it seems I’m somewhat popular in this village.
Yul moves on to find someone else, approaching two women walking together. Darting ahead on their ringing bicycle, Yul stops confidently in front of them.
“Good morning!”
Pointing at the flower, Yul smiles brightly. Being well-known in the village, almost no one fails to recognize Yul. Even new residents quickly learn about the active child.
Their reaction satisfies Yul completely.
“Wow! It’s so pretty!”
“Really! Absolutely gorgeous.”
Their half-exaggerated, half-sincere reactions make Yul beam even wider.
“That’s right!”
“Yes!”
“Where did you get such a beautiful flower?”
Squatting down, the women show interest in Yul. Excitedly, Yul uses gestures to explain where the flowers grow.
From a distance, I watch Yul explaining animatedly. Staying far enough not to intimidate the villagers but close enough to keep an eye on Yul. One of the women spots me.
“Baron!”
I wave lightly.
“Are you on a date?”
“Just a little outing.”
“You both look amazing with those flowers!”
The compliment delights Yul. Perhaps being praised together makes it even better. Running over to me, Yul holds out their arms for a hug. Lifting them up, I position them so the flower is prominently visible, and Yul proudly straightens their shoulders.
“Wow.”
Maybe their applause is a bit exaggerated, but if Yul enjoys it, that’s fine. Even if the villagers feel a little uncomfortable, it’s just a day of fun. I trust they’ll understand.
Thus, Yul spends the day receiving many compliments as we walk around the village. Though my presence might feel staged, the villagers’ words are sincere. Some people even head out to gather flowers after seeing them.
Along the way, we pick flowers and pin them on others a few times. Yul’s joy at seeing everyone resemble each other is endlessly delightful.
The visit extends to the Great Abbey. The priests, caretakers, and all the children there admire and praise Yul’s beauty. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say Yul had the happiest day ever.
After returning home on the bicycle, still beaming with happiness, Yul shows signs of wanting to go somewhere again.
“Where are you going?”
“To give flowers as gifts!”
“Gifts? To whom?”
“To those who gave compliments!”
“People who complimented you?”
“Yep!”
What a kind heart. Is this the result of Evangelin’s teaching that one should repay kindness? It’s admirable how Yul practices what they’ve learned.
“Good job, Yul.”
“Hehe.”
“But aren’t there too many people to give flowers to?”
“More flowers!”
“There are more flowers?”
“Yes!”
Does Yul intend to give all the flowers to the people?
“Abba, can you come later?”
“Hmm?”
“We need to pick more flowers.”
“Do we need to pin them on people?”
“Yes!”
Their kind-heartedness is touching. In such a case, there’s no reason not to join them.
Thus, Day 56 of winter ends with following Yul around all day. Despite the cold, it was a heartwarming day.
![[TS] The End of Magical Girls Has Come](https://i3.wp.com/darkmtl.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/1737407792-8993-TS-The-end-of-magical-girls-has-come.png?resize=85,105 "[TS] The End of Magical Girls Has Come")
