A carriage moving comfortably. I yawned widely.
“I’m sleepy.”
Feeling lethargic.
Looking at how comfortable the carriage is, it seems like Valaxar surely has a lot of money. Money does make a difference, after all.
I stared blankly out the window.
How long has it been since I left the empire?
The scenery outside the window gradually changed.
The magnificent buildings turned into vast meadows.
The green meadows turned into snowy white fields.
That’s how we arrived in the north.
In the distance, estates could be seen.
Territories managed by the Duke.
Although not as bustling as the empire.
At least there was no unhappiness on the faces of the subjects.
Although the Duke may be a despicable father, he was proving to be a good lord.
The carriage continued to move forward.
I let out a deep sigh.
How much time has passed?
The carriage arrived in front of the mansion.
I greeted the coachman and entered the mansion.
Maidens surprised to see me.
Knights asking when the refreshments would be served.
Passing them, I informed the maid about my return.
I kept moving without rest.
The spacious corridor of the mansion.
I climbed the stairs with an excited heart.
1st floor, 2nd floor.
Every step felt closer to the young lady.
I carefully held the bag in my right hand.
The elixir and another gift prepared.
I wanted to give them to the young lady quickly.
Before I knew it, I arrived on the 3rd floor.
Passing my room, I walked towards the young lady’s door.
I took a deep breath.
Is this what it feels like to be a mother?
It’s only been three days, yet why does it feel so heartwarming?
“Miss, I’ve returned.”
I said as I knocked on the door.
And in less than three seconds.
The door creaked open.
“Oops.”
Suddenly, I felt a weight on my body.
I took a step back to balance myself as I almost fell backward.
Slowly, I lowered my gaze.
White hair tightly clinging to my waist.
Naturally, a smile formed on my lips.
Even though I couldn’t see her face.
Warmth conveyed to me as if welcoming me.
I gently stroked her snow-white hair.
With a bright smile, I spoke to her.
“I’m back, miss.”
“……..”
The miss lifted her head.
Her tear-filled blue eyes looked at me.
“…What’s this.”
It was a cuteness not of this world, Angels wouldn’t cry so beautifully.
But that wasn’t what caught my eye.
It was truly striking beauty, but that wasn’t important right now.
I pressed the miss’s cheeks with both hands.
The miss’s face became distorted for a moment.
“Ugh.”
“Why are you so thin! Did you not eat the food I left?”
Her face squished in my hands like dough.
She blinked blankly.
“Why is half of your face gone..! Wait a moment. Surely..!”
Surely, she hadn’t lost weight just from me cooking, right?
I lifted the miss’s dress.
“Eek?! H-Hey, stop it!!”
The miss pushed me away in surprise.
Regardless, I examined the miss’s body.
A snow-white belly like snow.
A cute little belly button on top.
But the most important part, the belly, was missing.
I’m sure I saw some weight gain when I bathed her last time..!
It’s only been 3 days…
And she’s this thin again?
“Tell me honestly, miss. How many meals did you eat?”
“W-Well, um..”
The miss rolled her eyes to the side.
Surely, she’s not avoiding my gaze right now.
No way.
I squeezed her cheeks tightly once more.
I turned her head to look at me.
“Ah.”
“I told you to make sure to eat your meals, just heat them up in the heat pack! Why didn’t you do that!”
It feels like my heart is burning.
I couldn’t forgive the miss right now.
“How important rice is in a child’s growth period!”
The young lady’s eyes wavered.
She pointed to her room with her finger.
“…She must have finished all the food.”
“Pardon?”
Who is ‘she’?
The young lady looked in the direction her hand pointed.
Why are the curtains closed again?
The room was so dark it was almost pitch black.
The room emitted a sticky atmosphere.
In it, I found Senior Maid.
“…Andy?”
Why are you lying in the young lady’s room?
Upon closer inspection, it seemed like she was shaking.
I entered the room and turned on the light.
An unexpectedly shocking sight appeared.
Andy, the maid with blonde hair.
Her condition was far from normal, to say the least.
Her body was wrapped in bandages, and her face was covered in blood.
The maid’s convulsive trembling made her seem almost like a corpse.
“Miss… Alice… Helped…”
She looked at me with trembling eyes.
Many emotions were contained in her eyes.
Fear. Dread. Regret. Despair.
“..Miss?”
I stared blankly at the young lady.
In the eyes of the young lady directed at Andy.
