Side story 1: Working as the Claes family head gardener (1/2)

I, Tom Wesley, have been serving as the Claes family head gardener for a very long time now.

I was born in a poor rural village, once I grew up I started apprenticing myself, and ever since then I’ve been living while traveling from place to place wherever life takes me. By nature, I’ve never been good at speaking, on top of my face being a bit plain, I couldn’t work well with others no matter where I went, so I always worked by myself in silence.

And so when I became a young man, since I was really good with tools, and I had a green thumb, before I realized it I’d become a gardener, and I began working for rich merchants and nobles.

Although I kept improving as a gardener, even so, I still couldn’t interact with others well, which was very bad for me trying to make a living, people would always find a reason to fire me, or take away my salary, there was often nothing I could do about it.

During these days, that person appeared in front of me for the first time.

“Are you the one taking care of this garden?”

While I was working at a certain noble’s garden, when I finished the work I was doing, I suddenly heard a voice beside me from a handsome young man that seemed to be around my age. From what he was wearing, I understood that he had a pretty high status, and I immediately paid my respects, but……

“It’s fine. So anyways, are you the one taking care of this garden?”

“……Yes.”

I was working seriously and courteously as always, I nodded at him while wondering anxiously if I had dissatisfied him in some manner. The young man’s light blue eyes were brilliantly sparkling.

“Every time I come here to visit, I’m always amazed at the terrible gardening sense here, but it’s suddenly completely changed. You’re very talented!”

“……Th, thank you very much……”

He was looking at me a little too directly, and I was confused.

“By the way, are you a retainer of this family?”

“……No. I just got hired recently.”

“Then, are you working anywhere else right now?”

“……No, there isn’t anywhere else.”

Since I couldn’t interact with others well, and I was bad at making a living for myself, I was never able to stay at any workplace long, and I was used to a lifestyle of changing jobs often.

“Then, I’d like for you to become my retainer and be my gardener.”