Chapter 145
Chapter 145
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 145
Chapter Title: 15. Adding Insult to Injury? (6)
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#6 Their Circumstances: The Circumstances of a Certain Daughter.
As the days of training with Dad drew to a close, winter began to wind down as well.
The snow that had seemed like it would blanket the world forever started melting away bit by bit, and thanks to the villagers grabbing their shovels and clearing the paths just as they'd promised, roads wide enough to walk freely through the village were opening up.
That meant chicken deliveries were picking up again lately.
But there were downsides too.
"Ellis."
"Uwaaaah..."
Dad's voice rang out alongside the warm sunlight streaming through the window, launching its assault on me.
"Dad, the sunlight... the sunlight... I feel like I'm gonna melt..."
"I don't remember raising a vampire daughter..."
"I'm turning all gooey..."
"I don't remember you being a snowman either."
"Ah, nooo... I'm done for already... Just leave me behind..."
"Keep that up, and I'll put out the fireplace?"
"Th-that's so cruel!"
To lose this cozy warmth... But!
"I've still got my ultimate weapon, so it's fiiiine... Ahh!"
Dad snatched the blanket right off me.
The toasty heat from the fireplace crept closer, but on the other side, the icy chill attacked without mercy.
Warmth and cold.
Caught right in the middle, I'd become a buffer zone, getting hit from both sides!
"N-nooo... Even with the warm air supporting me, the cold air forces are way too strong!"
"I said get up already!"
"Kyaah!"
Dad unleashed his furious blanket yank, stripping even the floor blanket away and sending me rolling onto the frigid wooden boards.
"Morning Dad is too harsh..."
"You're the one who can't get up in the mornings. Everyone else is already up and getting ready for breakfast."
I stuck my tongue out and made the cutest face I could while watching Dad sigh and start folding the blankets.
"Sorry★ Dad!"
"Stop copying Ar."
Snap!
The moment Dad flicked his finger, a massive shock hit my forehead.
"Hiiing..."
Tears welled up in my eyes on their own.
When Big Sis does it, Dad forgives her... or at least looks super awkward and doesn't scold her!
This is discrimination!
"Eat first."
"Yeees..."
Winter mornings are late.
But when winter's on the verge of spring, that's a different story.
With planting season starting in spring, we have all sorts of prep to do.
"Eep, little sis is last again today!"
"Mom!"
"Nyaa!"
There were Big Sis, Misha, and Kkoko, already eating breakfast.
"Sandwiches~"
I'd snapped out of it somewhat thanks to Dad's noogie, but the sleepiness hadn't fully worn off.
I didn't even have the energy to pick up a spoon, but luckily, breakfast was sandwiches.
"I'll dig in."
The crunchy texture of the hard bread.
Then the flavors hit: Dad's special sauce, fresh veggies, and smoked ham.
Delicious as always.
"You're already eating."
"Yeah!"
Dad, having finished folding the blankets in no time, set a bowl of soup in front of me.
"Thank you."
"Eat up. You've got work ahead."
"Yeah!"
Today, we had to sort through the seeds we'd harvested and stored well.
We'd already done a first pass for the good ones, but not all of them could go straight to the front lines of farming.
Only the toughest seeds that survived the fierce competition among countless rivals would make it to planting!
This task was crucial.
It decided the fate of the entire year's harvest—no exaggeration!
"Gotta finish quick, or we'll miss the field-treading window. So hurry up. And Ar, no interfering!"
"I'll play with Yoyong and Yaong instead!"
"Knyaaang!"
Plants don't like Big Sis or something—anything she touches withers away.
That's why Dad had thoroughly banned her from farm work, but now she finally had playmates.
"Be gentle with Kkoko, Big Sis! He's still a baby!"
"Of course! Ellis's son is my nephew! You think I'd rough up my precious little nephew?"
"Yeah."
"So firm..."
Big Sis's gentle touch was... well, "gentle" didn't even begin to cover it—it hurt like a crime, but she also had amazing healing powers.
I'd been on death's door, and Misha had some major injury (details fuzzy), but we both recovered in just one day.
"No hitting!"
"You're seeing me as too violent, little sis."
"No chestnuts either."
"Tch!"
I smirked inwardly as Big Sis clicked her tongue and shoveled in her salad.
"Nyaa!"
"Misha too!"
"You wanna steal all my fun, little sis?!"
"The one who should be mad is meow!"
As Misha and Big Sis—maid and caretaker.
And as Kkoko's mom, it was my duty to protect these two.
From the clutches of that wicked Big Sis!
"Eat first, then fight."
"Kraang!"
"Ow..."
While Big Sis and I glared at each other, Dad's fingertips zeroed in on both our foreheads at once.
"Down with violence!"
"You're one to talk?"
"Ow!"
Big Sis got an extra one for resisting, so I quietly rubbed my forehead.
"Hiiing..."
It was already swelling a bit.
Dad's fingers pack a punch, but it shouldn't swell this fast.
Which means...!
"Got hit where it was already hit..."
"Heeheehee! You took two hits just like me!"
"Quiet, I said."
"Eeeng, that's three hits now!"
Big Sis clutched her reddened forehead and made a pouty face.
Seeing that eased my mind a little.
"Dad, let's do our best today too!"
"Good, looks like you're fully awake now."
"Yeah!"