There was not a hint of compassion.
She condemned herself.
That she had entrusted me with Andy.
That she cleared my food and handed over the kitchen food.
And even attempted to take over the position of the maid.
“So, you did this…?”
“I told her who I am, as Alice suggested.”
The young lady nodded casually.
I stared at her blankly.
Of course, I didn’t like Andy either.
Ignoring and avoiding was a daily routine.
Although I really disliked her…
I never wished for it to go this far.
‘…Too far.’
It went too far.
The young lady’s actions were too excessive.
Just like with the teacher last time.
I could tell just by looking at Andy now.
The young lady had no trace of kindness.
Of course, I understand.
Considering the young lady’s environment, it’s only natural.
Of course, things have improved a lot now.
But how was the young lady before that?
Afraid of poison, she couldn’t even eat.
Afraid of death, she couldn’t sleep properly.
She lived for years in such loneliness without anyone to rely on in such a situation, starting from the tender age of five.
Wouldn’t it be strange if she didn’t go mad?
Just the fact that she didn’t completely break down is commendable.
It’s natural for basic concepts to be distorted.
Yeah… the young lady did nothing wrong.
If there’s any fault, it solely lies with the Grand Duke.
If the Grand Duke had shown a little care, the young lady wouldn’t have become a like the Grand Duke herself.
But what can one expect from the Grand Duke?
He probably won’t change his ways now or in the future.
A cruel woman who takes everything for granted.
I don’t want the young lady to grow up like that.
I’ll raise her to be bright and lovely.
Maybe not as brilliant as Lucy, but I’ll make her smile happily like ordinary girls.
I won’t just watch silently as if it were a novel.
…I’ll have to scold her.
To prevent such things from happening in the future.
“Miss.”
I looked at the young lady with as much coldness as possible.
Could she feel the change in my gaze?
Her eyes began to tremble.
“Alice…?”
To scold an angelic young lady like her felt too harsh for me.
But it has to be corrected now.
Or it might become irreversible.
I’ll prevent the young lady from becoming a tyrant by any means necessary.
“This was too much, Miss. Is this how you make people understand?”
“But… but she made first…”
“No matter what, you shouldn’t make people like this, Miss.”
Andy looked at me with brightened eyes.
A faint smile appeared on her lips.
In contrast, the young lady’s eyes welled up.
Her face darkened, and soon she lowered her head with a melancholic expression.
Seeing that, my heart ached too.
“… I’m sorry.”
The young lady muttered softly.
I was surprised inwardly.
Most people her age wouldn’t readily admit their mistakes, but she apologized immediately.
Truly admirable, young lady.
I gently stroked her head.
“I won’t hit you anymore… I was wrong…”
The lady spoke with a subdued voice.
I blinked momentarily at her words.
“Huh? That’s not true.”
“..Huh?”
The lady tilted her head blankly.
I, too, looked at her with confusion.
“If someone does wrong, you should hit them, or else they won’t learn.”
Violence cannot be justified, but…
I’ve heard that appropriate violence can be like medicine.
Of course, I should prevent the lady from growing up to be a tyrant, but I didn’t want her to go
around hitting people either.
I didn’t want to become one of those frustrating parents who turn their children into punching
bags while saying, ‘Violence is never okay’ in any situation.
“But… just now, Alice…”
“I mean, it’s about controlling yourself. You’re hitting people as if you’re going to kill them.”
There’s concern for the other person, but my concern for the lady is greater.
What if she can’t control her strength?
Right now, it’s just a matter of her being a child, but if the lady grows even a little, wouldn’t she mercilessly kill someone?
The lady becoming a murderer.
That was something I could never allow.
“Even without making them completely disabled, you can make them repent by crying and admitting they were wrong.”
“How…?”
“Just hit the places where the pain doesn’t last long. I’ll show you when Andy is completely healed.”
I smiled warmly at Andy.
Andy recoiled from me with trembling eyes.
“A-Allice…?”
“Because of you, the lady has become so thin, Andy.”
Trying to just let it slide.
She crossed a line she shouldn’t have crossed.
It would have been better if she had just touched me.
She cleared away the food I left behind.
Because of that, the lady starved for three days.
The lady looked at me for a while.
Soon, she grabbed my hand tightly with a bright smile.
“Yeah, tell me.”
She can be so adorable sometimes.
My lips naturally curled upwards.
Returning to the north, I once again felt it.
Indeed, our lady is the best.
