Seeing Florence losing his spirit, Serian hastily interrupted,

“C-can’t I also memorize it?”
“Hm, of course. But, I also need an escort knight. Wouldn’t it be better for you to take care of that, since you have a better physique? No matter how much of a summoner he is, if I go around with a child as an escort knight, it can look a little shallow. Since I’m a young woman, there will probably be looks of disdain.”
“Me… an escort knight?”
“Yes, Serian is my escort. Florence is responsible for the environment of the crops.”

Florence’s eyes shook as he listened.
He thought it would be easier to follow her around as an escort knight.

“I was worried at first, but Florence had better test results than Serian. Is it because he’s young? He has faster assimilation. I think he just needs to take the test a few more times.”

Florence’s face turned pale at the mention of the test. He reached out his trembling hand and shook his older brother, who was standing next to him.

“B-brother…”
“…”
“So if the condition of the crops deteriorates due to a change in the environment… Florence, will you take responsibility?”

But Serian avoided his eager glance.
It was the first time that the friendship between the brothers had cracked.

“You can look forward to how you’ll take responsibility. Hehehe.”

Of course, the warm and friendly Lilika might have been better as an owner.
But thanks to her bringing in both brothers early enough, Florence was alive and well, and Serian did not suffer the pain of losing his beloved brother.

“Bringing in slaves and making them study, feeding them, and putting them to bed… Whew, honestly, aren’t I your Master? There’s no owner like me.”

The kind Lilika approached him, who was even harsher than now and didn’t trust humans, and opened the door to his heart. Yuria didn’t really want to do that.

‘I just have to get rid of the wound of losing his brother and control him well.’

Protect her from the attacks that target her, and grow the crops well.
Yuria smiled, satisfied.

“If my business goes well later on, I’ll give you a paycheck.”
“Is there someone who would pay a salary to a slave? Don’t lie to us!”
“Wait a little longer. As members of the first generation, I will make you live comfortably.”

***

“My Yuria really did it…”

After that, the Duchess visited and watched the progress of the work, and gave a few words of advice.

“Many ladies are worried about wrinkles these days. Why don’t you make some more of the anti-aging cream you gave me a few days ago?”
“Then I’ll have to stock up on that ingredient.”
“…!?”

It was Florence who froze upon hearing those words.

It was his responsibility to care about the land when the crops to be grown were changed.
He was thrown into chaos as he considered the extra wind protection and shades he had to pay attention to.

“Uh, uh…”

Just then, Duchess Primrose approached Florence with a lovable expression.

“So, this friend is the summoner who manages this place?
“Y-yes.”

Florence was frozen at the sight of the Duchess, but fortunately, she was not as vicious as her daughter, Yuria.
She gave him a bunch of snacks, saying that he was admirable for doing such a great job when he was so young, and left.

A cherry pie filled with whipped cream, an éclair with chocolate…
All of them were precious desserts.
The Duchess’ encouragement—snacks, in reality—quickly made Florence become refreshed. He regained his will to work again.

“Hmm, I think the Duchess is a good person.”

However, Serian did not receive snacks.
Because Yuria interrupted and said that Serian shouldn’t eat those.

“It will be harmful when he handles summoning magic.”
“Oh my, I gave out something that I shouldn’t have! I’m sorry, Yuria.”
“It’s alright. It’s just that Serian has a great determination to be strong. Florence can eat them. He’s still young.”

When did he say he wanted to be strong? Perplexed, Serian tried to question Yuria in front of the duchess.

“Serian, you said you wouldn’t give in to anything.”
“…”
“Right?”

Yuria was certainly twisting what he said about not giving up his soul when she bought him as a slave.

‘Does she dislike me?’

Serian gazed at the basket the duchess had left for Florence to eat.
What was inside were precious desserts that he had never eaten before.
He wondered what they tasted like.
Seeing how they had such a sweet scent, they seemed to boast a heavenly taste…

Serian suddenly spoke to Florence.

