I Possessed As A Childcare Extra Chapter 15

The softly curved eyes and the corners of his mouth lifted on both sides looked more sincere than ever.

So right now… splashing water on me was genuinely fun for him?

“For Edel’s sake.”

Narkis abruptly said this while covering his mouth with his fist. For Edel’s sake, what?

“There won’t be a next time.”

That was it. Expressionless again as if he had never laughed, Narkis left the bathroom at an unhurried pace.

“…Unbelievable.”

I had no idea how long I sat there stunned. Then the door opened again.

This time, it really was Cynthia.

“Take the rest of the day off.”

“Huh? But I still—”

“I said take the day off!”

With an annoyed snap, she yanked the brush out of my hand.

I hadn’t said her name, but she must’ve realized immediately. Once she knew the situation, figuring out who it was would’ve been nothing.

Cynthia scrubbed at the tub aggressively as she yelled.

“Get out!”

“…I’m sorry.”

She bit her lip as if she couldn’t stand to hear my voice. Her reddened eyes suggested she’d been crying.

I didn’t say anything else and left the bathroom.

“Ugh, seriously…”

The moment I got back to my room, I collapsed face-first onto the bed.

My head throbbed. Even throwing off my cap didn’t help.

“‘For Edel’s sake,’ he said? Wasn’t he supposed to let it go? That sociopath young master.”

No, I already knew he had zero social skills. Still!

“You’re going to have to show up at social events, wheel and deal politically, aren’t you? Huh? You’ll get weeded out at this rate!”

Only after yelling all this into my pillow and flailing my arms and legs did I face reality.

“…I’m the one who’s going to get weeded out.”

Cynthia dumping work on me had been unfair, but there was nothing I could do. She could just claim it was for work efficiency. All the other maids she’d bossed around had never protested either.

But instead of Ines, the head housekeeper, it was Narkis who stepped in.

Skipping over her direct superior and having the heir to the estate get involved?!

It sounded like something straight out of a 2000s K-drama, but the truth was different. Narkis only intervened for Edel’s sake.

Intercepting the Young Lady’s orders was a grave offense.

He could’ve just fired Cynthia outright. Maybe his “for Edel’s sake” meant he wouldn’t cut off her livelihood. If she got dismissed in a single day, even I wouldn’t be able to sleep easy…

But unless the whole thing was buried completely, there was only one person Cynthia would hold responsible.

Me.

One hundred and one ways Cynthia might secretly torment me flashed through my mind.

I wonder when workplace harassment laws will be established in this medieval-ish era. Of course, the first person to get punished would be Narkis.

“Haaaaa…”

As I lay there sighing myself limp, the door to the dormitory slammed open.

“Annieeee! I heard Cynthia bullied you?! That wretch!”

Actually, I’m not even sure whether the problem is Cynthia or Narkis…

I swallowed my true feelings and turned my head to the side. Holly, chin propped on my bed, glared like a fierce little poodle.

“I won’t stand for this! Just because she’s an upper maid?! She’s even got less experience than us!”

I asked weakly as Holly snorted angrily.

“Where did you hear that?”

“The young lord’s attendant said so? That she dumped her work on you and dawdled in the young lord’s room.”

They must’ve spread it on purpose.

Holly’s angry face blurred slightly, as if she were tearing up.

“What am I gonna do…?”

“What do you mean?! We’re all on your side!”

“…Who’s ‘we’?”

“The main building maids, duh!”

Would they, though?

The main building maids were closer to Holly than to me.

If Cynthia decided to torment me deliberately… they’d keep their distance rather than intervene. No one wants to catch the fallout.

So aside from Holly, I didn’t really have anyone on my side. Especially now that Beth had retired.

“Poor thing, you can’t even move.”

Holly popped a piece of chocolate into my mouth.

“The Young Lady gave it to you.”

The Young Lady.

If only I hadn’t gotten involved with her, none of this would’ve happened.

I wouldn’t have been summoned by Aeon or Narkis, wouldn’t have had my identity risked, wouldn’t have had tea time with the Young Lady… and I wouldn’t have drawn the jealousy of other maids.

A famous line from a movie I saw in my previous life replayed in my head:

‘My savior, who came to ruin my life…’

Wait.

“Savior…?”

“See? A bit of sugar helps, right?”

“…Savior!”

With a thunderbolt of realization, I shot upright.

 

 

****

 

 

“Milady!”

“Joo eun! I’m so glad you’re safe!”

I went straight to see the Young Lady, knelt down, and pleaded.

“Please become a Sword Master!”

“…Whut?”

With too much time on my hands, I had gone to see her.

The Young Lady, who had been happily welcoming my safe return, blinked her round eyes.

“Why’d you suddenly bring up a ‘Thword Marster’?”

“Because a Sword Master is the strongest in the world!”

“Huuuh?”

“If you become a Sword Master, no one will be able to hurt you!”

And me too!

“Sword Masters sprout where Sword Masters are planted!”

That’s why Narkis and Leoni become Sword Masters!

“You’re also the Lord’s daughter, Milady!”

Being the precious youngest daughter isn’t the only way to survive!

“Become the strongest person in the world and save me!”