A carriage moving comfortably. I yawned widely.
“I’m sleepy.”
Feeling lethargic.
Looking at how comfortable the carriage is, it seems like Valaxar surely has a lot of money. Money does make a difference, after all.
I stared blankly out the window.
How long has it been since I left the empire?
The scenery outside the window gradually changed.
The magnificent buildings turned into vast meadows.
The green meadows turned into snowy white fields.
That’s how we arrived in the north.
In the distance, estates could be seen.
Territories managed by the Duke.
Although not as bustling as the empire.
At least there was no unhappiness on the faces of the subjects.
Although the Duke may be a despicable father, he was proving to be a good lord.
The carriage continued to move forward.
I let out a deep sigh.
How much time has passed?
The carriage arrived in front of the mansion.
I greeted the coachman and entered the mansion.
Maidens surprised to see me.
Knights asking when the refreshments would be served.
Passing them, I informed the maid about my return.
I kept moving without rest.
The spacious corridor of the mansion.
I climbed the stairs with an excited heart.
1st floor, 2nd floor.
Every step felt closer to the young lady.
I carefully held the bag in my right hand.
The elixir and another gift prepared.
I wanted to give them to the young lady quickly.
Before I knew it, I arrived on the 3rd floor.
Passing my room, I walked towards the young lady’s door.
I took a deep breath.
Is this what it feels like to be a mother?
It’s only been three days, yet why does it feel so heartwarming?
“Miss, I’ve returned.”
I said as I knocked on the door.
And in less than three seconds.
The door creaked open.
“Oops.”
Suddenly, I felt a weight on my body.
I took a step back to balance myself as I almost fell backward.
Slowly, I lowered my gaze.
White hair tightly clinging to my waist.
Naturally, a smile formed on my lips.
Even though I couldn’t see her face.
Warmth conveyed to me as if welcoming me.
I gently stroked her snow-white hair.
With a bright smile, I spoke to her.
“I’m back, miss.”
“……..”
The miss lifted her head.
Her tear-filled blue eyes looked at me.
“…What’s this.”
It was a cuteness not of this world, Angels wouldn’t cry so beautifully.
But that wasn’t what caught my eye.
It was truly striking beauty, but that wasn’t important right now.
I pressed the miss’s cheeks with both hands.
The miss’s face became distorted for a moment.
“Ugh.”
“Why are you so thin! Did you not eat the food I left?”
Her face squished in my hands like dough.
She blinked blankly.
“Why is half of your face gone..! Wait a moment. Surely..!”
Surely, she hadn’t lost weight just from me cooking, right?
I lifted the miss’s dress.
“Eek?! H-Hey, stop it!!”
The miss pushed me away in surprise.
Regardless, I examined the miss’s body.
A snow-white belly like snow.
A cute little belly button on top.
But the most important part, the belly, was missing.
I’m sure I saw some weight gain when I bathed her last time..!
It’s only been 3 days…
And she’s this thin again?
“Tell me honestly, miss. How many meals did you eat?”
“W-Well, um..”
The miss rolled her eyes to the side.
Surely, she’s not avoiding my gaze right now.
No way.
I squeezed her cheeks tightly once more.
I turned her head to look at me.
“Ah.”
“I told you to make sure to eat your meals, just heat them up in the heat pack! Why didn’t you do that!”
It feels like my heart is burning.
I couldn’t forgive the miss right now.
“How important rice is in a child’s growth period!”
The young lady’s eyes wavered.
She pointed to her room with her finger.
“…She must have finished all the food.”
“Pardon?”
Who is ‘she’?
The young lady looked in the direction her hand pointed.
Why are the curtains closed again?
The room was so dark it was almost pitch black.
The room emitted a sticky atmosphere.
In it, I found Senior Maid.
“…Andy?”
Why are you lying in the young lady’s room?
Upon closer inspection, it seemed like she was shaking.
I entered the room and turned on the light.
An unexpectedly shocking sight appeared.
Andy, the maid with blonde hair.
Her condition was far from normal, to say the least.
Her body was wrapped in bandages, and her face was covered in blood.
The maid’s convulsive trembling made her seem almost like a corpse.
“Miss… Alice… Helped…”
She looked at me with trembling eyes.
Many emotions were contained in her eyes.
Fear. Dread. Regret. Despair.
“..Miss?”
I stared blankly at the young lady.
In the eyes of the young lady directed at Andy.