I nodded at Dad's words, demolished my sandwich, and slurped up the soup.
"Time to work!"
"Our little lady's like night and day before and after waking up."
"Hehe!"
Breakfast wrapped up like that, and after a quick play with Big Sis, I headed upstairs at Dad's call.
"It's been a while."
"It's cold in winter."
My room was definitely on the second floor, but in winter, I lived glued to the first-floor fireplace.
Sleeping up here in winter? I'd be a corpse by morning.
"Uu~ cold."
Even if spring was coming, it was still winter weather.
Other places might differ, but Belselk Kingdom was up north.
They said the witch of winter lingered here longest before departing.
"Dust everywhere. Guess big spring cleaning time again."
"Spring's so busy..."
Farmers had no choice but to be busy outside winter.
Spring meant prepping tools, maintaining equipment, starting seeds, raising seedlings.
Treading the winter wheat and barley too.
And big cleans like this had to happen in spring's dry spells.
Summer was just as hectic.
Planting seedlings in prepped fields, sowing direct seeds, fertilizing.
Prepping against typhoons or freak weather so crops wouldn't die.
And above all... our sworn enemies.
The worst despair for farmers, popping up anytime, anywhere—the ultimate foes!
Weeds!
Weeds were insanely tough.
Sunlight anywhere, anytime, and bam—they're there.
Dad said weeds each had traits and merits.
Even that without them, the world might face disaster.
But most importantly, weeds taste awful.
They dare have no flavor yet choke out all the tasty crops.
So weeds became our mortal enemies that had to go.
Then autumn.
Harvest season.
Reaping everything grown, prepping for winter.
Winter was brutally cold.
This village got buried in snow, so no going out.
Everything had to be handled indoors.
Surprisingly, autumn was another planting time.
For barley and wheat.
Harvest and sowing together.
Down south, they harvested wheat midsummer, but our cooler area meant growing till early autumn.
Well... summer's busy anyway, so harvesting then would suck.
Cool autumn work? Preferred. Moving on.
Point is, as farmers, I'm busy nonstop outside winter!
So today or tomorrow, tough as it is—let's work happy!
"That's my happy circuit!"
"No idea what that is, but you're doing great."
Mechanically sorting seeds beside Dad, my happy circuit thoughts made the work feel lighter.
Dad said you can control thoughts and actions.
Pain's pain—thinking it just makes it worse. Think easy, feel better.
He called it the happy circuit.
And yeah, I'm in a great mood right now!
"Light-seed batch done!"
When seeds sprout, it's called "germination."
But farmers know not all seeds germinate under the same conditions.
Some need light, others darkness.
First step in growing plants: plant and germinate seeds right.
So prep by type.
"Dark-germination batch done too!"
I thumped my sore throat and looked up at the ceiling.
It was getting dim—the sun was setting.
"Tired..."
Started after breakfast, so at least ten hours of this.
Grrrowl.
"Ah..."
Lunch was just a few sandwich pieces Dad grabbed from the kitchen.
My growing body was screaming for dinner.
"Dinner's chicken stew—eat as much as you want."
"Chicken stew!"
Chickens are perfect creatures.
Too OP as the chicken god, but cooked other ways? Divine.
Just hearing it chased away today's fatigue!
Yeah, I'm not tired! Just Dad and me... Dad and me?
'Huh?'
Mid-happy circuit, one part jammed.
'We're farming just the two of us...'
Most village families farm with four to dozens per household.
Some like Auntie Russell run chicken shops or whatever, but most farm for a living.
Others raise pigs, cows, chickens—similar numbers working.
But us: just Dad and me.
Farming solo duo.
Big Sis doesn't count for farm help.
We're doing double the work of others.
Labor shortage.
Fatal for farming—we need fixes fast.
So I declared boldly to Dad.
"Dad."
"Yeah?"
Dad paused, head snapping up at my serious face while sorting rejected seeds.
(Oh, for the record—they don't get tossed.
Good farmers treasure every seed!
Even rejects: we sell the good ones to villagers!)
"Daughter? What's up?"
I stayed quiet, so Dad asked curiously.
Can't keep precious Dad wondering.
Straightforward and simple.
"Dad, I want a mom!"
"Wha?!"
Dad made the same shocked face Big Sis does.
"Don't worry about me! I'll get along great with a stepmom!"
"S-sudden, sweetie. Throwing me off."
"I want siblings too! Boys preferably!"
"Siblings now?"
I clung to flustered Dad, spilling all my desires.
In farming, nothing's more precious than male labor!
"Girls too, but... boys first! As many as possible!"
Dad's loaded.
I know it.
More people means more mouths, so balance is key—but Dad's wealth means tons of siblings, and we'd still thrive.
More hands? Kkoko graduates from chicken to full chicken farm plan revival!
Extra manpower means diverse crops and side gigs!
"So Dad, get a mom!"
"W-wait?"
"Big Sis told me! You had tons of pretty admirers!"
Big Sis said it.
Lots of hot stepmom candidates trailed Dad.
Maybe he held back for me.
Time for me to step up and help Dad snag a new love!
"I don't get what you're saying!"
"Dad!"
But Dad slipped out while I blinked.
After, he dodged with every excuse.
"Fine then..."
Time for my plan.
[Project: Get Dad Remarried!]
Oh yeah.
Dad, you're single, right?