Head Butler of the Fallen Villainess-Chapter 55 - 11th Days (3) - 13th Days | Sowing the Future (5)

"L-Lady Anastasia…!?"

The mistress’s sudden bow startled both of her female aides. They’d never expected Anastasia to lower her head in remorse—especially not to her own servants…!

"M-my lady, please raise your head…!" Martha blurted out, visibly flustered. "You didn’t do anything wrong! Even I don’t know much about this farming stuff!"

"I-Indeed! What Miss Martha said, my lady!" Bella added hastily, nodding along. "Y-y-you only suggested planting the seeds right away without knowing! I-I mean… even I almost forgot about it myself—!"

Even so, Anastasia didn’t lift her head. Her stubborn silence hung heavy in the air, leaving the two maids exchanging uneasy glances. It was clear their words weren’t enough to shake her guilt.

So… they turned to the only person who might be able to—

Sebas.

The butler stood quietly, arms crossed. His expression gave nothing away—no teasing smile, no stern frown, and certainly no anger. Just a calm, unreadable look that made it impossible to guess what he was thinking.

After a long pause… he let out a sigh as he finally spoke.

"You’re making too big a deal out of this, my lady."

"…P-pardon?"

"You heard me," Sebas said, shrugging. "You messed up ’cause you didn’t know? So what? It happens. No one expects you to know everything."

"B-but this is important, Sir Sebas—!" she argued back, her voice trembling slightly. "I’m supposed to be a lord for the people’s sake… but I didn’t even know something as basic as this... What if my ignorance causes something worse in the future...? What if my decisions—my mistakes—end up ruining the lives of the people counting on me…?!"

"…And?"

"A-and?! S-Sir Sebas, this isn’t—"

"Who the hell said you have to know everything and handle all the burden by yourself?"

His words cut through the tension like a blade!

"Lady Ana, no ruler knows every answer to every problem, nor can they handle everything on their own," he went on, his voice steady. "That’s what your people are for. If you try to do it all yourself, you’re just gonna burn out—or even worse—you’ll screw up something that REALLY matters."

Anastasia was taken aback, her lips parted as if to speak—but no words managed to come out from them…

"…My lady, look around you."

"Y-yes…?"

"Remember—you got capable people around you," he continued, gesturing to Martha and Bella, who had concern etched on their faces. "Use them. Trust them. That’s part of being a leader too, isn’t it?"

The two of them stepped forward with determined faces—!

"M-my lady, w-we’re here to help you! You don’t have to figure everything out on your own…!" Bella pleaded, clenching her fists tightly.

"Exactly! We’ll cover the things you miss—you just need to rely on us a little more, Lady Anastasia!" Martha added, offering a reassuring smile despite the tension in the air.

Sebas folded his arms, his tone easing slightly, "…And a good leader isn’t someone who does everything alone... They’re someone who knows when to lean on the people by their side."

Their words struck something deep within her… as she finally remembered.

She wasn’t alone. She never had been.

No matter how inexperienced she was, there were people willing to stand by her—to catch her mistakes and help her grow.

"…I see," she murmured, her voice softer. The weight pressing down on her shoulders began to ease—just a little.

She straightened up and took a steady breath, lifting her gaze to meet theirs.

"Thank you… all of you. I understand now—I don’t have to bear this burden alone. And… Sir Sebas…?" She hesitated for a beat before offering a small smile. "…Thank you for always guiding me, even when I’m this stubborn."

"Ahaha~, it’s just part of my job, my lady."

At that, a quiet laugh slipped from her lips—small, but genuine...

Then… she straightened herself once more—!

"Everyone, heed my words," she declared firmly, her voice steady with newfound resolve. "We’ll hold off on planting until the soil’s ready. And—" her gaze softened just a little, "—make sure everyone gets some proper rest, alright?"

"Yes, my lady!"

< | X | >

Two days later…

In front of the empty but ready-to-use farm plot stood the four of them once more, each holding baskets of crop seeds—ready to be planted!

"Alright, everyone," Anastasia declared, "let’s get started!"

"Yeah!"

And with that command, they all scattered to their designated sections of the farm.

The field had already been divided into specific spots—an organized layout planned out for both efficiency and sustainability.

Root vegetables occupied the largest portion, with potatoes as the main focus.

"Potatoes go in this main section, right?" Martha asked, kneeling down as she eyed the baskets brimming with seed potatoes.

"Yup," Sebas nodded, already marking neat rows with practiced ease. "They’re the most viable and versatile crops, so they get to be the star of this farm. Carrots and radishes will follow after—but they’ll take up less space."

"Got it!"

With a determined huff, Martha began planting the cut seed potatoes, making sure each piece was spaced properly.

Bella, meanwhile, worked on the side rows where the alliums would go.

"Onions and garlic here…" she murmured, carefully pressing the sets and cloves into the soft earth. "…It’s a bit smelly, but it’s a whole lot better than that darn monster dung fertilizer…!"

Then there was Anastasia—not one to be left out—crouched down on an empty row of the farm.

"Sir Sebas, this section on the edges of our farm is for the beans and peas, right?"

"Yeah, we put them there ’cause they’ll help restore the soil’s fertility while also providing a reliable protein source for us."

The redhead hummed softly as she planted the first row of peas, careful to follow his guidance. "…Farming sure does take a lot of planning, huh."

"Haha, yeah," Sebas chuckled at her remark, "that’s why we gotta plan carefully and get the best harvest later on~."

His lighthearted tone brought a small smile to her lips. "Hehe, of course."

Just beside the legume section, leafy greens like lettuce and cabbage occupied another spot—another staple in the vegetable lineup.

Outside the main planting area, they also built a few secluded boxes meant for fruit-like crops such as tomatoes, cucumbers, and eggplants, along with a variety of herbs planted nearby.

"Hehe~, I’m looking forward to fresh tomatoes~," Bella sighed dreamily, placing another sprout into the ground.

"Oi, Bella! Hurry up and help me with these herbs too!" Martha called out, snapping her from her reverie.

"A-ah, yes! Coming!"

By the time they finished planting, the afternoon sun had already hung low in the sky. With the final seed tucked into the earth, Anastasia dusted her hands and turned to face the others.

"Everyone! You’ve all done well," she said, her voice warm. "I couldn’t have done this without you all. Thank you... truly."

"Hehe, anytime, my lady!" Martha grinned, stretching her back.

"Y-yes, Lady Anastasia! I-it’s our duty, after all!" Bella added with a proud nod.

Sebas simply smirked and shrugged.

And with the farm complete, all that remained was to wait—until their hard work bore fruit… literally.

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