There was not a hint of compassion.
She condemned herself.
That she had entrusted me with Andy.
That she cleared my food and handed over the kitchen food.
And even attempted to take over the position of the maid.
“So, you did this…?”
“I told her who I am, as Alice suggested.”
The young lady nodded casually.
I stared at her blankly.
Of course, I didn’t like Andy either.
Ignoring and avoiding was a daily routine.
Although I really disliked her…
I never wished for it to go this far.
‘…Too far.’
It went too far.
The young lady’s actions were too excessive.
Just like with the teacher last time.
I could tell just by looking at Andy now.
The young lady had no trace of kindness.
Of course, I understand.
Considering the young lady’s environment, it’s only natural.
Of course, things have improved a lot now.
But how was the young lady before that?
Afraid of poison, she couldn’t even eat.
Afraid of death, she couldn’t sleep properly.
She lived for years in such loneliness without anyone to rely on in such a situation, starting from the tender age of five.
Wouldn’t it be strange if she didn’t go mad?
Just the fact that she didn’t completely break down is commendable.
It’s natural for basic concepts to be distorted.
Yeah… the young lady did nothing wrong.
If there’s any fault, it solely lies with the Grand Duke.
If the Grand Duke had shown a little care, the young lady wouldn’t have become a like the Grand Duke herself.
But what can one expect from the Grand Duke?
He probably won’t change his ways now or in the future.
A cruel woman who takes everything for granted.
I don’t want the young lady to grow up like that.
I’ll raise her to be bright and lovely.
Maybe not as brilliant as Lucy, but I’ll make her smile happily like ordinary girls.
I won’t just watch silently as if it were a novel.
…I’ll have to scold her.
To prevent such things from happening in the future.
“Miss.”
I looked at the young lady with as much coldness as possible.
Could she feel the change in my gaze?
Her eyes began to tremble.
“Alice…?”
To scold an angelic young lady like her felt too harsh for me.
But it has to be corrected now.
Or it might become irreversible.
I’ll prevent the young lady from becoming a tyrant by any means necessary.
“This was too much, Miss. Is this how you make people understand?”
“But… but she made first…”
“No matter what, you shouldn’t make people like this, Miss.”
Andy looked at me with brightened eyes.
A faint smile appeared on her lips.
In contrast, the young lady’s eyes welled up.
Her face darkened, and soon she lowered her head with a melancholic expression.
Seeing that, my heart ached too.
“… I’m sorry.”
The young lady muttered softly.
I was surprised inwardly.
Most people her age wouldn’t readily admit their mistakes, but she apologized immediately.
Truly admirable, young lady.
I gently stroked her head.
“I won’t hit you anymore… I was wrong…”
The lady spoke with a subdued voice.
I blinked momentarily at her words.
“Huh? That’s not true.”
“..Huh?”
The lady tilted her head blankly.
I, too, looked at her with confusion.
“If someone does wrong, you should hit them, or else they won’t learn.”
Violence cannot be justified, but…
I’ve heard that appropriate violence can be like medicine.
Of course, I should prevent the lady from growing up to be a tyrant, but I didn’t want her to go
around hitting people either.
I didn’t want to become one of those frustrating parents who turn their children into punching
bags while saying, ‘Violence is never okay’ in any situation.
“But… just now, Alice…”
“I mean, it’s about controlling yourself. You’re hitting people as if you’re going to kill them.”
There’s concern for the other person, but my concern for the lady is greater.
What if she can’t control her strength?
Right now, it’s just a matter of her being a child, but if the lady grows even a little, wouldn’t she mercilessly kill someone?
The lady becoming a murderer.
That was something I could never allow.
“Even without making them completely disabled, you can make them repent by crying and admitting they were wrong.”
“How…?”
“Just hit the places where the pain doesn’t last long. I’ll show you when Andy is completely healed.”
I smiled warmly at Andy.
Andy recoiled from me with trembling eyes.
“A-Allice…?”
“Because of you, the lady has become so thin, Andy.”
Trying to just let it slide.
She crossed a line she shouldn’t have crossed.
It would have been better if she had just touched me.
She cleared away the food I left behind.
Because of that, the lady starved for three days.
The lady looked at me for a while.
Soon, she grabbed my hand tightly with a bright smile.
“Yeah, tell me.”
She can be so adorable sometimes.
My lips naturally curled upwards.
Returning to the north, I once again felt it.
Indeed, our lady is the best.
