Refuse Harem

Translator: Tsukii

Editor: Kiro

Read at Watashi wa Sugoi Desu!

Chapter 020 – Dear Tenma, I Started Running for My Future! II

A few months later, there was a package delivered to the orphanage.

“This is?”

On a sunny day when there was no lesson, a large wooden box was carried in front of Sophie.

The person who carried it was a new employee of the Linier merchant group who was first dispatched by her father. Since he was a newcomer, he was sent to a distant health resort to accompany his boss’ daughter’s willfulness and help her with chores, but it seemed he found his life at the health resort comfortable and was enjoying his life.

“When I was about to depart this morning, I was entrusted to give this to Sophie-sama.”

Why was the package delivered not to her house, but to the employee who was going to the orphanage?

That also meant the person who entrusted the package was aware of this person being a member of Linier Merchant Group.

As Sophie wondered and peeked inside the box, she found a lot of seeds and a turnip-like crop that was a little dry and thin.

“This is…”

She immediately took out one and observed it. The object that was clean and free of mud was cut into small pieces, and Sophie ate one of it.

“It’s a sugar beet!”

Although it was thinner than the sugar beet that Sophie was aware of, it was certainly a vegetable similar to sugar beets.

“Who sent this thing?!”

“I was also entrusted with a card.”

“Show me!”

On the white card, there were brilliant letters written as follows.

To my dear lady,

I think this item is something close to your requested goods. It was cultivated in Rusha Kingdom, and its name is “amane.” It is a vegetable whose leaves were edible. Both I and my master prayed that this could be  helpful for you.

There was no sender name in there. However, Sophie could immediately tell who sent it.

The corner of Sophie’s mouth felt tingling. But in the end, a smile still leaked out on her face.

“Is the person who gave you this someone who smiled a lot?”

“Ah, yes! He looks like someone of stature, but he still treats people like me with a smile.”

“I see…”

Sophie held the card carefully on her chest, expressing her gratitude to the sender.

Next to her, Eric looked at the seedling with an interested expression.

“Eric, we need to improve this “amane” through selective breeding.”

“Selective breeding?”

“We need to make it bigger and sweeter. It was written that the Rusha Kingdom used its leaves as food, but its real value is its roots.”

They need to do selective breeding so it could produce good quality sugar. Then they could separate the material and make it into complete sugar. It sounded easy. However, it took a long time to get there.

At such a time, Sophie remembered Suzuka’s words.

[“Tasuku, neither sugar nor soy sauce existed in its current shape in the past. People developed it for a long time, sought for improvement, made a prototype, and finally ended up with the current shape. So you shouldn’t think it could be taken for granted.”]

Uhn, Suzuka-nee-san. By this time, I can feel the weight of those words.

[“Even I would have a hard time making this sugar from scratch. For sugar cane, I would need to squeeze it into small pieces, boil it down, and evaporate its excess water content. For sugar beet, put sugar beet that was cut into pieces in warm water to dissolve the sugar, then boil it down to filter out impurities…”]

[“Do you need to do all those steps to make cakes?”]

[“Just shut it, Tenma. It’ll be your birthday cake, so help a bit!”]

[“Hey, why must I make my own birthday cake myself?”]

[“It’s because Tasuku is also helping!”]

The pair of siblings were always arguing.

The elder sister who considered matters from many angles, and the little brother who said such logic was redundant. It was a conversation only possible since they both get along well.

Sophie had always been jealous as she’d watched that…

“Sophie-sama?”

Eric peeked at Sophie’s face, since she suddenly fell silent. Bart and Sunny also looked worried for some reason.

Sophie was wondering, what expression did she have right now?

I shouldn’t drag on my feelings as Tasuku. I am Sophie after all…

Sophie refocused her thoughts.

They didn’t have much time. By the time they have to move to the capital, they have to make it happen.

It’s alright, we can do this. I am not alone here.

She helped others and others helped her.

Such people would be around Sophie.

Sophie strengthened her determination with an unshakable smile on her face.

——Well then, Sophie Linier. The road is illuminated. You only need to go forward on your path!



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Rauna
Rauna
11 months ago

Thanks so much for the chapter!

Azeera Agos
Azeera Agos
2 years ago

❤❤❤

tsukii
tsukii
1 year ago
Reply to  Azeera Agos

Thx for the effort.