Chapter 103: 28.3

Editor: sleepchaser, ASplashofMusic

The next time I raise my head, I notice that the scenery outside the window has changed. To think I’ve been immersed in my thoughts for that long.

Gradually, I see less and less houses and shops. Now, the surrounding area has turned into a wide expanse of lush grassy land.

Tranquility reigns over this rather idyllic landscape. Just the sight of it is enough to calm me down.

As we climb up and down the gently sloped path and cross the grasslands, I see an L-shaped house that is two stories tall. Well, if I count the attic, it’ll be three-story tall then.

From the outside, the house is constructed with wood, mortar, and stone. On its roof is a red brick chimney, extended skyward.

With its orange triangular roof mottled with moss, the house looks like it has been passed down and well-maintained for three generations.

Beside it stands a large multipurpose barn. It acts as a stable for the cattle and horses, a silo to store animal fodder, and a warehouse to store the tools and various items.

Meanwhile, a large wooden sign hangs on the pillar of the gate outside the house and barn, a plump cow carved on it.

A large round bell hangs from the cow’s neck, practically the same size as its head.

And above the plump cow carving are the words “Cheddars’ Ranch,” engraved in bouncy lettering. Each stroke appears to be full of energy.

Lian’s mother, who has a secret love for cute things, likes that plump cow logo very much. She even had someone carve the logo on the surface of a small wooden box in secret. She uses it as her glove box in her private room. Speaking of which, that logo has also become popular among the school girls. I know some girls who collect any flyer or wrapping paper they see that are stamped with the logo. Well, this is probably natural for them. Girls, my mother included, seem to share a fondness for chubby things.

The carriage stops just beside the gate and underneath the sign. I disembark from the carriage before heading toward the Cheddars’ house.

…The door’s open.

The Cheddars are as careless as always.

And this is always the case during my every visit.

Their door doesn’t even seem to have a lock… Now that I think about it, I’ve never seen this door locked. Not even once. It’s always open. Too open. Is this okay? No, this shouldn’t be okay, right?

Out of worry and concern, I previously warned the Cheddars about the potential dangers of keeping their door open all the time. But the result of that is… nothing. Nothing changed, as evidenced during today’s visit.

“It’s okay. There’s nothing valuable in our house anyway, What are people going to steal?” they said before, bursting into laughter. It was like this had nothing to do with them.

With a bitter tone, I also tried to complain about the possibility of a crazy person breaking into the house. Only, they both just replied, “That’s okay! We’ll just knock down any suspicious person!” Then they flashed me a pleasant smile and gave me a thumbs up.

Following that, I warned Alfred next, hoping to knock some sense into him. But he only told me that if someone suspicious were to come to the ranch, the horses and cows would start making a fuss. From that, he would be alerted of the trespasser immediately.

Then he said that once he found them, he would beat them up… Wait, that’s what the Cheddars said too!

These people in the countryside are too lax!!

This is crime prevention, okay! To always be careful in advance!

My head hurts.

As I stand before the open door, I place my hands around my mouth and take a deep breath, before yelling as loud as I can, “Excuse me!!!”

It resounds throughout the house. Probably. Hopefully. I hope someone heard me yell. Shouting for a second time is too embarrassing.

The Cheddars’ house doesn’t have a doorbell, so I always have to use my own voice to announce my visit.

Then, from inside the house, I hear people cheerfully saying, “Yes!”

“Yeeess!”

“Yaah!”

“Ahhh!”

I also hear their approaching hurried footsteps.

One of them seems to be an adult, and the other three children.

Soon, a woman with tan skin and red-brown hair appears from a corridor extending sideways inside the house. Her straight hair is tied into a high ponytail. By her side are three little children with red, green, and yellow eyes. The three are all in matching light yellow aprons.

The Cheddars’ plump cow logo is sewn onto their aprons’ breast pocket in a cute manner.

“Oh?! So it’s Lian-sama! Welcome!”

“Waaah! Lian-shama! Welcomee!”

“Yaay! Lian-sha! Elcomee!”

“Kyaa! Lian-shaa! Comee!”

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Then the three kids rush straight toward me.

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“Hello, Ma’am. The kids too,” I say as I squat down and spread my arms, catching the three in a hug. “Ohh? Seems like you guys have grown again, huh?”

In unison, the three kids exclaim, “Yeah! We eat lots and lots, so we became bigger now!” “Bigger!” “Uh huh!”

They’re still as energetic as usual.

“Really? Then you guys should continue eating lots and lots, okay?”

“Yup! Lots and lots!”

“Lots!”

“Lot!”

“Then I’ll have to cook more for every meal!” Cheddar-san’s wife laughs as she wipes her hands on her apron.

“Yaay!” The kids start jumping around in joy, also laughing.

She releases a few more chuckles before turning to me. “Do you have plans with Al, Lian-sama? Or did you visit us for something else?”

I’m so shocked that I can’t help but look at Cheddar’s wife.

Why’s that guy’s name the first thing out of her mouth?!

Well, I guess that’s to be expected since I usually come here to look for him. But still!

“Ah, uh… Yeah. Umm, Al—no, Alfred seems to have left his toolbox at the church. I just dropped by to give this to him on my way home… Is he here?”

“Oh! Al sure is careless to forget his toolbox! That’s really unlike him. Thank you for especially dropping by to deliver this, Lian-sama!”

“N-no…”

“But even though you went out of your way to come here… I’m sorry. I’m afraid Al hasn’t returned yet.”

“Huh?”

He hasn’t returned yet?

Is he still doing deliveries?

“Where did he go?”

“Soil Herb Garden.”

“Soil Herb Garden…?”

“Yeah, Granny Herba’s herb garden in front of the western forest. It’s going to grow colder soon, so we thought of buying some warming herbs to mix with the fodder. That way, the cows won’t grow sick.” Then Cheddar-san’s wife sighs, placing her hands on her hips, a troubled expression crossing her face. “Probably… This is just a guess, but I think Granny Herba is bossing Al around again, making him do her chores.”

“Bossing… around…”

Ah, now that she says that, I remember something.

Alfred has told me how that granny will boss him around every time he visits her herb garden.

I also sometimes go to Soil Herb Garden to buy herbs and herbal liquor, but that granny has never bossed me around. Not even once.

Well… It’s very likely that that granny has crossed the lord’s son from the list of people she can boss around.

“I had my husband go buy the herbs at first. But then he said he has some urgent deliveries at the moment and ran off! Really! He’s too shameless. Al offered to go instead, so I let him. But now, I think it would’ve been better if I was the one who went to buy the herbs… But if the granny catches me, she’ll babble for a long long time.” Cheddar’s wife shrugs, letting out a sigh of resignation.

According to Alfred, that granny will “capture” any female acquaintance of hers that visits her garden, then have them gossip with her for around two hours.

As for the men, she’ll boss them around and make them do free manual labor for her.

Granny Herba sure is such a lively elderly. She’s just like Marie in that aspect… no, maybe even more energetic than Marie.

She also manages to exploit everyone she can exploit, even if they’re her customer. Such a skilled yet troublesome granny.

In contrast, her husband and daughter are both rather quiet and shy.

The villagers unanimously agree that it’ll be nice if she can have a calmer personality, just like her family members. But well, this world is strange like that. A human being is like a puzzle piece. Mysterious and unexpected. My grandpa used to tell me that, and I’ve always thought it to be true too.

“Ah…”

All of a sudden, my heart skips a beat.

It’s at that moment that I notice them.

The several signs suggesting that.

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