“When you grow up, you won’t be able to eat that either.”
“Huh?”
“Didn’t you say you wanted to be helpful to your brother before? Then shouldn’t you work hard to strengthen your abilities?”
“B-but…”
“Oh, were those just empty words? Was my little brother just going to depend on me? I see. Your brother will do his best.”
“N-no! I won’t eat it when I grow up!”
“Don’t force yourself. Your brother is really fine…”
“I’m not fine!”

A deep frustration appeared on Florence’s face, who was mumbling on the éclair.
Then, he suddenly swallowed the dessert and choked.

‘I think I’ll exclude this…’

Florence grunted at the smoldering guilt.
Certainly, eating foods other than vegetables seemed to reduce his affinity with spirits a little.

But, but!
The snacks he ate for the first time in his life were so delicious… The food that Yuria served was great as well.

‘Didn’t the fact that I couldn’t eat because we didn’t have a good father hurt his heart? In the past, he would stroke my head when I was eating…”

Thinking about it, Serian hadn’t stroked his head lately. He couldn’t even remember the last day he was told he was cute.
And most of all, what was that attitude just now?

‘Is he being grumpy towards me? Because he can’t eat the snacks?’

Florence’s resentful gaze was not conveyed to Serian.
He had turned his back on him—because it was difficult to look at the desserts he couldn’t eat—and was lost in thought for a moment.

‘I can’t believe I even met the Duchess, on top of meeting her daughter. Life is when unexpected things happen, after all.’

Even when he was sold into slavery, he thought it was all over.
However, he unexpectedly trained his summoner skills, and Florence, whom he seemed like he had to protect, became somewhat stronger. He also seemed to have become a little shrewd.

‘I’m confident I won’t be surprised no matter what happens now.’

But that very afternoon, Yuria delivered news that surprised Serian.

“Today, His Highness, Crown Prince Enoch, will come here.”
“What?”
“Lady, why is s-such a person coming here?”
“He is my business partner.”
“…”

Surprised, Florence shut his mouth tightly. Serian had given up thinking because things he couldn’t even imagine kept happening.
It wasn’t long before Crown Prince Enoch really came.

“It’s great to see the crops actually growing.”

A sight where aloe, which dies in a hot and humid environment, was growing at the same time as coconuts, which, on the contrary, grow well in that environment.
Yuria introduced the siblings who made this possible to Crown Prince Enoch.

“The summoners are creating an environment suitable for the crops.”
“Summoners…”
“Your Highness, I think we can open the cosmetics shop earlier than we first thought.”

Florence moved his eyes around and bowed.
Accepting his greeting, the crown prince asked Yuria,

“Then everything about growing ingredients is in the hands of summoners?”
“Even if they’re young, don’t worry. They’re skilled.”

The crown prince, who had been watching the two summoners, opened his mouth.

“But I’m also a wizard, so if you had told me, I could have been somewhat helpful…”
“Of course, Your Highness is also a skilled wizard, so you would have been able to control the temperature. But how could you come to this remote place every time?”

The situation of the cultivated crops would change every time—according to which crops needed to be planted more—and the environment would have to be readjusted.
In particular, if it was an energy that interfered with the area where something was growing, a nature-friendly spirit would be better than magic.

“I need a manager who can take great care of the different areas and act immediately when variables arise. While staying here.”

Yuria was right. A summoner that stayed here continuously would be better.

“…”

But even so, he was a little disappointed.
As his thoughts continued, Crown Prince Enoch was surprised at himself.

‘What’s wrong with me?’

“Thank you. For caring about my speaking habits. And… For making my dream come true today.”

It was nice to see Yuria happy and amazed when he magically erected the clay walls. So much so that her blushing face was still vivid in his mind.

‘… Okay, let’s admit what we have to admit.’

The truth is, he thought that he was the one who could smoothly help Yuria’s business the most.

——