Volume 5 - CH 3.02

Nearly one hour later, Bettina who had polished up Bachururus to a bright shine was standing in front of a greenhouse inside the royal palace together with Isaac. “Garden of Philosophy”—it seemed that that was the elegant name given to this greenhouse, which the Crown Prince had prepared for cultivating roses.

「In, in other words—you want me to clear this place?」

「Clear, huh. You could certainly say that」

Patting Bettina’s head, Isaac pointed at the wood on the right of the greenhouse. Lining up neatly were albizia julibrissin at the front and cytisus scoparius at the back, but judging from the way the branches spread out, it felt somewhat cramped. Due to that, it also looked like the sunlight was blocked out to some extent.

「—Well, frankly speaking, only this greenhouse has become a bit cramped. That’s why I’d like you to chop down some albizia julibrissin around here and level the ground to construct the foundation of the greenhouse」

「Only the albizia julibrissin? Then, leave the cytisus scoparius as they are?」

「Un」

「Understood!」

Bettina, who had placed her right arm on the relief of the rose and bowed slightly, detached the pink battleaxe from the back of her waist and extended it. Bettina named the umbrella “Choruruka”, and because she herself also thought of calling this something like that, this axe was now given the name of Rucheruku.

「—Then, Your Highness, please step back~」

「Un. —Ah, the trees you chop down might be used for something, so can you please remove their branches and pile them up together somewhere?」

「Sure~」

Bettina held Rucheruka by the end of its handle, rotated once and struck the trunk of an albizia julibrissin. The albizia julibrissin, which was as thick as the leg of Bachururus, was easily cut down with that one blow. Bettina, who had caught the tree that had tumbled through the air with one hand, plucked off the branches and leaves, which had grown thickly, making it into a straight, cylinder shape, and threw it down at her feet.

「Ho, that’s quite a skill」

「Thank you very much. As a matter of fact, the current workshop also wasn’t so wide at first, but I cleared a copse and expanded it」

「I see… ah, that’s right, about that workshop」

While gazing at Bettina’s work a short distance away, Isaac added on.

「—You probably have to assist the chief engineerMaestro too, and it might also be inappropriate to have you be occupied with the work here only, so let’s see… is about two hours a day fine; can you please proceed with the work little by little?」

「Yes, with pleasure♪」

「Good reply. Then, I’ll be working in that greenhouse. —Ah, and one more thing」

Isaac, who was about to turn back towards the glass-walled greenhouse, stopped his feet like he had suddenly realised something and added on again.

「That suits you」

「Yes?」

「That’s a good design, if I do say so myself」

Isaac pointed at her stomach, smiled contentedly and then left.

「……」

Bettina looked down at her own stomach and touched the relief of the rose softly.

「Aha」

While laughing so, she turned on the spot.