The Sold Daughter Was Doted On So Much That She Was ‘Unfrozen’ In Her Place Of Servitude

How To Spend Holidays.

Walking side by side on a road where I was once left behind, it is now a familiar street where I no longer get lost, but it looks different when I’m alone.

“Well, I’ll see you at home then.”

“Yes.”

When we arrived at the market, we went our separate ways to our respective destinations. I wanted to follow Schwarz-sama to the lumberyard, but I hesitated, wondering if I would be a nuisance. It’s difficult to know the boundary between politeness and interference and to judge the distance with people.

Taking a deep breath, I headed alone to the fabric store.

“Wow!” The colorful fabrics piled up in the shop made my heart leap just by being there.

Which one should I choose? My goal was to buy fabric for Schwarz-sama’s shirt. For now, I can remake my clothes with what I already have in the mansion, so that can wait. The first prestigious sewing project should be a thank-you gift for him.

What kind of fabric would be good? Cotton or hemp, which one is better? What color? Schwarz-sama seems to wear a lot of beige clothes, but I wonder if he likes patterns.

…I should have asked him to come with me after all…

After much deliberation, I bought a white cotton cloth. It’s safe, but I think it will look good against Schwarz-sama’s black hair.

Choosing a bolt of cloth took me all morning, and when I returned to the  Gastagyu mansion, Schwarz-sama was already in the garden cutting wood.

He used his foot to hold the wood in place and wielded his saw like a skilled woodcutter, cutting the timber into smaller pieces. It was a swift and efficient work process.

Perhaps noticing that I had been watching his quick work for a while, Schwarz-sama raised his eyes.

“Welcome back.”

“T-Thank you for waiting.”

Wow, it’s kind of refreshing to hear him welcome me back.

As I approached, I saw a drawing of a step stool placed nar the lumber.

“Did you draw this, Schwarz-sama?”

“Yeah.”

The two-tiered staircase-shaped stool looked very stable.

“It will be completed soon. It wasn’t much of a workout.”

Schwarz-sama assembled the cut wood and hammered nails, and I helped by holding the board to make sure the legs and top wouldn’t move.

“You’re quite skillful at this.”

“Well, I made a lot of things on the front lines.”

“What kind of things did you make?”

I thought he might be making some small furniture or something, but…

“We built forts according to the advance, and bridges in one night.”

The scale of what he made was different from what I expected.

“I like making things. I… destroyed things more often than I created them.”

…Sometimes, when Schwarz-sama utters words that sound lonely, heavy, and painful, my heart aches.

“Now all that’s left is to polish it,” he said.

Did he stand up because his body had stiffened from being bent over? Schwarz-sama stretches his body. In no time, the stepping stool was completed.

As he seemed a little reluctant to finish the work, I suddenly spoke words that came to mind.

“Schwarz-sama, would you like to try taking care of the garden?”

“Garden maintenance?” he asked in confusion.

I regretted it, thinking that asking the owner of the mansion to do garden work might have been rude. But…

“If you are knowledgeable about architecture, you may also be interested in landscaping. You see, this garden has been untouched for a long time and is overgrown. I am busy with the inside of the house, and I don’t have time to take care of the garden yet. Ah, but if Schwarz-sama does not do it himself, you can just hire a gardener and give instructions.”

As I stumbled through my words, he placed his hand on his chin and furrowed his brow in thought.

“Landscaping, huh?” he said.

My heart raced.

“…That’s a good idea.”

I had a good feeling about it!

“I’ve actually been wondering about the garden. I left it alone, thinking that this is what houses in the capital are like, but is it okay for me to remodel it myself?”

“Of course! You are free to remake it as you like, Schwarz-sama.”

After nodding generously to my ecstatic self, he looked around the garden and drew a blueprint in his mind.

“First, let’s clear the branches of the trees next to the main gate. The view outside is obstructed.”

That’s a good idea.

“Then, we’ll mow the weeds and lay down gravel.”

Uh-huh.

“Next, we’ll dig a moat along the perimeter and sink spiked weapons into it.”

Huh?

“We’ll build a wall in front of the main gate to prevent straight penetration to the entrance. We’ll sharpen the spears and barbs on the outer wall, and let thorny vines or barbed wire creep over it…”

“W-Wait a minute, Schwarz-sama!”

I couldn’t help but cry out.

“A moat and a wall in front of the main gate…what on earth…?”

The master spoke with a serious expression as the servant panicked.

“I’ve always thought that the security of this mansion was a problem. Especially during the day, when a woman is alone, she is careless. We need to create a structure that can prevent and repel the enemy’s invasion. Let’s add armor doors to the windows and dig a hidden tunnel to the outside from the underground storage.”

…

…

What should I do? The elegant noble mansion is turning into a fortress…

If you’re worried about intruders, please make a storage space for that pile of gold coins first…

I couldn’t say that, so I had to keep my mouth shut…