“Save you…?”

“Yes! Make everyone kneel!”

If she became the strongest in the world! Then she could persuade Aeon to spare me—or skip the persuasion and just use raw power! No need to tiptoe around Narkis either!

“Wow, that’d be really cool.”

The Young Lady gave a soulless little gasp and spoke cautiously.

“But even if I gwew up to be a Thword Marster… the strongest in the world is pwobably Aeon, y’know?”

“Ah…”

The adrenaline swirling inside me fizzled out instantly.

“I guess… that’s true…?”

I’d spent all my energy spouting nonsense.

“Poor Joo eun. You must’ve been weally stwessed.”

The Young Lady patted my limp corpse-like body and then spoke up.

“Actwally, I thought about it too…”

“You tried to become a Sword Master?”

I knew it! If you’re born a protagonist, you’ve gotta at least attempt Sword Mastery!

The Young Lady glanced at me nervously and stammered on.

“Uh-huh, but… you hafta twain for it.”

“That’s true.”

“I saw my bwothers do it once.”

“And…?”

“It looked too hawd… I didn’t wanna…”

“Aha…”

“Thowwy…”

“No, don’t apologize. I hate exercise too…”

I couldn’t force the Young Lady onto a grueling path when, in my previous life, I’d hated walking. Then why did it feel so heartbreaking?

Just for a moment, I’d dreamed a wonderful dream—clinging to the world’s strongest protagonist in a childcare story. A brave Young Lady protecting me.

“I’ll twy my best!”

In front of my lingering sorrow, the Young Lady lifted her potato-like little fist with determination.

“I’ll pwotect Joo euni!”

Her slender arms wobbled like twigs. She might never be the strongest in the world, but she was still adorable.

“Your feelings alone mean everything.”

“Just twust me!”

I gave her trembling blond hair a good pat.

Until the day my reincarnation buff finally activates, I guess we’re both determined to survive. Sometimes reincarnation buffs activate late.

Even if it never activates… the Young Lady will survive. I wasn’t so sure about myself.

Seeing the Young Lady who even embraced background characters made me want to repay her loyalty, even just a little.

Maybe I’d stay until I confirmed she’ll live safely. Kids grow fast—wouldn’t take that long.

 

“You are now Edel’s lady-in-waiting.”

And yet you decide to smack me in the back of the head like this, miss?

 

 

****

 

 

 

A lady-in-waiting.

A servant who attends directly to a noble.

Skilled in etiquette and foreign languages, and armed with vast knowledge of culture, history, refinement, and general education—capable of managing crises on behalf of her master, and even adept at sewing. An ultra–high-spec profession.

Chosen from nobles, or from highly qualified senior servants. No exceptions.

Unless the master has lost his mind and picks one personally.

And here we have a master who has indeed lost his mind.

Aeon had summoned me to his office and immediately ordered me to become a lady-in-waiting.

Me. A commoner maid with no surname.

Edel, nestled in Aeon’s arms, giggled and waved. Anyone would think they were watching a heartwarming parenting drama. I was grinding my teeth.

You crack my skull open metaphorically and still have the nerve to smile?

In House Tricen’s Maid #82’s life plan, “Become the protagonist’s lady-in-waiting” was NOT included.

IT WAS NOT!

Swallowing my roar, I opened my mouth.

“Um, my lord.”

Aeon’s face didn’t change, but his gaze said, ‘Did you just talk back to me?’

With the Young Lady here, I decided to gamble my life.

“I’m a low-ranking maid.”

“And?”

Wow. He and his son really are the same. Just the level of pressure differs by heaven and earth.

I straightened my trembling knees and clenched my apron. I had to push through.

“Being a lady-in-waiting… is far too high-spec for someone of my humble birth…”

“You don’t want to do it.”

“N-no!”

The moment the language of my past life slipped out, Aeon asked if I wished to die, and I denied it with all my might.

“M-my ability is lacking! I fear I won’t be able to properly serve the Young Lady, so I… I…”

“Ability, hmm.”

Aeon repeated the word calmly and looked down at his daughter.

“Edel. Do you want a capable lady-in-waiting?”

The Young Lady puckered her chick-like lips and answered.

“Annie is best!”

Damn it.

“Your ability is irrelevant. My daughter wants you.”

Damn it, damn it, damn it!

“You understand.”

“…Yes, my lord.”

House Tricen’s ordinary Maid #82.

A background extra with no name in the childcare story.

Has now been promoted to a supporting role with express delivery.

Not even as a dedicated personal maid, but as a lady-in-waiting.

A lady-in-waiting was on a completely different tier from personal maids. They didn’t do any other labor; they followed and attended the Young Lady everywhere as her personal escort.

And currently, House Tricen had no lady-in-waiting at all. Edel was the only female in the family, and her nanny, Cecil, doubled as her lady-in-waiting.

So if I became the lady-in-waiting…

“The family’s only one.”

And furthermore…

“The first lady-in-waiting chosen by the Young Lady.”

A title suffocating enough to kill.

And most importantly…

“Escape would be impossible.”

I’d planned to keep my head down and sneak away someday. But at this rate, I’m going to be nailed permanently into House Tricen.